culture
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How to Deal With Unconscious Bias in the Tech Industry
Scathing diversity reports from major tech companies revealed that women make up less than 30 percent of employees. For minority employees, this number staggers as low as 4 percent. The culprit? Unconscious bias in an industry largely dominated by white men. “We need to have transparent discussions on what bias is and own it. Then…
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The People v. O.J. Simpson Recap: It Doesn’t Fit
Bob Shapiro is at the courthouse offering a “Good morning” to Gil Garcetti, who is not here for any of Shapiro’s shenanigans. “We barely recovered from the Rodney King riots of two years ago, and now you and Johnnie are standing in a damn pool of gasoline playing with matches,” Garcetti snaps. Shapiro insists that…
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Gabby Douglas and Simone Biles Are ‘Sisters’ in Competition
Four years ago a petite, timid Gabby Douglas made her national media debut in front of hundreds of reporters at the Olympic Media Summit. At the time, she was unknown to everyone except gymnastics insiders, but that changed when, two months later, she captured the all-around gold medal at the 2012 London Olympic Games. “Before,…
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Ben Carson Endorsed Donald Trump for a Job, Which Is One of the Blackest Things He’s Ever Done
You can say many things about Ben Carson, the back-ordered, decaffeinated coffee machine who recently dropped out of the presidential race. Iconic surgeon. Popeyes enthusiast. Vigilante. Black History Month book-report muse. Delusional motherf—ker. But one thing you cannot do is doubt his blackness bona fides. Yes, his actual politics, if enacted, would have put America back to 1953.…
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4 Things I Refuse to Do While Going on Vacation
Daylight saving has run up and kicked all of our collective asses, which means spring is finally coming around the corner and it’s time to rub what little coins I have together and start planning out my excursions for the rest of the year. Not only do I need the occasional respite from New York…
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Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Ken Burns Discuss How Race and Class Are Still America’s Fault Line
A frank discussion about race and class with two of the nation’s best-known historians quickly turned into a referendum on the rhetoric and vitriol that have turned the 2016 presidential campaign into what some see as a circus. Both documentarian Ken Burns and Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. see the current electoral environment as…
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To the Men Who Are Hating on Ciara for Getting Engaged: Get Over It
Ciara’s been in the entertainment scene for over a decade, since she was introduced as the oddly titled princess of “Crunk & B” on her debut single, “Goodies,” in 2004. She’s had a few high-profile relationships. In 12 years, I can name three, maybe four men she’s dated. One includes Nayvadius “Future” Cash, her former…
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If You Don’t Love Our Kids, Stay Out of Our Schools
Nine-year-old Kaedyn G. goes to a private school in New Jersey. Last week at school, Kaedyn wore a hooded sweatshirt with the words “black brilliance” plainly displayed on the front of her hoodie. She was not in violation of the school’s dress code and had not broken any of the school’s rules regarding appearance. Yet…
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Need to Remove Racial Bias in Hiring for Tech Jobs? There’s an App for That
The excuse that top tech companies and large firms can’t find stellar, diverse talent will become a thing of the past if Stephanie Lampkin, founder of Blendoor, has anything to say about it. Lampkin announced the app’s official debut at a rooftop party Saturday during South by Southwest in Austin, Texas. Blendoor is a mobile…
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Kerry Washington at SXSW: We Wouldn’t Have Had a 2nd Season of Scandal Without Social Media
Kerry Washington’s social media presence is enviable. Boasting more than 3 million followers on Twitter, the Scandal star’s ability to consistently engage fans online has proved a powerful boost to ratings and viewership for the show, as well as added visibility to other projects she’s embarked on in her rise to A-list status. “I know to…