“I gotta be honest with you Jennifer. Me and the homie wanna hit.” I paused for a minute the first time a boy said that to me. I was a junior in high school. I was still exploring my sexuality but hadn’t been sexually active before. I had been talking to this guy, let’s just […]
In a letter Dean of Students in the College John EllisonĀ informed incoming first year students at the University of Chicago to expect an environment committed to freedom of inquiry and freedom of expression. He additionally warns students not to expect āintellectual safe spaces where individuals can retreat from ideas and perspectives at odds with their […]
As details of Nate Parker’s rape trial seemingly came out of nowhere, so did the many people who chose to support him despite the gruesome details of his rapeĀ case. With Parker’s upcoming film,Ā The Birth of A Nation, set up for an October release, whether or not to supportĀ it has become a deeply personal question many […]
I told myself I would not write about Nate Parker being a rapist. Iād known about his sexually violent history for years, and the vileness of his queerantagonism, too. The depth of his awfulness had already been addressed, and so it was odd to meābut certainly predictableāto witness the conversation rehashed at such a moment, […]
This article was originally posted at Water Cooler Convos. Over the past two weeks, I have watched Black girl after Black girl medal in the 2016 Summer Olympics. Simone Biles has dominated gymnastics. Simone Manuel did the same in swimming. Michelle Carter won gold in shot put. And, while I felt immense pride watching each […]
Last week at a rally in Dimondale, Michigan (a city that is 1.1% African American) Donald Trump made a pitch to African American voters. Painting the African American community with an incredibly broad brushstroke, Trump emphasized that black folks had little to lose from a Trump presidency because we have so little in the first […]
By: Ahmad Greene-Hayes Last week, I saw the NYC pre-screening of āThe Birth of A Nation.ā I left feeling invigorated by the same Holy Spirit that called Nat Turner to lead a slave revolt in 1831. My excitement soon diminished, however, when I learned that Nate Parker, the filmās lead, is a rapist. Iām a […]
This piece was originally written by William Evans, Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder of BlackNerdProblems.com. ***Trigger Warning For Sexual Assault***There was a point a few years ago where I wanted to be done with period films and TV shows. Either they had so few Black people in them it was as if we were to believe they […]
Spelman College is considering admitting transgender students, according toĀ the Atlanta Journal Constitution.Ā
This past week in Columbus, Ohio, Rae’Lynn Thomas, 28, was shot and killed by her mother’s ex-boyfriend, aĀ man with aĀ history transphobic comments, who repeatedly called her “the devil,” according toĀ Mic.
On August 10th, the Department of Justice released a report on the investigation of the Baltimore Police Department which confirmed that the BPDĀ is locked in a pattern of power abuseĀ and constitutional violations in its interactions with citizens and its administration of justice. The report shows that the department especially targets Baltimoreās black citizens and neighborhoods […]
There have been varying levels of concern about the criminalization of Black women and children since 23-year-old Korryn Gaines was killed by Baltimore Police in her own apartment while holding her 5-year-old son. Similarly, conversation about excessive police violence has erupted following the video release of Paul O’Neal’s murder at the hands of Chicago Police.
