Something different for Cincinnati
One acronym I could do with never hearing again in this town is YP. It stands for ‘young professional’, and is one of the most divisive and exclusive labels I’ve ever seen people seem sort of proud to wear. There is always some kind of YP event going on, which - if you can manage to get past the YP label - is cool. No shortage of things to do is a good thing. But there seems to be some re-inventing of the wheel and duplication of work in the efforts of these various YP groups.
I keep meeting people in Cincinnati who say that they want to create “inclusive” and “cosmopolitan” experiences - ones where you’re as likely to be hanging out with a plumber who lives in OTR as you are to be rubbing shoulders with some fresh-faced city worker with a condo downtown. Not many blue collar workers are going to be itching to come out to events which are specifically designated as being for ‘young professionals,’ though.
The word “diversity” crops up a lot, too. I know plenty of black folks, in particular, who run for the hills as soon as someone tries to coax them into something with promises of “diversity”; either they know they’re going to end up the TBG (Token Black Guy, as my friend TM says) or only be valued for bringing the sought-after d-word to the table. People want to be liked and appreciated for reasons other than their skin color, sexual orientation, or class standing. Yes, even black and gay people!
My point: A lot of these buzzwords, which are used to create a sense of welcoming good will, actually alienate the very people they are supposed to attract.
Oh, wait - here’s my real point: A bunch of people in Cincinnati (I’m one of them) are putting our heads together to do some really cool stuff here in town. A little weary with the same old crowds - beautiful and charming as you all are! - showing up at everything, one of the main goals is to do stuff so cool that it will bring out those people who don’t normally find it worthwhile to do so.
Here is the informal blog I set up for discussion surrounding these aims. We’re looking to do a BarCamp-style overnight event in Cincinnati in the near future, something that a lot of people seem to be quite excited about. And we’re getting together soon to bounce ideas and talk contacts who can help us make it happen. If that sounds like fun to you, join us!
Filed under: Life
I think YP has become the new “Yuppie” for this era…. I think this is Gen-Xs way of desparately grasping to what is the last remaining years of their youth.. The term it self YOUNG professional is psuedo-validation of something they are so reluctant to give up. There was a time both Young and Professional meant too different things… now together it’s become a brand….or maybe elitist class..I don’t know. It gives those without either a purpose or identity both… I agree on the issue of how “some” black react or don’t react on issues of diversity…. so many whine and cry there isn’t anything in this town for B.U.P. (Black Urban Professional) But rarely do I see ,except for the same old tired hand-ful … BUPs out and about at events that are open and “inclusive” to everyone…. havent quite figured it out…. About the Bar-Camp thing….hmmm.. yeaaaaaaah …. Black people don’t CAMP… We’ll they do and we call them…. HOMELESS…
I’m out
E
Edward, you should let people know that you’re black so they know you’re allowed to make jokes like that! Some people do read these comments who don’t know you in real life…and it’s their loss that they don’t!
Hey everybody!!!! I’m black!!!!
thanks,
E
“One acronym I could do with never hearing again in this town is YP”
Please?
IMEO: It’s the NEW buzzword so Cincy leaders appear that they know what they are doing.
Glad someone is willing to take on the “YP” stupidity. Though I have to warn you, if you think those who favor the term actually want to mingle with plumbers, I’m afraid you’re being a tad generous. In my experience, people who claim they want a “diverse” experience, actually want nothing of the kind.
Kudos on calling out the organizers who recruit by using the “YP” in advertising their events. It is absolutely everywhere. It is hard to believe that “YP” could be mistaken for a divisive or exclusive label. The closest thing I can come up with for a definition of “YP” is anyone under the age of 45 who graduated college, bathes regularly, and owns at least one pair of designer jeans. Until “YP” came around, I used to call them “wanna-be yuppies”. Also, is this strictly a Cincinnati phenomenon?
Well, if you know the usual crowd and think you qualify to be there, no, it won’t seem exclusive or divisive to specify ‘young professionals’ only.
My point was that their really isn’t a qualification at all. If you want to consider yourself a “YP”, you are.
How about us ASSes: Aging, Semiemployed Slugs?
(I’m black too. Black Irish!)
And my point is that if you have never been to a “YP” event, you probably wouldn’t know that.
“The closest thing I can come up with for a definition of ‘YP’ is anyone under the age of 45 who graduated college, bathes regularly, and owns at least one pair of designer jeans.”
1 out of 3 ain’t bad! (I bathe 4-5 times a day.)
We’ve had a rash of YP type branding in my Midwestern city too, and I’ve gotten just as disgusted. Here, Young Professional tends to draw self-impressed twats (can I say that on the internet?) with overt “what can you do for me?” networking agendas. A few social groups are filled with these and drive out the more down to earth (normal) people who are under 45 and employed. A few others have changed their names or branding from YP to other, worse (more vague and confusing) choices and lost most of their audience completely.
I’m under 45 and educated but believe me, one or two events with overly tooth-bleached girls with $3000 handbags or guys with artfully gelled hair and untucked shirts, who think that green apple martinis are still “FABULOUS” is enough to make me want to run for the really diverse people - ones who are interesting regardless of race, age, or job status. Fight vapidity!
Jackie… wow you’ve sparked debate on what seems to be a interesting subject… I didn’t realize so many people had such a negative perception of YPs…. are YPs the new white trash? :lol:
Well, I guess one of those labels is truly offensive while one is just silly. You know which one REALLY makes me mad, Edward.
While I agree in principal with some of your points, I think if we are going to bitch about the term, we need to be prepared to come up with a better one. I am 29 and white. Hmm, can’t change anything there. I also put myself through graduate school and worked my butt off for three years so that I could get a “professional” job that happened to be in Cincinnati. I contribute easily 40 hours a week outside of my job to help Cincinnati realize its potential through a variety of community organizations. While I appreciate your interest in inclusion and your frustration with the status quo (and frankly I agree with both), I feel like you’re asking people like me to be ashamed of who we are and the achievements we’ve made because we (and our achievements) are too “mainstream.” I’m sorry, but that’s not what I’m about.
Clara, I’m sorry if that’s what you took from what I wrote, as that was definitely not what I was saying. What I’m saying is that if you only want to hang out with other young professional people, fine! If you want to broaden your social spectrum and hang out with people with a diversity of experience and backgrounds, stop specifiying events as “YP” events. It’s an exclusionary term to use in creating what are intended to be inclusive experiences.
So, what about the term “New Revolutionaries?” or “New Visionaries”? At first glance, it doesn’t seem particularly exclusive - even if you’re over 40 you can contribute to the “revolution”. Plumbers have visions for their community just the same as investment bankers do. Just throwing it out there to be picked apart at will.
Clara, thank you for coming back and commenting again! I was worried I had hurt your feelings.
I think I’m the wrong person to ask about labels. It’s not that I am anti-label, but I’m more pro-action. For example, I’d rather have someone know my group by the work we’ve done than know our name/label and ask, “So what have they ever done?”
Not everything can be packaged and sold in a tidy way. My natural inclination is to resist packaging and just do stuff. Succeed or fail, I’d rather put my energy into the doing. I’m well aware, though, that this is my own personal preference and there are probably people reading this who would join you in wanting a label.
In light of my stated bias, the only thing I’d add about labels is that you can make a rod for your own back in having to live up to them. People can use them against you (”Oh yeah, what have they done that’s so revolutionary?”). Again, my natural inclination would be to spread the ideas, do interesting and innovative things (or try to!), and have people figure out for themselves that what we’re doing is revolutionary and visionary. If someone tells me, “Oh, I’m quite beautiful” or “I’m very intelligent,” my immediate thought is, “Then why do you feel the need to tell me? I can figure that one out on my own.”
It’s interesting you should say that, because the reason that I backed out of the collaborative group was because it seemed that there were no action steps and we were having the same discussions that I was having with people 3 years ago. I hope I am wrong and that actionable items come out of the discussion that are as inclusive as possible.
The challenge (and I’ve already read your point about the “commoditization of human beings”) is that I work in the arts, and our subscription base is, quite literally, dying off. Our generation was skipped as far as arts education is concerned, so we don’t have that built-in loyalty that our parents had - it’s all about video games and ipods and blockbuster movies. So how do I reach out to “them” (insert definition of them here) without commoditizing? It would be easy to say “well, just produce good theatre” but it’s not enough.
Clara, do you really think our PARENTS had arts education. Certainly, you jest.
There was NONE. Now, at least there is some…