Kelly Rowland...

...is a mahogany berry. She has had her career ups and downs, but she has continually spoken out against the colorism that is prevalent in the entertainment industry. She has said that magazines have refused to put her on their covers because women that are her shade simply do not sell magazines. They have said that buyers do not find her relatable. Because darker skinned women do not buy magazines, right?

Of course, we all know that this is the same lame excuse that they have used for DECADES to keep the beauty standard the same. If we want to see women who look like us then we have to demand it. We have to demand to see it in film, television, and magazines. How? There are many avenues. But we have to decide on an action plan and ACT!

What I find interesting is that Kelly has reportedly found major success in the UK, while she still struggles to find popularity in the U.S. Some say that it is because her music is lack luster. While this may be true, there are many "artists" out there who create bad music AND their music still sells millions. Clearly, Kelly's struggles have more to them than just bad music. It has to do with a lack of management and also, I feel, a lack of other pop stars that look like her. If you think about it, where are all of the brown skinned pop stars? If you try to do pop you are put into a corner and expected to do "black music." But if you do, this music will only make you seem average because you are black and have done what is expected. It is a catch 22.

However, if you are white and do average black music, then you are considered edgy. Is Fergie truly edgy or is she just white. I think she has a good voice, but there is very little that is interesting about her. If she was black, I think she would still be just another face in the crowd.

All of our Black female superstars, I mean the ones that are leading the pack, are a lighter complexion. Sure, the U.K. will accept anything as music and love it. But the U.K. also doesn't have the colorist issues that the U.S. has. Hopefully, with the new management Kelly has she will be able to make her mark in the U.S. And become a classy representation of dark skinned women. Think of it like this, our daughters need someone to look up to. Someone they consider attractive, someone who looks like them.