I was listening to Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon the other day, and marveling at her ability to tell such full, rich stories interspersed with moments of pain as well as moments of humor. I came to a line that beckoned me to pause, rewind, and listen again. Pilate – a character who has become…
Tag: blackness
The Slap Heard Around the World
**This post contains references to physical violence and may be triggering to some readers. Take care should you decide to continue reading.** By now, you have no doubt seen or heard about Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at this year’s Oscars. It was a moment that was truly shocking – unlike anything I’ve ever seen…
Out of the Wilderness
The Easter season always reminds me of frilly dresses and ruffled socks and memorized speeches recited on Easter morning. From Ash Wednesday somberly beckoning me to remember from whence we came, clear through to Resurrection Sunday’s triumphant declaration of victory over death, Easter brings with it a unique combination of holy contemplation and bittersweet joy….
Introducing: Matriarch
Last spring, I met my parents, great-aunt, and a cousin in Wortham, Texas, where my maternal grandmother and her siblings were raised. I did not know that by the end of 2021, my great-aunt, her sister, would perish – and that this trip would be her final trip back home. So when I recently found…
For the love of Us
For several days, I left a tab open in my browser. The link was to a New York Post article from several years ago. In it, the now-deceased Cheslie Kryst was positively gushing over the beauty of her National Costume ahead of the Miss Universe pageant. I kept avoiding reading about Chryst’s joy and looking…
Undeterred: Dr. Mae Jemison
When I think of Dr. Mae Jemison, the image in my mind is of a smiling young Black woman in an orange astronaut suit, possibly wearing or holding the kind of helmet that astronauts wear when they embark upon a spacewalk. The image in my mind is static, unmoving. It’s lovely and placid.
To Sir, With Love
We are just a few short weeks into 2022, and collectively many of us are mourning the passing of America’s last Golden Girl, a trailblazing fashion icon, and a remarkable actor who to me embodied poise and gravitas. Grief to me is such a strange, intensely personal thing. When famous folks die and I find…
Episode 109: Black Hair with Camille Johnson
The January 17 episode of Something True delves into Camille’s and my personal hair journeys. We talk about our relationship with our hair, and share a few experiences of awkwardness when some people comment on it or touch it without our consent. This episode is about my cousin and me as individuals as much as…
Episode 108: Being Black in Predominantly White Spaces with Catrina Ballard
In the January 3 episode of Something True, I share a candid conversation with my friend Catrina Ballard. We connected years ago as two of a handful of Black students who attended our university. Our conversation centers around our shared experiences as Black women who have lived much of our lives in spaces that were…
Episode 106: Black Church With Clent Holmes
The December 20 episode is such a treat! I got to sit down with my good friend Clent Holmes to talk about something that holds a special place in both our hearts: the Black church. Twitter: Clent Holmes, II (@clent2) IG: Clent Holmes (@clent2) • Instagram photos and videos The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van…
