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28 Days of Black Joy: Experiencing Black Joy Together
Does Black joy exist if there’s no one to share it with? I imagine that one could make the argument that Black joy could be an individual act, pointing to the joy that one feels within self, and that’s real. But through my life experiences—and recent conversations with scholar André Brock and founder of The…
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Brittany Packnett Cunningham, Monique Judge and Chloë Cheyenne Unpack Movement Work in Social Media at The Root Institute
Where, exactly, does social media and movement building intersect? As ‘me too.’ movement founder, Tarana Burke, reminded us in an earlier Root Institute panel, movements are strategic and require long-term planning. Make no mistake: Movements don’t happen by osmosis. But, with the advent of social media, there is an ease with which communities are able…
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The Root Institute Chats Harnessing the Black Vote in 2020 With Glynda Carr, Judith Browne Dianis and Rashad Robinson
What is at stake during the 2020 elections? As we live in the midst of an uprising, which is a response to police killings of unarmed Black people (and a legacy of racism that has proliferated throughout the country), while being led by a man who refused to pay his respects to one of this…
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Rep. Ayanna Pressley Discusses the Power of Black Women at The Root Institute
Rep. Ayanna Pressley is a history-making Black woman. As the first woman of color in the history of the Boston City Council and the first Black woman to ever be elected to Congress from Massachusetts, Pressley is a departure from the old white men who, for too long, have dominated the political arena in the…
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Finding Black Joy in Times of Crisis
The other week, I cried. For some, shedding tears in times of chaos and terror seems quite normal. Anticipated, even. To me, it felt strange. I am a black woman. As a journalist and a ‘student of the game,’ I am keenly aware of the systems of racism that—from this country’s inception—were created to oppress…
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ABFF Honors 2020: The House That Black Hollywood Built
The “category” was excellence, and Black Hollywood showed up and showed out. On Sunday night, the Beverly Hilton was bustling with black actors—I like to call them blacktors—producers and press gathered for the ABFF Honors, a space that Black Hollywood built to recognize our excellence in film and television. (After all, if we don’t, who…
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Saying Farewell to an Icon: Cicely Tyson, Lenny Kravitz, Angela Bassett and More Honor the Life of Diahann Carroll
How does one say farewell to an icon? On Sunday, the best in black excellence gathered to bid Diahann Carroll adieu. It was a cold and dreary day in New York City, but there was a buzz in the Helen Hayes Theater on Broadway. There were plenty of hugs and handshakes in the crowd—even a…
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I Had a Table Talk With Jada Pinkett Smith (No, It Wasn’t a Red Table), but I Got a Healing
Earlier this week, I limped into a swanky Midtown hotel. Less than 24 hours before, I’d finished the most grueling physical challenge of my life (thus far). In order to get to said hotel, I slowly walked up and down the stairs of the New York City subway. I was having a tough time going…
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Bish, I Be Running, Week 10: Almost There and an Ode to the Queensboro Bridge
In less than 48 hours, I’ll be running the New York City Marathon. And I’m not sure how to process things. Over the past few months, I’ve sacrificed my social life, gotten slightly injured (and came back with vengeance), fundraised like my life depended on it, bought some granny sneakers (yes, I went with the…
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Bish, I Be Running Week 9: Crying? There's No Crying in Training
During last week’s long run, I cried. For those who are unaware, I’m a sensitive person, but I’m tough. As “tough as nails,” per my mother. Abrasion (like, within people) doesn’t really bother me—I can dish it out and take it. I have a high threshold for pain—menstrual cramps have nothing on me. As a…
