Oscar Statue Outside the Dolby Theater – Photo credit: Reuters.com
Sunday night is Oscar night on ABC! Even before any of the Golden Statues are distributed, the media is abuzz with one of the most lacking characteristics of this year’s event: Diversity! So much so that protests are planned over the lack of diversity among Academy Award voters, and this after nominations were sorely missing any minority actors! Some of the most notable exclusions include Selma’s outstanding director Ava DuVernay and main actor David Oyelowo (the movie did snatch a Best Picture nomination).
According to a 2013 Los Angeles Times investigation, Academy members were found to be 76% male, 93% White, with an average age of 63 years old. Reuters/Ipsos published a poll this past week showing 34% of the poll respondents are convinced Hollywood has a diversity problem, with 62% of the 2000 respondents arguing the Academy does not favor minorities. At least, that is what the absence of minorities across the acting nominations, and women in the screenwriting and directing categories, seems to suggest.
So what do we do with this lack of Oscar diversity? Are we to shun the Gold Statues forever, or lose interest in the film industry altogether? I think even in the most disappointing of situations, there is a silver lining, even as faint as we can make it. Yes, this year there will not be an Oscar for Diversity, and Jennifer Lawrence may not trip again. Yet there is the beginning of a conscious realization everywhere that Art is no longer Art if it fails to represent reality. And reality, today’s reality, can no longer overlook the significant impact of minorities and women. Period.
And by its very noticeable absence, the Diversity Oscar may just be the biggest Golden Statue tonight…
Boss plays favorites – Photo credit: dailyworth.com
You can spot it a cubicle away, this cookie-dough gooey chemistry between your boss and his/her favorite. They laugh together, exchange accomplices’ glances, make each others’ copies, and share information you are generally the last to know. What happens when the boss plays favorites, and it’s obviously not you?
Favoritism in the workplace is a real thing. According to this Georgetown study, 92% of senior executives admit to witnessing favoritism at work. Wow! When it comes to distinguishing between those whose merits are rewarded at work, vs. those who just happen to be the boss favorites, how does one go about it? And most importantly, how does it get addressed effectively enough to stop the damaging behavior?
My $0.05: At work or in life, subjectivity very often rules. One part of being subjective, especially at work, is basing decisions on the inter-personal connection between people as opposed to their merits. It happens, much more often than we’d care to admit. If you suspect a serious case of favoritism hindering on your performance and career advancement, first take a step back, and make sure this is not coming from a place of unhealthy comparison. No to two careers are the same, and if jealousy is motivating the way you feel, you may need to check yourself first. However, if the boss is really playing favorites in an unhealthy manner, consider speaking to them and addressing the situation. It will be a difficult discussion, yet you can make it smoother by deflecting blame and instead pointing out actual results (or the lack thereof) of the situation, and how it has affected your work.
Loving the ease and style of these, which I would prefer to style with heels and an elegant blazer on a girl’s night out! Other alternatives include this pricier Alexa Chung pair from Net-A-Porter, or this L’Agence version from Shopstyle.
Diversity is in! Not that it should ever be out, yet it is with much excitement many of us noted this year’s NYFW’s unofficial theme was the big D word! From model Winnie Harlow who suffers from vitiligo to Jamie Brewer, the first model with Down syndrome to walk the NYFW runways, not to forget transgender advocate Laverne Cox at the Go Red for Women event and disabled models at FTL Moda, this year’s NYFW was all about Diversity at work in the world of fashion, and we loved it!
Did you say Woman Power? Power ladies was a big theme at NYFW this year, what with power women career suits, bold colors and daring cuts. Who runs theworld NYFW? Girls, of course;
It’s Time to Rethink the whole Bring Your Child to Work Day! Who could have missed the whole media buzz around Kanye West and Kim Kardashian’s fashionable offspring North West, crying (and very publicly so) at NYFW? Apparently, you don’t cry at NYFW, even if you’re a 20-month old baby decked in a bulletproof vest (albeit designed by your designer dad) having to withstand lines of adults dressed in funny clothes moving in rank and file style! We may have to re-think the whole Bring Your Kid to Work thing after this, which actually, Anna Wintour may have already beaten us to the punch with a prospective juvenile ban (stay tuned for future developments)!
Get comfortable being…uncomfortable! NYFW street style was very stylish…and oh so uncomfortable-looking! After all, who cares if snow is coming down and the sidewalks are walking hazards, as long as you can sport your cropped jeans and open-toed heels, all for the love of your fashionable job! Now that’s dedication…
It’s about working hard, and…playing even harder! All of this fashionable work does have a payoff, after all. These designers and models work oh so very hard (you know, glamour and all), to get the hugely gratifying payoff of turning into their party animal selves after the shows are over! And frankly, that’s how we like to work too…
Any other take-aways from one of the biggest fashion events of the year?
Smart wearables have been on the market for some time, and I have to say, both the often high price point and clunky look never really made them must-haves for me. However, I’m liking the new MICA (stands for “My Intelligent Communication Accessory)! It’s a smart jewelry accessory created by Intel and luxury design firm Opening Ceremony, that not only notifies you of who likes your Facebook picture, who emailed you on Gmail or texted you, along with other social notifications, but actually looks like jewelry. No clunky look here, but a real funky, stylish, jewelry look that can be worn from the office to after-hour drinks.
My $0.05:At $495, this smart bracelet is comparable to the lower-end Apple watch, and less pricey than a pair of Google glasses. If you’re in a splurging mood, why not invest on a fashion piece that’s both pretty and useful (because really, when does that happen?)
It’s cold outside baby! With sub-zero temperatures in the Northeast, winter is kicking my freezing behind (literally), but I’m not letting it mess with my fashion. Speaking of fashion, one of the biggest trends on the runway at NYFW 2015 is nothing less than…turtlenecks! Hence today’s frugal, useful and very a propos Work It pick, this classic turtleneck from Joe Fresh! At $9.94, you can’t beat this, price wise or style wise…
Love the versatility of this easy classic, which you can style with your favorite jeans for a casual office look, or a sleek pencil skirt or slim trousers for a more conservative tone. I also like this color block version from Ann Taylor, this chunky knit version from Old Navy, and this cashmere style from Nordstrom.
And for a bit of eye candy, here is a selection of fashionably “delish” turtlenecks from NYFW 2015 which caught my lusty attention in the media (who said we can’t be cold in style):
If you’re looking for a topic that will draw engagement at your next dinner party, race probably may not rank high on your list. And frankly, neither would it at work…Yet, we need to talk about race, especially at work. That’s what Mellody Hobson, one of my role models and the current Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of Dreamworks Animations, argues for in this unbelievably inspiring TED Talk rightfully entitled “Color Blind or Color Brave?”
