As if it isn’t bad enough that out of 178 nations, the United States is one of three countries that doesn’t offer paid maternity leave benefits, apparently pregnant women aren’t allowed to be gainfully employed. Somehow I’m not surprised that this is hardly mentioned in the ongoing political “war on women” talks that has persisted [...]

I think that one of my proudest moments in life happened at the beginning of this year: my younger brother – a heterosexual Black adult male – joined me in the fight against Amendment One by taking a photo with me, donning “Vote Against” t-shirts. For about a year, I’ve worked tirelessly against the passing [...]

Apparently things are pretty bad for white folks in America these days. Sure, we’re post-racial; and yes, the country is being headed by a guy with black skin. However, with the crippling white unemployment rate in this post-recessionary jobless economy, coupled with the usual centuries-long internalized oppression forced upon them by slavery and that Jim Crow thing– [...]

The recent resurfacing of self-proclaimed experts examining Black women’s bodies and dating habits is becoming the latest retro-comeback, similar to hi-top fades and snap-backs (yes, both very much back in style). In fact, the newest way to police Black women’s sexual habits and practices is to provide advice on dating and courtship in general. It [...]

It looks like my right-wing friends in South Carolina are up to their usual foolishness again. This time, apparently an unborn fetus has more rights than a woman (or child) reliant on the state health insurance system — you know, mostly low-income women who happen to be a victims of rape, or incest? And, to [...]

Years ago when Essence came under fire for hiring a white woman as the creative fashion director for the iconic Black women’s magazine, I came to the defense of that decision. I still believe that it was the right thing to do. If I wanted to work at Glamour magazine, a publication that primarily focuses [...]

Recently, in a conversation about Mitt Romney with a friend, I joked that there was no way that a Black Republican of Mormon faith existed. In my mind the odds of this person existing was somewhere up there right along with the reality of pink unicorns, Santa Claus, and Mark Sanchez winning a Superbowl with [...]

So here we are; another week and there’s hardly any mention of Anna Brown. Nope, no mention of how she died in a jail cell thirty minutes after being dragged from a hospital emergency room for simply attempting to seek medical attention. Nope, no mention of the fact that he was a single mother of [...]

I am passionate about a number of things, particularly issues pertaining to Black women.  And while I may project my voice about said issues and stand in solidarity with others pertaining to a particular movement or campaign, I am very leery about whose and what rhetoric I co-sign.  In essence, I’m very solitary in my [...]

Trayvon Martin and his family deserves justice – yes, there’s no denying this. As I watch the various reports surrounding his death and subsequent attempts to politicize it  in recent weeks. And as I watch many individuals don hoodies and proclaim, “I am Trayvon Martin,” I wonder about the many dead and voiceless people of [...]

Everyone may make mistakes, but there are some errors in judgement and actions that cannot be countenanced and that there is no easy path to redemption from. Shaquan Duley made some grave mistakes that, to this day most people are hard pressed to understand or relate to.A mother who killed her own children and initially [...]