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What Our Reactions to the H&M Child Model’s Hair Really Said About Our Feelings About Black Hair
Any black person who has embarked on a natural hair journey can inform you that afro-textured hair is work. After going natural over five years ago, I’ve spent countless hours experimenting with everything from DIY avocado and banana hair smoothies to handheld hair steamers. I’ve spent an inordinate amount of time considering the merits of…
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Why #BuyBlack Has Never Been the Path to Black American Economic Empowerment
The slogans “Buy Black” or “Support Black Businesses” have existed for some time as clarion calls for black consumers to patronize black owned (or seemingly black owned) establishments. We see it hashtagged and sprawled across graphics calling for exclusive 30 day “buy black challenges” to spur economic growth in Black communities — often touted as…
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The Misplaced Hysteria About a ‘Cancel Culture’ That Doesn’t Actually Exist
Similar to its predecessor “PC culture,” which is used to bemoan the mythical tyranny of political correctness, “cancel culture” has become a popular catch-all to describe a social-justice warrior agenda that some believe goes too far when challenging the status quo, saying that it threatens free speech and discourse. When a celebrity says something bigoted…
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#CopsToo: When Police Officers Use Sexual Assault to Terrorize Vulnerable Communities
In August of last year, Texas attorney Samuel Cammack III published a disturbing and graphic video on his website in an effort to send shockwaves throughout Harris County and the entire state of Texas. “Once the community sees this, they’re going to be outraged and disgusted,” Cammack asserted to Houston’s KTRK-TV. The video was dashcam…
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Unpopular Black History Opinion: Jackie Robinson May Have Been an Opp
During Black History Month, there are a few obligatory staples and customs that all black kids in America come to expect: the Black History Month assembly where a vivacious and chubby child recites Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech or Maya Angelou’s “Phenomenal Woman” with the cadence of a LisaRaye performance; brief…
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The Conversation About Aziz Ansari Is an Uncomfortable Mess, Which Is Why We Need to Have It
If there were one word to accurately describe the now-much-discussed piece in which a young woman accuses Aziz Ansari of sexual assault on their first date, it would be “messy.” What’s laid in front of readers is an awkward and, at times, bare account of how the date devolved into a veritable tug-of-war of sexual…
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What The Chi Gets Right (and Wrong) About Chicago
Chicagoans are protective of their city, and for good reason. Over the past few years, the City of the Big Shoulders has been the go-to dog whistle for Republicans and what-about-black-on-black-crime enthusiasts alike. The city’s spot on America’s Wheel of Sensationalism has dominated the larger national media gaze as the premier symbol of the black…
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5 Albums Everyone Loved in 2017 Except Me
Despite releases from Coldplay, Imagine Dragons and the unmerciful tyranny of Bieber’s “Despacito,” I have to say I think 2017 was still a generally good year for music. We saw some solid debuts and some great sophomore follow-ups. To be honest, there aren’t many projects released this year that I can say I viscerally hated,…
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Yes, #HimToo: How Would You React if a Man You Know and Care About Were Accused of Sexual Misconduct?
Since the series of sexual harassment and assault allegations against Harvey Weinstein broke the news, a plethora of other allegations have followed, and now it seems as if almost every breaking notification on our cellphones is another harrowing account of sexual misconduct. A proverbial “purge” of sexually abusive power players in Hollywood, newsrooms and Capitol…
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Dating While Black and Atheist
There’s some internet rule that goes along the lines of “If you think it, it exists on the internet.” Maybe I’m confusing it with Rule 34 (If you think it, there’s porn of it). But ultimately, I’ve always thought of the internet as a haven for the congregating of niche and segmented voices and a…
