Re-posted from Race-Talk In a recent Facebook post, one of my friends was incredulous that more than half of all single mothers live below the poverty line. He asked, “What can we do to solve this problem?” His question reminded me of the report released earlier this month by the Insight Center for Community and […]
Month: March 2010
J. Simp Goes to Mumbai: The Price of Beauty is Pretty High
A proud owner of a DVR box and many cable TV channels for the first time in about 10 years, I have recently entered the world of docu-dramas, reality competition and most recently a show called, “Jessica Simpson’s ,The Price of Beauty.” J. Simp goes All! Over! The! World! to find out what different cultures […]
Necessary Fierceness
Its not my day to post but recent events caused me the catch the spirit and pick up the laptop. If you haven’t heard, Erykah Badu released the video to her second song off her 6th studio Album (Release party @ the crib tomorrow, feel free to roll through) New Amerykah Part II: Return of the […]
The Gifts Among Us
This past week I was talking with some friends about race and racism in academia, social circles, and beyond. One of my friends, a white woman, asked my opinion on how people in general, but particularly white people should address racism. My answer was racism should be addressed in community regardless of the race of the […]
Babykillers, Baby Daddies, and Why Health Care Can’t Wait
It went down on the floor of the House of Representatives Sunday as our elected lawmakers, the progressive ones I mean, struggled to insure passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Perhaps the most heated moment came when Bart Stupak rejected last-minute GOP attempts to appropriate his anti-choice language for ultra-conservative ends. When […]
For Educated Black Girls Who’re Just Tryin to Maintain when Degrees Ain’t Enuf
A Black woman academic steps into a bar. . . Okay, okay. It’s not a funny joke. So here’s what happened. I decided to venture out to a bar for St. Patty’s Day in my small predominantly white college town. The beats, which I could hear as soon as stepped out of my car, immediately […]
They aren’t talking about me…
As a queer woman in love, sometimes it’s hard to relate to what my straight sisters are going through. What used to make me want to hold rap stars accountable is now likely to pass my ears without so much as a raised eyebrow of concern from me. This is deeply disturbing and I don’t […]
Reflections on coming out and family
As a queer Latina I juggle intertwining, complex and often competing identities. One of my most defining identities is that of daughter. My mother is one of the most amazing women I know. Although she would never refer to herself as the “f” word, I firmly believe that I am the independent, strong, determined, educated […]
Mo’Nique at the Oscars: Politics vs. Performance
Happy International Women’s Day! Now let’s get to it . . . Mo’Nique might have said last night that it was about “the performance and not the politics” but when she invoked the legacy of Hattie McDaniel, the first African American woman to win an Oscar, she proved that it is always about the politics. […]
A Counterstory: Gabourey Sidibe Academy Award Acceptance Speech
CFC’er Sheri Davis imagines the kinds of cultural work a Gabby Sidibe Oscar Speech might do: Presenter: And the Academy Award for performance by an actress in a leading role goes to Gabourey Sidibe. Sidibe: Wow Oh My God Wow. I’m so um. Let me just read because I have so much to say and […]