culture
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The Difference Between ‘white people’ and ‘White People’
Last week I read a piece you wrote called “The Friendly, Caring, and Kind Crossing Guard on My Block Hates Muslims.” It talked about your reaction to this usually nice, white-lady crossing guard making an offhandedly bigoted remark about Muslims to you. Anyway, I’m bringing it up because of something you said in it: “Sometimes you…
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Empire Recap: The Son Also Rises
It’s the fall finale for Empire. The first half of season 2 was hit or miss, so last night was the show’s chance to give us something to look forward to until Empire returns in March. There were a couple of surprises that should keep us hanging on. For Lucious, this episode was “You win…
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My 8-Year-Old’s Tuition Is More Expensive Than a Year at Most Colleges. We Can’t Afford It. But We Still Pay It
I can’t bring myself to watch any show that features Suze Orman, the financial guru. Why? Orman often does a segment where people tell her about something they want to buy, and she asks questions about their finances and decides if they can afford it. So, for example, someone may call in and say they…
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Honey, Where Did Those Bumps Come From?
There are tiny bumps on my husband’s penis. Should I be worried he has an STD? —Dionne C. Most bumps on the penis are not caused by a sexually transmitted disease. However, most men or women don’t really understand what they are when they see them. The tiny bumps may be a reaction to something…
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An Open Letter to the Black Pastors Who Met With Donald Trump
Dear Pastors, My least favorite thing about nonspoken forms of communication is the room for misunderstanding that comes from not being able to detect the tone of a person. Please allow me to minimize the possibility of a misinterpretation by first outlining exactly how I feel. I am angry, disappointed, slightly confused and fully embarrassed.…
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The 5 Stages of MacBook Charger Death
I realized the depths of my technological dependency when I first had the misfortune of watching the vibrancy and life fade from my MacBook Pro charger. I wouldn’t wish the experience on my worst enemy or the most fervent Slim Jesus fan. As Rebbie (my charger) gracefully transitioned from this world, I danced with hysteria…
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My Man Is Opening a Business With a Female Co-Worker and Didn’t Tell Me About It for a Year
My boyfriend of five years told me today that he started a business with a female former co-worker. They are opening a bar together, which I knew was a dream of his, but he kept the business dealings from me for the last year. This woman has been a point of contention in our relationship.…
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Black Judge, Black Jury? Why the 1st Trial in Freddie Gray’s Death Is Different
With the trial of William Porter set to begin Wednesday, the first of six trials in the death of Freddie Gray, it is clear that this will be no ordinary case. This is in part because Judge Barry Williams, 53, is no ordinary judge. During the jury-selection process, Williams asked a pool of hundreds of…
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Mary Jane Recap: Stay Woke
Turns out, selling out doesn’t always come with a clear conscience. We all knew that Mary Jane’s “I didn’t sell out; I bought in” line was hollow words. M.J. finally figured it out, and it only took one self-righteous, conscious college student to do it. M.J. sure knows how to clear a table. It must…
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The Wiz Live! Brings Iconic Musical to a New Generation
As far as iconic black-cast plays and musicals go, few are as universally loved as The Wiz. The initial soulful production of the American classic on Broadway in 1975 won seven Tonys and made Stephanie Mills a star. Her rendition of “Home” is still a classic. In 1978 the film version from Motown and Universal…