The hidden history of Mardi Gras, from a Black perspective — After attending two Mardi Gras balls this carnival season, I realized that not many people outside of New Orleans understand the history of the carnival season or the social significance of such events for Black people. From the outside looking in, Mardi Gras is just a big egalitarian party where…

When it comes to confrontations with the police, Black people are asked to do something strange — Fight or flight is an “automatic physiological reaction” to a stressful or fearful situation. You will start to breathe faster, and your blood pressure and heart rate will rise, preparing your body for a possible fight. According to Professor Karin Roelofs, people and animals have various defensive modes that trigger…

We’ve all been there. Here’s how to get to the other side — “Hello, hello, is anyone there?” We’ve all been there — you work hard on a draft of something, post it, and then…no one seems to be reading your work. But don’t take it personally — you are not necessarily being ignored. Readers don’t know your writing from a can of…

To communicate effectively, you have to control your tone. Here’s how to do that. — A couple of months ago, I read a story about blackface. Initially, I felt relieved that someone was bringing attention to this issue. Then, sentence after sentence, I realized my initial assumptions, based on the title, fell short. To my surprise, this article supported blackface. As a Black writer, I…

Here's why he's unequivocally wrong — White people often handle the topic of race with the finesse of a bull in a china shop, using brunt force and power to burst their way in, knock everything down, and leave chaos and confusion in their wake. For instance, when Matt Walsch, a White journalist with the Daily…

Why all forms of racism are dangerous — Social scientists have challenged the idea that all racism is brutal by introducing concepts such as quiet racism, symbolic racism, everyday racism, and soft racism. However, could it be that this type of terminology, designed to distinguish between various types of racist expression, conceals the uncomfortable truth that all forms…

The diaspora wars have taken a strange turn — “When two brothers fight, a stranger reaps the harvest" is an African proverb worth remembering, especially in the context of diaspora wars, where Black people from various cultural backgrounds bicker amongst themselves. Another way of saying this would be that when two groups of Black people fight, white supremacy reaps…

Something to read before making your travel plans — Racism makes "traveling while Black" risky business in America and throughout the global community. While anyone planning a trip should consider their destination, the art of packing a perfect suitcase, the places and events they want to explore, and their accommodations, Black people have an additional concern — the racial…

Why one parent sought the removal of an educational film — Ruby Bridges, a six-year-old Black schoolgirl, became the first Black student to integrate into an all-white, segregated school in November of 1960. Walking into William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans was like walking into the belly of a beast because doing so challenged a more than two hundred-and-forty-year tradition…