Oppression is a beast with many faces

In engaging in the I begin by acknowledging that I’m not Asian. I’m not an Asian woman. My anti-gun activism experience is minimal. I’ve never done sex work in any shape or form. While my people aren’t currently bleeding in the wake of the Atlanta Massage Parlor Shooting, we aren’t immune to the hate and ignorance that engendered this violence. No one is. The oppression hasn’t shifted. It’s revealed another head.

I’m Black, and I’m kind of tired of talking about race

As a Black person, talking about racism to white people is like giving directions to someone from out of town. It's exhausting, but I do it so they can move in the right direction.

Biden won the election, but we can’t go back to brunch

If we accept voting as the peak of our political power, we will never see change. We thought our starry-eyed optimism from the Obama administration would continue by placing another democrat into the Oval Office. We were naive to think we could go to brunch after electing Hillary into office. We would be psychotic to let down our political guard now that Biden’s been elected. We can’t brunch because no politician can fix our democracy. Only we can.

I Wish I Lived In Trump’s America

A collage of tweets from President Donald Trump, research, and personal reflections on Blackness and independence during the pandemic

Black Graduates Want Diplomas, Not Death Certificates

Black lives must matter before Black education can matter. My degrees won’t shield me from bullets if a cop feels threatened by my existence. They won’t have my back when a creep follows me around the block because my clothes were “asking for it.” My degrees are neither freedom papers nor get-out-of-jail-free cards. They are an acknowledgement of my survival from an institution that was not built for me.

Dear White People, This is What We Want You to Do

I don’t want you to feel at ease. I want you to know that you are the byproduct of a successful racist regime that has capitalized off of Black oppression and suppression for centuries. I want you to shed light on the corners of your subconscious you’ve glossed over for years. I want you to realize that being racist is more American than apple pie.

Colorism and the White Guilt in Light Skin Tears

It’s hard to talk about systems of oppression that we benefit from. Light skinned tears don’t belong in the conversation of colorism because you can’t benefit from and be a victim of the same form of oppression.

A Mother’s Love: a video essay

If a picture is worth a thousand words, than a video essay is worth about a million. 

Productivity is the theft of play

The COVID-19 pandemic reinforces how leisure is an economic luxury. . Play Your Way through Quarantine

A Day of Milanese Meals

Here in Italy, when I think of food— I think of memories. I think of laughter. I think of conversations with friends that last late into the night.

Melanin in Milan: Finding My People Abroad

Being a Black student attending a predominantly white university, I’m used to being among a small handful of students of color within a student organization or the only Black person enrolled in a class. Within my academic specializations (Creative Writing and Opera Performance), there are even fewer Black students. Of course, I’ve been able to …

Perfection not Required: Pre-Departure with Mental Illness

Imperfection, flexibility, and improvisation should be packed in everyone’s luggage.  

Humans

Happy Independence Day (if you celebrate any sort of liberation today). I posted this essay (originally titled “On Humans”) on July 4, 2018. I’ve updated “Humans” to reflect statistical updates, new events, and my contemporary reflections. When I first wrote this, I hoped that we had already seen the worst. A year has passed, and …

6 Kinds Of Decent Guys Who Don’t Deserve An Award

Forgive me, Feminist Idols, for I have sinned. This summer I started watching The Bachelorette. To be fair, at least it’s not The Bachelor… but still. What screams “Post Breakup Therapy” more than making a fantasy spread sheet objectifying men I’ve never met and rooting for a girl who just got dumped by her fiancé? …

Self-Care doesn’t mean Careless

I’m not a control freak. I just have very particular standards… and if my standards aren't met, I kinda freak out. And by freak out, I mean I unconsciously pull out my hair.  So yeah, I have control problems. BUT DOESN’T ANY BLACK WOMAN WHO’S TRYING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD HAVE CONTROL …

[Donna] Summertime, and the Livin’ is [Not] Easy

A few weeks ago, my roommate and I went to a roller disco in downtown Boston (which I think is a hilarious oxymoron). The following is a list of things I associate with Boston: white people getting angry about taxes A “Massacre” where only five people died, but a Black guy was the first one …

7 Kinds Of Street Harassment That Need To Stop

Catcalling is not a compliment. There... I said it. Throughout this summer, I've traveled more on my own than I have during any other time of my life... therefore I've received more catcalls than ever before. As a person struggling with body dysmorphia, catcalling is particularly difficult for me because I'm always anxious about my body …