I had my first abortion when I was twenty years old. It was one of the most emotionally painful things I have ever experienced. Today, I would have a seventeen-year-old had I not walked into a Planned Parenthood clinic, passed protestors spewing hatred at me as I walked by, and terminated a pregnancy that would have ruined my life. I have never regretted it for a single day.
Read MoreMy name is Alison Fields, 김은영 (Kim Eun-Yeong), and מתנת החיים (Matanah Chai’ah). I am 35 years old, and I have no idea who I am.
Read MoreYou know they’re there, you have an acute sense of what the feeling means,
The clouds are back.
You feel it, you know their weight.
You see it, thick grey clouds hanging over your head,
And you know you’re the only one who can.
Read MoreOn July 1st, my roommate and I smoked a bowl together and watched Sha'Carri Richardson's final Olympic trial run. It was the first time I cried in front of her. I was recently in the hospital for a chronic illness flare-up. After my hospital stay, I found out that my doctors discussed my use of cannabis with my father without my consent despite my being an adult. I’m lucky enough that everything was okay, but it was an incredible violation that continued to impact me and my recovery.
Read MoreIt takes ten minutes to die through the submersion in and inhalation of water.
Ten minutes of water entering your larynx and filling your body like glass.
Ten minutes of respiratory impairment.
Ten minutes of your silent death because you are alone in your struggle and the lifeboat won’t pull you out now.
Read MoreWhite supremacy (n): the belief that white people are a superior race, and therefore should dominate society.
If the result wasn’t lifelong oppression and sanctioned violence, it would be almost comical how scared white folks are of sharing power with marginalized folks. How terrified they are of giving up their place of privilege — even though it is ludicrous to claim privilege based on your skin color. They seem convinced that treating us with dignity, respect, and equal rights will somehow be a loss for them and even cause them harm.
Read MoreI don't think it's unfair to say that "solidarity" is an essential term in the Black radical lexicon. The Black Panther Party put it simply when they said, "All power to all the people."
Read More