black excellence
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Black Excellence: Ava DuVernay Receives First Directors Guild Award Nomination
While the Golden Globes may not have seen her (or any black people to be real), the Directors Guild of America certainly has. The Hollywood Reporter has, um, reported that the Directors Guild of America has released a partial list of their awards nominees for 2020. Among the names released was that of writer, director,…
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To Those Who Knew Him, the Latest Nipsey Hussle Tribute—a Book Club—Is Probably the Most Fitting
In the months since Nipsey Hussle’s death, countless tributes have surfaced as his family, friends, and fans have come to grips with such an unexpected loss. Murals have popped up throughout Los Angeles and award shows have celebrated his legacy, but one of the most unique ways his memory lives on is through a book…
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Korey Wise of The Exonerated Five Hosts Christmas Toy Giveaway in His Old Harlem Neighborhood: ‘There’s Nothing Better’
Korey Wise never ceases to amaze. Living in Los Angeles, I’ve had the luxury of crossing paths with the man who’s blossomed into the unofficial ambassador of The Exonerated Five a number of times. And despite the unspeakable horrors he endured at the hands of our criminal justice system, as told by Ava Duverney’s brilliant…
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Colorism Isn’t Real-ish, It’s Real: Kenya Barris Criticized Over Black Excellence Casting, His Response Also Raises Eyebrows
Potential audiences recently got a first look at the first television show of Kenya Barris’ big Netflix deal, Black Excellence (stylized as #blackexcellence). As Deadline announced, Genneya Walton (9-1-1, Project Mc²), Iman Benson (Suits, Alexa & Katie), Scarlet Spencer (Cousins for Life, Colony), Justin Claiborne (Marriage Story, Reverie), Ravi Cabot-Conyers (The Resident) and Richard Gardenhire…
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Black Excellence, Opulence, Decadence: Celebrating 10 Years of The Root 100
“How do you live out your black excellence?” I enjoyed listening to all of the interviewees’ responses to my question as I hosted the green carpet event for the 2019 Root 100 gala. Some furrowed their brows before answering, others took a beat, while my favorites shot back, “great question!” At events like The Root…
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We Did That: The 2019 Root 100 Gala Celebrated a Decade of Black Excellence
In the increasingly fickle world of journalism, longevity is no small feat. So to be celebrating 10 years of being the leading online source of black thought, news, opinions, and excellence was a serious undertaking for The Root crew’s at our 2019 Root 100 gala—a serious undertaking that was a hell of a lot of…
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Doing the Work: Ava DuVernay and Yara Shahidi Are Among Glamour's 2019 Women of the Year Honorees
A passion for justice unites the black and brown women honored by Glamour as their 2019 Women of the Year, as Ava DuVernay and Yara Shahidi join the Women of the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES) on a list that includes Megan Rapinoe, Charlize Theron, Margaret Atwood, Tory Burch, and…
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Simone Biles Has Apparently Bodied Baseball, Too
Real talk? I’ve never quite understood the appeal of America’s favorite pastime (*ducks*). Right around the fourth inning, I’m generally starting to doze. (No, really, that actually happened once at a Twins game in their last World Series-winning year). But leave it to Simone Biles to make baseball a little less boring for us non-believers;…
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Dear God, It's Me, Panama (Again). I See Rain in the Forecast for Spelhouse Homecoming This Weekend (Again). Let's Talk (Again)
Dear God, What’s up, Big Homie—is it okay if I refer to you as such? I have no idea if the pronouns conversation has made it into religion yet, though I’m pretty sure it’s coming. I think for simplicity’s sake, I’ll stick with convention and you can correct me in the comments. Again, what up,…
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Harvard to Honor Queen Latifah With W.E.B. Du Bois Medal for Her Contributions to the Culture
In 1895, W.E.B. Du Bois became the first black student to earn a doctorate from Harvard. Over a century later, Queen Latifah is being honored by the prestigious institution with an award bearing his name. On Oct. 22, the New Jersey-bred multihyphenate will receive the W.E.B. Du Bois Medal for her contributions to the culture.…