From rental-request forms submitted to rent-a-negro.com, a website
created by damali ayo, a conceptual artist based in Portland,
Oregon. The site "allows you to promote your connection with
a creative, articulate, friendly, attractive, and pleasing African
American person," who "can make diversifying your life
a pleasure." She has received approximately 500 requests
for her services.
Tell us about yourself and why you are choosing this service:
Um, I'm having a graduation party this coming Sunday. And I don't
have any black friends. I want black friends, but Idaho is so
backward and out of the loop. I do have a hip-hop show on my college
radio station, so I'm trying. So anyway, I was wondering if I
could rent a negro for my graduation party. Thanks.
Event type: Private/Personal Gathering
# of people at event: 50
Description: Just a graduation party. There will be a keg.
And music. Just a good time. The rental would be just to give
the party atmosphere.
Have you used black people before? yes
Did you pay? i did not pay
Do you have previous experience with black people? How many?
yes, 2
Your experiences with black people have been mostly: positive
Describe: There was this black guy that worked at my pool
one summer. He was cool, cleaning the leaves and stuff out. And
then there was this black woman that went to my church for a few
months. She seemed nice enough. She made these chocolate cupcakes
one time for the Bible Study group. That was kind of her.
Tell us about yourself: i am very outgoing and love people,
but i can't seem to get along with my black roommate here in college,
we live in the same 4 bedroom apt. there weren't enough people
to fill our apt. so they put her in the apt. with us. i realize
that i have never really had to associate with black people, but
now i am being forced to. but i just want to see if i can rent
a person to be a friend of mine from high school and maybe she
will think that she relates to me more and that i can relate to
her. and too, maybe i can really learn something in the process
about black people.
Event type: Drop-in Appearance
# of people at event: 2
Description: Just come by the apartment and eat lunch and watch
TV, so that she can see me with them.
Have you used black people before? no
Experience with black people? no
Tell us about yourself: I wanted to bring an African American
with me to this event because so many of my friends think I'm
racist. I might tell a joke or two, but I'm really a good person.
Event type: Corporate/Business Meeting
Description: It's a fund-raiser for a community organization.
Experience with black people? How many? yes, 10
Experiences have been: positive
Describe: I've worked with a few and talked to some at functions.
Tell us about yourself: System analyst/designer; interested
in minority-use case scenarios for major new LBS product
Event type: Corporate/Business Meeting
# of people at event: 6
Description: Have you considered regularly leveraging the minority
value-added aspects of corporate marketing studies? This focus
group may contain other token minorities.
Other services: High Question Volume
Have you used black people before? yes
Did you pay? i did not pay
Experience with black people? How many? yes, 100s
Experiences have been: mixed
Tell
us about yourself: This is purely informational. I've never
known a black person in my life and I'm soooo curious!
Event type: Individual
# of people at event: 1
Location: New York, N.Y.
Description: A personal dinner--just me and the negro.:)
Other services: Hair Touching, Skin Comparison, High Question
Volume
Experience with black people? no
Tell
us about yourself: I have a lot of Black friends but I find
that I don't always know what to say. I just want a one-on-one
negro to advise me on what i do wrong.
Event type: Individual
# of people at event: 1
Other services: high question volume
Experience with black people? How many? yes, 16
Experiences have been: mixed
Describe: i don't know how to act around them.
Tell
us about yourself: I am an executive at an oil and gas company
and most of my colleagues are white. I am looking for diversity
at our functions.
Event type: Private/Personal Gathering
# of people at event: 75
Description: Business networking event
Have you used black people before? yes
Did you pay? i paid
Experience with black people? How many? yes, 5
Experiences have been: negative
Describe: Negative images on television
Tell
us about yourself: I would like to have an AA teach me more
about their culture and have them accompany me.
Event type: Drop-in Appearance
# of people at event: 3
Description: I want to convince my friends how endearing AA people
can be. I'm willing to pay for it!
Experience with black people? yes
Experiences have been: positive
Tell
us about yourself: I need some help with being perceived as
a racist
Event type: Non-Profit Function
# of people at event: 100
Description: fund-raiser for indigent people
Have you used black people before? no
Experience with black people? How many? yes, 1
Experiences have been: positive
Describe: High School Math Teacher
Tell
us about yourself: You're the only service that I've found.
I'm the multicultural director at my company and I need a spokesperson
to be on my team, a black woman preferably, to help me show the
black people at my company that I can relate to them.
# of people at event: 30
Description: Diversity Meeting
Other services: Black Testimonials (e.g., what is it like to be
Black)
Have you used black people before? No
Experience with black people? How many? yes, 5
Experiences have been: mixed
Tell
us about yourself: I am trying to become a more open-minded
person. I need to cultivate relationships with all types of people.
Event type: Non-Profit Function
# of people at event: 100+
Description: End of the year employees' dinner
Other services: Polite conversation
Experience with black people? How many? yes, few
Experiences have been: mixed
Describe: I'm having a hard time putting my thoughts in writing.
How did you hear about us? An email was forwarded to me by a non-Negro
friend.
Tell
us about yourself: I am interested in procuring your services
for a black-tie corporate function. May I see both head and body
shots of the available resources. This person must be able to
converse with the wives of financiers as well as the financiers
themselves. High-ranking government officials will be present.
This person must conduct herself in a very professional manner
as well as be very informed of current events. I must ask that
this person say nothing critical or defamatory regarding the Bush
Administration.
I am certain you get a lot of pranksters but I assure you that
my intentions are sincere. Along with the photos, please include
a quote in the form of an invoice for this type of event. Do not
apply sales tax. Here is our exemption number: #.........
Upon acceptance of the invoice, I will satisfy the account with
a corporate AMEX. Please have the resource report directly to
me two hours prior. I will furnish contact information once I
have accepted your quote.
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2003 Harper's Magazine Foundation
COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group
