A commentary on Mike Brown

I had the privilege of having an opinion piece posted by Other Words about Mike Brown. Thankful to all who feel my words are worth re-posting.  Click here to read what I wrote.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Spoken Word Poetry, Accessibility, and Hearing Loss: My 2017 Spoken Word Immersion Grant from The Loft Literary Center

Image
Last fall amid a panic attack and an episode of vertigo, I submitted an application to the Loft Literary Center to be considered for a 2017 Spoken Word Immersion Fellowship . The entire evening felt like riding a roller coaster with a sick stomach and it left me feeling as though the proposal was as terrible as the experience of getting my submission in.  To my utter amazement, the fellowship judges felt differently. My deep gratitude goes out to them ( Sham-e-Ali Nayeem , Danez Smith , and Marisa Carr ), as well as Bao Phi and all the folks at The Loft Literary Center that make this rare opportunity for spoken word artists possible. And what a privilege to be in the company of the other brilliant selected Fellows:  Saymoukda Duangphouxay Vongsay , Diego Vazquez and Marcie Rendon , and #BlackTransMagick ( J Mase III & Vita E. ). My project is focused on: 1) learning from communities making poetry and art accessible to people who are D/deaf and hard of hearing; ...
Read more

Writing About Transformational Lives

It's been a while since I posted anything.  I have become a freelance writer for Urban Views Weekly .  Within that position, I've been able to listen to and highlight the transformational stories of people and organizations in Richmond, Virginia.  Here are the cover stories I've written thus far: Young writers sharing their words at national poetry competition I've had the privilege of interacting with this group of poets for a little over a year.  They embody what it means to courageously stand within and speak your life's truth. VCU Professor uses theater to heal racism Theatre is a powerful tool for engaging people in difficult discussions of difference.  I loved hearing the wisdom and journey of Dr. Tawnya Pettiford-Waites. Tammy Hawley: From Clerical Help To Press Secretary to the Mayor Life can be a surprising adventure when you live within what you're most passionate about.  Talking to Tammy Hawley inspired me to consider what...
Read more

My Two Cents on Trayvon

Trayvon Martin deserves more than just the arrest of George Zimmerman.   A collective outrage in our country has been sparked by the killing of 17 year old Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Florida.   I understand the outrage.   My stomach is sickened even now as I recall the recording of a 911 call that captured Trayvon crying “Help” prior to Zimmerman pulling the trigger.   It is an outrage that a teen has been killed and no arrest has been made, despite how obvious the evidence seems to be.   It doesn’t help that this is not the first time a young brown boy has been killed in such a tragic manner or the first time a person of color has committed a “hate crime” against another person of color. Signing petitions doesn’t seem enough.   Putting on a hoodie doesn’t seem enough either.   In fact, it just deepens my grief over Trayvon’s death.   Even though I want justice in the situation, I haven’t gone to any of the vigils or events.   I think it’...
Read more