Please help us get the word out and fwd this to as many people as possible.

Thank you so much for your time and efforts.

Micole

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: frannie

 

Hi Everyone,

Today wrote the following complaint letter to the Better Business Bureau and H&M Corp. Office.  I will be contacting the local news and periodicals regarding this.  I am asking you to kindly forward this information to everyone you know.  I want as many people as I can reach out there to read this. I believe this is very important for you to know.  If you can give me any other advice I truly appreciate it.  I am still in shock and disappointed.

Thank you for your time,
Frannie

On 9/13/07 @12pm, I went to H&M on Mich. Ave.  While looking at clothes, a male employee named Joseph H.; visual merchandiser, who was standing close to me, raised up his right hand and said, "Mail order bride in the house," and ran over to another female employee and they both started laughing.  I looked around myself and the only other person standing next to me was a male security guard.  I approached the two employees and asked them to try on clothes that I had desired to purchase.  Joseph H. rudely pointed to the fitting rooms at the end of the room and said, "Can you read that sign, it says fitting room."  As I walked away, Joseph said "ching, ching, chong." I went into the fitting room and told one of the sales associates what happened and asked him to help me by calling the manager.  Tom the Dept. Manager came down.  I reviewed everything with him and told him how upset I was.  Tom stated, "we will discuss this with him later today, I am sorry this happened."  He did not ask for any other info. I asked Tom for his name and number. He told me to, "call back next week to follow up because I am leaving for OOT tomorrow."  I left and came back @130pm to speak to the manager again because I wanted to get Joseph's name.  Joseph was still working on the floor.  I spoke to another manager named Greg because Tom was not available and told Greg that I am writing a complaint regarding the situation.  Greg gave me the address of the store and told me that he did not have any formal paperwork I could write on "because Joseph would get a verbal warning first, and if it happens again, then it would be written down."  He gave me Joseph's name and told me to address the letter to the General Manager.  I told him that this is unfortunate because there will be many other Asian women walking in the store today and Joseph H. is inappropriately making derogatory comments.  Greg apologized and said there was nothing else he could do. 

I do not believe Joseph H. should continue to be employed at H&M, I want this complaint in his employee record, and he owes me an apology.
 

==========
Thank you so much for all the support you have given to me over the past few days. I felt very helpless and upset when this all happened, but I am feeling better that you are supporting me.  Could you PLEASE write a letter to the Corporate Office in NY as well as the General Manager from the Mich. Ave. location for me? I truly, truly appreciate it if you can take a few minutes to do so. Here is the information:

1. Corporate Office Manager
    H&M Hennes & Mauritz
    LP
    47 West 34th Street, 3rd Floor
    New York, NY 10001
    tel:1(212)564-9922
 **You can contact this corporate office via email if you go to website: www.hm.com**

2. General Manager
    840 North Michigan Avenue
    Chicago, IL 60611
    tel:1(312)640-0060

Please continue to pass this along to as many people as you can.  I want H&M to know that this is unnacceptable.

I was hesitant at first to send in a resume for this since I am not African-American & the audition notice is specifically for African-American singers. But after talking it over with a (black) friend, she'd pointed out that white singers have unashamedly co-opted the roll of Bess throughout the history of this production which is much more heinous than actually having another person of color "pass" as a black chorus member.

 

After talking & thinking about the broader issues of cultural appropriation and racial sensitivity in casting, it dawned on me that (at least in opera) the reason roles of color have been farmed out to a white cast was the excuse that "there aren't enough QUALIFIED minority singers". Even today - the Lyric Opera is infamous for it's "bluefacing" of the entire chorus/ Ethiopian-slave cast in "Aida". I really question if the minority talent pool is that diminutive or if the institution itself just doesn't know how to reach out to those minority communities (as I've witnessed first hand with other arts orgs like Steppenwolf & the Old Town School of Folk Music).

 

So, in order to avoid yet another bluefacing incident AND in an effort to dispel the myth that there aren't enough qualified minority singers out there, I'm throwing my hat in the ring and encouraging others in our Asian-American community (who could visually pass & have the chops) to do the same.

 

Because the opera is such a rarefied field, it's quite possible that any uncast choral openings they couldn't find a qualified African-American voice for ends up getting farmed out to someone in their company chorus (most of whom are white). And before it goes there, let's give them some other options to consider along the way.

 

Mahalo!

 

Czerina

 

----------

 

LYRIC OPERA OF CHICAGO to hold CHORUS AUDITIONS for PORGY AND BESS
 

Lyric Opera of Chicago announces preliminary chorus auditions for the 2008-2009 season production of George Gershwin's 1935 masterpiece


In accordance with the terms established by the Gershwin Estate, Lyric
Opera of Chicago will hold preliminary auditions for experienced,
classically trained, African-American singers in all voice categories who
seek positions in the company's choral ensemble for the 2008-2009 season
production of Gershwin's Porgy and Bess.

Music rehearsals for this production will begin in August of 2008 with
staging rehearsals to begin in mid to late October. The production will
have 12 performances with the contract period ending in late December 2008.
Singers will be compensated upwards of $6,200 for rehearsals and
performances.

Auditions will be held on the following dates:
           Friday, November 2                  2:30-5:30 pm
           Saturday, November 3                10:00 am-1:00 pm
           Saturday, November 3                2:00-5:00 pm

To  be considered for an audition, singers should send a current résumé and
photo to:

                         Lyric Opera of Chicago
                      Chorus Auditions Coordinator
                    20 North Wacker Drive, Suite 860
                            Chicago, IL 60606

Please include a cover letter indicating your first, second and third
choice for your audition date. Résumés will not be accepted after October
22, 2007. Once you have submitted your materials your information will be
evaluated by Chorus Master Donald Nally and appointments will be made for
qualified candidates. Not all applicants who submit a résumé and photo will
be asked to audition. Walk-ins will NOT be seen.

Applicants must have two memorized selections to offer, including one aria
or art song. Applicants may also be asked to sight-read a selection of
music. An accompanist will be provided. Applicants must provide a legible
copy of their arias in the correct key for the pianist.

The auditions will take place in the Civic Opera House, 20 North Wacker
Drive, Chicago.  Auditionees are asked to enter through the Stage Door, at
the corner of Washington and Wacker Drive. Applicants are required to prove
United States citizenship, permanent residency, or possess legal permission
to work in the United States of America at the time of audition.


                                   ###