by Kleaver Cruz, Amarilys Estrella, and Yanilda Gonzalez The Dominican Day Parade will be held in New York City today, as it has been every year since 1982. As we gather to celebrate our Dominican heritage, we are also thinking of the oppressive systems present in the Dominican Republic. We believe that looking at these systems […]
While the Constitution supposedly ensures everyone is afforded a fair trial, a new paper by the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) says that exercising the right to trial poses many high risks. Because of this, many federal criminal defendants are encouraged to plead guilty to crimes they did not commit in order to […]
Elbert Howard, one of the original six members of the Black Panther Party, formally the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, has died at the age of 80 years old. Howard had been sick for a number of years, according to his wife Carol Hyams who confirmed his death to the Associated Press. Howard had been […]
by Andrew Keahey I love Buffy the Vampire Slayer. This has never been a secret. I know it, my friends know it. I’ve watched the entire series multiple times, and I own the DVD’s. In my house, there have been Buffy parties with Buffy cakes, and everyone who is unlucky enough to be friends with […]
By Jallicia Jolly In the aftermath of National HIV Testing Week in the US, it is crucial that we talk openly and honestly about what it means to live, love, and sex while being Black and young. As an HIV tester and counselor, I am well aware of the conversations about “safe sex” that populate […]
By JaLoni Amor Owens In the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), which was released in May of 2013, there was a significant change in the criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These changes specifically impacted recognition of race-based trauma in racial and ethnic minorities. Prior to the publication […]
According to reports from the New York Times, a police officer fatally shot a man Saturday night on the South Side of Chicago, raising the ire of neighbors who confronted the police for several hours after the shooting. The chief of patrol for the Chicago Police Department, Fred Waller told the New York Times that […]
I don’t have any children of my own, so take everything I say here with a grain of salt. You can use whatever can be distilled from my tears, if you have to. They don’t have any other use, I am told. I don’t have any children of my own, but I have been a […]
As reported by the Hollywood Reporter, Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions has hired Kamil Oshundara as a “cultural executive,” a move rarely seen in the movie industry. Oshundara’s responsibilities include academic and cultural research to be woven into character development and storylines. Her work will also include what Hollywood Reporter terms “deep diving” into genre material in order […]
In the most shocking political upset this week, 28 year old Latina and self-described democratic socialist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez beat the 4th highest ranking Democrat in Congress, Rep. Joe Crowley in New York’s 14th congressional district.
After the Trump administration separated more than 2,000 children from their parents under the “zero tolerance” policy, the president succumbed to pressure and signed an executive order to stop the separations at the border. Instead, families will be detained together indefinitely.
In Brownsville, Texas, an old Walmart sits along the Mexican border. Today, it has been transformed into a safe haven, a lively city, and a home called “Casa Padre” for over 1,400 immigrant children.