I noticed.

My friends noticed.

Their young daughters noticed.

I showed my grandmother and she noticed. And she is so far removed from the entertainment world.

And I didn’t have to say nary a word.

Mr. Carter, here is a newsflash- not only is color in, but big is in too!

Mr. Graydon Carter, I know that you weren’t born yesterday, and I know that it has probably taken you many years to get to where you are today, so you might appreciate the fact that some people, especially in the industry of the arts, need as much publicity as other industries.  However, here you have an opportunity to control such a fantastic medium that can influence many, why do you choose to come up short? Why don’t you rise to the occasion and respond to the question that is on the minds of many-why is there only one ethnicity represented on your March 2010 Vanity Fair’s annual “Hollywood” cover?

Now, I am sure these are all fine actresses, but not one was an African-American, Asian or Hispanic. Mr. Carter, here are some actresses I think you have missed:

Gabourey Sidibe

Zoe Saldana

America Ferrera

Demi Lovato

Miranda Cosgrove

Keke Palmer

Selma Gomez

Ava Byron (okay I put in this last actress, but she is promising! And she too hopes to be on your cover, one day…and her grandmother told me to write -not on the inside of the cover either!!!!)

Mr. Carter, do you remember what it was like to dream when you were young? I know that you are probably jaded since you have been in the business for a long time, but can you think that far back? What it was like to escape from a world and pretend you were on a cover of a magazine?

I do.

Mr. Carter, I think that your cover is weak and it suggests racism and racial insensitivity. It may even be intentional, because you knew that it would attract attention and discussion. But, is this the kind of attention you want to really attract? We all NOW know with some certainty that America will be represented by another president of a different culture, but can the same be said for Vanity Fair?  Many Americans took their time in putting their government together, and so should you and your colleagues, when you are putting together your issue. Next time, ask yourself not only-who is your reader, but who will see your cover?

Did you ever think that young actresses of color, known or not known, would see your cover?

Or could you just be showing the world Hollywood has never really changed?

And in that case could I call you a genius in disguise?

That we must argue and put our foot down.

I mean it took the Obamas to come into office and now American Vogue is peppered with black models (trust me, I have been buying Vogue for years, and have noticed a big difference). I mean even Andre Leon Talley alluded to the fact that he had to pull ranks to get Jennifer Hudson on the cover of Vogue and that was pre-Obama days… and we all know Anna listens to everything Andre suggests, cause the man is Vogue!

Has Mr. Carter invited us to ignite an open forum so big, that something like this could never happen again?

We shall over come We shall see.

Vanity Fair declined to comment about the decisions involved in producing the cover.

*Images shot by Annie Leibovitz via Vanity Fair

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