after the latest edition of america doesn’t give a fuck about black people, i really needed to find some joy in my tears. there is truth in that saying you have to laugh to keep from crying. at this moment, i find myself all cried out. thankfully, my best friend was able to spend thanksgiving …
i, too, am america
some people cry. some people march. some people throw things. some people scream. some people set things ablaze. some people tear things up. some people hold signs. some people sing. some people paint. some people write. let all the people refuse to be silent. “I contend that the cry of “black power” is, at bottom, …
talking to strangers at bars is a great thing
you know how they say life is stranger than fiction? it really is. some of the experiences i have living in seattle are truly too good to make up. and that’s one of the many reasons i enjoy my life in seattle. no matter what bar or restaurant i find myself in, i seem to …
let me introduce you to your beauty
we live in a world obsessed with beauty. for women, our self-worth can easily become wrapped in our ratings on the beauty scale. it affects our social status, career advancement, financial security, and even perceived intelligence. that bit about beauty being in the eyes of the beholder is a fallacy women of color are forced …
10 things i’m grateful for on my 36th birthday
i love my birthday. for starters, it’s a national holiday. this is not my vanity talking. i was born on veterans’ day. so yeah, stuff shuts down on my birthday. you hear that? i shut it down. hehehe. but seriously, thank you to all of our service men and women. your sacrifice is a tremendous …
what i learned from the royals in our quest to take the crown
i’m kansas city born and raised. i have an unbelievable amount of pride for my home town. i currently live thousands of miles away in seattle but i represent hardcore for my sports teams and my city week after week. tonight, as we lick our wounds and cry our tears of sadness at losing the …
umbrella, i don’t need no stinking umbrella
it’s raining in seattle. i know what you’re thinking. it’s always raining in seattle. wrong. it’s not always raining in seattle. we don’t mind you thinking that though because we don’t actually want you moving here and messing up our hodgepodge of hippie-hipster/geeky-chic/counter-culture/semi-progressive/multi-cultural-inclusive/seattle-freezy vibe. but it’s fall and fall does mean rain. i’m a self-professed vitamin …
did i live up to the expectations of 12-year-old me?
i am a middle child and i live with all the baggage that brings. i’m also the only girl, which adds yet another complicated layer to the core of my identity. did i mention i’m black? yeah, that’s pretty big, too. while i’m at it, i’ll divulge that i’m short, extroverted, christian, single, hard of hearing, and …
dear white people, it’s always about race
a little bit of history repeating itself is happening in america. we are seeing a resurgence of jim crow mentality and legislation in cities and states across the country. segregation. unemployment. voter suppression. policing state. hold on a second while i hunt for my “free papers” so i can navigate my way in this post-racial …
we’re all a little bit gonzo on the inside
i’m going to go ahead and say it. lately, i’ve been feeling awkward. not the usual “she dances to the beat of her own drum” awkward but straight up gonzo the great awkward. do you remember gonzo? he was the beautifully weird muppet who fully embraced his awesomeness despite being rejected on a regular basis. …