culture
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Young, Black and Feminist
A growing collective of young black feminists is helping to give voice to communities that have long gone unheard and underrepresented. Social media platforms such as Twitter have given this new generation of activists a place to build community, to debate gender and sexual politics, and to use as a springboard for a career. Here’s…
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Black Youths Attending Princeton Conference Pulled Over by Police, Then This Happened
Exchanges between black youths and the police don’t always have to end in violence. What began as an unfortunate incident of alleged police profiling in Princeton, N.J., ended with a public-forum discussion with the officer who did the profiling. According to one member of the Black Youth Project 100, or BYP100, a youth-centered black activist…
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Brooklyn Firefighter Helps Save 4 Children While Battling 1st Blaze
It was Jordan Sullivan’s first fire, and he was still on probation as a firefighter, but the 36-year-old packed a huge punch at a Brooklyn, N.Y., apartment blaze Sunday, aiding in the rescue of four children, including a 5-month-old, the New York Post reports. “On the way in, my heart was racing. I was thinking,…
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Lupita Nyong’o in Star Wars?
Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years a Slave breakout star and media darling, is rumored to be the next female lead in Star Wars: Episode VII. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Nyong’o met with Star Wars producer J.J. Abrams a few weeks before the Academy Awards, where she took home the best supporting actress statuette for the epic tale.…
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Oprah Winfrey Selling Harpo Studios in Chicago
A little piece of Americana is being sold to a Chicago developer as Oprah Winfrey is selling Harpo Studios. According to the Associated Press, Harpo Studios in Chicago is being sold to a developer, but the studio will remain on the property for another two years. Currently the 3.5-acre campus is home to some 200 employees. …
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Lamar Odom Out for the Season in Spain
Struggling ex-NBA player Lamar Odom’s stint as a European basketball player has come to an end, after a back injury has him sidelined for the remainder of his two-month contract, the Spanish club said Sunday, Yahoo Sports reports. Laboral Kutxa Baskonia, the team that took a chance on the two-time NBA champion, reports that Odom’s…
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The Root Recognizes: Volunteer De’Von Cross Helps Uninsured Get to the Finish Line
When De’Von Cross is volunteering on a college campus in his home state of Alabama, he sets up a booth in the student union center and lures students over with boxes of hot pizza. In exchange for a slice, students must answer one simple question: “Do you have health insurance?” A pivotal deadline is approaching for…
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‘Black Twitter’ Changed My Life
When it comes to the question of whether “black Twitter” should be called black Twitter and whether there are too many (or any) articles written about it, I really couldn’t care less. Whatever it’s called, however it’s covered (even if it does sometimes feel as if reporters are observing exotic animals and describing their findings), this…
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GOP Congressional Candidate Apologizes for Slavery Comments
Arizona Republican congressional candidate Jim Brown, who was roundly criticized last week for comparing modern-day “entitlements” to slavery, has issued an apology, the Huffington Post reports. Brown, who is running in for a seat in Arizona’s 2nd Congressional District, said in the apology on Thursday that he cares “about every human being on this planet.”…
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Lupita Nyong’o: Her Father Says Family Suffered Torture and Brutality in Kenya
The family of Academy Award-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o reportedly experienced similar abuse as that depicted in 12 Years a Slave, her father told the Independent. The actress has garnered widespread praise for her performance in the film as Patsey, who was subjugated and dehumanized by her owners, earning her an Oscar for best supporting actress.…