Its official, Africans are in fashion.

OK, OK, OK. So, you have probably heard about the Keep A Child Alive Campaign featuring Gwyneth Paltrow, Liv Tyler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Iman et al. If not, let The GB break it down for you. It's a campaign featuring pictures of these stars, with some African....er... accessories and stuff...with the caption, 'I Am African'. And its caused a stir in many quarters. First off, let's point positive. The Keep A Child Alive Campaign is one that people really should probably check out. The goal is a good one, as explained in it's title...And the people involved in the campaign to eradicate AIDS in the continent of Africa have had much success and obviously figured that, as we are living in the era of celebrity culture, the only way to get people's attention is to get some celebs to endorse the cause, right? Right! No one would disagree that celebrity endorsements can help - and if the celebs want to help out a cause they care about, great!...So, what's wrong with this picture??:





















Now, here is the thing. When The GB was sent the message, (by someone who knew that this would provoke a reaction...!), it caused some confusion - and amusement. Here is an (edited) snippet of The GB's response back:


'Isht. I don’t even know where to start... on the face of it, I thought it was a move to say that human kind started in Africa, and that we all come from the same place - which I thought was bold, even though Gwyneth doesnt look like any African I know. Then I read the words on the ad and my head nearly blew off... What are they trying to say? Really?! Are they saying that if AIDS affects one of us, it affects all of us? I think that is what they THINK they are saying, but that isnt the message anyone is getting. I DO think that they are saying, Gwyneth likes Africans, and you should too... And what is with the stripes on her face??...Oh, they are 'African' tribal paint marks, I seeeeeeeee...and is that necklace supposed to be from Africa?...Whoo, I need to go, I need to laugh some more.

And it seems that The GB wasn't alone in feeling like well meaning liberals got it WRONG AGAIN. If people stopped talking ABOUT and started talking TO each other, I bet we wouldnt have this mess. Did anyone from the Keep A Child Alive Campaign talk to people of African descent - other than the superstars involved in the campaign - about their thoughts on the campaign, and its message, given the longstanding problems of negative portrayals of Africans in the Western media (think: flies and swollen bellies, dancing in the streets after a coup/sporting event...hacking some kind of tree... arrid desert, get the picture??!!) Looking at the response to the campaign, it doesn't feel like it. Can anyone say FOCUS GROUP??! The picture below, comes from Gawker.com. Read and laugh until you weep: