June 27, 1970, San Francisco, California, 30 persons.
June 30, 1979, Berlin, Germany, 450 persons.
June 28, 1982, Bogotá, Colombia, 32 persons.
"Come out! Come out to the streets, come out of the closet, come out to advocate for our rights, and to commemorate the victims of homophobia."
Read MoreThe band instructor displayed instruments that were placed on tables in each corner of the room.
I knew I was destined to play the drums before I walked into class. Apparently, so did every other black kid, and it wasn’t a coincidence. Two influences had recently occurred. The first was the release of Drumline, and the second was a catchy Neptunes-produced song called “Grindin.” Students repurposed desktops and lunch tables, using them as drums to recreate the beat. That afternoon after tryouts, I showed my mother the cost sheet. Her eyebrows cascaded over her eyelids as she traced the total with her finger. “Sorry, T. What about the choir?” she bargained.
Read Moretime to infuse the revolution with faith
this plantation of a nation is in its death throes
throwing a violent fit
hitting us with everything at its fingertips
on its way out
this system can’t fight death
so it’s gonna try and fight us instead
Bottle up inside,
are the words he never said.
Behind his false smiles,
And the jokes he always tells.
Buried are his feelings,
the ones he tries to hide,
because deep down,
it’s all about his pride.
Black women are labeled political when simply trying to exist, from Jada Pinkett Smith's hair follicles to Megan Thee Stallion's lyricism. Whether it's fashion, music, writings, or films, it's rare for a Black woman to create art that is not overly and overtly politicized. As the late great Toni Morrison said, "All good art is political!
Read MoreMy Black identity and my Texan identity are inseparable. I was raised by a family with roots in Texas spanning several generations. Even as the Black community in Austin dwindled around us, Juneteenth was a community event I looked forward to every year. As a child, I spent the day playing outside the George Washington Carver Center with other little kids, eating my favorite food, and learning about Black American history.
Read MoreIt should never have come to this. We were called hysterical. We were told we were overreacting. And yet, here we are… Roe v. Wade is no more.
Read MoreAs a federal holiday, Juneteenth is giving Capitalism For White People Day. Folks who championed giving the sacred holiday federal status did so with good intentions. Still, the impact creates confusion and straight-up disrespect for Black Americans. Is it too late to protect the celebration that was once sacred?
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