When Tameka Foster posted the blog entry 'She's Pretty for a Dark-Skinned Girl' on the Huffington Post, both celebrities and regular women alike celebrated her message.
Unbeknownst to them, while they were saluting Usher Raymond's soon-to-be ex-wife's essay on skin complexion, author Aisha Curry, who wrote the book 'Pretty for a Black Girl' (AuthorHouse/$10.49) read the piece and was outraged that her tome had been lifted and used by Foster, who allegedly passed the work off as her own.
Read Foster's full essay here.
"My heart sank into my stomach. All the hard work, all the sleepless nights I had endured was playing back in my head as I read this article written by a woman I didn't even know," Curry told BV Buzz. "Why did I feel so connected to this article? Suddenly, it came to me. It was my work! It was my work, my voice, but in her words. I was frozen. Tears began rolling down my face as I read line after line after line. I couldn't believe it. The idea that someone could gain notoriety from an issue that I first brought to the forefront is mind-boggling. People were praising her for tackling an issue that had never been exposed. Hello? I wrote the book on it and started it years ago. The only difference between her article and my book is she used 'dark-skinned' and I used 'black.'"
Curry said she began writing 'Pretty for a Black Girl' in 2007 after receiving compliments about her beauty, only to have them followed up with a reference to her ethnicity.
"One day about five years ago, I was absolutely tired of being tol
d that I was pretty for a black girl," she explained. "I started asking my friends if they had heard this statement before, and as time went on, I realized how prevalent the issue was."
The 96-page pocket-size book, which was self-published in March of 2008, was written as a labor of love by Curry, a college student who is dismayed at the idea that Foster plagiarized her hard work.
"I received the link, and it changed my life. A friend told me that they had read an article in the Huffington Post called 'She's Pretty for a Dark-Skinned Girl' written by Tameka Foster. I knew the title was similar to my book, but I didn't jump to any conclusions," Curry recalled. "So, I went to the site and began reading this article. If she would have changed the words 'dark-skinned' to 'black,' it would be exactly the same title as my book. My frustration quickly turned to anger, and I sought God for answers. 'What do I do? What can I do?' At that moment, the appropriate reaction was tears. All I could do was cry! Thankfully, I had the support of my family and close friends who surrounded me with love. They quoted scriptures from the Bible, which gave me strength. I began to receive phone calls from people who had read the book and they said: 'Wow, I felt like I have heard all that before.' That's when I decided to do something. I picked up the phone and called as many supporters as I could."
The Fresno, Calif.-based mother and wife of a professional athlete acknowledged that there is the slim chance that Foster could have penned the blog essay, however, she believes otherwise.
"I cannot and will not say she stole my idea, because you never should assume. However, I will say that It seemed like one heck of a coincidence and everything I touched on she did," Curry offered, before adding, "I just want other people to know that you don't have to sit around and do nothing when you feel wronged."
Incidentally, Curry shared that she had sent her book to an Atlanta-based foundation more than a month ago, so the timing of Foster's story is eerily coincidental.
"I offered to send my book to an Atlanta foundation whose purpose was to encourage and uplift young women in their community. I am a local author out of Fresno, so I jumped at the chance to change lives and get some exposure for my book. After sending my book and failing to receive a promised phone call from the foundation members, I was baffled. Though I had sent the book about a month and a half ago, I shrugged it off and went on with my daily duties of being a wife, mother and book author," she explained.
Though discouraged and heartbroken by Foster's alleged actions, Curry still hopes the message of 'Pretty for a Black Girl' resonates with people.
"It's written for a entire generation of women being told they are nothing if they are not what some people consider pretty. I focused on that topic because I can onl
y speak on what I know and what I have experienced. People would tell me all the time that I was 'pretty for a black girl' and I wasn't sure what to make of it. I felt it was a compliment, but it also felt like an insult. I reached out to the community via YouTube in 2008 and sought the opinions of others. I had over 80,000 viewers and at the time. It was an issue that no one had really addressed publicly. My goal was to empower young women and to help them realize that they are beautiful no matter what color, race or gender they are. The book was self-published, and I was ecstatic but also nervous because I knew the topic would stir up controversy. I was prepared for the backlash about the subject matter, but I wasn't prepared for what happened now," she concluded.
BV Buzz contacted the Huffington Post about the the matter. Their press rep said they needed more details before commenting.
Foster's publicist sent BV Buzz an inflammatory statement. The gist of it read: "Tameka has never even heard of the book you referenced nor does she believe you even deserve a response."
*****
To learn more about Aisha Curry's book, 'Pretty for a Black Girl,' visit her Web site www.aishacurry.com.
Read also: 'Twitter Talk: Tameka Foster Bashes Divorce Attorney'
& Read also: 'The Week That Was: Tameka Foster-Raymond, Nia Long, Omarosa & Lionel Richie.'
*****
VIDEO: See the original video Aisha Curry posted on YouTube last year about 'Pretty For A Black Girl.'


Comments: (157)
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By: Marissa on 8/20/2009 1:26PM
Yay! I am so proud of my cousin Aisha! When she told me about Tameka's article I was outraged! I am glad she is getting noticed for her hard work and BV did this story for her. She deserves credit for her hard work and accomplishments.
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By: FACINGREALITY on 8/20/2009 10:32PM
I had a feeling that the work was not an original piece for Ms. Foster. I actually read Huffington Post daily and if I'm not mistaken I read a comment on Huffington by Aisha asking if the information was lifted out of her book. I took a mental note of that comment as she used her real name when posting. To read this today puts my doubts of Ms. Foster's penmanship into the realm of reality. I knew she didn't write it as Ms. Foster is not that well spoken - hood-rat is too gentle of a term for her.
I am proud that Aisha spoke out for Ms. Foster would have put her on blast had the table been turned. I'm also going to purchase the book if for nothing more than GP.
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By: MITA on 8/24/2009 1:35PM
THIS IS STUPID.
PRETTY FOR A DARK SKIN GIRL OR A BLACK GIRL IS ALL THE SAME. MOST LIKELY EACH PERSON WHO IS DARK AND PRETTY WILL HAVE SOME OF THE SAME TYPES OF EXPERIENCES. BECAUSE TAMEKA IS WELL KNOWN BECAUSE SHE MARRIED USHER, SHE WILL MOST LIKELY GET MORE PRESS FROM HER BOOK THAN AISHA CURRY. IT SOUNDS LIKE AISHA IS TRYING TO CAPTIALIZED ON TAMEKA'S BOOK.
SO IN OTHER WORDS OUT OF ALL THE PRETTY DARK SKINNED BLACK GIRLS IN THE ENTIRE WORLD....THE ONLY ONE CAPABLE OF WRITING A BOOK ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES IS JUST ONE PERSON.....AISHA CURRY.
SO GABRILLE UNION AND KENYA MOORE CAN NEVER WRITE A BOOK ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES.
IF IT WERE NOT FOR TAMEKA'S BOOK NO ONE WOULD BE TALKING ABOUT AISHA CURRY. AISHA YOU OWE TAMEKA A PERCENTAGE OF YOUR BOOK SALES. YOU ARE USING TAMEKA TO ADVERTISE YOUR BOOK.
AISHA SOUNDS LIKE THE LADY WHO WROTE A BOOK WITH THE SAME TITLE OF STEVE HARVEY'S BOOK. THAT LADY TRIED THIS SAME CRAP TO CAPTILIZED ON STEVE HARVEY BOOK SALES.
BUT IT BACKFIRED. STEVE HARVEY'S BOOK IS STILL ON THE BEST SELLER LIST AND HERS IS NOT. NO ONE HEARD OF HER BOOK UNTIL STEVE HARVEY WROTE HIS.
STEVE HARVEY'S BOOK MAY HAVE HAD THE SAME TITLE OF THE OTHER WOMAN'S BOOK, BUT THE CONTENT IS FROM HIS PERSPECTIVE. JUST LIKE TAMEKA FORSTER'S BOOK. THE TITLE MAYBE THE SAME...BUT THE CONTENT IS FROM HER PERSPECTIVE.
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By: Charles on 8/24/2009 2:08PM
There are plenty of Tameka Foster haters out there , which says a lot about her "sisters", but what are the odds that she read a self-published book with a similar title to her essay. It's not like "Pretty for a Black Girl" is that original. I think Ms. Curry is using this episode to push her book, Writers come up with similar titles for books all the time; ask any publisher. I think she owes Ms Foster an apology.
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By: MITA on 8/24/2009 2:19PM
SHARON P CARSON TRIED THIS SAME CRAP WITH STEVE HARVEY'S BOOK " ACT LIKE A LADY THINK LIKE A MAN"
THE TITLE OF THE BOOK IS A SAYING THAT EVERYONE HAS SAID FROM TIME TO TIME.
PRETTY FOR A DARK SKINNED GIRL....TAMEKA FOSTER IS A "DARK SKINNED GIRL"...AISHA IS NOT.
AGAIN AISHA IS TRYING TO DO THE SHARON CARSON THING. SHE IS TRYING TO CAPTILIZED ON TAMEKA'S BOOK SALES.
STEVE HARVEY'S BOOK WAS AND IS A BESTSELLER. I AM NOT SAYING THAT TAMEKA'S BOOK WILL BE. BUT, IT IS APPARENT THAT AISHA IS USING THIS TO CAPTALIZE ON HER BOOK SALES AT TAMEKA'S EXPENSE. THE SAME WAY THAT SHARON CARSON DID. AISHA SHOULD ASK SHARON HOW DID SHE MAKE OUT.
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By: MITA on 8/24/2009 3:37PM
I READ TAMEKA'S ESSAY. EVERYTHING THAT SHE SAID IN THE ESSAY, COULD HAVE BEEN WRITTEN BY ANY BLACK WOMAN. AS BLACK WOMAN WE ALL SHARE SOME OF THE SAME EXPERIENCES.
THIS SITUATION REMINDS ME OF THE BEYONCE - ETTA JAMES THING.
SEVERAL PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE YEARS SONG THE SONG "AT LAST"
BUT IT WAS NOT UNTIL BEYONCE SONG IT IN THE MOVIE, RE-RECORDED IT AND THEN SONG IT FOR "PRESIDENT OBAMA" THAT'S WHEN ETTA LOST IT.
BECAUSE BEYONCE WAS GETTING SO MUCH PRESS ABOUT THE SONG (WHICH SHE DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB SINGING), ETTA COULDN'T CONTROL HERSELF.
ETTA THOUGHT SHE SHOULD HAVE SONG IT FOR PRESIDENT OBAMA.
IF IT HAD NOT BEEN FOR BEYONCE, PEOPLE HAD FORGOTTEN ABOUT ETTA AND THE SONG.
BEYONCE RE-RECORDING THE SONG GAVE ETTA THE CHANCE TO MAKE A COMEBACK ON T.V. ETTA SONG THE SONG ON "DANCING WITH THE STARS" AND SHE WAS ON TALK SHOWS TALKING ABOUT THE NASTY STATMENT SHE MADE AGAINST BEYONCE SINGING THE SONG.
AND BELIEVE ME...IF IT WERE NOT FOR BEYONCE RECORDING THE SONG, ETTA WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ON DANCING WITH THE STARS OR ANY OTHER T.V. PROGRAM.
IF YOU THINK I AM WRONG....HAVE YOU SEEN ETTA JAMES ON TELEVISION LATELY?
ETTA WAS RIDING ON BEYONCE'S COAT TAILS....JUST LIKE SHARON CARSON AND AISHA CURRY ARE TRYING TO DO.
NOW AISHA IS TRYING TO CAPITALIZED ON TAMEKA'S ESSAY.
AISHA IS NOT A DARK SKINNED WOMAN....BUT TAMEKA IS.
EVERY DARK SKINNED BLACK WOMAN CAN SAY THE EXACT SAME THING THAT TAMEKA SAID IN HER ESSAY.
HELL I AM NOT A DARK SKINNED WOMAN....BUT I CAN RELATE TO EVERYTHING THAT IS SAID IN THE ARTICLE BECAUSE BEING A BLACK WOMAN, I HAVE HEARD THE COMMENTS NUMEROUS TIMES.
I THINK IT IS SAD THAT AISHA CURRY, SHARON CARSON AND ETTA JAMES HAD TO STOOP TO THESE LEVELS TO GET PUBLICITY FOR THEMSELVES TO EITHER SALE A BOOK OR SAVE A CAREER.
PATHETIC
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By: Teresa Smith on 8/20/2009 4:30PM
Is there a quote in the Bible Aisha can find about trying to capitalize on someone else's fame? lol She sounds so stupid. She prayed to god and cried? Gimme a break. This topic about black women is not original..tell her to go sit somewhere and pray...not publicize her own stuff..
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By: FACINGREALITY on 8/20/2009 10:35PM
Tameka is that you?
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By: EB on 8/25/2009 12:35PM
This person sounds like Tamika Foster or her relatives. Oops! I am sorry, her relatives don't like her either. Yeah! That's Tamika commenting & hating on Aisha for exposing the Tamika for the fraud she is. I can tell, you cannot spell.
Grow up, Tamika.
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By: LaTosha Stanfield on 8/24/2009 2:32PM
Either you are USHER's ex or you ARE JUST A FULL-BLOwN HATER. WHat is your PROBLEM??? You are trippin. The proof is EVIDENT!!!! THIS WOMAN HAS A YEAR OLD youtube film, JESUS!!!! What does it take????? You must not be Darks-kinned either. You sound like some highyella fool who thinks their passing.
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