Sometimes I get so angry I go to black businesses And spend as much as I can afford. I tip 30 instead of 15. Sometimes I get so annoyed I tell my woman how beautiful her curls are. I drool over her complexion. I get so mad I tell her to never lose her …
I may have helped commit a crime yesterday. As soon as the news that the FBI had identified suspects in the Boston bombing came out, I was given the word to throw the CNN Wire story up immediately. After we got it up and beat out some other local publications, we cheered; not because we …
Am I the Only One That Missed the Actual Evidence? Read More »
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 …
No week goes by without someone talking about how negative rap music is destroying the Black community. Apparently, not just are these ignorant rappers not “real,” but they are killing our children’s minds. This line of thought always bothered me. I’d be lying if I said emcees don’t have an influence, especially on impressionable young …
Believe it or Not, Your Least Favorite Artist Really Isn’t Destroying the Community Read More »
Every time I hear the latest story of a woman being sexually abused, harassed or simply having some creeper at the bus stop shamelessly undressing her with his eyes, I want to start National Punch a Sexist Asshole in the Face Day. It would be a 24/7 365 holiday. The fact is, there is …
This past Sunday I was the guest for an hour on Oregon Voter’s Digest, hosted by Bruce Broussard. I discussed cultural ignorance in education and the role of parenting in helping students thrive in school. Check it out here.
While Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday is a widely celebrated national holiday, there is considerably less fanfare for the birthdate of Black icon Malcolm X. “We don’t see events that honor him like Dr. King,” says Karanja Crews, founder of the Journey to Freedom Project (JTF). As a response, JTF is hosting its Malcolm …
Journey to Freedom to Host Malcolm X Birthday Weekend Read More »
When National Public Radio host Michele Norris came to Portland last Wednesday to address the YWCA Inspire Luncheon, she focused on the pressing issues of racism and domestic violence. In her keynote speech before the multiracial crowd of YWCA supporters, Norris talked about an online initiative she started called The Race Card Project, in which …
NPR’s Michele Norris Graces YWCA’s Inspire Luncheon Read More »
The Black vote took the forefront last Tuesday at the “Countdown to Election Day: Candidates Forum on Equity and Accountability.” Lack of representation, funding for programs that have an impact on communities of color and accountability were the defining issues of the evening. The Urban League of Portland (ULPDX), the African American Alliance and the …
Portland Urban League Forum Brings Black Vote to Forefront Read More »
When I wrote a personal essay about racist tweets among students at Lake Oswego High School (“Lake Oswego’s worst-kept secret,” published March 17 in The Oregonian), I never expected such an outpouring of responses. The nickname “Lake No Negro” is known in many circles, and yet many people were shocked and frustrated to learn institutional …
My turn: Essay on racism in Lake Oswego prompts wide-ranging response Read More »