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 readRacism3 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 readLife11 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 readCulture6 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 readCovid 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 readHumor6 min read
Published in CRY Magazine·Jan 10Member-onlyI Quiet Quit Years AgoAnd, I’m better for it — It’s 2013 and I’m 24. I’m staring into her eyes, damp from the freshly drawn tears, and I imagine they must have once been filled with light. I imagine that everyone’s eyes are filled with hope, like those of children, at least once. But, not now. Now, they are weary…Mental Health5 min readMental Health5 min read
Published in An Injustice!·Dec 29, 2022Member-onlyHow to Be Friends With Black PeopleA guide to your first cookout invitation — If you’re here, then you may have read about my neighbor’s racist dog. Well, I hate breaking it to you, but we have another. I spotted little Donald in the building lobby as their owner was buzzing in. Before I could finish saying, “Goodnight,” the barking commenced, the leash was…Race5 min readRace5 min read
Published in Counter Arts·Dec 4, 2022Member-onlyMy Celebrations Are Sh*tThoughts on Parenthood — I haven’t returned your calls or texts, or messenger pigeons. There are forty-three of them circling my home, as I write this, waiting to be welcomed in. The sidewalk is covered in blobs of white, green, and brown, waiting to be washed away by the coming rain. Except, here, it…Parenting3 min readParenting3 min read
Nov 16, 2022Member-onlyI Started a Union When I was FourRecalling my first job — If you asked her, she’d probably tell you some crap about being influenced by the great organizers of the past and wanting to further their legacy. She’d probably relate it back to our family’s humble beginnings and not wanting to see people get taken advantage of. She’d say that she…Humor7 min readHumor7 min read
Published in An Injustice!·Aug 25, 2022Member-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 readRace5 min read
