A few weeks ago, I stepped away from the kinky/curly hair community for a basic haircut. I’d re-entered the space with an understanding of how I revel in the fragmentation of the African-American community. While I question what it means to be united with other African-Americans, I used my hair to play up my self-worth.… Continue reading Searching For Identity In the Realm of Black Hair
Results for "Hip Hop"
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Hola, Morocha
As I maneuvered the shit-laden sidewalks of San Telmo, a gently gentrified neighborhood of Buenos Aires, I couldn’t help but hear the Sesame Street song “one of these things is not like the other, one of these things just doesn’t belong,” playing from an imaginary loudspeaker. To see people’s reactions to me, you’d think I… Continue reading Hola, Morocha
A Letter to My Father
It wasn’t until we stopped speaking that I realized that we haven’t had a real conversation at any point in life. Sure, there have been talks, but they’ve always been one-sided, and I don’t think either of us realized it. Truth is, I’ve been living in your shadow for so long trying to be just… Continue reading A Letter to My Father
Driving Uptown Innovation: A Conversation With John Henry
John Henry is the Executive Director of cofound/harlem, “a non-profit, social-impact accelerator building 100 companies in Harlem in 5 years to increase economic opportunity for Harlem residents.” John also runs the popular Uptown Tech Meetup group, which hosts regular events, workshops, and intimate sessions with industry leaders. Before Cofound, John was an award-winning jazz musician… Continue reading Driving Uptown Innovation: A Conversation With John Henry
On Being Native and Black
Complex relationships are oftentimes the best relationships. Donny Hathaway and Roberta Flack had a complex relationship. Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel had a complex relationship. Lennon and McCartney had a complex relationship. But despite those complex relationships, all of them made beautiful music together. COMPLEX With Natives and black people, there were certainly many, many… Continue reading On Being Native and Black
Uncle Shadow and the Crescent City
There is something mesmerizing, yet indescribable about New Orleans. For as many times as I have been, I still don’t understand it. Yet, it’s one of the American cities I enjoy most. Whether it’s folks calling me “baby” or the ever-present Bounce remix thumping from sound systems worth more than the vehicles they’re in, ain’t nothing like… Continue reading Uncle Shadow and the Crescent City
Closing the Adventure Gap
As fall sets in across North America, I have noticed something most profound. After more than 20 years as a professional in the outdoor recreation industry, I’ve begun to see more people of color than ever before venturing out into the natural world. This is, of course, an anecdotal observation not based on numbers. But the… Continue reading Closing the Adventure Gap
Abernathy Man: Wayne Sutton
Abernathy Man is a series that spotlights remarkable black men and the work they’re doing. The tech industry has a problem with diversity. In the summer of 2015, Facebook released demographic statistics about its workforce: “…nearly 70% of its employees are men; 57% are white; Hispanics represent just 4%. Black employees comprised just 2% of their workforce.” Industry blog… Continue reading Abernathy Man: Wayne Sutton
And Then There Were Three
Garfield asked me to write a letter of recommendation recently, and here’s what I said: It’s not uncommon for me to agree to write a letter of recommendation, but rarely is it such an honor and a pleasure to do so. I’ve known Garfield for ten years, which gives me a sound perspective to evaluate… Continue reading And Then There Were Three
The Revolution Will Go Viral
On the morning of April 12, 2015, Freddie Gray was walking in his Gilmor Homes neighborhood when his eyes met briefly with those of a white police officer’s. He ran. Since Gray was black, and Gilmor Homes is a housing project located within the city of Baltimore, the cop took this as probable cause to… Continue reading The Revolution Will Go Viral