racism
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I Will Never Forgive White People for Donald Trump
I forget sometimes that Donald Trump is president. I’ve tried to convince myself that this is intentional; a willful misremembering of reality necessary to process his span in office. There’d be a nobility there, I think, as this would suggest I’m so empathetic, so down, so woke, that I can’t even sleep without tricking myself…
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Wyoming Students Showed Up to Class in Bootleg KKK Robes Because Of Course They Did: ‘This Is Taught Behavior’
Riverton High School’s dress code explicitly states that in showing regard for their educational environment, students must refrain from attracting “undue attention or interfere with the instructional program” in order to “create an atmosphere of self-respect and respect for others.” So unless the Riverton, Wyo., based public school was hosting a Klan rally, can somebody…
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Now in Things White People Say Aren't Racist: Swastikas. Yup.
There are certain symbols that when seen in public make you go “Oh, they racist-racist.” At the top of that list would probably be the swastika and the confederate flag—symbols made popular by groups whose whole M.O was killing in the name of white supremacy. Apparently though, we’ve had it all wrong. At least, that…
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New Study Confirms What We Already Knew: Being Black in Corporate America Is Not for the Weak
It’s not exactly a secret that corporate America has a diversity and inclusion problem, and a new report uncovers just how ugly life is for many black professionals in the workplace. According to the New York Times, the Center for Talent Innovation just released a report, “Being Black in Corporate America,” after surveying approximately 3,700…
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Pittsburgh Doesn’t Deserve Mike Tomlin
So this premise is already operating at a deficit: If born, I guess, you deserve the ability to continue living, and whatever’s necessary to achieve that goal—food, water, safety, shelter, etc.—exists under that umbrella. But once we get into concepts like happiness and fulfillment, our application of “deserve” becomes nebulous, as it gets conflated with…
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49ers Announcer Tim Ryan Suspended After Claiming Lamar Jackson's 'Dark Skin Color' Gives Him a Competitive Advantage
It’s no secret that melanin is the source of our superpowers as black people. But if you let idiots like sports announcer Tim Ryan tell it, it also gives black NFL players like Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson an unfair competitive advantage. No, really. And that’s exactly how he just got his ass suspended. From…
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Zwarte Piet and My Run-In With Blackface
In November 2006, my band was in the midst of a European tour. Though we loved exploring unfamiliar cities, we ached for the comforts of home as the holidays approached. None of us were from the same place—we were born in cities spreading from New York to Anchorage, but we shared an understanding of what…
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NY High School Pulls the Plug on Tarzan Production Amid Concerns That Students Would Be Cast as Apes
Amid concerns of racial insensitivity, a New York high school has pulled the plug on its upcoming production of Disney’s Tarzan. The Rockland/Westchester Journal-News reports that the drama club at Alexander Hamilton High School was prepared to kick off auditions for their Tarzan adaptation on Dec. 4, but those plans came to a screeching halt…
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#LeavingYourApartmentWhileBlack: White Woman Refuses to Allow Black Teen to Leave Her Own Apartment Building
In today’s edition of #ExistingWhileBlack, we learn that something as innocuous as leaving your apartment building is grounds for being harassed and accused of engaging in criminal behavior. On Friday, Daily Dot reports that high school junior Taheera Rashad was minding her black-ass business while leaving her apartment when this happened: In the minute-long video,…
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'Too Black,' Too 'Difficult,' Too Honest: Why Gabrielle Union's Firing Feels Painfully Familiar to Black Women
Growing up, I was constantly told to “shhh!” Whether I was right or wrong, happy or in distress, I was repeatedly reminded to lower my voice and take up less space—even while simultaneously being assured I could be anything I wanted to be and that my gifts were worth sharing with the world. Granted, I…