It’s gloomy, it’s overcast, it’s inauguration day. I gotta say, I’m sad. I watched on CNN as the Obamas left the White House for the last time, and it truly felt like the end of an era. Not just because I have no idea what the next four years will bring, but because The Obamas … Continue reading It’s the End of an Era. The Obamas Leave Office.
So, earlier this week actress and Fox News Contributor Stacey Dash said in an interview that we should not have Black History Month or award shows that only feature black actors. She was responding to questions after several prominent, black Hollywood names publicly declared their intention to boycott the Oscars because for the second year … Continue reading Stacey Dash, Please Stop
Now, I understand that TV pundits and personalities are often more interested in ratings than in journalism. But some of them just cross the line. And they don’t just cross the line, they zig zag and dance all over that sucker. They may become ridiculous in the process. That’s just my opinion, but let’s look … Continue reading Be Careful What You Say
So Rupert Murdoch, CEO and Fox News founder — wonderful phrase to have on the old résumé — sent out the following tweet this week: “Ben and Candy Carson terrific. What about a real black President who can properly address the racial divide? And much else.” Okay, so, diversity just officially got more complicated. Now … Continue reading Real Black, Fake Black, Too Black For Action
Tuesday’s State of the Union touched on four things that may affect women in a big way going forward.
One, President Obama talked up the need to make childcare affordable. “It’s time we stop treating childcare as a side issue or a women’s issue, and treat it like the national economic priority that it is for all of us,” he said.
The HuffPo article I read that detailed the president’s four women-friendly plans referenced a Pew Research Center study from last spring. Weekly childcare expenses for families with working mothers rose more than 70 percent from 1985 to 2011, from $87 to $148. That equates 7.2 percent of family income. Obama proposes tax breaks to lighten the financial burden. Continue reading “4 Ways President Obama Shows Women Love #gender #equality #bias #diversity”
Are you willing to work for your two-year degree? If you can maintain a 2.5 GPA and make steady progress toward completion of your program, President Barack Obama wants to help you get an education. He unveiled plans Thursday for America’s College Promise, a program that likely will be welcomed by college students who would … Continue reading President Obama Wants to Make Community College Free #learning
The Interview, the comedy starring Seth Rogen and James Franco, has been yanked from theaters following the now well-publicized leak of emails from Sony Co-chairman Amy Pascal and others. There are three important things we can all learn from this communication debacle.
1. Nothing is private. If you think anything affiliated with the internet is private, don’t kid yourself. If someone built it, someone else can hack into it. Period. It’s best to operate under the assumption that there is a clear glass wall between what you write on the ‘net, what you say in public – and occasionally in private – and the entire civilized world. So, keep it classy.
2. Keep it professional. Write all email communiques as though your mother is looking over your shoulder. And if your momma was mean, write like somebody else’s momma is looking over your shoulder. It doesn’t matter what kind of relationship you have with the person you’re writing to. You could have been friends for 30 years, been intimate in a biblical sense and/or have shared a bank account or a last name. Assume someone will hack into your email and air out everything. Continue reading “3 Things the Sony Hack Can Teach Us About Communication #Sony #TheInterview #AmyPascal #diversity #race”
This week, the WestView News got a lot of attention when it used the N word in the headline for an op-ed piece on President Obama, “The Nig-r in the White House.”
Of course everyone’s on fire about it. It’s been a long, twitchy chorus of ‘how dare he,’ and ‘I’m so offended.’ But for me, all the kerfluffle that has ensued is just another example of the public allowing itself to be distracted from an important message. The media articles I’ve seen have been quick to assert that the piece was pro-Obama, calling out the racism of far right voters, but that message has been almost completely obscured by that one controversial word. Continue reading “Don’t Be Distracted by the N Word #diversity #racism”
I learned in the elevator of Maya Angelou’s passing, and I was sooo glad I was alone. I gasped, grabbed my throat, moved closer to the screen as though I could somehow glean more by proximity. Of course, there was nothing more to learn from that little screen. Her words, on the other hand, will teach and inspire and motivate for generations to come. I cannot think of many black female writers who’ve lived such a full and wonderful life. I can’t think of many writers period who epitomized grace and whose mastery of language and storytelling managed to morph ugly things like abuse and tragedy into a strength and beauty we can all use as fuel to feed our internal fires.
RIP, legend, Maya Angelou
Still I Rise
You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may tread me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I’ll rise… Continue reading “RIP Maya Angelou #writing #legend #inspiration”
A Life Not Grey 