Black Female Characters Vanish From TV, Emerge on Web (1257 hits)
Jacksonville, FL- When the creator of “Noni Jones in Harlem”, a fictional web-journal, noticed that Black female ensemble casts had become obsolete from television airwaves practically over night, she had an idea. An avid writer, Ayesha K. Faines, set out to create a ménage of virtual characters with whom women of color would identify.
With candor, Ayesha writes 'the confessions' of three Harlem women; Noni, Caroline and Geneva. In this spicy, Harlem tale, the ladies recount the events of their romantic and personal lives. The story lines intertwine.
“I think women of color crave sisterhood, be it in the form of family, friendship or as portrayed on television, film and literature. Even on the web, Black female bloggers and their followers have formed a unique community.”
It is that community that Ayesha plans to tap into, and beyond. "Noni Jones in Harlem" is blazing a new path in web content. In a sea of pop culture, gossip, and social commentary, this blog is one of the few composed of an entirely fictional story line. Blog fiction is still a marginal activity in the Blogosphere. It's conventions have yet to be defined.
“Some people are shocked at my ability to live a double--- rather quadruple life and keep up with the inner musings of three distinct women. But Noni's personality is an extension my own, in some ways, and Caroline and Geneva are loosely based on two friends with dynamic, certainly fiction-worthy personalities. Having that real-life connection allows me to be imaginative and to write authentically."
Ayesha Faines is a Florida based television reporter who graduated from Yale University in 2008. Creative writing is her passion, but she says the blog also makes sense, possibly dollars and cents. She cites the high demand for both African-American literature, even in a down-turned economy.
Ayesha says stories like "Noni Jones" is culturally necessary given the state of television programming. “I think perception is reality, particularly in the media. Networks have switched over to reality television because it's cheaper but the women of color we see on reality shows are often edited into recycled, damaging, character-types. The problem is, this programming is being sold as 'reality'.
I think that over the past few decades we’ve relied on fictional situations, like the sitcom, to give people the best cross-section of what the African-American experience is. From the working class family of Roc, the Black professionals we saw on the Cosby Show, and the urbane women of Girlfriends-African American audiences have relied on these images for identification and really, for education to those on the outside looking in. It's possible that Black works of fiction have painted a truer picture of reality...than reality.”
But she says, don't refer to "Noni Jones in Harlem" as another version of s*x and the City.
"My blog is s*xy and the backdrop is the City but this is not a rehashing of the same recycled character types. And if we're really honest, the first s*x and the City was Yvette Lee Bowser's Living Single."
