We can all take something great from the following slice of Black Girl Magic. So, instead of trying to reason out the whys and wherefors to some foolishness that transpired in the media this week, I’m going to leave you with something inspiring, beautiful and encouraging – at least it was that for me. UCLA …
Kamala D. Harris and the Powerful Black Woman’s Dilemma
So, the candidates for the 2020 presidential election are out, and the mudslinging and excessively intrusive background investigating has begun with a vengeance. What struck me this week? The narrative on Kamala D. Harris as a gold digger because she dated a married man – get this – 20 years ago. Now, for the record, …
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Privilege Can Be Petty — and Dangerous
So, CNN White House correspondent Jim Acosta had his hard pass revoked this week after he challenged President Trump in a post-midterm election press conference. USA Today reported that “news organizations condemned the move, calling it a threat to freedom of the press. "Such interactions, however uncomfortable they may appear to be, help define the …
Lindsay Lohan: Saying #MeToo Makes Women Look Weak? Not a Good Idea
There’s a certain level of emotional intelligence required to speak well publicly. You have to be aware of yourself, you should hopefully have deep empathy for others, and because of that you should be able to discern when not to speak, how to speak and on what topics. That’s not to say that those who …
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Kevin Durant, Please Teach Us Your Social Media Truth
I’ve often thought the comments section of any editorial or social media post is an excellent mirror for the state of society as a whole. You have some good, some ugly, and some crazy. You see some reasoned arguments, some unreasonable ones, and some that scream here lies personal trauma; please medicate. But, that’s society. …
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You Could Be the Editor of Vogue and Still Become a Hashtag
It’s a story I’ve heard more than once, more than twice even. In fact, my own sister has told me tales of #ridingwhileblack at least three different times over the years. Cabbies or Uber drivers would drive her to some completely foreign location, and then order her out of their car, threaten to call the …
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Don’t Ever Under Estimate the Power of an Image to Create Controversy
Nicki Minaj is one of those celebrities that makes headlines as a matter of course. She doesn’t have to do much. Thanks to her enhanced curves, racy rap lyrics and unsmiling, unapologetically sexual visage, just standing there in one of her over-the-top costumes is usually enough. Case in point, her recent shoot for Elle, which …
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Kanye, Being Deliberately Shocking Is Boring
For anyone in this day and age of viral messaging and live forever on the Internet culture to try and be deliberately shocking is just, kind of, boring. Being deliberately conscious of the power in your words and messages, on the other hand? That’s something. That’s powerful. That gets eyes, and it captures and holds …
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How to Fight and Win
I read a piece today where Viola Davis lamented her status as the black Meryl Streep because she’s not getting the same opportunities or the same pay that goes along with that very complementary descriptor. "I have a career that’s probably comparable to Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore, Sigourney Weaver. They all came out of Yale, they …
The Power of a Platform to Fatten Your Pockets
I love change. I always have, and it’s gratifying to watch the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements create waves, promote dialogue and actually lead to positive action for actresses in Hollywood. Things aren’t settled by any means. There’s a long road ahead until we have parity on multiple fronts, but by in large the women of …
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