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America Didn’t Deserve Michelle Obama
I forgot exactly where we were in Pittsburgh. Maybe driving from the Target in East Liberty to the YMCA in the Mexican War Streets. Or, perhaps, at my wife’s grandmother’s house in the Hill District, eating smothered turkey burgers with smoked kale greens and washing them down with Pineapple Faygo. But I do remember who…
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10 Signs You’re Black and From Pittsburgh
Editor’s note: This is part of a series that looks at regional blackness and what it’s like being black in various parts of these United States. I know, I know, I know. If you’re not from Pittsburgh, your first thought when coming across this list was probably, “Wait … there are black people in Pittsburgh?”…
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10 Things I’ll Miss When the Obamas Leave the White House
Although the Democratic National Convention was intended to be a celebration of Democrats, Democratic values, and (in comparison with the Republican National Convention) sanity and science, it was a bittersweet week for much of America, since it also was perhaps the last time we’ll see the Obamas on a national stage as president and first…
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Pokémon Go Is Not a ‘Distraction From the Real Issues’; You’re Just Stupid
Within the last couple months or so, my soon-to-be 8-month-old daughter has been transitioning from her diet of the world’s finest breast milk and the occasional formula supplement to breast milk plus formula plus real, actual food. We started her off with rice pudding (which she tolerates). Then oatmeal (which she likes). Then oatmeal with…
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The 10 Types of Hate Mail Every Black Writer Receives
One of the few silver linings from the last two weeks of police-involved violence is that some genuinely brilliant and fearless and incisive and resonate work from black writers has sprung from it. Making this particularly impressive is that they’ve found ways to distill, craft and articulate unique angles and relevant points while still processing…
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Why ‘How to React When Being Called a N–ger’ Is So Complicated, Explained
Who is Emmy Victor? Emmy Victor is a morning reporter for KCCI-TV in Des Moines, Iowa. According to her Twitter bio, she’s also a New York City-Washington, D.C.-area native and a Howard University alum. And, according to the footage I saw of her, she might also be a Tibetan monk. A Tibetan monk? Why would…
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How Former TV News Anchor Wendy Bell Is Suing for the Right to Be Racist, Explained
Who is Wendy Bell? Wendy Bell was a lead anchor for WTAE-TV, Pittsburgh’s ABC affiliate. But since she is no longer employed by WTAE (and apparently no longer employable), her only current job title is Professional White Woman. Why is she no longer employed and employable? On March 9, six people were killed in a…
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5 Things I Learned While Spending a Weekend by Myself With My Infant Daughter for the 1st Time
Last weekend I celebrated my first Father’s Day. It was a day of fun, food, rest, joy and, since the Cavs won (!), contentment. It was a great day. The weekend before, my wife was out of town on business, which meant I spent the entire weekend alone with my daughter for the first time.…
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10 Things You Can Say About LeBron if You Still Want to Hate Him but Have Run Out of Things to Say
So, after LeBron James returned to Cleveland and delivered a championship to a city that hasn’t seen one since the Paleolithic era, and did this while … beating the team that just completed the best regular season in NBA history; coming back from a 3-1 deficit (something that has never been done before in the…
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10 Possible Demographics for Steph Curry’s Ridiculously Ugly Curry 2 Low ‘Chef’ Sneakers
NBA MVP Stephen Curry should be on cloud nine right now. He’s leading a team favored to win the NBA Finals; he has a beautiful family, including a wife who’s definitely putting in that “dual income” work; and he reportedly inked a deal with Under Armour that’s worth nine figures. And, according to something I…
