August, 2013 | The Worth Campaign, Inc. August, 2013 | The Worth Campaign, Inc.

Are You an “Other?”

different-3I have recently, in the past month or so, had several people tell me that I don’t “seem to like most things.” Me, a mother of two (with one on the way), wife, sorority sister, television and movie addict, hairstyle connoisseur, food truck follower, Candy Crush zealot, politics geek, numbers guru, etc. (you get the point), I was told that I don’t like most things.  This is not the first, second, third, or even hundredth time I have been told this.  And each time, I have to consider the source when taking such a critique.

In most cases, I have been offered this unwelcome criticism by someone outside of my inner circle. My hometown roots don’t always align with my SoCal lifestyle. And, my brown skin, kinky hairstyles, and proclivity for Soul and R&B music just don’t mesh with the bubblegum nature of my current Orange County, California social environment. Why? Well, not because I actually don’t like things, because I don’t necessarily like the things I am supposed to like. Deep, right? [Read more…]

I Got Tired of Patting My Weave

curly-hair-weaveI recently attended a family reunion back home in the San Francisco Bay Area. Now, my family is fab-u-lous. All of the women in my family are gorgeous. We stay with our hair laid and many of us are hairstylists ourselves. Some in my family have gone natural (like me) while others rock the chemically treated tresses. And, while I myself have turned away from the creamy crack called “relaxer,” many women I know and love still use it. The one thing though that reminded me of my less natural days was when one of my cousins patted her weave. A seemingly innocuous occurrence – being that fellow weave wearers everywhere know you pat your weave never scratch – it reminded me how much that used to annoy me. [Read more…]

Beyoncé Challenges ‘Light Skin, Long Hair’ Trope with New Pixie Cut

beyonce-short-haircutOn Wednesday night, Beyoncé fans all over the world went into shock when the songstress posted a few pics of her new look on Instagram. Her normally flowing tresses of brown and blonde were snipped and shaped into a cute little pixie cut. She looks just as Queen Bey as before, but her new look says a lot more than folks are realizing. [Read more…]

Ebony Magazine Faces Hatred for Covers Honoring Trayvon Martin

Often, in American culture, racial minorities face a certain “twoness” when interacting with the world around them. W.E.B. Du Bois best summed this up when he simply asked “How does it feel to be a problem?.” The murder of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in early 2012 is the quintessential example of how one’s twoness can converge upon a single moment in time thus dictating one’s life outcomes. Now, after the trial has ended, the assailant has been found not guilty, and the family, friends, relatives, and surrounding community continue to mourn the loss of Martin, many have taken to the idea of fictive kinship, the notion that because we are all in this community together, we are each susceptible to the same type of animus responsible for Martin’s murder. Ebony magazine, a publication serving the black community, has focused its upcoming September issue on Trayvon Martin’s namesake and legacy. But, the magazine isn’t without its detractors. [Read more…]

Who’s Shining? 4-year-old Genius Anala Beevers is

Courtesy RollingOut.com

Courtesy RollingOut.com

Last week, we all met an adorable young lady named Anala Beevers. She is from New Orleans and enjoys many of the things children her age do. But, her extremely high IQ of 145, which puts her in the top 1-percent of IQ scores globally, is what makes her stand out from the crowd. This 4-year-old genius was invited to join MENSA, an exclusive “Members Only” society committed to acknowledging the scholastic aptitude of those with extremely high IQ scores.

[Read more…]

Who’s Shining? Shonda Rhimes is

shonda_rhimesYou may or may not know who Shonda Rhimes is. But, you have no doubt heard of her work. From ABC’s Private Practice to Grey’s Anatomy, Rhimes has been flexing her writing and producing muscles behind the scene of some of our favorite late night dramas for some time now. And she isn’t stopping any time soon. A beautiful, talented woman of color with limitless ability, she has continued to change Hollywood around her, setting the standard in television. Because of her great work, graceful demeanor, and immeasurable flair for uplifting her community through positive characters of color, she is definitely “Shining.” [Read more…]