Opinion
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A Short Blog About a Confused Dipshit in My Neighborhood With Trump Flags in Their Windows
In 2004, City of Asylum/Pittsburgh opened its doors on Sampsonia Way in Pittsburgh’s Northside neighborhood with a specific mission: to provide sanctuary to literary writers who were exiled and under threat of persecution. For two years we provide an exiled writer (and family) with a house, a stipend, and medical benefits, as well as a…
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On Finding Joy Where You Can During This Pandemic, Despite These Less Than Ideal Circumstances
I think it’s safe to say that it’s been a challenging year. Unlike countless others, I’ve been extremely fortunate to remain gainfully employed and have somehow eluded the coronavirus entirely as it continues to wreak havoc upon so many I hold dear. But while I’ve made it a point to count my blessings and remain…
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20 Spoiler-Filled Questions After Finally Watching HBO's The Undoing
I watched HBO’s The Undoing, and I have questions. 1. Why would he try to burn the murder thing in a janky outdoor fire pit when the whole ass ocean is literally right there? 2. Do rich whites (“the wich”) just not have ceilings in their homes? 3. Is there a ceiling-less house level of…
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The Root's Clapback Mailbag: Because They Said So
“Because I said so…” Growing up in predominately Black skin, I heard that phrase a lot. My grandmother, aunts, uncles and friends’ parents used it all the time. But my mother was always careful to never use it. She had this weird thing about wanting us to know why we did things. My grandfather owned…
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Auntie Unfiltered Chats With Sheryl Lee Ralph
When I was growing up in the ’80s, there was a television show about a group of waitresses who worked in a restaurant at the top of the Bonaventure Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. The show was called It’s A Living, and it was my introduction to Sheryl Lee Ralph, one of the stars. Sheryl Lee…
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My Chaotic and COVID-Influenced 2020 Spotify Wrapped, Explained
Soooo… Yeah? Are we ready to talk about this list? I think so. I think I’m ready. Let’s start at the top, then. James Blake has pretty much cemented his status as the Blacks’ favorite contemporary white in music. This is true. The Blacks love James Blake, and I am a Black. I like him…
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So I Watched the 'Y'all Can't Twerk in Here' Video Again, and That Guy's Short-Sleeved Turtleneck Still Makes No Sense
It is below freezing in Pittsburgh today, with wind chills in the teens. I’ve spent much of the day indoors, shielded from the weather and protected by the central heating in our house, but inside still feels the effects of the cold. Sitting next to a window, for instance, feels like sitting next to a…
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Auntie Unfiltered with Tichina Arnold and Tisha Campbell
Hey nieces and nephews! I hope you were able to enjoy Thanksgiving as much as possible. I have a special treat to carry you into the weekend. I got a chance to sit with Tisha Campbell and Tichina Arnold this week and talk about any and everything. The ladies are returning this year to host…
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This Holiday Season, Be Thankful You're Not Jason Whitlock
“It could be worse” seems to have overtaken the many versions of “I’m fine” on the list of the most common responses to “How are you doing?” Understandable, considering that we’re in a global pandemic and just responding with “I’m fine” feels both disingenuous and insensitive. But while “It could be worse” is sufficiently sober,…
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My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy Was the Greatest Rap Album of the 21st Century, and Kanye Never Recovered From It
A funny thing about My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy when compared to the other rap albums that exist in the space where “iconic album” and “album I happen to love” overlap is that I don’t remember where or when I first heard it. I could tell you where I was when I first heard Wu-Forever…