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Why #BuyBlack Has Never Been the Path to Black American Economic Empowerment
The slogans “Buy Black” or “Support Black Businesses” have existed for some time as clarion calls for black consumers to patronize black owned (or seemingly black owned) establishments. We see it hashtagged and sprawled across graphics calling for exclusive 30 day “buy black challenges” to spur economic growth in Black communities — often touted as…
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The Misplaced Hysteria About a ‘Cancel Culture’ That Doesn’t Actually Exist
Similar to its predecessor “PC culture,” which is used to bemoan the mythical tyranny of political correctness, “cancel culture” has become a popular catch-all to describe a social-justice warrior agenda that some believe goes too far when challenging the status quo, saying that it threatens free speech and discourse. When a celebrity says something bigoted…
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What The Chi Gets Right (and Wrong) About Chicago
Chicagoans are protective of their city, and for good reason. Over the past few years, the City of the Big Shoulders has been the go-to dog whistle for Republicans and what-about-black-on-black-crime enthusiasts alike. The city’s spot on America’s Wheel of Sensationalism has dominated the larger national media gaze as the premier symbol of the black…
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Yes, #HimToo: How Would You React if a Man You Know and Care About Were Accused of Sexual Misconduct?
Since the series of sexual harassment and assault allegations against Harvey Weinstein broke the news, a plethora of other allegations have followed, and now it seems as if almost every breaking notification on our cellphones is another harrowing account of sexual misconduct. A proverbial “purge” of sexually abusive power players in Hollywood, newsrooms and Capitol…
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Maybe You Should Stop Calling Yourself an Alpha Male
In my experience, confessions are pretty fuckin’ useless. Never has being on the receiving end of a confession resulted in me feeling happy or relieved or satisfied. They’ve all been pretty inconvenient and/or bewildering, leaving me resentful of the party who voluntarily purged long-held secrets and then sighed a breath of relief. They’re about as…
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The Distraction Of Racism And The Bipartisan Roots Of Chicago's Black Suffering
There’s a Toni Morrison quote I used to bristle at: “The function of racism is distraction.” I had never read the full context of this quote and initially, I thought this was another attempt to dismiss racism as a primary societal ill deserving of discussion, while prompting us to start paying attention to the “real”…
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Twitter And The 2016 Presidential Debate: A Match Made In Hell
There are a few instances in my life where I was keenly aware that I was making the wrong decision; when I bought a ticket to see Batman vs Superman, when I decided to drink two cups of a mysterious alcoholic beverage named ‘Blue Muthafuckas’, when I said “I do”….. Every time I can recall…
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How to Stop Jay Z From Threatening Us With New Music
For the past two years, malicious rumors of a joint Beyoncé-Jay Z album have terrorized us on the Internet. Vague “sources” have been quoted everywhere from Rap Up to Vanity Fair, claiming that the cursed release is set to have a surprise stream on Tidal. This is a particularly harmful threat to a longtime Jay Z…
