On Independence Day in 2020, a clamoring throng toppled a statue of Christopher Columbus Baltimore neighborhood of Little Italy. When the cheering protesters dragged it down and sunk it beneath the depths of Inner Harbor, the statue became the latest symbol of societal change and a harbinger of a larger reckoning about the hypocrisy and… Continue reading Critical Truths, Racist Lies
Tag: Black Girl Magic
Flipping the Scene, Becoming a Teen: Solid Words For Turbulent Times
Dear Diva, Wow—-can you believe it? Next Saturday, you are turning thirteen years old. We have already been exposed to the teens thanks to your brother Darius, but as I’m fond of saying, ‘things in the game done changed’ since then: he didn’t use cell phones as a kid, turn in school assignments on electronic… Continue reading Flipping the Scene, Becoming a Teen: Solid Words For Turbulent Times
“They Marched Black and Biracial Children Down the Hall To Check Their Hairstyles.”
Every weekend, after Saturday dance classes and before Sunday evening, the girls and I gather in the living room for a marathon of hair-styling. One by one, Nia and Layla take turns sitting between Mama’s knees, patiently accepting my commands to ”turn here” and ”lean there” as I oil their scalps, detangle their coils and… Continue reading “They Marched Black and Biracial Children Down the Hall To Check Their Hairstyles.”
Birthday Love, Life Lessons: a Decade With The Diva
Dear Daughter Nia, Last Monday wasn’t the sunniest of days: thunder roared, lightning flashed and storms swirled over and around us. But what still made it special for all of us was that on April 11, ten years ago to the day, you became a part of our lives. With outstretched arms and a steady… Continue reading Birthday Love, Life Lessons: a Decade With The Diva