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Watch: Philly’s Real-Life Superhero
The first time Ariell Johnson imagined herself as a superhero was when she laid eyes on Storm of The X-Men. “I just saw this white-haired, white-eyed black woman flying around shooting lightning at people and I was like, ‘Who is this?’” she says. “I felt like I was just kind of watching other people’s adventures…
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Watch: ‘No Country for Me’
Two hundred and forty-one years ago, America gained its independence from Britain. Since then, July 4 has been celebrated with American flags, parades, fireworks and barbecues. The word “freedom” is often associated with the day. But freedom for all under the red-white-and-blue flag is a myth. When the Declaration of Independence was signed, it would…
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Watch: 3 Myths About Gun Violence
Gun violence is the leading cause of death for black men and boys ages 15 to 34 in the United States. Community activists have been organizing against gun violence for decades, and there is still so much to be done. But there are a lot of misconceptions about how gun violence really affects black communities…
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Watch: I Made It to 21. Mike Brown Didn’t
Mike Brown was 18. Jordan Edwards was 15. Tamir Rice was 12. Aiyana Stanley-Jones was 7. Too many black children have not lived to celebrate the tender age of 21. Instead, their families are forced to live with memories of what was and dreams of what could have been. How many more black children have…
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Watch: LA Riots: Then and Now
Los Angeles looks a lot different than it did in 1992. The smoke and shattered glass are long gone, but the memories of the Los Angeles uprising, commonly known as the “L.A. riots,” have had lingering effects on black Angelenos. Twenty-five years ago, four white Los Angeles police officers were acquitted of beating Rodney King.…
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Watch: Chicago’s Love Letter to Chance the Rapper
Chance the Rapper is just days shy of his 24th birthday, and he’s already regarded as one of the most important figures to ever come out of Chicago. “He’s a true role model,” says Emily Jones, a Chicago native. “It’s kind of like what Barack was for us in 2008.” The love is reciprocal. Chancelor…
