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PBS Didn’t Change—We Did.
There’s a meme floating around with the familiar faces of Elmo, Big Bird, Mr. Rogers, and the gang from Arthur, stamped with a powerful message: “PBS didn’t ‘become woke.’ You grew up to be a bad person.” It’s a gut punch, sure—but it’s also a necessary truth. Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) has always stood for…
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When “Verification” Becomes a Microaggression: On Dignity, Documentation, and Being Black While Professional
There’s a particular exhaustion that comes from being both polite and Black in professional spaces. It’s the fatigue of having to restate facts you already clarified. The restraint required when someone responds to your clear communication as if it’s inadequate. The mental gymnastics of asking yourself whether their confusion is legitimate or a passive-aggressive test…
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“Grounded in the Stars”: Why This 12-Foot Statue Is Stirring Up So Much More Than Bronze
When British artist Thomas J Price unveiled Grounded in the Stars, a 12-foot bronze statue of a fictional Black woman, it was meant to be a celebration—a bold, unapologetic assertion of presence, dignity, and resilience. But, predictably, it’s become a flashpoint for outrage, particularly from the kind of people who have always struggled with seeing…
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One Big Beautiful Bill: A Plain-Talk Breakdown on What It Is and What It Could Mean for America
On May 22, 2025, the U.S. House of Representatives passed something called the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (also called H.R. 1). That’s not just a catchy name—it’s a massive piece of legislation, over 1,000 pages long, touching almost every part of American life. Supporters are calling it bold and transformative. But critics? They say…
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Issa Rae Didn’t Own Insecure—But Now She Owns the Game
In 2013, Issa Rae signed a deal that would catapult her career to unimaginable heights—but with one major catch: she gave up ownership of her breakout series Insecure. Fast forward to 2025, and while HBO still holds the rights to that hit show, Issa Rae now owns an entire empire built on its success. She’s…
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When Power Meets Principle: The Firing of Dr. Carla Hayden and the Battle Over Access to Truth
In a moment that stunned many and surprised too few, Dr. Carla Hayden, the first Black woman and first professional librarian to serve as Librarian of Congress, was abruptly fired by President Donald Trump on May 8, 2025. Let that sentence breathe. Because when we talk about the erosion of democratic ideals and the targeting…
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Navigating Advisement Issues in a Doctoral Program: A First-Gen Perspective
Embarking on a doctoral journey is already a daunting task, but doing so as a first-generation college student adds another layer of complexity. Unlike those with academic mentors in their family, I entered my Ph.D. program at Wayne State University with little guidance on how to navigate the institutional maze. I quickly learned that the…
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When the Ivy Cuts Back: Harvard’s Red-Pen Clapback to Linda McMahon
In an era where political theater often takes center stage, the subtleties of grammar and syntax rarely go viral. But this week, Harvard University decided to remind the nation that punctuation still matters—especially when it’s coming from the desk of a public official. On May 5, 2023, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon (yes, that Linda…
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Dandies in the House of Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Met Gala 2025
Every first Monday in May, the Met Gala reemerges like a phoenix—feathers, sequins, and all—to dominate the fashion conversation and redefine what luxury, rebellion, and storytelling look like through dress. This year, the Met Gala’s theme, “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion,” invites guests to explore the tension between preservation and reinvention, between archive and fantasy. And…
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“Trying to Change, but Yes, It’s Hard”: A Reflection on Therapy, Attachment, and the Courage to Heal
In a quietly powerful post that has begun making its rounds on social media, user @Stalweezus shares a simple yet deeply vulnerable truth: “I am going thru therapy trying to change, but yes it’s hard.” This tweet is a response to a striking observation from @Iamivy05, who writes: “The more I learn about avoidant attached…
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Defunding Truth? The Trump White House’s Executive Order Targeting PBS and NPR
In a stunning move late Thursday evening, the Trump White House issued an executive order seeking to block all federal funding to PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) and NPR (National Public Radio)—two of the nation’s most respected and longstanding public media institutions. The order accuses both organizations of engaging in “biased and partisan news coverage,” a…
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No Promo? No Problem. We’re Hyping Up Ironheart Ourselves.
If Marvel isn’t going to hype her up, we’ll gladly do it ourselves. Ironheart—starring the brilliant Dominique Thorne as genius inventor Riri Williams—is finally set to drop this June, and we are beyond ready to see her shine again. First introduced in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Riri immediately proved she wasn’t just another tech-savvy teen;…
