The Woman for the Job

by with One Comment FeaturedPolitics

On August 11, 2020, in the midst of a pandemic and primary elections taking place in multiple states, Democratic Presidential Nominee Joe Biden selected California Senator Kamala Harris as his Vice President (VP) pick. This is a historic moment for women and Black women specifically, and no doubt a game-changer for the Biden campaign. She would be the first African-American woman, the first Asian-American woman, the first Howard University Alumni, and the first HBCU graduate to become the Vice President of the United States of America. Her background as a District Attorney and Prosecutor were very challenging for her as they are for many prosecutors. She made decisions at the time that many strongly disagree with; but like all of us, we try our best to make the best decisions at the time. While we have to admit that sometimes we miss the mark, we must get up and keep moving. And I believe the people want Harris to keep moving.

Harris’s record is impressive. She was the first African-American District Attorney in San Francisco. She is only the 2nd African-American woman to serve in the US Senate and she is currently the only African-American woman currently serving in the US Senate. There have only been 11 African-American Senators elected since 1827 in both Republican and Democratic Parties, but only 10 were seated when Louisiana Republican Senator-Elect Pinckney B.S. Pinchback African-American Senator was elected but denied the seat. President Obama was only the 5th African-American to serve in the US Senate. Corey Booker became the 9th African-American US Senator to serve and Kamala Harris became the 10th, and the only Black women currently serving. 

Kamala Harris seems to be one of the women that President Trump is actually afraid of. He has minimized his attack on Harris thus far although we are expecting that to change rather quickly. There is no doubt that Biden could have chosen many great candidates out of this all-women selection pool. But Kamala Harris is definitely the toughest and the best woman for the job.

Kanye West’s Political Party

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One of the biggest stories of 2019… 

I am disappointed that Kanye West was welcomed to perform during Howard University’s Homecoming. Years ago, I would have been thrilled for his performance during my alma mater’s most-visited gathering of the year. However, in light of his recent political rants, including his demonstrations of willful ignorance about race and genuine attempts to manipulate critical aspects of Black history, I am dismayed at how he ended up with access to Howard’s historic homecoming platform at all. 

As a teenager, I followed Kanye, devotedly. Like many students of hip-hop, I came of age through the “highs” his career. I had a no-skip addiction to listening to Late Registration. I was ever-impressed by the versatility of his production. I arrived at consummate fan status once I experienced him live during the controversial “Yeezus” tour. To this day, I recognize both his one-of-a-kind talent and his dangerous desire for attention. 

That Kanye West has expressed strong political views is not surprising to me. I’ve admired his public protests against the mistreatment of marginalized people. During his more recent, “free-thought” era; however, Kanye has not missed an opportunity to mock Black consciousness. His comments while visiting Howard, including a command for Blacks “not to all stand under the slave net at once,” strikes me as grossly misinformed and disingenuous. According to the U.S. Constitution, we are at liberty to share our sentiments on any matter so long as they are not “obscene” or threatening by nature. While it is commendable for entertainers to use their platform to spread political awareness, it is naïve to expect most of them to use their celebrity responsibly. 

I am mainly disappointed in Howard University. They enabled yet another one of West’s reckless, viral moments. Howard Homecoming is traditionally a time for students and alum to fellowship and unwind at “The Mecca,” for Black politics, thought, and culture. Many students and alum of the university experienced a stark, political awakening at Howard. West did not visit for a similar experience. He used Howard for publicity and to spark further controversy around his troubled beliefs. Since West’s performance, I’m not sure how serious the university is about maintaining its integrity. I’m proud to wear the legacy of Howard University everywhere I go. I urge the university to revisit its commitment to do the same by refusing to compromise its legacy for “Kanye West’s political party.”

This article was originally published on 18 October 2019.

Similar Read: In Review: HBCU Homecomings Recharge Millions of African-Americans

If I Was Your Son, What Advice Would You Give Me Next Time I’m Pulled Over By a Police Officer?

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Scene: Presidential Justice Forum at Benedict College, an HBCU – Historically Black College & University, in South Carolina (the actual forum itself is worth a deeper discussion than this post)

Black student: “If I was your son, what advice would you give me next time I’m pulled over by a police officer?”

(The question stumped Bernie and he asked the student to repeat the question)

Bernie Sanders: “I would do my best to identify who that police officer is in a polite way, ask him or her for their name. I would respect what they are doing so that you don’t get shot in the back of the head.”

It’s important to note that Bernie agreed to do this forum about criminal justice at an HBCU. This wasn’t a hot mic walking out of a congressional hearing or another event following a traumatic incident of police brutality. Did he not expect to get asked a question about criminal justice and its impact on African-Americans at this event? Regardless, that’s the best answer he could come up with?

Unacceptable.

That response is beyond troubling because Bernie is basically implying that the only reason Black men get shot by the police is because they’re not respectful, and if they would just be respectful then they wouldn’t get shot and killed. We don’t have to dive deep into history to know that this is a false narrative often pushed by media, ignorant and racist pundits, and a narrative clearly perpetuated by one, if not more than one, presidential candidate.

Sean King and Nina Turner, prominent Black social and political supporters and voices in his corner, and he was still ill-prepared to answer such a question. It’s embarrassing and likely disqualifying for many millennials of color.

Will he win the nomination? Who knows. If I was a gambler I’d say Biden will win because he’s atop of the polls and appears to be the safe choice, for both White women and older Black voters. But Bernie has consistently been a top-3 candidate from the beginning, and whether he is or not, it’s not reassuring to know that the potential Commander-in-Chief thinks police brutality is a byproduct of victims being disrespectful.

Race, a tough topic that has stumped many of the Democratic candidates, can’t be brushed aside considering these candidates simply can’t win without minorities turning out in droves to vote for them. Biden, Buttigieg, Sanders, they’ve all struggled when dealing with issues and direct questions about race, and this is yet another unacceptable-disqualifying example.

Democratic presidential candidates… do better. 

In Review: HBCU Homecomings Recharge Millions of African-Americans

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There is something special about the month of October. There’s a sweet smell in the air, the birds are chirping, and excitement mounts inside of me and more than a million others who can relate to my college experience. It is Homecoming Season! Some may ask, what is the big deal? Well, I will tell you… this isn’t just any Homecoming, this is Homecoming at a Historically Black College/University (HBCU). At an HBCU, Homecoming is a family reunion, block party, cookout, and any other feel-good function you can think of combined in one. It is THE event of the year for students and alumni alike that is marked on everyones calendar. After Homecoming weekend I return home full of happiness, motivated to keep pushing towards my dreams, and an increased pride in my Blackness and all that it entails. My soul glows from the inside out because it was recharged with all the wonderful examples of Black excellence, intertwined in moments of “let-your-hair-down-ratchetness,” giving me some extra pep in my step for work Tuesday morning (Monday just isn’t an option after Homecoming). 

Why HBCUs Exist… 

HBCUs were created in the post-civil-war era as institutions of higher learning where African Americans were welcome to attend, at a time when most Predominately White Institutions (PWIs) banned Blacks from stepping foot on campus, let alone actually trying to attend a class. For years, HBCUs have provided African Americans a safe space to learn and grow as individuals and into adulthood without the constant second-guessing because of the color of our skin.

I attended Howard University – “The Mecca” also known as “The Hilltop.”

Founded in 1867, Howard University celebrated its Sesquicentennial, its 150th anniversary, this year. One hundred and fifty years of fostering Black excellence by being one of the leading producers of minority doctoral graduates in the country and producing famous alumni such as Thurgood Marshall, Phylicia Rashad, and Zora Neale Hurston. The reason I chose to attend an HBCU for undergraduate is because I was tired of being the only person that looked like me in my classes and in all my extracurricular activities. I was tired of the breezing over Black history only during the month of February. I was tired of the entire class staring at me when we read To Kill A Mockingbird aloud and the word “n***er” was said. Most importantly, I was tired of feeling like an outsider in a world that paints my Blackness as a negative.  

I attended both a PWI (graduate school) and an HBCU (undergraduate and graduate school) during my educational tenure; however, my time at my PWI pales in comparison to my HBCU experience. During my time at Howard University, I learned detailed African and African-American (Black American) history. I also learned that the people of the Black Diaspora are much more diverse than what is showcased (for example, there are vast cultural differences between Black Californians, Jamaicans, and Kenyans). Furthermore, I learned how to better care for and appreciate my natural hair. The negative stereotypes about Black people are dispelled at HBCUs. I grew up in the inner city and my friends and I were constantly fed messages and images of crime, absentee fathers, and poor education within the Black community. But at Howard University, future Black doctors, judges, and engineers roamed the campus having stimulating conversations about current events and plans for the future. It was at Howard University where I realized Black fathers do exist, not just in my circle of close-knit friends, but across the country. It was at Howard University where I also realized there were smarter Black girls and boys like me who came from two-parent households, and not mainly housing projects. Overall, I began to see that I was more the norm of Black America, and not the exception. With every day on campus, I became more comfortable with the Black woman I was and realized my Blackness was a blessing and not a curse, as society would have you believe. 

In a country that seems to remind us every day that our skin doesn’t warrant the same equality or opportunities as others, Homecoming unequivocally reminds us of the power and brilliance that lives within our community. I need that annual experience, and I wouldn’t miss it for anything. 

This article was originally published on 8 October 2018.

Similar Read: Kamala or Bust? 

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Kamala or Bust?

by with 5 Comments CultureFeaturedPolitics

California U.S. Senator Kamala Harris (D) is running for President of the United States. So are three other women.  She is joining a field of candidates who will be nothing short of amazing. Women and men of color are declaring their candidacies and that in itself is historic.  What’s also historic is 2020 will have more women candidates run than ever before.  There are so many positives to celebrate, but Democrats are too busy tearing down their own candidates before any debates even start.

Specifically, there’s lots of debate around Kamala. She’s a historically black college or university (HBCU) graduate, born to immigrant parents, pledged a Panhellenic sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Inc. and most notably the former top cop of California, having served as the State’s Attorney General.

We can now dismiss with the pleasantries because the not-Kamala-choir is ready to sing. Since she made her presidential announcement, which was literally 2 days ago on the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday, several articles have come out about her. Some are in support, but many are critical of her record as San Francisco Attorney General and her state role as Attorney General.  Even more, there has been a ton of social media traffic about her race. And even more than the social media traffic is the HBCU stans and notably Howard University graduates and students who are vehemently defending her existence.

As a graduate of an HBCU, I understand the pride that comes with seeing one of our own run for any elected office, let alone running for president. And as a graduate of Howard University I also understand how my fellow alumnae might walk around with our heads held high and our egos on 10000. However, one thing the HBCU and Howard experience has taught me is to trust but verify. Measure twice and cut once.

As an ardent supporter of women running for office I am elated to see a woman of color run for president after the historic run of Shirley Chisholm. After Hillary Clinton’s historic run in 2016, I think there is an urgent need to have a woman president. Heck we need more women in elected office everywhere. And we definitely need more women of color. But again, it is important that we give Kamala the same critical assessment that we are giving all other candidates, Democrat, Independent and Republican. The blind loyalty and undying support of her candidacy can be exciting if you are going to support her without any consideration of another candidate. But to do so because she went to your school or pledged your sorority is questionable.

Over the last few weeks, several articles have come out about her time as a prosecutor. Some of her actions have been questioned in pieces like The New York Times opinion piece and the article written in The Intercept about her survival as a candidate in the age of the Black Lives Matter movement. These articles point out her stances on controversial cases that some would deem “on the wrong side” of convictions or her silence on stances she might have taken on issues related to criminal justice.  But there are also pieces written that highlight many of her reforms and why she is favorited to get an endorsement by former President Barack Obama.  Notwithstanding her professional experience, which she will have to explain, it would be prudent for all to carefully consider why you support her candidacy over collegiate and social group affiliations.  Afterall, attending a ‘proclaimed’ elite university and joining a sorority has yet to prove anyone is ready to become the next president.

This article was originally published on 1 January 2019.

Beyonce’s Homecoming – For Us, By Us

by with No Comment CultureFeaturedGen Z

If there’s any artist that’s capable of stopping the world, it’s Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter.

In 2018, she delivered her highly anticipated performance at Coachella as the festivals’ first Black female headliner and left observers completely in awe. A year later, on April 17, 2019, her Netflix documentary Homecoming premiered, which chronicles the journey she went on to craft her legendary performance. In the film, Beyoncé says “When I decided to do Coachella, instead of me pulling out my flower crown, it was more important that I brought our culture to Coachella.” Watching Homecoming was very impressive, as it gave me more insight into the hard work, sacrifice and intentionality that went into it. There were many aspects that made Beychella pure excellence, but my favorite aspect was seeing the celebration of Black culture taking center stage. 

Beyoncé mentions in the documentary that she grew up near Prairie View A&M University and spent a lot of time during the early years of her career rehearsing at Texas Southern University. Her father is a graduate of Fisk University and she always dreamed of attending a Historically Black institution of higher learning. Beychella paid homage to the nine Black Greek Letter Organizations and an HBCU Homecoming ceremony, with the inclusion of steppers, majorettes, and a marching band. Although I don’t attend an HBCU, I appreciate and respect the importance and significance that they hold, and have witnessed over the years the way that they’re often undervalued. But in the words of Beyoncé, “There is something incredibly important about the HBCU experience that must be celebrated and protected.” With Beychella, she did just that. 

Beychella also included her own rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing”—which the NAACP dubbed the Black National Anthem—which transitioned into her pro-Black anthem, “Formation.” She and her dancers swag surfed, danced to a mix of her hit “Crazy in Love” and Juveniles’ “Back That A** Up”, and included the instrumental to C-Murders “Down For My N*****”. The same day that Homecoming was available for streaming, she released her live album of the same name, which featured her cover of Frankie Beverly and Maze’s “Before I Let Go”, which is a staple at Black functions. Although Coachella’s audience is predominantly White (which made it all the more special that in Homecoming, the camera repeatedly focused on Black audience members), Beyoncé took the opportunity to shine a light on the pure greatness that is Black culture.

While watching Homecoming, one of my greatest sources of joy was that a light was also shone on Black women through voiceovers of icons Nina Simone and Maya Angelou, as well as the many Black women on stage. During Beychella, dancer/choreographer Edidiong Emah was given a solo, and in the film, she says she once felt she was “too short and too thick” and never dreamed she would be there. The space that Black female performers like Edidiong were given onstage was amazing.

In a voiceover, Beyoncé makes a statement that I—and I’m sure many other Black women—could relate to… “As a Black woman, I used to feel like the world wanted me to stay in my little box. And Black women often feel underestimated.” She adds, “I wanted us to be proud of not only the show, but the process and proud of the struggle. Thankful for the beauty that comes with a painful history and rejoice in the pain. Rejoice in the imperfections and the wrongs that are so damn right. And I wanted everyone to feel grateful for their curves, their sass, their honesty. Thankful for the freedom. It was no rules and we were able to create a free, safe space where none of us were marginalized.” Ensuring that her performance made Black women feel prideful, represented, and appreciated was clearly a major priority for her, something that I found very special since the world treats Black women as an afterthought. These women had various skin tones, body types, and skillsets, making Beychella all the more beautiful.

Homecoming provides an insight into the hard work and dedication that was put into Beychella: a stunning display of the beauty that exists in Black culture, Black womanhood, and Black colleges. Black people are the owners of Black culture despite constant attempts to hijack it, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching the love of our culture being celebrated by one of its’ actual, rightful owners. Beychella was the embodiment of “for us, by us” and I will forever appreciate it. 

Similar Read: Twice as Good to Get Half of What They Have

FUBU

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Back in 1998, the most coveted and popular fashion brand was FUBU. FUBU, aka “For Us, By Us”, founded in 1992 by Daymond John, J. Alexander Martin, Keith Perrin and Carlton Brown, went from John (“Shark Tank” guy) mortgaging his home for $100,000, and using that as seed money to lead FUBU to peak revenues of $350 million in annual global sales.

FUBU hasn’t been a popular brand in years, and has only recently come up for air in that “Atlanta” episode; however, it’s still a profitable company. FUBU currently earns roughly $200 million a year – primarily from a global market, but still a shocker right?

If the common person knew those figures their response would probably be of laughter and stating something like, “that many people still buying FUBU.”

Why is that?

Regardless of its popularity, shouldn’t FUBU always be celebrated due to it truly being a major fashion company for us and by us? 

FUBU, led me to think about other Black organizations that are frequently questioned for various reasons. The two institutions that quickly came to mind were historically black colleges and universities aka HBCU’s and Black Greek Organizations. (I’ll expound on HBCU’s in another article.)

First, as a proud member of Kappa Alpha Psi, I want to wish all the January organizations a happy Founders Day. January is home to five of the nine predominantly Black Greek organizations.

January 5th – Kappa Alpha Psi

January 9th – Phi Beta Sigma

January 13th – Delta Sigma Theta

January 15th – Alpha Kappa Alpha

January 16th – Zeta Phi Beta

Alpha Phi Alpha, Omega Psi Phi, Iota Phi Theta, and Sigma Gamma Rho were founded throughout other months in the year.

FUBU was created to have a voice and influence in the fashion industry, an industry that historically did not want to include Black people during the planning and creation phase of fashion, only the (consumer) purchasing part was okay for Black people. Black Greek organizations were created under the same segregating circumstances.

With the focus on being a harbinger for young Black students during their undergraduate years, Black Greek organizations were founded due to being barred from entry by the White fraternities and sororities on their respective college campus.

Socially, they were also formed to keep intact the bond established during Black student collegiate years and post-graduation, thus the creation of alumni chapters.

Though institutional racism isn’t as obvious as it once was, social racism has yet to lose its touch. To date, there are still far too many people in very important positions that simply do not want the inclusion of Black people into their organizations.

While the FUBU brand isn’t a fashion choice of my liking, I will always support their clothing line for the purpose it seeks. Just as FUBU isn’t a brand choice for some, there’s legitimate indignation against Black Greek organizations due to the account of some of its members. Those individual members will never do enough to sully the history and purpose of Black Greek organizations, a history and purpose we all can wear proudly even without wearing the letters. 

Reflection… When Trolling Backfires

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Two weeks ago, a New Jersey high school decided to travel to Washington DC to tour our Nation’s capital. Lunch at Howard University’s Bethune Annex Cafeteria was on their schedule, and two of their female students decided to wear Trump tee shirts and Make America Great Again (MAGA) hats during their visit. Needless to say, or I wouldn’t be writing about this, their experience did not go as smoothly as planned. The two girls would later post a lengthy tweet detailing the “harassment and racism” they experienced while on campus. Howard University’s social media accounts were in an uproar and many alt-right and Trump supporters responded posting negative comments on every post mentioning Howard University.

This incident is nothing more than trolling gone bad.

Founded in 1867, Howard University, is a private research university comprised of 13 schools and colleges. Most importantly, Howard University is a Historically Black College/University (HBCU). HBCUs were created in the post civil-war era as institutions of higher learning where African Americans were welcome to attend, at a time when most Predominately White Institutions (PWIs) banned Blacks from stepping foot on campus. For years, HBCUs have provided African Americans a safe space to learn and grow without the constant second-guessing because of the color of our skin. As an alumnus of an HBCU, I will say an added benefit is learning more about Black American and African history that is not traditionally taught in school. Learning this history establishes pride and teaches you to love your Blackness, though the world tries to convince you it’s a negative.

Knowing this history of Howard University – what made these girls, White girls at that, think parading around an HBCU in Trump and MAGA paraphernalia was a good idea… a week after Trump refused to immediately denounce white supremacists in a press conference following the Charlottesville incident? Maybe that’s the problem, they didn’t know the history of HBCUs, which is indeed a part of American history. It has been noted that black students on the tour advised them not to go on Howard’s campus wearing that particular shirt and hat. Also, some upperclassmen who saw the girls walking towards the Annex cafeteria told them it’s best not to wear that shirt and hat on campus simply because Howard University is an HBCU. The two girls, unfortunately, chose not to heed the multiple warnings, which makes many people believe their true intentions were to bait a reaction out of the Howard students (in true troll fashion).

I am sick of hearing the freedom of speech/expression excuse when a person is blatantly disrespectful. Just because you can say and do what you want does not mean you are free of consequences and get to play the victim. If you choose to not pay your taxes, that is perfectly fine as it is your choice. However, there is a high probability that you are eventually going to jail. If you walk down the street in an area where there is a lot of gang activity wearing the opposing gang members’ colors, be prepared for the backlash. These girls were warned yet they chose to be disrespectful and offensive in someone’s house, disturbing their peace. Just as it is viewed as disrespectable for an American woman to walk around in a Muslim country wearing booty shorts and a low-cut shirt, it is just as offensive to walk around an HBCU wearing paraphernalia of a man who refuses to denounce white supremacists, but wants to bring back Stop and Frisk (a tactic which disproportionately targets African Americans). I blame their chaperones, the supposed adults, on the trip as well. Why did they not say anything to these girls? Why were they not inclined to have a conversation about etiquette and courtesy in someone else’s space? Why did they not do research on the history of Howard University if they planned to visit the campus? Were these teachers not trained in cultural sensitivity? I have so many questions for these so-called adults. Overall, there is too much political correctness in letting the oppressor continue his oppression, and Howard University students weren’t about to sit around and be trolled in their safe space without speaking up for themselves.

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