In honor of Black History Month, the student government of the City College Center for Worker Education presented Kim Osorio to speak at their Bowling Green campus location. The event takes place today at 6PM, in the auditorium.
Osorio recently put out a book, “Straight from the Source: An Expose from the Former Editor-in-Chief of the Hip-Hop Bible,” which is more of a defense of her career as the first female editor-in-chief of The Source magazine. After she was fired, Osorio sued the publication for gender discrimination, sexual harassment, defamation, and retaliation. The verdict worked in her favor, and she won $14.5 million.
The following is a live blog of the lecture given by Osorio, followed by a book selling and signing:
6PM: Auditorium already packed, mostly women, lucky I found one seat in the front. There is chatter of excitement among me, people have already read the book.
6:17: Elaina Romero, journalism professor of City College introduces Osorio, as a multi-racial woman trying to survive the male-dominated hip-hop industry. She was around when the highest selling issue of The Source came out. She has had over ten years experience in publishing, and is here to talk about gender issues in the hip-hop culture.
6:19: Osorio takes over the podium, admitting she arrived late. First refers to Lilly Ledbetter, from Alabama, who filed a similar lawsuit of pay discrimination against her company, Goodyear Tire. Only heard her name from President Obama, when he signed the Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. Was first legislation act that he performed.
Osorio talks about growing up as a New Yorker, in the Bronx, of Chinese/African American/Puerto Rico descent. She claims to usually identify herself not with the following ethnic cultures, but with hip-hop. She even bought turntables. Before she could make a joke out of it, saying that she wasn’t cut out to be DJ, few chuckles were heard in the audience.
6:26: Brings up her other passion: writing. Writing was therapeutic, as she would express her feelings whenever she ended relationships. “It helped me get over things,” she said.
She never thought it would turn into a career, changing her major many times while attending Fordham University, and finally settling on a Fine Arts degree. Then she went to law school. She shopped around her clips, which got in magazines like Billboard, and eventually landed a job at The Source, which was a dream for her.
Osorio at City College
Associate Music Editor was her starting title.
Some members of the audience are leaning forward, obviously interested. Osorio is very conversational and casual, holding a cup of Starbucks in her hand.
Osorio acknowledged change within the hip-hop industry of the depiction of women- from Queen Latifah and Salt-n-Pepa as positive role models, to the more sexy Lil Kim and Foxy Brown.
6:31: Favorite artist is Notorious B.I.G. and watched the movie. She recalls an intimate scene between BIG and Lil Kim. Kim was reciting a rhyme that came to her head, and in response BIG told her to change it, “people aren’t interested in that, they’re more interested in sex.” Mainstream image of female rappers is misogynist.
6:33: Osorio mentions how she hates the phrase, “scantily clad.”
6:35: Someone walked in late into the auditorium, slight disruption, but seemed excited, big smile on her face as she scurries to a seat.
Osorio hints at how hard she worked, climbing up the ranks of magazine staff to get to EIC position.
6:38: Talks about her firing because of an e-mail she sent complaining about being discriminated.
Reads excerpt from her book- about how woman’s reputation is based on the men she’s linked with, “The more successful I became, the harder it came to get people out of my personal business…”
6:42: Shuts book and shifts to one-to-one tone with audience. Admits she had relationships while being on the staff, and that some were sexual, shook her hand as she said, “Yes, I had sex.” Audience laughs. “But that was taboo in the industry.”
Filed for defamation because people from work spread rumors that she slept with rappers, which she denies.
6:44: “To each his own.” Osorio refers to women having kids out of wedlock, meanwhile it looks normal for men in the hip-hop industry to have kids in this manner.
6:46: Special message that you can’t change the world unless you change yourself, “..and that’s what I did.”
6:49: Not easy to make decision, recalls incident of gender discrimination at a meeting with her boss. Boss made a comment about how there’s too much estrogen in the room, while women, including herself were present. Osorio says she didn’t say anything, but it bothered her.
6:53: “Although I love it, it spun out of control.” She is referring to hip-hop industry. But she does see positive messages shining through recently.
6:54: Q&A section.
A class was in the auditorium, and teacher announced for them to leave- about 15 people left.
First question from audience: What was your defense when people said you listened to hip-hop, you know hip-hop discriminates women, how could you be offended?
A: I always tried to avoid listening to the words, and just loving the beat. I would say to myself that they’re not talking about me personally…but after getting involved with the industry, realized it was a bigger issue, all about content.
Osorio recalls testimony from another female worker during her lawsuit. Boss told her she had a “fat ass.” Worker’s response was that she didn’t find it offensive because she thought it was a compliment.
Audience cringes and grunts.
7:04: Osorio’s response to industry’s social responsibility, particularly The Source’s: video will be uploaded:
http://www.veoh.com/videos/v17442605hF5JrKc4
7:06: Question asked, where do we go from here?
A: Not everyone can be Mother Teresa. But those who feel strongly, should stand up and do something about it. Everybody has to do their part. It all starts individually.
Comment from audience: Angie Martinez is annoying. Osorio counteracts with Martinez being one of her closest friends, and though she may be depicted as partying all the time, she works just as hard.
Angie Martinez is a radio personality on HOT97, http://www.hot97.com/angiemartinez/
7:12: Question on how circulation was when she worked at The Source.
A: 500,000- 360,000 from newsstands.
7:14: Smell of popcorn, followed by announcement that one more question will be taken before reception.
Q: Who do you think is a positive role model, who do you think is a great example other artists should follow?
A: Kanye West, whose mother died in 2007 due to complications from plastic surgery.
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7:18: End of lecture, Osorio retires to back of room, where copies of her books are laid out. Line forms.
Straight From the Source
7:26: I shake Osorio’s hand, and ask a question about what does she think women who face the situation of discrimination in the workforce should do? She recommended I read passages in her book, probably to avoid being quoted, or was in a rush, as the line continued behind me. But, she did offer me her AOL e-mail address. She mentions that it’s a personal decision to overcome the fear of getting fired. In her case, it was necessary.
Excited Fan Getting Book Signed by Osorio
7:30: I spot a guest sign-in sheet. Including my name, there were 41 signatures. But from speculation, more people attended than that number.
I get on line to grab some appetizers, and speak to the women in front of me. Sharon Bell, 58, from Manhattan, along with her goddaughter attended the event. Bell’s daughter goes to school here. Her daughter already read the book, and is recommending her goddaughter to read it as well. They bought a copy here tonight.
Froma parent’s perspective, she found this enlightening. “I remember hearing her case, how the media put her in a negative light. They showed her with her cleavage showing, while talking about her discrimination lawsuit.” After seeing Osorio tonight, dressed in a simple sweater and jeans, Bell said that no matter how the woman dresses, it’s never right to be harassed.
