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?
Read MoreAs 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.
Read MoreHey 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.
Read MoreYesterday, 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.
Read MoreWhen 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.
Read MoreOur 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
Read MoreI do not grieve Kamala Harris’ presidential loss, but I hold sadness for another Trump presidency. The current political atmosphere is a troubling blend of uncertainties and certainties. The impact of the infamous Project 2025 and the callousness reminiscent of his first presidential term are a given; however, how the breadth of this white supremacist programming will be carried out over the next four years—and on—remains unclear.
Read More365 days and counting. A year of witnessing what began as shocking, disgusting, and dismaying, but seemingly turned into a daily increase in savagery that most of us have never seen before. Captured on our phone screens, the unbearable truth of this manufactured “conflict” has unfolded. It’s become apparent that the masses and our gullibility have been long used to embolden the most evil individuals and acts in this world. Despite the public outrage and out-pour for an end to the massacre Israel is committing in Gaza, the West Bank, and now Syria and Lebanon, the Western “leaders” continue to align themselves with Netanyahu and his Zionist ideology.
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