Movies and TV shows have been my main source of entertainment since childhood. As I’ve grown into a black woman, I’ve come to realize that Hollywood misrepresents my race. It uses stereotypes to create a negative image of African Americans. Let’s start with Walt Disney. After 75 years of film-making, the company produced its first animated movie with a black princess in 2009. […]
The 22nd annual Purina Beggin’ Strips pet parade marched through Soulard last month as part of St. Louis’ annual Mardi Gras celebration. It attracted an estimated 80,000 people and 8,000 animals, mostly dogs. I met several dogs that morning that were quite vocal. So this issue, I’ve decided to turn my column over to a black-and-white mixed breed named Harley. Take it away, my four-legged friend. […]
The story of “Cassandra C.” hit the national spotlight in January, occupying mainstream news and blowing up social media. Cassandra, a 17-year-old girl with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, was being forced to undergo chemotherapy by the State of Connecticut. Chemo and radiation can give patients like her up to an 85 percent chance of survival. Sounds like good odds to most people. To Cassandra, the idea was dreadful. […]
Have you ever been too meek to tell the barista at Starbucks that you wanted soy milk, not whole milk, in your latte? Perhaps your social awkwardness has stopped you from asking a person you see at the bus stop out for lunch. Or from speaking up and taking control while working on a group project. There are times when we feel our everyday selves are not sufficient for a particular setting or situation. […]
The combination of short, gloomy days and frigid temperatures can be a downer for anyone. Last winter was really bad. It was one of the coldest, most brutal winters I could remember, with arctic winds chapping my cheeks and turning my hair into brittle strands. I dreaded getting out of bed, knowing I would have to face a cold gray day or — even worse — a cold gray day in the snow. I was irritable and groggy. Standing at bus stops in the dark was especially miserable. I was constantly trying to pump myself up with caffeine, but it didn’t work. […]
“I am Charlie Hebdo.” That became the world’s slogan after two Islamic gunmen forced their way into the Paris headquarters of Charlie Hebdo and killed 12 people to avenge the magazine’s publication of controversial cartoons.The United States is a democratic society, and we’ve always been able to express ourselves. The First Amendment guarantees freedom of speech. It wasn’t until 9-11 that Americans realized how many people in the world hated democracy. […]
I stepped off the bus, curious and excited to see what would happen on my college campus. It was the first day of classes after the Michael Brown grand jury decision. I typically keep to myself, but I tapped a young woman on the shoulder as we waited to cross the street. “There may be a walk-out today,” I said. “What’s that?” she asked. “People all over the country are walking out of their jobs and classes to support Ferguson,” I explained. […]
“Dear White People” is a satirical drama that will cause viewers to discuss and think more deeply about racism in 2014. Director Justin Simien’s debut film is set on an Ivy League campus, where racial tensions are running high. The administration decides to diversify housing, leading black students to take action to preserve their culturally centered residential hall. Conflict comes to a head when white students throw a thug-themed blackface party. […]
Corporal punishment made the news in September, when Minnesota Vikings star running back Adrian Peterson pleaded “no contest” to a reduced charge of misdemeanor reckless assault. This allowed the 29-year-old to avoid jail time and ended a saga that began Sept. 12, when he was indicted in Texas on a felony for injuring his 4-year-old son while hitting him with a “tree branch.” […]
In the past year, I have found myself getting more excited about new episodes of podcasts – shows consisting of audio only – than I get about new episodes of television shows. Originally, I listened to podcasts only when I had trouble sleeping. Now I listen to them while doing homework, commuting to school and working on chores. I think the reason I have become such a big fan of the handful of podcasts I enjoy is the intimacy they offer. […]
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