danielle young

  • Judge of Characters: The Hatred of Black Women

    The death of Stephon Clark does what many black men’s deaths at the hands of police do: rally the troops to protest why, for some strange reason, black lives seemingly don’t matter. There’s no way for us to think otherwise when Clark was shot down in less than seven seconds in his grandmother’s backyard. But…

  • Judge of Characters: Black Lives Don’t Matter

    There’s something so beautiful about the students-turned-activists who have emerged from the awful tragedy of the Parkland, Fla., school shooting. Instead of being victims, these kids became champions for human rights and gun control, reflected in the March for Our Lives on Saturday. They have been fully embraced by almost everyone. However, the Black Lives…

  • (Mrs.) Who Said It: The Cast of A Wrinkle in Time Quotes Oprah, Outkast and Rumi

    Ava DuVernay’s A Wrinkle in Time is a fantastical journey. As we watch the star, Storm Reid (Meg), navigate an alternate universe in search of her father, we can’t help being in awe of her guides, the Mrs. These women—played by Oprah Winfrey (Mrs. Which), Reese Witherspoon (Mrs. Whatsit) and Mindy Kaling (Mrs. Who)—who offer…

  • Watch: How Oprah and Ava DuVernay Escape the Darkness

    One of the major themes of A Wrinkle in Time is the darkness and how it can consume you if you let it. But all it takes is just a little bit of light and some belief in yourself to make it out of the dark. Full Disclosure: Disney spent all the coins to invite…

  • Judge of Characters: George Washington Took Teeth From the Mouths of Slaves

    I’ve always been taught that the first president of the United States of America had wooden teeth because his gums were not fertile ground for strong, pearly whites. It was just common knowledge. But recently, writer Michael Coard revealed something that’s widely unknown: Washington’s dentures were made not of wood but of elephant/walrus tusks and,…

  • Judge of Characters: Colonizers Are Having a Hard Time Stomaching Black Panther’s Success

    It’s official: Black Panther is a blockbuster hit, and our feelings will never be done with this film. This movie has emotionally affected us all. While there are many melanated people who are swathed in pride because of Black Panther’s representation and all-out beauty, there are just as many (if not more) melanin-deficient folks who…

  • Judge of Characters: It’s a Woman’s World

    We all know it’s a white man’s world, but through our magic, women of color manage to make this world ours. From Black Panther being an ode to black women, to women of color taking over the 2018 Winter Games, it’s hard to deny the power of women right now. One of the most powerful…

  • Watch: Black Panther Cast Explains Why Black Superheroes Matter

    The Black Panther character is more than the namesake of a movie that’s breaking the box office. He’s a culture. Marvel Comics has introduced the world to a diverse roster of superheroes since its launch in 1939, but the most notable has got to be Black Panther, who made his first appearance in Fantastic Four,…

  • Watch: Everything You Need to Know About Black Panther, Explained

    Where is Wakanda? Who is T’Challa? Can a woman be Black Panther? I have so many questions about this comic book-turned-feature film, so I consulted with play cousins to The Root who are both staff writers for i09: Charles Pulliam-Moore and Evan Narcisse (who happens to be one of the brilliant writers of the Rise…

  • Judge of Characters: The Whitewashing of Black History

    This week, white people took their boldness to another level and delivered us a white version of what was said to be the true Queen Nefertiti. Expedition Unknown’s Josh Gates showed up to the Today show to share a bust he worked on with Egyptologist Aidan Dodson. And that’s exactly where things got awkward, you…