Inferring neighbors' compatibility through their campaign lawn signs — Political elections are an easy way to determine the sensibilities of residents in my neighborhood towards ethnic-related issues. As a politically active African-American voter, I am concerned about the mindset of the people who live around me. People of color likely experience plenty of unreported interactions bordering on racism that…

The existential, internal debate between fun and fear of getting kicked out of the “House" — I recently attended an annual signature event that is a fundraiser for a non-profit organization I support. While the schedule included skits and a contest, a significant portion of the event was dancing. As the DJ masterfully mixed new-school slides and old-school classics, people naturally responded by rushing to the…

Don Cornelius executed a 21st-century idea in the 1970s — I’ve been in a nostalgic mood since I found a series on YouTube called “I Was A Soul Train Dancer.” These video shorts cover the backstories of particular dancers who provided atmosphere each week on a Soul Train episode’s party scene. This TV series portrayed African-American youth as lively, carefree…

To some, African-Americans are considered a threat, but to us, the system’s actors are the monsters. — It’s happened…again. Another “Black trauma” porn national moment surfaced when “we” as a nation are appalled to see the inhumanity displayed by supposed officers of the law sworn to “protect and serve”. Tyre Nichols was a twenty-something, African-American U.S. citizen who was brutally attacked for almost an hour by a…

Throwback to the tension of being a dutiful son — I was browsing YouTube looking for…something related to my recent experience with my fraternity’s Founders Day. I stumbled across a clip from a Gary Owen comedy show as I searched. For those unfamiliar with Owen, he is one of the few Caucasian comedians who can enthrall a predominantly Black audience…

Racism still exists, but the conduct becomes less socially acceptable — The biggest movie in 2018 was “Black Panther”. The Marvel Comics Universe (MCU) introduced a major African superhero to the stream of successful Marvel movies through the acting prowess of the late Chadwick Boseman. “Black Panther” depicted T’Challa, an African king who reigned over the fictional kingdom of Wakanda. This…

We’re back to focusing on the most significant countdown of the year! Each (“10”)…number…(“9”)…raises…(“8”)…the…(“7”)…intensity…(“6”)…of…(“5”)…anticipation…(“4”)…for…(“3”)…the…(“2”)…New Year…(“1”)…wwwooottt!!! (“🥳”) We’re all in sync from the 10 seconds before the new year through the first few minutes afterward. Then, things shift into different gears depending on the individual. Some people say “This is the…

Steve Harvey steps in to bless a man for a lifetime — Steve Harvey used his platform to improve the life path of a member of his audience. The gentleman in the video below shared that he was laid off from his day job after working there for over a decade. He was looking for advice from Harvey regarding keeping a positive…

Why is extended leave such an anathema in the USA? — I recently attended a college graduation of a close family member. I hadn’t been to a school graduation in a few years, particularly due to…you guessed it… the pandemic lockdown. With fresh eyes, I sat and marveled at the pageantry in this process. What always gets me is the animated…