1598 Search results for "first gen"

I faced history one day and found myself. Beginning in my 9th grade year of high school, I was a “Facing History and Ourselves” student in Cleveland, Ohio. My first experience with this organization was with a Holocaust survivor named Max Adelman. I can still hear his voice ringing in my ear as I remember […]

Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry said Precious was awesome and that everyone should go see it. Since I am the most obedient of Negroes, I saw it last Friday. If Flavor Flav is the world’s greatest hype man, this duo is officially the world’s greatest hype machine. I found Precious slightly underwhelming, uninspiring, and lacking […]

Growing up in a fairly religious household, I was never allowed to trick or treat. I never got to dress up as a ghost, goblin, or display any type of cute themed cartoon— the innocent ones like Winnie the Pooh or Mighty Morphing Power Rangers (The originals). Unlike my story, most little kids growing up […]

Those of us who lament the current incarnation of the NBA despite Lebron James’ and Chris Paul’s (he’s soooo cute — no hetero) greatness do so because we remember the golden age of the league.  (Are you looking for Kobe love?  You won’t get that here.  Move along.)  Those of us born in the 80s […]

I’m having trouble embedding the video in question.  Please view it here. Remember last year when all the white gay people were mad at black people because Prop 8 passed in California?  Well, it wasn’t a fluke.  We’re still their whipping boys (er, bois?).  Last week, my internet boyfriend AC (again, the only man I’d […]

Here’s your daily dose of hate-filled pessimism. Dear Vh1, Guess who’s having the best year ever.  Hope.  That’s right, Hope–a four-letter word I find no reason to use unless it’s accompanied by a “-less.”  Yet, in retrospect, I totally should’ve kept the little bit of Hope stock I had.  Instead, I panicked when the economy […]

Inner-city L.A. hungers for good grocery stores Daniel B. Wood, The Christian Science Monitor, October 10, 2009 Merit of Stop-Frisk Law at Issue Colleen Long, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, October 9, 2009 Schools Cited on Discipline of Minority Special-Ed Students Holly Prestidge, Richmond Times-Dispatch, October 9, 2009 Two ways Chicago can curb its youth violence epidemic Amanda […]

“What? You think I’m Black.” I’ve heard this response more than I care to remember. What’s worse is that I’ve heard this from Black folks. You’re probably wondering what kinds of Black folks don’t know that they are Black. No I’m not talking about Clarence Thomas. Nor am I talking about fairer skinned Black people. […]

A couple weeks ago, i had a friend visit and on the way home from a club, the song “Five Star Chic” came on the radio. As soon as we heard the first verse, we looked at one another, simultaneously amused and disgusted. She commented that a woman like the type described in the song […]

There are so many interesting things to write about this week. I could write about Oprah trying to rap with the overly sponsored poster child of a good rapper, Jay Z. Or, I could write about the 25th Anniversary of the Cosby Show and how I can’t stand the grown-up version of Rudy Huxtable, Keshia […]

Uh oh.  It’s a code red (black and green).  The bat signal is out.  bell hooks has started spelling her name in all CAPS.  Call up your elders, pray to your ancestors; conjure up your inner fairies, spirits, and goddesses.  Tyler Perry is turning your favorite play, excuse me, choreopoem into a movie.

I am lucky, or at the least very fortunate that in my life I have been on both sides of the “fence” or in this case all three sides of the fence. I have lived in suburban, urban, and rural areas. I have lived in very nice areas of the country (Diamond Bar in LA […]