Overt Overlooking

Intersectionality, a term coined by Kimberle Crenshaw, tends to creep its way into conversations where it really does not belong. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty conversational homes for the term and hopefully we can expand the conversations around the topics involving intersectionality. Just as cars approach intersections at a point where two roads...

Tackling Terms

After interacting with the Under Our Skin project, I am a little upset to admit that I am not surprised by the ratio of ignorant people in comparison to woke people. The majority of the participants did not understand the severity of the words and their concepts, which will further confuse students that do not...

Implicit Biases

After taking the implicit bias test, I've realized that there are deep rooted insecurities about being on the darker side of the skin tone spectrum. Strangers tend to be more skeptical of my presence in stores, malls and classrooms than my lighter skinned or white counterparts. As a child, this made me think that I...

Cries from Counter-Culture

Cultural hegemony is not necessarily the enemy. It allows mass amounts of people to coexist under one structural order. The enemy appears when this hegemonic system exercises its influence through force and violence on those that do not fit into the system as nicely as those that can. On Tuesday, Jan. 29th, Empire actor Jussie...

Black Believer

It is impossible to discuss whiteness without discussing blackness, and how these concepts affect the interactions between people by shaping ideology.  It's not usually considered news when people hear that racism grew out of slavery. It is, however, seemingly shocking when white people hear that they consistently play into -and capitalize off of- the vestiges...

Voice, Choice, Rejoice

The original writing of this notecard read, "Jodi sat across from me at the diner. Smushed in this booth after a two hour drive, we needed food and rest. I wanted nothing more than to engage in adult conversion and discuss anything other than self-diagnosed mental illness. Just after Kristen, our waitress, walked away she...

Unofficial Experts: Professional Vulgarity

The past couple of weeks have given me an incredible realization of self. I've listened to the podcast The Unofficial Expert with Sydnee Washington and Marie Faustin . These comedians co-host this podcast as two black women living in New York City. Though not always, they frequently have guest speakers that are an "expert" on...

Detroit Living

In a recent Interview with Oakland University Student, Aliyah, she discusses how she and her family frequently relocated in Detroit as she grew up. She explains an instance where her mother acquires a house with a rent price of $100 a month. Aliyah is an optimistic student and encourages everyone to share their story and...

Black Tweets Matter

Twitter has definitely taken the world by storm in the past couple of years. Since 2006, it has been a major source of news, information, entertainment, and media. I've chosen to create an account using this platform because it allows me to get almost an  instantaneous update on social issues that matter to me. On twitter,...