black people
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How Being Ashy In Public Is Actually Underrated, Explained
Public Ashiness might be the only thing in the Black community with a 0% approval rating. Even cottage cheese has fans, even Donald Trump has Omarosa, and even Kappas have mirrors. It’s the bane of Black existence; a plague we collectively wish to be eradicated. I’m actually shocked we haven’t had any “End Ash Forever”…
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From Mike Brown To Simone Biles: How Yesterday Exemplified Black America’s Complicated Relationship With America
“Complicated” has become a convenient catch-all to describe romantic relationships that seem to defy explanation. So much so that “it’s complicated” has become a popular way to synopsize them completely; distilling months, even years of context down to two words. It’s also frequently misused, as many — and perhaps even most — of the relationships…
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"Niggas In Paris" Are Still Niggers To Parisians
I have an older cousin named Halima. She lives in Nimes with her husband and five-year-old daughter, named Hikma, who is an avid Frozen enthusiast (called La Reines des Neiges in French) and Beyonce-in-training. For the most part, they live relatively peaceful middle-class existences. But every morning, Halima makes the trek from Nimes to Avignon…
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Why The Pro-Colorism Smoochr Dating Site Is Actually A Great Thing, Explained
What is Smoochr? Before yesterday, I would have guessed it was one of the aliases Ted Cruz uses when he trolls Craigslist to respond to Missed Connections. Now, however, I know it’s the name of a dating site targeted towards Black people. Ok. I guess the world can use more dating sites. Although it seems like there are more dating…
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Donald Trump's Nomination Acceptance Speech Scared The Shit Out My Wife
About an hour after Donald Trump ended his speech Thursday night, I looked over at my wife. The look of disbelief was still on her face. It was a look I had not seen since the jury declared George Zimmerman not guilty a few years ago. Asking the obvious question, she gave me a response I will likely…
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A Story About Charles Kinsey, My New (White) Neighbors, And The Racial Politics Of Calling The Police
I live in a two story loft that sits above a coffee shop on one of Pittsburgh’s busy intersections. It also exists directly across the street from a park, within walking distance of several restaurants, and a few blocks away from a hospital. Naturally, the neighborhood gets quite a bit of foot traffic during the day.…
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A User’s Guide to Dating While Black During Revolutionary Times
“Do you ever get scared driving around out here?” We were somewhere between Colorado and Nebraska, nothing to be seen for miles but fields, cows and the occasional Trump billboard. It was our first road trip in a newly minted “vacationship,” and after enjoying an extended Fourth of July weekend out West, my gentleman friend…
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How Being A Little Racist Sometimes Can Be A Form Of Self-Care For Black People, Explained
What is racism? According to Merriam-Webster, racism is a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race. This base belief has led to myriad race-based social constructs and dynamics. Here in America, for instance, it manifests as a structural/foundational racism that…
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Why Black People Care So Damn Much About Potato Salad, Explained
What is potato salad? Potato salad is a popular side dish that comes in many different versions in many different parts of the world. In Southern Germany, it’s generally prepared with vinegar, potatoes, oil, mustard, vegetable broth, bacon bits, parsley, red onion and topped with chive and served warm. In Sicily, its made with string beans and…