Dear writers, The time for phoning it in is over. If what you write doesn’t have a pulse, it doesn’t matter how insightful or pressing the issue is. There is a narrative going around that people don’t read anymore. That’s not true. People just don’t read boring, soulless work if they don’t have …
I had an epiphany today. I need to yell at white people more. That’s where I went wrong in the past. At one point, I was getting speaking engagements and media interviews. The brief frenzy came from an editorial where I called out Lake Oswego for its culture of racism. People loved it and wanted …
To transplants and those who’ve only seen Portlandia, the city might seem like a liberal utopia full of green businesses and progressive ideals. Look a little deeper and you might see the coldest white supremacy game in the country, where white people have a monopoly on the villains and the heroes. However, if you go …
Artificial Intelligence: When Will the Portlandia Bubble Pop? Read More »
Watching “Long Distance Revolutionary” was humbling. On one hand, it was inspiring and on the other, it was a reminder that if you weren’t a teenage writing prodigy, don’t have a freedom fighting resume, haven’t been shot, wrongly imprisoned and locked up on death row for decades while continuing a prolific journalistic output, then you’re …
Journalism: Short Form Historians and the Art of Documenting Paint Dry Read More »
As I was walked into Safeway this afternoon I passed by an older man with a case of Pabst. The first thought that came to my mind was “sucker juice.” No disrespect to the man but what does it mean when you spend on alcohol? What is the lasting impact? Is it positive? Could …
Last week I took the opportunity to attend the PAALF (Portland African American Leadership Forum) intergenerational forum. Whenever Black people get together to talk, skeptics ask questions like, “Why? What’s the point? What are you actually going to get accomplished?” People have no shortage of excuses for passing up these events. They will focus …
Lack of Foresight and Bad Examples While enjoying some pizza earlier this week, a friend posed the question, “What was your favorite part of the LO (Lake Oswego) Woodshop class?” The three of us at the table chuckled. If you missed the joke, it’s because we never had such a class. Our education was based …
When Jeff Martens came to Portland Startup Weekend (PDXSW) two years ago, he had left his last employer and was looking for a fresh start. “I was going to look for a job but then I thought it would be great if I could start my own business instead of getting a job with someone …
54 Hours + Your New Business Plan = Portland Startup Weekend Read More »
Check out my new article on local production team 503tv. As co-creator Sadiki Stone puts it, “This is not the Portlandia you see on IFC.”
Check out my speech for Ainsworth United Church of Christ’s Black History Celebration this past Sunday. Topics include the importance of using Black History as a roadmap for current political issues, the legacies of people like my cousin Septima Poinsette Clark, the counter story to Ronald Reagan worship, gentrification in Portland and more. Watch the …