We’re less than a week away from the beginning of the strike and the more interviews I do with the media the more that I realize that the audience that I’m speaking to is growing wider and wider. This is why it’s important for me to me to address those that fit under one of […]
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If we strike for no other reason, then we strike in response to prisoner retaliation especially. Because we will not be silent until all of our prisoners feel safe and, dare I say, comfortable. Maybe not luxuriously comfortable but I also do not live in luxuriously comfortable conditions. However, the men and women who are […]
Recently outrage over the treatment of immigrant children in detention centers are heading the conversation about the inhumane practices that we enforce in facilities across the country. It is clear there is an undeniable connection between detention facilities, prisons (state and federal), as well as county and city jails. All of these institutions were created to […]
When I was asked to share poetry written by students in detention at a Juneteenth celebration outside of the Juvenile Detention Center, I hadn’t made the connection between that invitation and a flyer that I’ve received a few weeks before. In both instances I knew that I would participate. Also at both moments, I’d been […]
Knowing that America depended on centuries of the chattel slave system to become a world power, many people do recognize June 19th of each year as a day to celebrate the freedom of the first slaves in Texas 1865. The day is wildly undervalued as a time of recognition especially in comparison to other political […]
This weekend the Black Arts Love Mixer and Market had even more vendors than I remembered, a lot of new faces and a lot of returning ones that gave me a chance to re-stock on my favorite brands. As I walked through the door my attention was drawn to the painting section where children were […]
Crafting Out A Place for Recognition In 1909 the United States recognized the last day of February as National Women’s day. This day was established as a result of women workers’ protesting working conditions in the garment industry with a strike in New York. From that year forward women in regions around the world began […]
I’ll never forget the name because I’ve been mistakenly called Imani more times than I can count. In Swahili Imani means faith while my name, Amani means Peace, both traits of which are compliments whose practice build our character. On this last day of Kwanzaa thinking about the principal of faith is the perfect way […]
Kuumba means Creativity Creativity is in our blood, we create as naturally as we breath. From music to clothing, businesses, inventions, hair styles, instruments and more; creativity is a part of our culture. During this sixth day of Kwanzaa I challenge each of us to tap into our creative spaces. Practicing our creativity clears the […]