Why I’m a person of faith and voting for Biden in 2020
I'm not a Trump fan and I haven't been quiet about that. But today, I wanted to talk about my own faith, and how my faith is compelling me to vote. I have been a Christian my whole life. For a good portion of my life, I believed that voting Republican was a mandate of Christian faith. I went to a bible college where there was ONE guy who was a democrat, and people warned you about him in scandalized whispers, like they were warning you about a child molester. I voted for ALL THE . . .
Pass the Mic with Grace Sandra
Grace Sandra talks about her journey as a biracial woman growing up with a white mom and siblings, the importance of all-black spaces, and the impact of intergeneration trauma on the black community. You can find Grace's book Grace, Actually: Faith, Love, Loss & Black Womanhood here: https://amzn.to/3exr0kB . . .
Pass the Mic with Alicia T. Crosby
Today I'm chatting with @aliciatcrosby, a justice educator, activist, and Duke theology grad student, about the emotional labor that white people can unintentionally place on black people, why we are still protesting, and how we can engage in responsible policy change. You can find Alicia at https://www.aliciatcrosby.com and on twitter and Instagram at @aliciatcrosby. . . .
The reality of white privilege
I'm usually not one to dwell on negative comments here but I wanted to address this one because I think it's important. I used to bristle at the term "white privilege" too. I did a lot of reading and learning, and I shared some of that in my book ((which you can order here) and wanted to share some of that here, for anyone struggling with this idea. Here's an excerpt: "I initially heard the phrase “white privilege” in my twenties. I didn’t like it. How could I be privileged? I paid . . .
I’m scared to let my son wear a mask. But I’m scared for him not to . . .
As a mom of a tall black 15-year-old who is often mistaken for an adult, we've had lots of conversations about bias and appearance. It's always been a balancing act between wanting to allow for self-expression, and wanting to minimize the actual physical risk that can be inherent in bias against black men. But face masks to protect against COVID-19 are not a conversation about self-expression. They are now a recommended course of action to reduce coronavirus infection. So I'm posting this to say . . .
Five books about racial reconciliation and world-changing that you should read this fall
Love Anyway: An Invitation Beyond a World that’s Scary as Hell by Jeremy Courtney Jeremy Courtney has been providing crisis medical care to people in conflict-torn Iraq and Syria for over a decade. In an area of the world many people fear, Jeremy helps refugees start small businesses to get back on their feet and promotes peace across long-standing sectarian divides in the Middle East. His book tells the stories of people who have lived through war and terrorism. Love Anyway inspires us to . . .
Mommy, I want to fix my skin so it will be white || On Thursdays I post from the vault. This post is from August 2008.
On Thursdays I post from the vault. This post is from August 2008. Ohhh . . . my heart is hurting tonight. This evening Jafta opened up about how he feels being the only brown person in our family, and it was devastating. He's really never commented about it before, and we try to keep the dialogue open. But tonight he said the following, Mommy, I don't like my brown skin. I want it to be white. I want to take my skin off. I don't want this hair. I want hair like daddy. I . . .
Mommy, look at the brown boy! || On Thursdays I post from the vault. This post is from July 2008
On Thursdays I post from the vault. This post is from July 2008. As a transracial family in a vanilla county, we hear these kind of comments every now and then, especially from other preschool-aged kids. This week, we heard on two different occasions. No biggie: it is perfectly normal for a child of that age to notice color. I mean, they are just learning colors and pointing it out is just an observation. I am NEVER offended by children making such comments. In fact, it can open up great . . .
Is yours the black kid?
On Thursdays I post from the vault. This post is from March 2008. It's always funny seeing people trying to be PC about our transracial family. It's like everyone is scared to say the word "black" or describe him in those terms. I am constantly chuckling to myself when people will say, "is that your son over there, with the blue shirt, and jeans?" or "is your son the one with dreadlocks?". Particularly because in most scenarios here in vanilla OC, he is the one-and-only black child in a . . .
THE STARBUCKS DEBACLE: RACIAL BIAS AND WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT: SELFIE, EPISODE 31
Subscribe via Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify | Google | IHeartRadio Is racial bias a real thing? We talk about the recent episode where two black men are arrested at Starbucks for waiting to buy their drinks until a friend showed up. We also interview Leroy Barber, a racial justice activist and author, about how we can respond to racial bias. In this episode: Cover Your Gray spray Sseko caftans Ohm’s Fit and Fierce over 40 yoga program Plackers Orthopick . . .
