Please Mr. White Man, Tell Me I’m Black Enough

Leave it to white men to establish "criteria" for the world to determine who's Black and who's not; or who's Black enough and who's not. In July, Trump was interviewed at the National Association of Black Journalists Annual Convention. When asked about Kamala Harris in the context of race and his ongoing racist remarks, he stated, "I didn't know she was Black until a number of years ago when she happened to turn Black." Trump had claimed that Harris was "Indian all the way" in the past and out of convenience, put on some "magic Black hat" when it became advantageous for her.

Kirk BaltimoreSeptember 12, 2024Comment

Without the Voice of Women

The current situation in Afghanistan is anything but simple. However, since the Taliban seized power in 2021, the situation for women has deteriorated dramatically. Recently, the Ministry for the Prevention of Vice and Promotion of Virtue, formerly known as the Ministry of Women's Affairs, introduced yet another law approved by supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada. This new legislation forbids women from speaking in public. According to Tassfir Siaposh, a teacher and women's rights advocate interviewed by Al Jazeera, this regulation—and others like it—has little to do with Islam or Afghan values and everything to do with patriarchy.

AHUS EditorialSeptember 1, 2024Comment

It’s Not Political Violence If It’s Against Your Oppressor

I love how America selectively gains a moral conscience, especially when it's for people who are actively pushing oppressive agendas against those who are disenfranchised. On Saturday, July 13, there was an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump at a MAGA rally in Pennsylvania. The news waves flooded and evoked selective moral compassion regarding political violence. Whereas political violence is entirely unacceptable, America's selectiveness remains inconsistent.

Kirk BaltimoreAugust 22, 2024Comment

In the words of Kelis, "I hate you so much right now"

Today is my 4th Blaxit anniversary. But between Sonya Massey and Kamala Harris, I didn’t feel like celebrating a damn thing. Today is also my nephew Joshua’s birthday. If he had not been found hanging from a tree with his hoodie just three months ago in Stillwater, Oklahoma, he would have turned 26 years old. I wanted to write beautiful, meaningful words about this day… But July 24, 2024, is also the day that genocidal war criminal, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was welcomed, embraced, and treated like a fucking hero on the floor of the United States Congress

Tina StrawnAugust 15, 2024Comment

The Olympics, Ethics, Beauty. And Free Palestine

Everything can be said about the Olympic Games. They are symbols of beauty, the body, honor, discipline, nationalism... Yet, symbols sometimes outlive their original meaning. Consider, for instance, the poverty and displacement caused in the host city, or the outdated gender tests that involve the “inspection” of genitals and consistently disadvantage women. Then there's the exorbitant cost of hosting the games, which could be better allocated to other needs. All of these issues, however, reflect a broader problem with collective ethics rather than something unique to the Olympics.

Lina M. Sánchez BetancourtAugust 10, 2024 Comments

Felon Irony: When You Can't Vote But You Could Win

The emergence of Trump's "mugshot" on August 24, 2023, failed to capture the interest of young liberal voters, who doubted its impact on his loyal base would shift focus away from their MAGA hero. At the time, major news networks featured it prominently, turning it into a popular topic for late-night syndicated shows. CNN and similar outlets raised a crucial question: "Would Americans back a presidential candidate facing potential felony charges?"

Mishel WilliamsAugust 1, 2024Comment

Kamala Harris: A Current Fucked Up Case of the Political Glass Ceiling

What better way to end a weekend knowing that a Black woman is put in a position to be the savior to an extremely fucked up situation. President Biden has decided that he is no longer seeking the Democratic Presidential nomination and is endorsing his Vice President, Kamala Harris, to be the hopeful next face of the party. Whereas it's customary for a President to nominate sensibly based on the hierarchy of their party, it’s not lost on us that it’s a real-life glass ceiling that Harris is approaching.

Kirk BaltimoreJuly 25, 2024Comment

An Old Literary Scandal: A Repeated Tale

In a story bordering on absurd ego ―and insecurity, Cait Corrain, a white woman on the brink of publishing her first book, created over six fake Goodreads accounts under BIPOC names. These accounts were used to criticize and degrade BIPOC authors with upcoming 2024 releases while praising her own book. When confronted, Corrain blamed an imaginary friend and wrote a pitiful letter detailing a mental illness and medication changes.

AHUS EditorialJuly 18, 2024Comment