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Our Democracy Is at Stake in 2020 and Young People of Color Are Paying Attention
Congress held public impeachment hearings last week on whether President Trump abused his power to enlist a foreign government in smearing his political opponent. While some may see this process as far removed from their day-to-day livesāa parade of old white men being accused of crimes, defending other old white men who may have committed…
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64 Years After Brown v. Board of Education,Ā Integration Has Not Helped Black People
Today, May 17, marks the 64th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education (1954), an event many have called a watershed moment in civil rights. On this day, more than six decades ago, the U.S. Supreme Court held that āseparate but equalā facilities, as had been decided by Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), are inherently unequal…
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Dear Black Male Nerds: Maybe Thereās Another Reason the Popular Black Girls in High School Rejected You
By now you have watched and likely discussed Childish Gambino (aka Donald Glover) and his new video, āThis Is America.ā Whether you love it or hate it, itās forcing a discussion about the state of black America and making many (white) people uncomfortable in the process. To be sure, I find the dancing more amusing…
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Devon Wade Must Be Remembered for Disrupting the Prison Pipeline, Not Merely for How He Died
I will never forget the firstāand, unfortunately, what would be the onlyātime I had the pleasure of meeting Devon Tyrone Wade, the Columbia University Ph.D. student killed late Sunday night. He was charming, had a smile that lit the entire room and demanded attention in the most subtle ways. Through his social media posts, it…
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Kevin Spacey and the Damage Done
By now, weāve all heard about Anthony Rappās allegations of sexual assault by Kevin Spacey when Rapp was 14 and Spacey was 26. Waking up in the middle of the night to the revelation of Rappās story and Spaceyās response felt like a punch in the gut because it doesnāt just happen in Hollywood. As…
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Life Lessons: Eat a Booty, Save a Life
While promoting her new book, Weāre Going to Need More Wine, last week, actress Gabrielle Union chatted with Sway in the Morning about sexual desire and, more specifically, sexual gratification and reciprocity. The Being Mary Jane star discussed why people are sexually repressed; she also broke down why experiencing oneās own pleasure should be a…
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Mobilizing Our Brothers Initiative: Empowering Black Gay Men to Tackle Trumpās America
Since Donald Trump was elected, marginalized communities have understood that life could become more difficult, but no one could have imagined just how difficult. From the moment Trump was inaugurated, we have borne witness to the ways in which his presidency has negatively affected our lives. From instituting a Muslim ban to emboldening and supporting…
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Letās Love Hood Girls Who Arenāt Famous as Much as We Love Cardi B
Itās time for us all to admit that our beloved Cardi B is a national treasure and will save a nation. But itās also time to reckon with the fact that our rightful adoration for Cardi B reveals a troubling truth: We dismiss, denigrate and force white-appeasing standards on black and Latinx women like her…
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If Black Gay Men on TV Were All Masculine āProfessionals,ā Would We Still Care About Diversity?Ā
On modern-day reality-television shows, audiences often bear witness to stereotypical, one-dimensional representations of black queer men. From the iconic Miss J. Alexander on Americaās Next Top Model to the frequent appearances on Real Housewives of Atlanta and even Love & Hip Hop, we have often seen narrow depictions of the black male queer experience: divas…
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The Fact That Bobby Valentino May Not Have Paid a Sex Worker Is a Problem; the Fact That the Sex Worker Is Trans Is Not
On July 31, a transgender sex worker recorded R&B singer Bobby Valentino running out of a room after allegedly not paying for sexual services. Valentino has since denied the accusation and stated, through his representative, āMisrepresentation and deception were maliciously used to target [him]; during the encounter, Valentino was victimized and threatened by acts of…
