The My-Stery: The Different American Realities We Have and Politics of Proof – RIP Trayvon Martin

I feel genuinely weakened and tired from the not guilty verdict given to the George Zimmerman case. I was not shocked by it, but it did feel like another painful smack in the face after you’ve already been beaten several times. During the whole trial, two quotations from Malcolm X came to mind: “If you […]

Modern Griots Reviews: Apeshit + The Creation of the Humanoids – The Politics of Obsolescence

This morning I heard that communication companies are attempting to rid us of phone landlines and replace them with wireless service only, and it reminded me of the two films I saw last night, Leah Gilliam‘s movie Apeshit and Wesley E. Barry‘s The Creation of the Humanoids. Gilliam spoke at the showings of the film […]

Modern Griots Reviews: Black Girls Code

Where was Black Girls Code when I was younger?! Event today, black women make up less than 3% of the STEM industries and other women of color is lower, less than 1%. Last Thursday, I attended the showing of the Black Girls Code short documentary and fundraising event. Already having taught over 1500 girls across […]

Black Girls/Black Women Are from the Future: Q.U.E.E.N., Black Girls Code and MBIB

Janelle Monae’s “Q.U.E.E.N.” featuring Erykah Badu. This song is a much better anthem than, dare I say, “Run the World (Girls).” It is funky and fierce with thoughtful commentary about those who judge and put others down. Check out Monae interview yesterday on 106 and Park. Black Girls Code Trailer — the short film about […]

Black Girls/Black Women Are From the Future: Something Men Like Rick Ross Need to Know

As you may have heard, Rick Ross came out with the controversial line from his latest song, “U.O.E.N.O.” : “Put molly all in her champagne, she ain’t even know it / I took her home and I enjoyed that, she ain’t even know it.” A few days later, he addressed the lyrics with an “apology” […]

Black Girls/Black Women Are From the Future: Thoughts on LaBelle and “Lady Marmalade”

When some think of the song “Lady Marmalade,” one of their first thoughts is that it is a song about a New Orleans prostitute. On the surface it may be, but the song is much more nuanced and has deeper meaning beyond that. Listening to the song, I realized how ambiguous it is. First, the […]

Black Girls/Black Women Are from the Future: Free Angela

Angela Davis is more than an afro and if you think wearing an afro is radical and revolutionary enough, then you do not know much about Angela Davis’ life. Having grown up in Birmingham and knowing the girls who were murdered in the Birmingham church bombing, Davis seemed destined to want to make a change […]

Otherworldly Videos: America, the Ugly

Joey Bada$$ – Unorthodox RebelMatic – Survival Gathering These two songs and videos are sadly relevant for today. This is dedicated to Kimani Gray, Trayvon Martin, Hadiya Pendleton, and the countless other young people who are victims to violence everyday.

Black Girls and Women Are From the Future…

Since yesterday was International Women’s Day and today is International Fly Girls Day, here is post dedicated to some topics, news and resources about us black women. But first, “I’m Every Woman” from Chaka Khan, one of the first music videos:

Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth: Limbo by Edward Kamau Brathwaite

Will you make it to the other side? It’s amazing how many aspects of my culture and other cultures, too, are either hidden or diluted. One, for example, is the limbo dance that originated in Trinidad and Tobago. For many, it is only a fun dance game in which you try to pass under a […]