Very Smart Brothas
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Join Us #AcrossTheFence: A Day Of Family Healing, In Connection To August Wilson's Fences
Today, the #AcrossTheFence interview series with my dad culminates with two segments — one where I explain how and why I began to think and write about race, and one where my dad shares a story about his Uncle Wilbur, the first Black fireman in New Castle, Pa (and the man my dad is named…
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I Dont Know How I'm Supposed To Feel About Kanye
This piece started off quite differently. You see, after years of skating around the margins of the sentiment, I’d finally leaned into full-on “Fuck Kanye West” mode. It followed years of annoyance at his trend of constantly obnoxious and solipsistic behavior. Even his admission during a recent concert that he didn’t vote at all Nov. 8 but…
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That Time I Almost Stabbed A Couple Rednecks Who Saw My Headwrap And Assumed I Was Muslim
It came as a surprise to everyone when I graduated from one of the top private schools in the country and, instead of attending college like most of my classmates did, joined the military. I was an immigrant — my family came to America from Jamaica when I was 10 — and female children of…
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More #AcrossTheFence (This Time, Damon's Parents Start A Race Riot)
Couple things about this video: 1. I’ve heard this story somewhere between 40 and 640 times, and it gets better every time I hear it. 2. I actually do incorporate it in my book. (My version of the story is much, um, different though.) 3. If this happened today — a Black couple and a Black…
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I’m Team Issa Over Team Lawrence, Because Issa Reminds Me Of Me
In the first scene of the first episode of Insecure, Issa Rae makes the mission statement of her show clear when she responds to a student who says her dad told her nobody is checking for bitter Black women. “Tell your dad Black women aren’t bitter, they’re just tired of being expected to settle for…
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Why So Many Liberal White Guys Just Can't Admit The Election Was About Race, Explained
Who are liberal White people? Liberal White people are somewhere trying very, very hard. Where can you find them? Trader Joe’s parking lots. Inner-city bike lanes. Jason Derulo listening parties. Giving TED Talks about couscous. Writing for Slate. Producing feminist porn. I see. So, how are liberal White people taking Donald Trump’s election? Well, I’m not…
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11 Questions You Probably Don't Have About VSB's Washington Post Profile But I'm Answering Anyway
Last week, The Washington Post ran an extensive profile of VSB. Below are answers to some questions you might have had about it. Wait, what? The Washington Post ran a feature on VSB? Yes. When did this happen??? Um, last week. Just like I said. How come you all didn’t say anything about this? I’m…
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On Insecure's Revolutionary (And Real) Depictions Of Young Black People Having Sex
Last night’s Insecure finale ended with both a bang (Lawrence finally deciding to take Tasha the bank teller up on her, um, offer) and a whimper (Issa’s couch cry in Molly’s arms); culminating a season unlike any other I’d seen on network or cable TV. Of course, we’ve seen shows where friendships between Black women served…
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Introducing #AcrossTheFence: A National Conversation Between Family (Based On August Wilson's Fences)
The screen adaptation of August Wilson’s iconic Fences — starring Denzel Washington and Viola Davis — comes to movie theaters on Christmas Day, 2016. This is a historic moment, the first major August production on the big screen. The play (and the movie) of course, centers on a father, a mother, a son, and their extended…