68 Search results for "economics"

by Jamila Mitchell This essay contains discussion of r/pe and sexual violence against minors. We need to talk about gay white men and how they get away with the rape and sexual violation of Black folks without society holding them accountable.   Kevin Spacey, the actor recently charged with the sexual assault of a then-under […]

by Loni Amor This essay contains discussions of suicidal ideation. Inspired by First Fruit festivals of Southern Africa, African-American civil rights activist and academic, the extremely problematic  Dr. Maulana Ron Karenga established Kwanzaa in 1966. Deriving from the Swahili phrase “matunda ya kwanza”, which translates loosely to “first fruits of the harvest”, Kwanzaa offers Black […]

by Jamila Mitchell “God, I finally vacuumed.” If you ever experienced an almost orgasmic sigh of relief after doing something seemingly small but necessary, then you are like me. The common necessities to life, like vacuuming, going to the grocery store, or even picking up the phone to text someone, are incredible accomplishments for the […]

by Sazia Patel This fall, 30,000 eighth graders across New York City will take the Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT). The SHSAT, is a tool that bars many of the most marginalized students in NYC, namely Black and latinx, from attending historically high performing schools. It also poses a barrier for those students from […]

By Denarii Grace Some days I wonder if the work that I do is worth it. On the surface, Black artists/cultural workers, healers, teachers and activists who live most on the margins have the least to gain in their lines of work. And in a society based on the allure of social and financial capital, […]

By Mark Matlock The possibility of weed legalization can be exciting to young people like me. Especially since our country’s current policies regarding weed have increased discrimination already fueled by the War on Drugs. But excitement can make us forget that being able to consume weed doesn’t get rid of the overt anti-Blackness that comes […]

by Jamila Mitchell If Black voices in a “movement” are auxiliary to everything, then it is not a “movement” that intends to end anti-Blackness, and is certainly not meant for Black people. Politics in America have proven that issues which affect predominantly Black people are not a priority, even in liberal social movements like March […]

 by Jamila Mitchell  Oprah Winfrey recently committed a $500,000 donation for the upcoming March for Our Lives protest, matching contributions from other celebrities such as George Clooney, Steven Spielberg, and world renown luxury brand, Gucci. Inspired by the recent Parkland school mass shooting, the March for Our Lives event will bring together pro-gun regulation proponents […]

“She don’t even like us. She only help us because of this.” My coworker pointed at her forearm with an ardent finger, calling attention to the mahogany of her skin. A deep, dark, gorgeous color. The white woman she spoke of was a member of the church that housed the after-school program we worked for. […]

By: J. Skyler Since Trump took office, we have seen a widespread assault on civil liberties, fueled by racist, misogynistic, xenophobic, ableist and transphobic neo-nazi rhetoric that has left those of us who live in the margins of American society petrified. From the planned repeal of the Affordable Care Act, to the environmental disaster of […]

The look and feel of movements for justice and equity are changing thanks to social media’s ability to spread messages and create access to information, resources, and actions. Pushing these limits of social media use are young people of color and their networks (the ignition of #BlackLivesMatter is an example), as this group finds different […]

By: Chanda Hsu Prescod-Weinstein Someone was selling cigarettes illegally. The State didn’t need the money, but it did want to be in control of how everyday citizens made money. When the authorities showed up, the enforcers could have let the sale of contraband cigarettes go, but they didn’t. Instead, they used force and the cigarette […]