When I think about American Skin, I think of those tarred and feathered, the black bodies dangled over scorching hot flames, their limbs dipped and torched, their “American” skin charred black. This skin, which too often acts as wrapping paper for the murdered, is America. Director, writer and producer Nate Parker depicts America in the…
Tag: #blackpower
Coming Soon: Blackness. Under-represented.
Hi Everyone! So with a new year comes new adventure. I am writing to formally announce my podcast: Blackness. Under-Represented. Listen to the trailer here: https://anchor.fm/blacknessunderrep Blackness. Under-Represented will include episodes eight minutes or less that provide insight into happenings relevant to black people and black culture. This announcement is not a farewell to blogging;…
Policing and American Personhood
On the second night of the Republican National Convention, Abby Johnson of Planned Parenthood provided a graphic description of abortion to pull on the heartstrings and taunt the consciousness of a conscious-less audience. She preceded this anecdote by disclosing Planned Parenthood’s racist origins. Johnson’s speech was undoubtedly supposed to be moving, however, it illuminated the…
A Nationalist Agenda: #blackpower > #blacklivesmatter
Civil rights, for those of us whose philosophy is black nationalism, means: “Give it to us now. Don’t wait for next year. Give it to us yesterday, and that’s not fast enough.”
Symbolism and Functional Blindness
Though many look at the contemporary moment and see change and solidarity, I see more of a Christmas tree decorated with what functions as beauty only under a gaze of white nationalism. As elucidated countless times during black presence in the Americas, symbolism tranquilizes the masses into a slumber that precedes a functional blindness. By…
So We’re At Our Tipping Point, But…What About Tawana Brawley? #saytheirnametoo
I wish it were true; that the waves of white supremacy came crashing down in the weeks before summer 2020. But I know that the coming weeks, months, and years to come will reference this moment to counter pro-black and “separatist” agendas that seek to actualize the change so many pursue hollowly. In the contemporary…
Protest Participation and Black Power
We met on the hilltop. The chants occurred sporadically, ascending when passing those translating our footsteps to footage on their phones. The African adjacent came with signs more often than the African descended. The crowd knelt with raised fists twice, a gesture synonymous with closing one’s eyes to pray. In studying the ancestral plight to…
When the Smoke Clears: Why We Must Live a Life of Protest
“the great show down cannot be postponed indefinitely” –Frantz Fanon
Remembering Malcolm X
I have spent the bulk of today, reading Malcolm X quotes, and listening to his speeches. His smooth, precise, passionate speech personifies the poetic prose of black power personified. He is “our shining prince” as they say, in both life and death. He shines because his internal freedom bleeds outward. Yet, this year, perhaps more…
What Happened When I “Came for” Cardi B.: The Cardi B. Conscious ClapBack
I’ll be honest with you, I never intended to author a post on Cardi B. The post reflects an aspiring writing seizing an opportunity to practice the skill to which she has dedicated my life. Before I continue, I want to state that I do not regret anything that I posted. I do however regret…
Whispers of a Womanist 