Aight, so check it. Caroline Marland, used to run things over at The Guardian, just dipped out at 80. They say she was the first woman to be the head of advertising on Fleet Street. Word?

They talkin' 'bout she was a 'trailblazer' and all that. I mean, cool. But did she blaze a trail for folks in the hood? Did she make sure Black and brown folks got a seat at the table? That's what I wanna know.

She supposedly made the Guardian a grip of money with those classified ads. Okay, money is money, but where that money goin'? Is it helpin' fund programs in the community? Or is it just lining the pockets of them corporate cats?

And she was married to some Republican dude? That's a whole 'nother conversation. How you gonna be down with the struggle when your spouse is probably voting against everything that helps us out?

They say she mentored a bunch of women and helped them get to the top. That's cool for them, but what about the everyday folks? The ones grindin' just to make rent? Did she ever reach back and pull them up too?

Look, I ain't hatin' on her success. If she made it, she made it. But let's not get it twisted. Being a 'trailblazer' in the corporate world don't always translate to makin' a difference in the real world.

So, rest in peace, Caroline Marland. I hope you did some good while you were here. But let's be real, there's still a whole lotta work to be done to make sure everybody gets a fair shot. No cap.

We gotta focus on building our own institutions, our own businesses, our own media. That's the only way we gonna truly be free. Period.

Sources:

* Bureau of Labor Statistics: Data on employment and wages by race and gender. * National Urban League: Reports on economic and social conditions in urban communities. * NAACP: Information on civil rights and social justice initiatives. * The Guardian: (Take it with a grain of salt, tho).