I’m going to be honest here… — The most iconic scene of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air comes when Lou, Will’s estranged father, randomly visits him, rekindles his relationship with Will, and selfishly chooses to abandon him once again. After seeing Lou walk out of his life for the last time, Will unleashes his emotions in the…

You asked. Here’s your answer — Let’s take it back to May of 2011. I was proud, carefree, and for once, my walkthrough campus had nothing to do with anything remotely academic. Senior Week was a blur and rightfully so. It was a time to let go of past inhibitions and do everything that you missed…

I just want to be honest — Five minutes of vomiting followed by another seven minutes of groaning in agony. Twelve minutes in total, sitting on my mom’s couch, as she got ready for the day ahead. When she finally exited the bathroom, it was clear that I startled her. “Oh, Jay! I didn’t know that you…

Spilling the tea on the inaccuracy of these racial stereotypes… — I’m from Brooklyn, so I quote Jay-Z like pastors quote the Bible. I truly believe that there’s a Hov line for any occasion; if you can’t think of one, then your knowledge of his catalog isn’t deep enough. But, I don’t have that problem because I love rap. I’m a…

But I’m getting help — I’m an asshole. I know my flaws. I acknowledge them, work on those that need correction, and bask in those that bring me joy. Being an asshole brings me joy. I’m the guy that when asked if something makes you look fat, I’ll reply “unquestionably.” My friends and family know…

It’s not always what it seems… — The three large thuds shook him out of bed. The room was void of light and his eyes could barely adjust. He sat upright, perched on the edge of his bed, and gathered that it must have been the early hours of the morning, long before the sun would make…

I actually dictated it, but that’s not the point — It was staring at me — big, black, and ugly. For years, it was just there, attached, clinging to me like a parasite that lasted long after an international trip. I did what I could to put it out of my mind, but nothing helped. So, I killed it. “That’s…

A reflection on critical race theory, ignorance, and maintaining your voice — I stand at about 5’5’’ with the grace and frame of an amateur wrestler that lifted just enough weights to see some ring time but gets winded before the start of every match. My shoulders are broad and for most of my life, my facial expression has indicated that I’m…

He never needed help — “Okay, so we’re all here because of our hard work and of course, the help that we’ve received. And, that’s the message that we want to convey to our students. We’re here to help and at times, you’ll need help.” That statement seemed simple enough. Hard work leads to success…