Growing up, I would hear stories from my male friends about how their baby sitters would kiss them or touch them in inappropriate ways. My friends would talk about making out with a “play aunt” or having sex with a family friend. It was not looked upon as a bad thing; in fact, it was something they bragged about. This was a rite of passage to many of us.
Stop Holding Back, an organization that is dedicated to helping people with their stutter co founder Ayo Adesayna and I talked about how we grew up stuttering, our techniques in dealing with it, and why we are both dedicated in not letting it stop us from our goals. Check out this awesome conversation.
Some black folks would say, “Leave that ghetto shit at home. Talk like you got some sense!” I wanted to go far, get a nice job, and make money, so I would switch it on and off when I needed to. I felt like I was doing what I needed to do in order to become accepted in the world.
When I was younger, I would do and say things out of anger. I’d get mad and yell. I would regret the things I said and after some time, I would apologize. My Mother would accept my apology, but as I continued to do those things, she would get tired of my routine. One day after throwing a tantrum and apologizing after, she said, “You know, you keep saying you are sorry, and at some point it doesn’t mean anything.” I thought about that. I wanted my word and actions…
One of my goals in life was to speak at a TED event, and I got a chance to do so in Sept. 2018. TEDxWilsonPark in Florence, Alabama held their inaugural event and I was invited to share my talk “How I Overcame My Fear of Stuttering.” I spoke about growing up with a stutter, the obstacles I faced, how my confidence was affected, and how I used this to power past my insecurities and pursue my dreams. This TEDx is for everyone who is struggling with something and don’t…
On Satuday, October 6, 2018, I like many people had their eyes and ears on UFC 229, and it’s main event, Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Conor McGregor. I had attended my partner’s high-school reunion and was unable to watch the fight, but I had my face glued to my phone, constantly viewing Twitter for updates. MMA, or mixed martial arts, has (very) slowly moved from a fringe sport once described as “human cock fighting” by recently passed Arizona Senator John McCain, to an extremely popular event that garners millions in attendees…
Black folks are tired. I mean worn out, depleted, and exhausted. The marathon of life and the hate we experience has got us debilitated. Drained of power and desire to talk with white folks about what it means to be Black, our struggle, and attempting to justify why we should not be terrorized. We are out of ways to tell white America why we are deserving of respect and peace. Black people cannot describe our lives enough. We have said everything and done everything. It is over. This is the…
Here is an interview I did with Neale Godfrey, a finance expert on #metoo, sexual harassment in the workplace, and my piece “A Black Guy and A White Guy Talk Sexual Harassment.” Check out the talk here
There are not too many Black people walking among us today that can tell you they have avoided contact with the police. It is an almost inevitable collision. You can be walking down the street, driving a car, entering your own home, or performing everyday life tasks, and eventually you will interact with the cops. This is something Black parents try and prepare their children when they give The Talk, a conversation our Mothers and Fathers have with us about how to act when confronted by the police and how…
Hey all, Here is part two of the conversation between activist Conor Anstett and myself. We continue to talk about the story Catperson and consent.