culture
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The Huxtables Were Awesome: Statistical Proof
OK, maybe it isn’t statistical proof that the Cosby Show’s Huxtable family was the best ever, but there’s certainly some data reminding us that the fictional clan was widely loved. In a recent survey, TV fans of all races liked the idea of being a part of their tightly knit and stereotype-defying African-American household. From…
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On Sex, Race and Tyga at Harvard
In a piece for Manifesta magazine, Joshua Hernández and Rachel Cheong, two “self-identified feminists of color on the Ivy League grind,” take on the issue of the rapper Tyga’s invitation to perform on their campus. The takeaway: Controversy aside, it’s time to come together as a community to fight racist patriarchy. Let’s start off by…
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Stars You May Not Know Are of Color
(The Root) — It’s been 30 years since Flashdance found its way into our hearts and into the 1980s dance-movie canon. It was also when we were introduced to actress Jennifer Beals, a svelte brunette who later revealed that she was part black. Who knew? Here are other black and Latino celebs who have incited…
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Jay-Z's 'Open Letter': 'Turned Havana Into Atlanta'
Having apparently graduated from beef with other rappers, music mogul, entrepreneur and Cuba fan Jay-Z has released ‘Open Letter,’ a track it seems he threw together to give a piece of his mind to the Florida Republican politicians who criticized the fifth-anniversary trip that he and Beyoncé took to the island nation. From the Huffington…
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The IRS Doesn't Need a Warrant to Read Your Email
With only four days left for us to file taxes, the Huffington Post reports on some interesting documents released Wednesday by the Internal Revenue Service, which states that it doesn’t need a warrant to read taxpayers’ emails — or at least some of them. The files were released to the American Civil Liberties Union under a Freedom…
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Chilli Remembers TLC's 'No Scrubs'
The news that TLC’s hit record “No Scrubs” is now 14 years old might make some people feel old. In April 1999, the catchy song about deadbeats who ride shotgun reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100, where it remained for four weeks. But the song has aged well, and as Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas points…
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MLB Commissioner Wants More Black Baseball Players
On Tuesday, Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig announced the creation of a 17-member task force to study the decline of African Americans in the game, according to the New York Times. The first meeting was held on Wednesday in Milwaukee and was chaired by Detroit Tigers President and General Manager Dave Dombrowski. “I don’t…
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Colorism: Archaic, a Hot Mess and Worse for Dark-Skinned Women
In a reflection on the recent flap about India.Arie’s alleged skin bleaching, Essence‘s Janelle Harris says that complexion craziness is tough on everyone but especially painful for darker black women — and it’s our collective responsibility to put a stop to it. … We also have an often undertapped power as Black women to call out…
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Being Celibate Is Wearing Me Down
(The Root) — “I’ve been celibate for almost five years. Yeah, I know — ‘Man down! Code 10!’ I am trying to wait until I am married to have sex again. Lord knows I am. But it’s becoming extremely hard. My male and female friends tell me to just ‘get it in,’ but I follow…
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Street Harassment: Catcalling Rape Culture
At Ebony, Zerlina Maxwell speaks to Anti-Street Harassment Week founder Holly Kearl about the fight to allow women to walk down the street safely and in peace. This week is the 2nd annual International Anti-Street Harassment Week. Founded by Holly Kearl, International Anti-Street Harassment week has the goal of bringing awareness and energy to the movement…