“What shall I tell my children who are black, Of what it means to be a captive in this dark skin? What shall I tell my dear one, fruit of my womb, of how beautiful they are when everywhere they turn they are faced with abhorrence of everything that is black. The night is black and so is the boogyman. Villains […]
Now all the teachers couldn’t reach me And my momma couldn’t beat me Hard enough to match the pain of my pop not seeing me (Jay-Z) I was speaking to a middle school student that I am mentoring through a non-profit in Chicago, and the student explained to me an event in his life growing […]
According to a new report, youth incarceration rates have dropped by 41% since its peak in 1995. And because cash-strapped are receptive to alternatives to expensive long-term incarceration, this moment presents an opportunity to solidify lasting change.
Brother. I wish I had known. When we were little black boys. Putting posters of blue dodge vipers and red Michael Jordan Jerseys on white walls of apartment rooms that we shared throughout our childhood. Back when Pokémon cards were stolen in after school programs. Back when Mom’s smile was still bright enough to make […]
Chuck D: “The bottom line is this: Back when I was growing up, you couldn’t find a gun on anybody. Since 1980, the beginning of R&B, Reagan and Bush, there’s been nothing but guns and drugs in the Black community for the last 30-some-odd years.”
The family of the late Emmett Till have penned an open letter to Lil Wayne, challenging the Young Money emcee to address the controversy surrounding the lyrics, and imploring him to help educate others on the story of Emmett Till. Do you think Wayne should respond? Will he?
We urge the President to go further on Friday during his time in Chicago, and make a substantive speech that addresses the underlying factors that perpetuate violence in Black and Latino communities across the nation.
One Hood Media Academy Student, William Gandy (pictured above) has begun producing a series of incredible Vlogs about his experience at the One Hood Media Academy. This vlog was not an assignment, but is a perfect example of what can happen when creativity meets opportunity and ability. Listen first hand to how inspired our youth become […]
As this blog’s resident skeptic, it’s difficult not to conjecture aloud about what decisions were made after the FLOTUS and company attended Hadiya Pendleton’s funeral. Who knows if any of them came back with a “Barack, it’s bad. You can’t keep ignoring them” so compelling that the POTUS actually stopped reading this month’s Ebony and paid attention. […]
“Anger is a grief of distortions between peers, and its object is change…I cannot hide my anger to spare your guilt, nor hurt feelings, nor answering anger; for to do so insults and trivializes all our efforts. Guilt is not a response to anger; it is a response to one’s own action or lack of […]
I had originally intended to spend this post-Super Bowl morning’s blog either talking about Beyonce’s halftime performance or pitching my latest idea: an edition of the Bible inspired by NFL players. (Think: the Book of Deion Sanders aka Leon Sandcastle or the Gospel according to St. Ray Lewis.) I imagine someone else is already stoking […]
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5ELJl7Dy8g&feature=player_embedded This isn’t the first time. This will not be the last. When people of color Speak out, stand up, fight back, Their uproar is often. Repressed. By police and the institution Who use their authority to silence Voices. Which are screaming for a justification. Screaming for Justice.
