In May, I was given a chance to appear on The Stream, a news program on Al Jazeeraa that focuses on topics that are discussed on social media. I along side a panel of Black women talked about colorism in the global Black community. I had a wonderful time talking about this topic with the guests and hosts. I hope to be back. Check it out!
Pacify – [pas–uh-fahy] verb (used with object), pacified, pacifying. to bring or restore to a state of peace or tranquillity; quiet; calm: to pacify an angry man. In the last few weeks, the spotlight on America’s white supremacy has been magnified tenfold with the events at Charlottesville, Virginia. What began as a rally of Neo-Nazis and different factions of the far right movement now known as the “Alt-Right”, complaining of America’s treatment of the white man, and proclaiming this to be a time to “return to what the U.S. is supposed to be”, has morphed into a battle of free-speech, anti-fascism, racism, and where America is headed to. The response from…
In my life, the one thing that has come the easiest to me is writing. The ability to create worlds on paper, express my thoughts by using a pencil and pen, and to make my point through the written word has always been effortless. I was always encouraged by my mother to write, my craft was refined in high-school, my writing style was influenced by those who had come before me, and my environment and upbringing shaped what I was to talk about. I truly love writing; there is not…
I had the opportunity to participate in an interview with Storycorps, an organization that is committed to sharing stories of people everywhere in the world. We talked about writing, race, gender, travel, friends, and new projects. I have to say this was the best interview I have ever given. Such a great time, I advise everyone to participate in a StoryCorps interview.
I appeared on the Dr. Vibe Show to discuss my essay “Stop Blaming Trump for Racism (It was already here).”
On Thursday May 18, 2017, I was given a chance to appear on The Jesse Lee Peterson show. Peterson, a Black conservative preacher who thinks Black people don’t know how to act and white people having the right to be afraid of us, and I spoke about my latest essay, “Gaslighting: Don’t Do It.” While I knew the conversation would be challenging, I didn’t know it would be ridiculous. Peterson denied that Gaslighting exists and said men should not be weak. Overall, a very interesting exchange. Check out the interview.
In light of the current immigration raids, I thought of a conversation I had with a good friend of mine. When he was a child, his parents smuggled him into the United States in a trunk of car. Growing up, he and I did the same things as any other young man – went to school, played video games, read comic books, and talked about girls. It wasn’t until the Immigration Customs and Enforcement raids started to happen around our city that he told me how he arrived here….
Originally printed at The Good Men Project As a Black man, I am used to poor treatment and being denied service. I have been ignored by retail store clerks, stalked by department store security guards, made to wait an unusually long time for my order to be taken at a restaurant, and have a sometimes incredibly hard time hailing a cab. Ah yes, catching a taxi – one of the many challenges of being Black. My friends used to trade stories of what strategies worked when getting a cab driver…