Love and Affliction

It took me a long time to figure out that my love wasn’t potent enough to be an antidote to that disease. In fact, even if the cure for that disease could have been detected within my love, the years spent responding to misdiagnosed symptoms proved to be fatal. The time spent improperly responding to… Continue reading Love and Affliction

Maybe She Should Have Just…

I deleted and wrote this essay over at least twice. It was difficult to write because I was still sorting out my emotions. I didn’t want to vent and write an angry piece or feel compelled to have something encouraging to say. I also wanted to make sure this essay had a clear purpose, given… Continue reading Maybe She Should Have Just…

My Mumia

CAST: Me, Mumia Abu-Jamal Supporter, Mumia Abu-Jamal Supporters, Pedestrian, and Dutch Tourists One and Two (“Dutch Tourists”) MLK, Jr. weekend 2014. 11 am on Friday, January 17th. Philadelphia. A sunny winter day at 4th and Market Streets. On the southeast corner, MUMIA ABU-JAMAL SUPPORTERS hold up large signs as drivers and pedestrians pass by. On… Continue reading My Mumia

Misogynoir and Me

On Thanksgiving night five years ago, my uncle, a guest in my parents’ home, insisted that we watch a two-hour Beyoncé special airing that night. I wanted to slap the shit out of him. “I don’t wanna see that black bitch.” I’m not proud of it, but that was my first thought. An offense punishable by… Continue reading Misogynoir and Me

My Standards are Simple and Mine Alone

“Your standards are too high.” If you’re 30-plus, educated, single, and a woman, you probably hear this at family barbecues and any company gatherings that take place after three rounds of drinks have been purchased. I used to hear this all the time. Maybe the words are still being whispered by my family, but I… Continue reading My Standards are Simple and Mine Alone

Finding Hope

One of the greatest perks of social media is its ability to be used as a vehicle to share stories. A user actively engaged in the forum has a high chance of learning something that will undoubtedly change her perception on a specific topic. As a man, there were certain things in life that I was… Continue reading Finding Hope

Black Men and “Distractions”

“Black women as a group have never been fools. We couldn’t afford to be.” –Barbara Smith Black women are facing a drought of allies during a time when black people in the United States are battling a turbulent racist climate. These moments illustrate that things are not so different from the past our parents and… Continue reading Black Men and “Distractions”

Feminism: It’s Not About You

Angela Davis Portrait. Photo by Thierry Ehrmann via Flickr.

I am a feminist. I have a feminist perspective. Immediately after typing these words, I also feel the need to type: “I do not hate men.” Often, when I proclaim a feminist perspective, this leads many men to roll their eyes and assert that I’m declaring my hatred of men. The words “I am a… Continue reading Feminism: It’s Not About You