Uptown Notes

“I have been dismayed at the degree to which abysmal ignorance seems to prevail among state, city and even Federal [...]

Being Pan-African is a weird thing. To many folks it means wearing dashikis, avoiding swine, and shouting ase at every opportunity. I, however, realize that you aren’t going to do that. For most Black folks, the holiday of Kwanzaa is one tied to Pan-Africanism and thus gets mentioned more in their living rooms on TV commercials than at family gatherings. I’ve decided we’ve been frontin’ on Kwanzaa for no real good reason. I think now, more than ever, we run the risk of being allured by an Obama presidency into thinking we have arrived at the promised land. Look around your family, your neighborhood, your nation, and tell me if we can afford to continue to not be self-reflective and work towards a better community? If you cannot take seven days to redefine you relationship to the people who live with you, love you, and look like you, what kind of change are you really invested in?

I don’t think I was really prepared for those four words, but as the clock struck midnight and November 5th rolled in I started hearing and reading the words “I am an American,” from many of my friends and family. Well, much like my man Ice Cube said, “I’m here to deprogram you, don’t forget what they made your great grandmama do, your great granddaddy do without a dollar or a penny or a thank you…”. I am very thankful for an electoral victory, but an election can’t erase the reality that we came from or live in.

This past week, I had a chance to appear on NPR’s News and Notes with Farai Chideya and discuss racial [...]

In an age when grassroots Black leadership has become distilled, sanitized, and all too often co-opted, we are often left [...]

Tune your radio into NPR … okay well maybe you don’t have a radio, in that case, check out NPR.org. [...]

Check out the article by Jason Fink in AM New York (as one of my friends politely or rudely called [...]

A declaration and dedication to Michelle Obama by Celli Pitt “Sisters and Brothers, the true gift of this election is validation and vindication of Black Womanhood!!
Everyone take note:

Barack has done himself and us a great service by marrying Michelle Obama.
Thank you Michelle for being strong and not diluting your strength.
Thank you Michelle for being highly intelligent and not dumbing down yourself.
Thank you for not starving yourself and not lipo’ing your curves away to fit “standards” that are not authentically yours.
Thank you Michelle for helping to make a great Man Greater.
Thank you Michelle for showing us that intelligence is the True Sexy– bling and oiled biceps can’t compete!
Thank you Michelle for speaking your mind and not allowing that ugly “bitch/angry black woman” label to fertilize itself– thanks for killing it on the vine.” Read the whole post for more!

This weekend, October 17th-19th City College hosts the first CUNY Social Forum. Come out and have your voice heard and develop plans to make CUNY the university system that it was meant to be.

Bryron Hurt has quickly become one of my favorite documentary makers. I was first introduced to his work by Hip-Hop: [...]