How I found empowerment among Black strippers in an industry that forces us to compete
All of the information that was useful to me came from the Black and non-white strippers I knew, women who the industry set up to be in competition with me.
Any conversation about disability justice must wrestle with Black trauma
Without intending to, I subconsciously isolated Blackness from disability as if our history and our present doesn’t reflect that—as if the term “disabled†is not perpetually expanding and contracting to accommodate a plethora of other experiences.
Contrasting the historic Emmy noms of “When They See Us” with the decision not to charge Eric Garner’s murderer
These two moments are linked not only by the NYPD’s long standing racism and inadequacy, but they’re also linked through their re-traumatization of our community. These two moments demonstrate that Black pain only gets widespread acknowledgement when it’s distant enough from outsiders’ daily lives to consume.
“Good men” and the mythological dichotomy between toxic masculinity and masculinity
For “good men,” the opposite of “toxic masculinity” is a benevolent and respectable patriarchy.
Rape Can & Must End: Poems
These poems are part of our monthlong collaboration with FORCE: Upsetting Rape Culture, Rape Can & Must End
When liberal orgs tell QTPOC to “bring your full self to work,” it’s a lie. I know because I fell for it.
By recognizing the unwritten rules and expectations for what they are, we can better navigate these spaces or leave them altogether to build our own.
I won’t let them have you, Ms. Aretha: On surviving grief and reclaiming Black joy after death
That’s what we do. We reclaim our people after death. We carry them home on our backs and in our hearts.
I wanted to stop suffering like Jamel Myles. Here’s what I learned about youth mental health
By Nickolas Gaines Content Note: Suicide, homophobia, bullying The first time I attempted suicide, I was a high school freshman. An email circulated around my friend group that said I was gay, and it was also posted up by the…
Why we should support Black self-care even when its not costly therapy
In doing self-care, I have to ask myself what systems am I continuing to perpetuate when I expect people to seek medical attention, go to church, spend time with family, etc.
Here’s what happens when you proclaim “Black Lives Matter” in the whitest sport in America
To say the lack of diversity is disheartening is an understatement for Black hockey players and fans.
