Uptown Notes

“I think I’m Malcom X, Martin Luther/ Add a King, Add a Jr.” –Lupe Fiasco Building Minds Faster (B.M.F.) Recently, [...]

Today many will celebrate Columbus Day, I won’t. Here’s a little history lesson for all the kids home from school. [...]

For a few years now, Michael Steele has been trying to meet me on Beat Street by being more “Hip-Hop” [...]

Recently, I penned a piece discussing the need for Black folks to join in with the fight against Arizona’s racist immigration [...]

Note: This is a Partner Post to Haiti in Context: Voices. Please check out both. They represent some of the [...]

One of my favorite portions of Assata are the verses interspersed. In honor of our great freedom fighter Assata Shakur [...]

This Sunday, in Harlem, find out and discuss the direction for the new Black Left.

Over the weekend I reluctantly listened to the news as they discussed Somali Pirates and the container ship Maersk Alabama. Yesterday’s decision by the US Navy seals to kills three Pirates further saddened me. While I’ve heard people quickly jump behind the American crew and ship, most of this has occurredwithout context. This isn’t to suggest that if you read these links, watch these videos, etc. that you will or should support the Pirates, but I am pretty sure it will help you better generally understand some of the dynamics that the Somali people live under.

Today, Pintando Postales opens at the Brooklyn College library and it is a rare opportunity to hear and see the world through children’s eyes in New York City and Santiago de Cuba! The work is a multi-year project executed by Katie Yamasaki, but more importantly it lifts the voices and worlds of school-aged children between New York City and Santiago de Cuba in correspondence.

Slavery did not end, it’s just been updated in the form of human trafficking! Beneath you will find a video that I was recently emailed that features a song by Peter Buffet andAkon. The song is entitled, “Blood into Gold (Remix)” and was commissioned to heighten awareness of modern day slavery in the form of human trafficking. Human trafficking is a major problem throughout the globe, but flourishes in many places throughout the African Diaspora. Please spread the word and also visit www.istheresomethingicando.com to find out how to move from awareness to action!