[Feb 6, 2017]

​The presidential election of 2016 was an unprecedented battle between two unlikely contenders. In one corner, a political veteran​ who, like many other seasoned career politicians, had an assorted history with stances on major issues (e.g., criminal reform, etc.). In the other, a businessman who had influenced politics (e.g., the “birther movement”, etc.) but had never formally made his way into the ring. In the divisiveness that marked the election, rhetoric of yore was regurgitated as were new promises for the improvement of our nation.

In the weeks after the election, the process of “unifying” our nation was set to begin. The winner of the electoral college vote attempted to hush chants at rallies and pull back on the hyperbole of campaign promises to reduce the extremism launched on the election trail of the prior year.

Read More

[Dec 3, 2016]

As a senior in college, I remember hearing Faheem Rashad Najm on the radio and scrunched my face. His interesting use of “auto-tune” was surely a gimmick I thought. Even though Teddy Riley graced us with a few jams where some lines were altered by a voice box, I had never heard a full song with this pixelated sound before. As Faheem — better known as T-Pain — came out with more songs, I thought surely someone will stop this blatant disrespect of what we call singing.

Jay Z clearly heard my request and dropped Death of Autotune (DOA) a few years later. I knew that his expertise in the field would stop all the foolishness masked as vocal talent.

Welp, 7 years after DOA, T Pain continues to bless our ears with the pitch-corrected melodies that confused me way back in undergrad.

Read More

[October 8, 2016]

When I was 13 years old, I somehow convinced my mother that going to teen night at “The Warehouse” in Detroit was an okay thing to do. I guess because I was a good student, involved in theater, and wore braces, there wasn’t much to worry about.

She told me clearly to watch my cup (read: water) at the bar and make sure no one put anything in it.

I was on the dance floor having a good time and dancing with friends. When a guy started dancing with me, I was probably as giddy as any new high school kid would be and got into the “Ghetto Tech” jams of Detroit yore.

Read More

[Feb 6, 2016]

I study racism. I have spent a lot of time talking with children this year about what I do. And, like clockwork, they always end up shocking me with the knowledge they have about the subject matter.

“So, who knows what racism is?” I’ll ask the bright-eyed five to eighteen year olds I encounter in career days and panels.

Hands fly up.

“Trayvon! And Trump!”

Sigh…

I understand how the majority of Black people may not vote for, or heck, even like a certain presidential candidate. Given President Obama’s ability to command 95% and 93% of the Black vote in the respective prior elections, I imagine it challenging for any candidate, even a fellow Democrat, to match his connection to the Black community.

Read More

[Aug 9, 2016]

I was equal parts excited and dismayed.

I volunteered to speak at my church’s career day and engaged with the youngest crowd I’d met thus far. Youth ranged in age from 5–15.

I did my typical spiel (what’s a doctor do? what is the name of the doctor who works with your mind?) and then got to the question that I didn’t think was going to land well because of their age.

“When you turn on the TV, what’s the biggest problem you see?”

And, like clockwork, the first answer was always what I want them to say as a foray into my work.

“Racism!”, I hear shouted out.

Read More

[Jul 21, 2016]

On a holiday weekend, you cannot pry me off of my couch. You could not pay me to look away. When that instinctive DING DING comes at the top of the hour, that is my cue that the next 59 minutes will belong to the astute detectives and lawyers of Law & Order. (Don’t you judge me for re-watching that one episode 11 times — the outcome might be different this time!)

I am always amazed at how adeptly they find evidence, solve cases, and situate the show within the greater contextual space in society.

Read More

[June 24, 2016]

I went to the Sprint store in December (thank you for your prayers and well wishes) and was minding my own business (as the employees struggled with a seemingly basic request — sigh). All of a sudden, I heard something very strange. Someone asked for an upgrade, but it was the way she said it that made my ears perk up.

“I believe I’m entitled to an upgrade — it’s been 2 years” said the White woman next to me.

I furrowed my brow.

I searched for the term that I’m used to.

“Eligible!” I finally recalled.

Read More

[ April 27, 2016]

When I walked into the office on Monday, it was an unusually somber tone. Our Racial Empowerment Collaborative at the University of Pennsylvania is involved in various programming throughout Philadelphia, and I was informed that a student in one of our groups was murdered over the weekend by gunfire. The youth was a former classroom student of the group leader so he was particularly affected.

When the office cleared out, I looked at the large computer monitor that I promised to fill up with words and figures and statistics. But it kinda mocked me in that moment. “What does your paper have to do with the realities of these families and kids on these streets? How does a paper that takes 2 years to hit actually do any good? What’s your purpose? Riana??”

Read More