damon young
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10 Unbiased, Impartial and Very Good Reasons Why You Should Buy Damon's Memoir, What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Blacker
If you follow VSB on any social media platforms, you know that Damon is currently in week one of his national tour for his debut book, a memoir-in-essays titled What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Blacker, released on Tuesday and published by ECCO Books. The release of this book is the culmination of a book…
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A Word: How We Fight White Supremacy Reminds Us That ‘We’ Have the Power
What does it mean to fight white supremacy today? After centuries of trying, those of us actively committed to doing so know that grand gestures are well outnumbered by daily acts expressed in myriad ways with varying levels of visibility. This is the message of How We Fight White Supremacy, a new African American anthology…
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Everything You Need to Know About What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Blacker, Explained
Crazy right? “Excited” is a word that exists. Unfortunately, it is not a word I’d use to encapsulate my feelings about this. Anxious, sweaty, and scared shitless are much more apt. Terrified works too if you’re a socialist. Maybe excited will get here eventually, but it’s taking its time. Excited is taking the scenic route.…
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28 Days of Literary Blackness with VSB, Day 28: What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Blacker by Damon Young
Publisher Synopsis: From the cofounder of VerySmartBrothas.com, and one of the most read writers on race and culture at work today, a provocative and humorous memoir-in-essays that explores the ever-shifting definitions of what it means to be Black (and male) in America. For Damon Young, existing while Black is an extreme sport. The act of…
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Terence Nance and Damon Young on Random Acts of Flyness, Intentional Acts of Blackness, and the Beauty of Lotion
Four things you don’t really need to know before watching this (but I’m going to tell you anyway) 1. Although this video is 12 minutes of Terence Nance (the creator and star of HBO’s Random Acts of Flyness) and I talking about everything from subverting the white gaze to the performance of masculinity (and the…
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What It Looks Like When the Whole Team's Winning
A few years back, one of my best friends had the opportunity to go back to his home church in D.C. and give a speech during a service. As a son of the church, he was speaking on his journey from his beginnings in southeast Washington, D.C., to, at that point in time, receiving his…
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10 Quick Things About What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Blacker, an Upcoming Memoir in Essays From Damon Young
Yes, I did. It’s right there in my bio, man. But just in case you didn’t read—and you very obviously didn’t—in the fall of 2016, I signed a two-book deal with Ecco Books, an imprint of HarperCollins. This is the first book. It’s a look at some of the absurdities, angsts and anxieties of existing…
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The Root Packs the House for Very Smart Brothas' and The Glow Up's Boss Moves Event in Washington, D.C.
Do people still call Washington, D.C., Chocolate City? I’m asking for a friend and also because my people, my people, you guys showed up and showed out at our Very Smart Brothas and The Glow Up Boss Moves event on Thursday, July 19th—sponsored by Toyota—filling the Long View Gallery with beautiful boss blackness that could…
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10 Personal Reflections a Year After Becoming Part of The Root
What a difference a year makes. Just a little over a year ago, Damon and I signed those final signatures to complete the process to transition into becoming part of The Root. Like most things in life, it’s important to reflect on milestone moments. By this point last year, Damon had begun working as a…
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Watch: Ever Wonder What Was in a Hotep Starter Kit?
The word “Hotep” has gained a lot of traction online in recent years. By definition, Hotep means peace—like a greeting. To have Damon Young of Very Smart Brothas tell it, Hotep is the Egyptian version of “What’s good?” Now the word represents a very specific form of male performative pro-blackness that is anti-everything except limited…