When I began doing stand up comedy in 1999, I aspired to be as brilliant as Richard Pryor. Great comedy slams ideas together, questions the ridiculousness of humor behavior, stares at what terrifies and points out how truly stupid and amazing human beings can be. Great artists force us to self reflect and offer us… Read More »
We have become too desensitized to the deaths of those in our community. Here is a list so that we never forget and continue to fight. Kimani Grey Kendrec McDade Timothy Russell Ervin Jefferson Amadou Diallo Patrick Dorismond Ousmane Zongo Timothy Stansbury Jr. Sean Bell Orlando Barlow Aaron Campbell Victor Steen Steven Eugene Washington Alonzo… Read More »
My mother used to manipulate and mock me with taps on the lips admonishing me that : I must learn to listen. I always found this humiliating and could never quite put together why I should listen to anybody who was inconsistent with their information sharing or in some cases flat out lied and changed… Read More »
When I taught high school English classes, I reminded my students that while change is often challenging, it can and is incorporated on a daily basis. To illustrate this point, I discussed life before the internet or call waiting and being able to see the person you are speaking with on a hand held device… Read More »
Social movements don’t work when people feel left out, forgotten about, let down or simply overlooked. Many times movements like the civil rights one and others that immediately followed it, provided benefits for the group at large but left the individual distrustful and disappointed. Leading a group of individuals interested in restructuring a social machine… Read More »
He is crying. He is in pain. He is confused. He thought they would be nice to each other. He thought this thing can’t be happening. He is confused. He is crying. He hurts. His special parts, the ones no has ever touched are in pain. He is crying. Didn’t he say no ? That… Read More »
Thirteen years ago, I received a phone call and saw an image that changed the way I saw my country. Thirteen years ago, I was heading to my old job that was located five blocks away from the Twin Towers. While I understand the disbelief and the shear surrealism this event caused all Americans, I… Read More »
Whether its film, television or any form of mass media we all get the same messages about men:Men are emotionally lacking and one dimensional. This thinking prevents any one committed to male growth and love the opportunity to support or further develop healthy relationships with anyone of the male gender. We have been conditioned to… Read More »
We can either continue watching our young men get murdered and wait for the next tragedy or we can commit and take some action. It is time that we quit accommodating foolishness that masquerades as bravado and machismo and costs our community lives. It is time to transform our culture, our relationship to men and… Read More »
Power and who gets to have and wield it often get a bad rap. In our culture, we equate power with the ability to dominate, brutalize and incite fear. With this as our only definition is it any wonder that we allow the brutalization of our young men ? To be male in this culture… Read More »