Published in An Injustice!·PinnedMember-onlyNo, You Don’t Understand RacismI am not a dog — It was 2016 and Donald Trump was just elected President. I couldn’t help but dwell on how we got here. Just eight years prior, I was sitting in my college dorm watching the polls come in; watching Barack Obama, the first Black person to be elected into the highest office…Racism3 min read
PinnedMember-onlyIf You’re Ever Afraid, Jump AnywayA letter to my unborn child — I have so much to tell you. As I’m writing this, I’m sitting a few yards from the ocean, watching the waves crash against the coast as the Caribbean breeze kisses my skin. We’re an hour from sunset and I’m very much looking forward to the pink and purple hues…Life11 min read
Published in An Injustice!·PinnedMember-onlyHow Does it Feel to Be Black?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…Culture6 min read
Published in LEVEL·PinnedMember-onlyI Got Vaccinated Because I’m SelfishAnd that’s God’s honest truth — 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…Covid 195 min read
Published in Momentum·PinnedMember-onlyNot All Black People Can Rap, and Other ConfessionsI’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…Humor6 min read
Published in An Injustice!·Aug 25Member-onlyMy Kid’s Name is Too “Ethnic”Whatever that means — What’s in a name? Some seem to believe that your name will spell out your entire life, each letter giving meaning to some future challenge or triumph. They believe in the meaning of every name and say things like “Mark? You look like Mark,” or “John? You don’t look like…Race5 min read
Published in An Injustice!·Aug 18Member-onlyWhat Do You Do if the Cops Stop You?We need to have these conversations — I’m sorry for yelling. You’re an eleven-year-old Black boy that’s still mastering personal space. You often stand entirely too close and love to start conversations just inches from another’s face. And sometimes, I let you because I know that you’re not a huge fan of hugs, yet proximity is how…Race8 min read
Aug 15Member-onlyWhy Did You Pick Up the Pen?And did you ever put it down? — I got in trouble for the first time when I was three years old. My grandmother was furious and yelling “bad words” that I wouldn’t dare to repeat at that age. My mother, unaware of what caused the commotion, came rushing into the kitchen and begged for an explanation. What…Writing2 min read
Published in Counter Arts·Aug 3Member-onlyMy Neighbor’s Dog is a RacistYou read that correctly… — Picture this: it’s a beautiful morning in Brooklyn. The sun is shining, the trashbags are releasing their sweet summer aromas, and the pigeons are dropping paint pellets from above. I, like most millennials in New York City, live in an apartment building, one that is full of characters. There’s Moira…Humor4 min read
Jul 7Member-onlyAmericain a haiku — Poetry1 min readPhoto by Samuel Branch on UnsplashAmericain a haiku----
