War on DEI: White Fragility’s Shameful Obsession with Black Excellence

White mediocrity, by nature, is fragile and unable to stand on its own. And that’s why it attempts to dismantle the floor so that no one can stand independently. It’s like snatching the PlayStation controller from your younger brother when he’s mercilessly beating you at a game you taught him to lose. No one is more obsessed with those who are winning the game than the creators of the game itself. The USA was built on oppression, and despite ongoing inequality, segregation, the wealth gap, and unequal access to resources, those who have been disenfranchised, exploited, and oppressed continue to outshine those who designed the systems

Kirk BaltimoreFebruary 20, 2025Comment

A BITTER PILL TO SWALLOW… IF I HAD ACCESS TO IT

In the USA, health insurance is a privilege. Many health care plans have literal tiers—like platinum vs. bronze—where you either get basic care despite paying thousands for insurance or end up with essentially worthless coverage and massive out-of-pocket costs. Approximately 60% of Americans under 65 rely on employer-sponsored insurance –whose cost has risen beyond inflation and wage growth. In 2019, a survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation and LA Times found that 2 in 5 adults with employer health insurance reported difficulty affording medical care, prescription drugs, or premiums.

Alex FreeFebruary 14, 2025Comment

My Ancestors Did NOT Build This Country

Now, it is one thing for Black Americans to choose that they don’t want to leave the United States for any number of reasons. But it should be the right of every American, Black or otherwise, to choose to stay or choose to leave. Is it freedom if we are forced—directly or indirectly—to stay?

Tina StrawnFebruary 6, 2025 Comment

The Hypocrisy of the Right's War Against DEI:

As we anticipate Pete Hegseth's confirmation as Secretary of Defense, I can't help but chuckle at the hypocrisy of the Right's crusade against Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). The entire confirmation hearing serves as a stark illustration of why DEI initiatives are not only necessary but critical to the functioning of our nation.

Mishel WilliamsJanuary 30, 2025Comment

The Danger of H.B. 315: A Threat to Transparency and Justice

Hey folks, I had hoped to begin 2025 with a message of kindness and optimism, a fresh start for a new year. But as the headlines poured in—the truck attack in New Orleans, the cybertruck explosion outside the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas, and the shooting outside a club in Queens—it became clear that relief would not come easily. And then Ohio added its own bullshit with the passage of H.B. 315.

AHUS EditorialJanuary 9, 2025Comment

Farewell to Nikki Giovanni

Yesterday, the world lost a powerful voice, the legendary poet Nikki Giovanni. For me, her passing brings to mind how profoundly her work shaped not only my understanding of poetry but, more significantly, my sister Janine’s life and work. Janine, a poet in her own right, first introduced me to Giovanni’s words. Through her, I saw how Giovanni’s poetry uplifted and provoked, celebrated joy, and confronted injustice—always with grace, compassion, and unwavering truth.

AHUS EditorialDecember 13, 2024Comment

A Review: Legacy: A Black Physician Reckons with Racism in Medicine

When I think about what “legacy” means, I think about what we owe to those who came before us. “Legacy” is both a gift and a responsibility. It’s the history of humanity distilled into a few words. When I think about “legacy”, I think of us as river stones, carving out the path through which the water flows. I think of us, most often, as part of a community.

AHUS EditorialDecember 12, 2024Comment

_Lack Friday

Our understanding of the world and language are interconnected: language shapes the world we see, and the world shapes the language we use. It is not surprising, therefore, that for centuries, Blackness has been entangled with negativity—not by accident, but by deliberate and nefarious design. The linguistic programming has reinforced systemic racism, stigmatized Black people, and shaped perceptions both within and outside the Black community

Tareq BrownNovember 29, 2024Comment