I’m from the hood. By hood, I mean a black neighborhood with some dynamics stereotypically envisioned. The occasional box Chevy, all candy paint and rims, blares southern hip-hop. Well-known panhandlers request coins. Crime is heavily scrutinized. However, my community contains more variance than flat thinkers usually consider. My late grandfather, a middle school science teacher, […]
Category: Love
Some kids are braver than adults. Insert 11-year-old Dyllan Lovero, who, along with his mom, Rachael, recently shared insight regarding Dyllan’s life as a champion. While many pre-adolescents’ concerns include I-gadgets, locker combinations and hormonal imbalances, others face grown-up realities. Dyllan, an honor student who enjoys watching wrestling and wants to be a doctor, has […]
As the sun beams, wind blows, tan lines surface and memories accumulate, remember caution, especially when addressing recent graduates and upwardly mobile peeps. Some stuff is not your business. This is a mighty revelation for some because nosy people feel entitled to everyone’s business. Because other people’s business underscores universal issues, right? Your finances, proclivities […]
Full disclosure: In between my usual fashion, national, global and marginalized community reads, I am also into self-help, Law of Attraction, Handel Method style goodies, and the occasional uplifting Bible verse. With that being said, it is always something. A friend, a foe, a romantic interest, a bill, a familial issue, a misunderstanding. There is […]
Count your blessings, yo!
I dwell in abundant grace. It is not always transparent. But, if I refocus, it is always apparent. It is not always as accessible as I would prefer. But, I accept my role in reclaiming it. So much of the world is what we create it to be, and for that I am grateful. Again, for […]
When public figures present their humanity to crowds it is that much easier to understand why people love them. This could not have been more apparent than when Nikki Giovanni made an appearance in my hometown, Jacksonville, Fla., last night. It was an honor not only to see her encourage and empower a mostly Black […]