Press/Media Appearances

Carmen’s perspectives on race and racism have been featured in Newsweek, USA Today, The New York Times, The Nation, The San Francisco Chronicle Online, The Boston Globe, The Miami Herald, Time Out New York, and Maclean’s. Carmen has appeared on MSNBC Live, NPR’s News & Notes, Washington Post Radio, American Public Media’s Marketplace, PBS’s Asian America, KQED’s Pacific Time, and WBAI’s The Jordan Journal and Asia Pacific Forum.

She has provided expert commentary on the following topics:

  • Race and diversity in the workplace
  • Media representations of people of color
  • Anti-racist parenting
  • Interracial relationships
  • Biracial and multiracial people
  • Hate crimes
  • Racial stereotypes
  • Social media, including blogs and podcasts

    • Contact Us
    Carmen Van Kerckhove
    Co-founder and President
    New Demographic
    Tel: 917.657.3886
    carmen@newdemographic.com
    New York, NY


    The Boston Globe
    November 13, 2007
    “Blog is beautiful”
    An article about bloggers of color who are challenging mainstream perspectives on race prominently features Racialicious, New Demographic’s blog about race and pop culture.
    Read the full article here


    The Miami Herald
    November 2, 2007
    “The noose — a symbol of hatred — reappears”
    Carmen Van Kerckhove discusses the horrific history of lynchings, explaining that they were once celebratory events for the community referred to as “picnics.”
    Read the full article here (launches PDF)


    NPR: News & Notes
    October 29, 2007
    “Are Positive Stereotypes Racist, Too?”
    Carmen Van Kerckhove explains why positive stereotypes — like “Latin lover” and “strong black woman” — be just as harmful as racial slurs.
    Listen to the show online


    The New York Times
    October 21, 2007
    “Few Answers About Nooses, but Much Talk of Jim Crow”
    Carmen Van Kerckhove discusses the rash of incidents in which black people have found nooses left in their workplaces. Carmen explains why nooses are not just “pranks,” but serious cases of racial intimidation.
    Read the full article here


    The Nation
    October 29, 2007
    “Taking Celebrity Seriously”
    Carmen Van Kerckhove discusses why progressive activists cannot afford to overlook celebrity and pop culture. The article also mentions Racialicious — New Demographic’s blog on race and pop culture.
    Read the full article here


    Marketplace
    September 26, 2007
    “Hispanic or Latino? Fill in the blank”
    Carmen Van Kerckhove discusses the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s decision to change the box marked “Hispanic” to “Hispanic or Latino.”


    Talk Radio AM 1230 WTKG
    September 10, 2007
    “Radio in Black and White”
    Carmen Van Kerckhove discusses why diversity training doesn’t work, and why most companies are going about diversity the wrong way.
    41:13 long


    Bitch Magazine
    September 2007
    “Bitch In: Cool Activists, Good Causes”
    The critically acclaimed feminist magazine profiles Carmen Van Kerckhove and her work on race and racism.
    Read the full article here (launches PDF)


    Time Out New York
    August 22, 2007
    “Blog Like Me”
    An article that explores blogging about race prominently features Racialicious — New Demographic’s blog on race and pop culture.
    Read the full article here


    Triple J, Australian Broadcast Corporation (ABC)
    July 22, 2007
    “Sunday Night Safran”
    Carmen Van Kerckhove discusses various race-related topics on John Safran’s radio show.
    1:24:17 long


    The New Zealand Herald
    June 9, 2007
    “Shades of blackface”
    Carmen Van Kerckhove discusses the decision to cast Angelina Jolie in the role of Mariane Pearl, a woman of Afro-Cuban heritage, in the film “A Mighty Heart.”
    Read the full article here


    Columbia College Today
    May 2007
    “Carmen Van Kerckhove ‘99 Works to Stop Racism”
    Carmen’s alumni magazine profiles her work with New Demographic.
    Read the full article here


    St. Petersburg Times
    April 15, 2007
    “Shades of black”
    Carmen Van Kerckhove weighs in on the discussions surrounding Barack Obama’s race. If Obama isn’t considered to be authentically African-American, then who is? How is racial authenticity determined?
    Read the full article here


    Newsweek
    February 19, 2007
    “Rattling His Chains”
    Carmen Van Kerckhove discusses the film Black Snake Moan, director Craig Brewer’s follow-up to 2005’s Hustle & Flow.
    Read the full article here

    MSNBC Live
    August 24, 2006
    Carmen Van Kerckhove comments on the reality show “Survivor’s” decision to pit contestants of different races against one another.


    USA Today
    August 24, 2006
    “Racial teams on ‘Survivor’ may cross more than the color line”
    Jen Chau comments on the reality show “Survivor’s” decision to pit contestants of different races against one another.
    Read the full article here


    Maclean’s Magazine
    July 1, 2006
    “Look Over There. It’s a Black Guy!”
    Carmen Van Kerckhove discusses how colorblind casting in TV, film and advertising can paint an overly-rosy pictures of race relations.
    Read the full article here


    San Francisco Chronicle Online
    March 30, 2006
    “The Pursuit of Hapa-ness”
    A profile of Jen Chau and Carmen Van Kerckhove and their many projects, including New Demographic, Addicted to Race and Mixed Media Watch.
    Read the full article here


    USA Today
    March 8, 2006
    “Reality TV tackles life in color”
    Jen Chau and Carmen Van Kerckhove question the value of reality show “Black.White.”
    Read the full article here


    USA Today
    December 21, 2005
    “Love Is No Longer Color-Coded On TV”
    Carmen Van Kerckhove discusses the significance of interracial relationships on today’s top-rated TV shows.
    Read the full article here