Charlotte’s Wisdom

George Floyd: Can You Give A Mother Back Her Child?

And More UnAnswered Questions!

First, I confess to full transparency, CNN is on my viewing list and I rarely miss Andrew Cuomo and Don Lemon. A few weeks ago, Don Lemon of CNN charged his audience with viewing the entire video of George Floyd. Not the eight minutes and forty-six seconds but the all consuming nine minutes and twenty-nine minutes. My soul was changed forever. I couldn’t think, write or express myself because it was too overwhelming. The brutal deliberate murder of another human being jerked me into a reality that I already knew all too well but it proved too much for me to bear. Hearing a man cry out for his mother while grasping his last breathe, broke my soul and challenged my Christian heart. Forgive!? No one should be able to witness such an act let alone view it over and over again and have the ability to sleep soundly at night and remain sane. Outrage, disgust and horror should overtake anyone, not because of their race, or the fact that they are a parent but just as someone part of the human race.

Now the verdict has been rendered. GUILTY of ALL counts. Derek Chauvin has been labeled a murderer forever. JUSTICE! Everyone is celebrating this accomplishment of accountability for another life so why am I still disturbed? Do we really think we can now sleep soundly at night? Could it be that I still cry for the thousands of Black men and women who have been slaughtered without justice before Social Media brought these injustices into everyone’s homes? Or maybe its because, this is personal. I am a mother of amazingly beautiful intelligent Black children. I pray and suffer silently in fear every time my children go out. This verdict didn’t fix this pandemic in America; Black and Brown children are still targets. Mothers are supposed to be strong, tough and advocates for their children. How can a mother be a mother in the face of this reality? I CAN’T BREATHE!!!

Celebrate! While we all celebrate in victory, tell me… how do we return a son back to his mother? Larcenia Floyd died a few years ago and did not have to witness the murder of her son over and over again. It is the rest of his family, especially Floyd’s daughter, Gianna, who must go on without him. And then… we forgot someone. How does a mother witness her son kill another human being and then watch as he is led away awaiting the fate of a murderer. This mother too, has my sympathy.

Nothing can ever bring George Floyd back but he died to bring world awareness to the massacre of Black and Brown people by the police in the United States. His death has meaning and now, consequences. But as a mother, I say to all those murderers still out there, can you give a mother back her son or her daughter?

THANK YOU to the brave young lady, Darnella Frazier for letting the world view our brutal reality through your lens. The world is in your debt.

THANK YOU to the brave young lady, Darnella Frazier for letting the world view our brutal reality through your lens. The world is in your debt.

Coming Out Of The Closet On Social Media

Confession time…I used to think like Dr. Cal Newport (TedxTalks) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3E7hkPZ-HTk who pointed out in 2016 the unnecessity of social media in our lives and the fact that it was “nonsense.” Dr. Newport further went on to offer insightful advice that individuals should develop themselves as “rare and valuable” as well as focus on sharpening their skills to gain recognition. Dr. Newport was not too far off track when he identified the “ills” of social media including distracting addictive elements that cause ones’ focus to stumble, the enormous production of mental dysfunctions including anxiety, depression and inadequacies as well as forcing ones’ self into a less production unsuccessful state. Why do I mention this? I, like Dr. Newport, refused to have any type of social media account. And then… it happened and quite by accident.

While attempting to create a Facebook account for a client, I tested it by creating one for myself. It was a shocking disaster. Everyone from my past, present and those I am not sure where they came from, wanted to “befriend me!” I was discovered and while I protested verbally, secretly, within my being, I felt happy that someone reached out to me. This is how I became sucked into the social media “trend” and why I am incurably addicted today.

I’ve read statistics and data from the knowledgeable and distinguished Pew Research Center. There information about the trending social media from 2018-2019 seems so outdated and its only a few years old. It’s 2020 trends indicating that 72% of the U.S. public uses some type of social media may appear accurate, however, I would challenge those numbers as we have experienced a global pandemic and social media was the #1 medium to connect the world and provide information. Presently, social media shares info on best places to get tested and vaccinated. Personally, I wake up to my social media channels and go to sleep or my insomniac state exchanging conversation, information and the latest vids. I contend that administering another survey may uncover that nine out of ten adults in the U.S. use some type of social media especially during these uncertain times. Admittedly, we must make allowances for individuals who have chosen to go off the grid or simply do not have access to any social media.

What is my next stop on the social media train? Well, I am on Reddit who I love but I am just an observer of TikTok… content with hearing about what’s happening but haven’t jumped into that car; at least not yet.

Lord & Taylor Retail Success… Digital Failure

Lord & Taylor! Is it just another casualty of the pandemic of 2020 or simply hampering over the years by severely antiquated technological systems and just never caught up to the 21^st century?

Over the past 194 years, Lord & Taylor survived world wars, natural and man-made disasters, and two worldwide pandemics, but it never successfully converged onto digital platforms. Lord & Taylor (L&T) was a great store, one of America’s oldest department stores and it died because it missed the mark on incorporating a strong digital presence into its survival arsenal. L&T had the right idea — quality merchandise, stunning presentations, stellar “in-store” associates eager to treat you like royalty when you entered the door, but the world evolved into a digital era, and L&T did not emerge with the world. It may be true that L&T stumbled in some areas over the years, but loyal customers like myself, stood by our favorite retailer.

Le Tote, A San Francisco online clothing rental company purchased the prestigious iconic Lord & Taylor for $100 million in 2019 and was thought to be its “savior.” One would believe the online Silicon Valley start-up would have a populace of inspiring brilliance to weave a digital web around the struggling brick and mortar but their inability to deliver proved all the skeptics correct about Le Tote. Lord & Taylor needed a “workable” online presence that delivered the same quality and service as it did offline. Le Tote’s inability to remotely weather COVID-19’s sealed all possibilities of a future for Lord & Taylor and despite several strategic monetary shifting by Le Tote, the American retailer known as Lord & Taylor met with fatality.

Hope arrives! At a bankruptcy auction on October 15, 2020, the Saardia Group purchased the Lord & Taylor’s trademark, social media accounts, customer data and other intellectual property for 12 million. The plan: to keep the Lord & Taylor website alive. This is the latest message from the Lord & Taylor website:

WE’RE ON A QUICK HOLIDAY BREAK

We’re working on our new site and experience.

Check back soon for launch details.

website down, 3D rendering, traffic sign

A “down” website is just nails in the coffin. Revive Lord &Taylor! Here are Five Quick Tips to breathe digital life into Lord & Taylor:

Define and refine who you are branding to – your existing and “new” target audience? Please include GenX, Y&Z. Good idea to invest in online research to give you an accurate portrait of your customer, their needs, purchasing habits and trends.
GO DIGITAL! Develop, create and revamp your social media footprint. Make sure its at least the size of Big Foot! Include Blogging, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, SnapChat and any other platforms that will allow you to connect and have a more intimate relationship with your customers. Blog about relevant topics in your consumer’s life – capitalize on trending topics (hint… home alone clothing for the Pandemic Home Worker; sleek stylish outfit pairings for your Zoom meeting). Create exclusive content that drives consumers to your social media platforms. Speak to human interest topics and implement a call-to-action component as well.
Partner with relevant TV or streaming shows. Create interactive contests, loyalty games etc. that will be spoken/accessed by particular programing.
Befriend well followed fashion and home Influencers (3million+ followers) and work with them to embed content about Lord & Taylor that speak to its exclusivity, trendiness and high-class.
Get that website UP, running and customer friendly! Customers can’t buy if the products are not accessible. Make sure the website resonates the same online service that Lord & Taylor customers have come to love offline. Make deals with the top delivery companies such as USPS, UPS and FedX in order to offer immediate and same day delivery just like other leading competitors.

One day soon, we may say:

Welcome To The Digital Era Lord & Taylor!

The Digital Age Changes Journalistic Values

Is this heading accurate or just “fake news?” This was the “great” discussion this week as it is apparently clear that reporting has changed in the digital age.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

Today, we now have various levels of journalist, the traditional and now, the citizen journalist. Citizen journalist can be anyone with a cell phone who simply “reports” on a topic. The danger with this new trend of journalism is the notion that in the information age we are producing too much unchecked data. What an oxymoron!

Journalism values have tanked, been compromised or have simply changed and there are several contributing factors for this dip in ethics. The necessity for speed overruns the need for accuracy. It is virtually important that a platform be the “first” to report an event, regardless of truthfulness. Fast reporting leads to unchecked facts which produces rumors, hence, fake news. Additionally, everyone attempting to report the news do not have the training and high standards consistent with this profession.

In the wake of the opportunity the digital era has afforded the average individual, citizen journalism may be a welcome breathe of fresh air. These individuals are free from any obligation or commitment to advertisers or political figures; therefore their “information” has the ability to be pure and uncompromised.

However, everyone taking on the job of reporting the news should be subject to basic journalistic values. There is a definite need for media literacy. It should be the goal of anyone who wants to report the news that they build a trusting relationship with their readers/viewers. Consequently, all journalist whether traditional or citizen should adhere to the following:

Basic Journalistic Values

Transparency – Truth is #1
Neutral Observer
Present Only the Facts – Accuracy is primary
Ethical and Moral Conscious
Accountability
Credible and Verifiable Sources
Have the Interest of the Public

Big Data

What is “Big Data?” It is the collection of volumes of information that has the ability to be analyzed and segmented to uncover key insights into an industry or event and paint a succinct profile on a target group or person.

In our weekly meeting, we asked the question(s), “How does big data affect specific industries?” What are their challenges? First, of course, we need to understand the necessity of big data to distinguish how it has made an impact on various industries. Big data affects every industry as data collection and interpretation becomes more accessible. Data is an asset to every company seeking to optimize its profit -margin. Additionally, with the emergence of many new cost-efficient technologies, data can be customized to get a clearer picture of your target audience.

In our meeting, we were assigned a group and a target market t o analyze it for the impact of big data, how industries have transitioned into this era and the pros & cons of big data in various industries. Then, the awesome part, we broke out into “break out” rooms for a deeper discussion. The industries analyzed were finance/banking, education, health/fitness and transportation.

While there was many custom oriented feedback, there was also an overall consensus on the impact of data, an industry transformation as well as pros and cons. Big Data:

Improves customer experience and builds better product offerings
Improves internal company operations
Creates a more succinct portrait of customers for customized offerings
Collects information from every aspect of your life— school, credit cards, fitness plans, mobile applications you tap into on a regular basis

There are many benefits to big data but there are equally more pitfalls as well. Your information can be used to help you and harm you. Personal, detailed information about you is stored and can be exposed to undesirable individuals i.e. identity theft.

There is a lot of risk with big data and its intrusion into our private lives, however there are a great deal of benefits as well. With every element that touches our lives, we must make sure we manage the dissemination of our information in a responsible and secure mode because big data is here to stay.

The Electoral College

The Electoral college is the system by which the president and vice president of the United States are chosen. It was created by the writers of the United States Constitution to provide a method of election that was feasible, desirable, and consistent with a republican form of government. It does not represent the “popular” vote but it is the “fair” system we abide by to preserve democracy. While most of the results are “too close to call,” for the 2020 election, you can follow the results yourself and do the math. There are 538 electoral votes and the winner needs 270 of those votes; it really is a horse race.

How many electoral votes does your state control? Look below…

Mapping IT!!!

MSNBC is a reputable news station and you can trust what they report. Additionally, they have extraordinary commentary. MSNBC is speaking about Biden’s manifestation as he surges toward that 270. MSNBC is discussing crucial battlegrounds such as Arizona, Pennsylvania, Florida, Michigan and North Carolina. They have their map up with experts delivering their projections. They are also discussing how Trump did that trick in 2016 by reaching uneducated white males in rural counties. Now discussing Texas, usually a red state but it is going neck and neck. Texas has the chance to turn BLUE!

Switching to Fox News… they are discussing the crucial states but focussed on Florida where Trump has a stronghold. The Map is up! No clear winner in the state of Florida but the map looks awfully red! They are interviewing the governor of Florida, Ron Desantis (R) who, of course, speaking that there is no possible path for Joe Biden. Trump should be confident that he has Florida and heading toward that 270. He feels Trump has “united” the Republican base, the Cuban base and a little bit of the Black vote. He feels its an impressive win. They are stating Biden had no expectations of ever winning Florida.

Clearly we are seeing two different sides to same 2020 Election. Twitter has lots of commentary but the facts are being reported on the television.

TOO Early To Call!

MSNBC started with choosing counties in Florida panhandle…Trump owns that land but the rest of the state is “too early to call.” MSNBC is giving more comments from followers to the information on the television. MSNBC working hard to give a positive Biden race but its “too early to call.” However, we are experiencing a tremendous turnout throughout the country. MSNBC showing less info on Twitter, we need more! Fox News, known as the personal news forum for #45, is giving a positive victory for #45 but they are also reporting “too early to call.” Fox discussing the Hispanic vote and Black vote and how Trump may have attracted more. Fox tweeting out results where Trump is winning but it’s “too early to call.”

Election 2020 – Where’s The Mail?

Election 2020! The most historic moment in my lifetime! I have every television, desktop, laptop, IPad and IPhone on alert. It’s a mad house!

MSNBC boldly covered the fact that the United States Post Office was ordered by Judge Emmet Sullivan to sweep through the post office for mail in ballots. This after 12-15 states are missing over 300,000 ballots! The United States Post Office is ignoring the order as of this post! They will “stick to their own postal inspection schedule.” While everyone is tweeting about it on MSNBC twitter, the hard news was on the MSNBC television. Must have “missed” that on Fox News television “Extra”, but it was visible on Fox’s twitter feed. One story and two different networks with opposing views!

Am I Part Of The Conversation (Prism)?

Over 50.2% of my day is spent on some social media platform; translation 724.35 minutes out of 1,440 minutes (24-hour day) of my time. While this is a rough estimate (where many activities were omitted), it is its own social media discussion. I wasn’t born to live by apps, I was transformed into this world. You would think my activities would make me a major part of the Conversation Prism but it appears that I am barely a mention.

According to the Conversation Prism 5.0., I only occupy the bits and pieces in the Social Network, Social Bookmark, Messengering and Service Network slices of the pie. What happened? While many of the slices are labeled with my social media of choices, they do not house the applications that are controlling my life. If we looked at every social platform I use to make my life easier, I would complete the social media circle with a footprint in every slice. However, my applications have not been incorporated. For example, gaming applications including the simplest and maybe oldest, Solitaire. It fits the “social media” definition as Solitaire offers you gratification as well as the opportunity to “connect” with others but its absent from the chart. This happens to be true for so many other games. Also, the financial applications like CashApp, Stockpile, Venmo and even PayPal give you more than a place to transfer money, you can also reach out to friends and family and in some cases grow your wealth through investment –community and group! Let us not forget the “foody” applications that will save your life on a busy day like Uber Eats and Doordash. Where do they fit in the social media map? I could go on and on by naming Elfster (Secret Santa), PhysiApp (personal physical therapy) or TikTok (video-sharing social network) but it all points to the same conclusion, I am not part of this social media conversation as of yet.

Conversation Prism 5.0 is an ongoing study of a visual social media landscape tracking dominant and promising social networks and organizes them by what they are used for in everyday life. It is about the people or (YOU) in the center of an online social media experience but where am I? If YOU, or in this case, “I” am having the experience, should not my social media platforms be somewhere in the mix? The Conversation Prism is an excellent ethnography, that, like most great works of art, must be updated to correlate with the constantly changing social media landscape.

What next? Let’s step back to my 50.2% of my day driven by social media. It’s time to heal thy self!!! I’ve thought of meditating on “Note to Self for Healthy Digital Consumption” a podcast by Manoush Zomorodi. He gives a challenge entitled the Five-Day Informagical Challenge where you are challenged with 1) no multi-tasking for the entire day 2) decluttering your applications (get rid of unused ones) 3) don’t try and keep up with everything for a day 4) seven-minute face-to-face rule (have a meaningful conversation with someone physically in front of you for seven minutes) and on the the fifth day analyze your week and see where and how you can incorporate what you have learned. I thought of doing something like that but…don’t think I would be successful right now.

How big is your social footprint and does it fit in the Conversation Prism 5.0?

Why fit in when you were born to
STAND OUT!”
Dr. Seuss