culture
-
Watch: Misty Copeland on Becoming the Firebird Barbie
Very seldom does one find a person as gracious and graceful as Misty Copeland. In June 2015, Copeland became the first African-American woman to be promoted to principal dancer in the American Ballet Theatre’s 75-year history. She has amassed innumerable accolades and graced a slew of magazine covers, helped redefine the Under Armour brand, and has…
-
Black and Brown Boys Don’t Need to Learn Grit; They Need Schools to Stop Being Racist
Editor’s note: Once a month, this column will tackle broader questions about what the country should do about gaps in achievement and opportunity, especially for boys of color. Everyone seems to think that a lack of soft skills is the reason students of color aren’t ready for college and careers. More schools and after-school programs…
-
MayBeWell: Shining a Spotlight on Mental Health in the Black Community
I don’t know how to talk about mental health in a short, sweet and all-encompassing way. On the topic, my mind is a Powerball drawing of sorts. The first ball up is MarShawn McCarrel, the brilliant Black Lives Matter activist who tragically took his own life earlier this year. Then I think of the artist…
-
What Black Man Would Put Himself Behind Bars at San Quentin? W. Kamau Bell
“I grew up in one of those households where every month was Black History Month,” W. Kamau Bell jokes. Bell, one of the few comedians tackling issues of race head-on, credits his heightened awareness to his highly conscious mother who grew up in Indiana in the worst of times. “She had just embedded this inside…
-
Filmmaker’s Quirky Love Story Takes on Affairs of the Heart and Mind
Editor’s note: This short-film series is a collaboration between The Root and El Rey Network to support, elevate and promote African-American filmmakers via on-air, digital and editorial platforms. These talented filmmakers represent the front line in improving diversity of participation and cultural representation in entertainment. Both The Root and El Rey Network are honored to showcase their works and stories. Smith…
-
Get Away to These 4 Luxurious Black-Owned Hotels and B&Bs
African Americans love to travel, and according to a research study, we spend nearly $50 billion a year on U.S. travel alone. During our explorations, however, we don’t always make it a priority to support black-owned hotels and bed-and-breakfasts. “Like any industry, we’re stronger when we operate together. But beyond the economic reasons, and the…
-
Drake’s Views Is More of the Same, but Colder and More Joyless. Kind of Like the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers
Has Drake fallen off? I’ve had a hunch that this was happening for a little over a year now, but the pop-culture whirlwind of Meek Mill and “Hotline Bling” threw me off the case. The truth was buried beneath a shower of memes and GIFs. Somehow, the stench of tepid-hotdog-water bars found their way into…
-
11 Thoughts That Ran Through My Mind While Watching the Roots Remake With a Random White Woman Sitting Next to Me
Last week I was invited to a screening at the Tribeca Film Festival of the first episode of the Roots remake, set to premiere on the History Channel on Memorial Day. During the screening, which took place at the School of Visual Arts Theatre in New York City, a random white woman sat in the seat right…
-
5 Things From Beyoncé’s Lemonade You Shouldn’t Try at Home
Beyoncé is our reigning pop queen. And considering the success of Lemonade, the visual album that aired on HBO, it’s a given that her wardrobe, her hair and makeup, and her imagery will be studied and imitated for the rest of the year. There is nothing wrong with this. Well, there’s nothing wrong with most…
-
Scandal Recap: With Olivia and Abby, It’s Gladiator vs. Gladiator
Remember a couple of episodes ago when Olivia Pope belittled Abby Whelan, Abby exacted revenge and as a result, Olivia bashed Andrew Nichols’ head in with a chair? Well, Olivia and Abby are now engaged in a gladiator-vs.-gladiator death match as they try to deliver a win for their candidates, Sen. Mellie Grant and Vice President…