culture
-
Jurors Visibly Shaken When Video of Freddie Gray’s Arrest Is Played in Court
The mood in the courtroom Thursday during the testimony of Freddie Gray’s best friend, Brandon Ross, 31, was heavy. The room was silent and still after those present heard the screams and pleading from Ross and bystanders on the cellphone-video footage. It was a solemn reminder of the personal stakes of this case that has…
-
7 Reasons Why The Wiz Live! Was #BlackExcellence
You can put your Twitter fingers away. With captivating performances, updated dialogue and visually stunning costumes and set decorations, The Wiz Live! was a resounding hit. Anticipatory buzz grew louder and louder over the past few days leading up to last night’s debut of The Wiz Live! on NBC. Some people were excited (and nervous) about the chance to…
-
I Am an Adult and I Hate Sharing. So What?
Let’s just cut to the chase: I hate sharing. Yes, everything I needed to learn in life I absolutely learned in kindergarten. And yes, sharing is at the top of that list. Despite this lifelong lesson, I still hate sharing. But I probably need to put that in context and add some caveats. See, I…
-
Spike Lee Answers the Questions and the Critics of Chi-raq
Even before the trailer for Spike Lee’s latest film, Chi-raq, was unveiled, there was controversy. From the very beginning, there were people who objected to the film’s title as well as to a New Yorker telling such a sensitive Chicago story. No one even seemed to be sure what the film was about. Now all…
-
American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson Coming to Cable in 2016
“I’m not black. I’m O.J.” This just in: The cable station FX will premiere American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson on Feb. 2, 2016. Executive-produced by Ryan Murphy, the 10-episode installment of the new limited series will relive a story that captivated Americans. The O.J. Simpson case in 1995 was indeed reality television,…
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
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.…