http://www.uptownnotes.com The Keyboard's Mightier than the Sword Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:04:56 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en “Fire Toure!” is a call being made from many corners these days, but I’m not sure I can go that far. This is not just about Toure and his degrading tweets about Black women; this is about our whole community. My ethics demand that Toure be held accountable for the foolishness ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/its-bigger-than-toures-tweets/ I've been running around so much for the past week I forgot to post my reaction to the NAACP Image Awards that I wrote for Centric's Culture List Blog. Well, after watching the show, @sedat30 and I decided we need a moratorium on these shows until we can do better. ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/im-boycotting-black-award-shows/ A few days ago, my talk at the 143rd Morehouse Founder's Day Symposium went up on the web. The talk was entitled, "Shadowboxing the Self: Confronting Black Male Privilege." I was very excited to give the talk because I knew that it would ruffle some feathers, but I viewed it ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/yes-virginia-there-is-black-male-privilege/ On February 10th, I had the pleasure of joining an esteemed set of scholars for the 143rd Founder's Day Symposium at Morehouse College. The symposium title was, "Black Men in the 21st Century: Myths, Data and Realty." This post has the links to all the talks, each one was uniquely ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/breaking-down-and-building-up-black-men/ I've recently penned a piece for Centric's new Culture List blog on the Pants on the Ground video. While the song is still getting downloaded en masse on itunes and used as a rolling joke, we're missing an important political message and issue within the Black community. “Pants on the ground, ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/pants-on-the-ground-was-political/ "Traditionally, in American society, it is the members of the oppressed, objectified groups who are expected to stretch out and bridge the gap between the actualities of our lives and the consciousness of our oppressor. For in order to survive, those of us for whom oppression is as American as ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/bhc-teaching-can-be-misdirected-energy/ This morning I woke to #RIPBIGPUN as a trending topic on twitter and was conflicted about bigging up Pun. Pun was a lyrical mastermind, a Boricua emcee who indelibly marked the game, and a domestic abuser. Now it may seem strange for me to highlight the last portion, given Hip-Hop ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/christopher-rios-the-big-punisher/ Today's BHC (Black History-Contemporary) speaks to the position of Women, leadership, and racial uplift. Undoutedbly we are accustomed to hearing Black HIStory but there is equal and sometimes greater value in hearing Black HERstory. "We are tired of hearing Negro men say, "There is a better day coming," while they do nothing to usher in ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/bhc-women-as-leaders/ I love hip-hop, love some reggaetón too, I love the youth, but I'm pretty sure I don't love this! How many things can you count wrong with this video? This ignorance brought to you by 2dopeboyz! N.B. Uptown Notes does not support the exploitation of children, but it does support laughing at them ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/friday-funny-late-edition-wrong-on-many-levels/ 1) So you watched Pants on the Ground and laughed. Did you notice that General Larry Platt had on a Justice for Troy Davis button, a National Action Network tee shirt, and Red, Black and Green wristbands? Message! 2) So when you heard that Yele had financial issues did it stop ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/questions-global-and-local/ hat tip to @AroundHarlem http://www.uptownnotes.com/harlem-for-haiti-4pm-today-at-state-building/ "History is not a procession of illustrious people. It's about what happens to a people. Millions of anonymous people is what history is about." - James Baldwin The partner post to this post, Haiti in Context: History gives you the long view of how we have arrived to the crises in ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/haiti-in-context-voices/ Note: This is a Partner Post to Haiti in Context: Voices. Please check out both. They represent some of the best information I've seen on Haiti that's emerged over the past few days. It has been a tough 4 days for Haiti and its Diaspora but from struggle emerges strength. I ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/haiti-in-context-history/ I write this post with a heavy heart for the people of Haiti and its Diaspora. As you likely well know by now Port-au-Prince, the nation's capital was hit with a 7.0 earthquake and many sizable aftershocks. Given that Haiti is the most impoverished nation in the Western Hemisphere, the ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/helping-haiti/ On Tuesday, the New York Times published a story entitled "As Population Shifts in Harlem, Blacks Lose Their Majority." The article started a firestorm of commentary on listservs and in my twitter feed so I thought I'd throw a couple of things out there. Many are treating this article as ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/r-i-p-rise-in-power-black-harlem/ And one of them is not the use of the word Negro which has BEEN appearing, including on the 2000 census short and long forms. 1) The counting of prisoners - Currently prisoners are counted as residents of the counties in which they are imprisoned rather than their home communities. This ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/negro-please-the-census-3-things-to-care-about/ This is my reflection on Imani: Faith... Faith is often thought of in a religious and spiritual way. Having grown up in a Baptist church I often heard, "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1) This common articulation suggests that there is ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/where-did-you-place-your-faith/ This is my reflection on Kuumba: Creativity I have to admit, I never really remember reading the "official definition" of Kuumba. "To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it." I always kind of remember ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/creating-community/ This is my reflection on Nia Purpose "To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness." While there is no one path, ritual creates a space for purpose to emerge and understanding to evolve. I think the rituals that ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/growth-in-purpose/ This is my reflection on the principle of Ujamaa - Cooperative Economics... The title of the post is a variation on a sage comment by bell hooks who stated,"... black self-determination is not the same as black capitalism." This excerpt of her quote summarized many of the issues that I see floating around now ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/ujamaa-does-not-mean-black-capitalism/ This is my reflection on Ujima: Collective Work and Responsibility For more than a year, I've entertained way too many conversations about the shortage of Black men and Black women who remain hopelessly single. I tend to avoid these conversations, because it seems little can come of them other than hurt ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/battle-of-the-sexes-redux/ My reflection on the second principle of the Nguzo Saba of Kwanzaa is Kujichagulia - Self-Determination "To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves" is often commonly articulated as the definition of Kujichagulia. For many this principle has been all about identity and selecting names, memorizing phrases ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/identity-self-determination-and-then-what/ This is my reflection on Umoja, the first principle of Nguzo Saba of Kwanzaa... Does it make sense that fighting could lead to unity? On its face, my first thought is, absolutely not. I could imagine for "highly evolved beings" we could probably resolve our differences quickly, with out malice or ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/fighting-for-unity/ A year ago, I began a series on Kwanzaa, this year I will finish it (thanks to all who remember I didn't and reminded me all year, accountability) Here's entry one! Habari Gani? “Pro-Black like Craig Hodges but my dashiki’s in the cleaners.” – Common Being Pan-African is a weird thing. To ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/quit-frontin-on-kwanzaa-2/ So for the past X months everyone who visits NYC finds it necessary to sing some part of Empire State of Mind or insert a line of it into conversation as they're visiting ... very annoying. If you've done this, no need to apologize, just stop it! But in other ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/friday-funny-empire-state-of-mind-ii/ Back in May, I wrote the Possible and the Probable part 1 which dealt with questions of gender, expectation, and realities. This time I'm onto a subject near and dear to my heart, education. Last May, David Brooks penned an editorial called, "The Harlem Miracle" which reported on the Harlem ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/the-possible-and-the-probable-part-2-urban-education/ As 2009 draws to a close, let us not forget that we celebrated two cultural phenomena: 20th anniversary of Do the Right Thing by Spike Lee and Sesame Street's 40th anniversary. What's more appropriate than these two cultural juggernauts coming together!?! If you can't see the video embedded click here. hat tip ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/friday-funny-do-the-right-thing-sesame-street/ A year ago, I did a tribute post to the late Fred Hampton on Uptownnotes.com and one year later I sit in front of the computer reflecting on the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Fred Hampton. For me, Hampton represents an idyllic portrait of young organizing, fire, and revolutionary ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/with-the-last-words-on-my-lips-i-am-a-revolutionary/ I am an African-American man. I am a heterosexual man. I am a middle-class man. These three statements are the basis for my social justice work and advocacy, but each carries its own hazard for working on social justice. While many will assume my position as a Black man in ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/the-f-word-on-feminism-being-an-ally-social-justice/ Recently, I had the pleasure of being on the Addicted to Race podcast. I was on with Tami from What Tami Said, Andrea Plaid  who guest blogs at Racialicious, and Deesha Philyaw of CoParenting101. The conversation was a great one which started with a discussion of Black women and women ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/precious-cnn-on-black-men-mommy-memoirs-and-gay-rights-addicted-to-race/ I just watched Precious, Lee Daniel's film based on the novel Push by Sapphire, and the only way I can find to describe it is extraordinary in the superlative and literal sense. Extraordinary, in the superlative sense, for its craftsmanship in visually and textually telling a narrative of the composite ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/precious-was-extra-ordinary/ It's been a minute since I dropped a Friday Funny on ya'll, probably because I've been traveling the Diaspora for gems! Here you go, you're welcome in advance ;) I don't know why every day I hear folks saying "romance" is dead or "black love" is dead. Bangs is trying to ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/friday-funny-diasporic-hip-hop-love/ Dear Old Morehouse, I’ve been trying to avoid writing this for some time now. As an alumnus of the institution, it’s hard for me to see you in such condition. Many of my fellow alumni complained of your disrepair and your besmirched image when they heard about students being beaten for ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/dear-old-morehouse/ For the past few weeks I’ve remained unsettled by the videotape of Derrion Albert’s death at the hands of Black youth in Chicago. Like many, I avoided the tape for days on end, only to finally watch it in horror, with pain, and without direct recourse. This feeling of paralysis ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/preventing-more-derrion-alberts/ One of my favorite things to do when giving speeches or teaching is to provide a quote and ask the audience to identify who said the quote. Often I will quote about Black self-determination or Black love and the answers I typically receive are "Malcolm X" or "Marcus Garvey" but ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/bhc-mlk-on-self-determination-and-black-self-love/ So for the past few years I've been jousting with my family and loved ones around the issue of same sex marriage and repeatedly found my argument falling on deaf ears. In fact what I most often heard was, "I am for gay rights but..." and what would follow would ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/im-for-gay-rights-but/ "Honest and earnest criticism from those whose interests are most nearly touched, -criticism of writers by readers, of government by those governed, of leaders by those led, - this is the soul of democracy and the safeguard of modern society." -W.E.B. Du Bois http://www.uptownnotes.com/bhc-criticism-and-the-soul-of-democracy/ On Sunday night, Kanye West once again burst into the limelight with his interruption of Taylor Swift's acceptance speech at MTV's video music awards. His interruption and hyperbolic declaration of Beyonce's video as the best of the decade caused the twitterverse, facebook, and likely nights and weekends minutes to explode. ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/why-we-love-to-hate-kanye-black-middle-class-blues/ Today, Obama will address the nation's children about the value of education. The speech has been met with a firestorm of controversy, particularly from the Right, calling it indoctrination.  While i think the Right's panic peddling is wrong, I do think there are some dangerous things about today's speech. Find ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/the-real-danger-of-obamas-education-speech/ Times are tough but thankfully the iphone is providing some relief. Here's a brotha who takes Falling Down to a new level. (if you can't see the video, click here) *p.s. This also doubles on as a n***a moment (courtesy of Boondocks) **p.p.s. The management doesn't condone all this use of the n-word ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/friday-funny-digital-black-falling-down/ You've had the debate, I've had the debate, someone right now is having the debate, it all spawns from the question: "Is Hip-Hop political?" The camps usually are divided between old school and new school, hip hop and rap, underground and mainstream ... in the past 8 years I've squarely ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/where-political-hip-hop-lives/ The month of August has been the seat of many important events in the history of African people, particularly people of African descent in America. Black August was founded in memory of the late great George Jackson and the fallen in the rebellion at San Quentin prison. The month ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/what-are-you-doing-for-black-august/ I was recently sent a clip from This American Life from 2007 that covers "The Weiner Circle" in Chicago, a local late night eatery on the north side. The story begins benignly discussing the "insult culture" of the late night destination for post-bar drunken attendees. The story of course gets ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/uncorking-racegender-talk-in-chicago/ Today marks the birthday of the one of the greatest African leaders of all time, the Honorable Marcus Garvey! While vilified by false charges and re-written narratives of failed mobilization, Garvey remains one of greatest and more stirring members in the history of the world. At its height, it has ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/really-rbg-remembering-brother-garvey/ So one of the problems with being a sociologist of race and offering public commentary is it sometimes creates the illusion that "anyone can do it." I present to you, a failed analysis of the digital divide. Don't try this at home kids! Courtesy of failblog.org http://www.uptownnotes.com/friday-funny-structural-racism-analysis-fail/ I often spend time thinking and writing generically about the ancestors and the energy and guidance that they provide for us on our path but sometimes you realize how real and specific those ancestors are/were. Last night, as I was surfing the internet casually, I came across a blogpost/tribute to ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/an-overdue-thank-you-to-charles-huntley-nelson/ You know how you say "what is there to do today/tonight?" Well I have an answer for you from today until Friday, yeah that's right 5 days and nights in a row (even kid cudi couldn't do this!). Okay, so most of you won't go 5 days/nights in a row, ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/make-art-make-history-make-art-history-at-the-faktry/ We here at Uptown Notes are very much in accord with the African belief of respecting one's elders and are anti police terrorism ... so in honor of that here's some elders & non-police terrorism! Just be glad these aren't your grandmothers!!! Click here!!!!! Sorry the video won't embed right, but it's ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/friday-funny-respect-your-elders-as-they-drop-it-like-its-hot/ Today, August 4th, marks the birthday of Barack Obama, the President of the United States. I can honestly say I've never paid attention to any president's birthday as much as Obama's because I've been inundated with emails, punditry and plain silliness about his place of birth. If you're not familiar, ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/black-birthers-and-the-problem-of-bad-information/ Finally a skit on Gates that made me laugh. Hat tip to ZM http://www.uptownnotes.com/friday-funny-gates-home-security/ I can enjoy songs about summer... check the video by Dead Prez for Summertime and make sure to cop "Pulse of the People". Hope you're all making the most of these days! http://www.uptownnotes.com/because-summer-is-finally-here/ Yesterday, I had the pleasure of appearing on the Addicted to Race podcast hosted by Carmen Van Kerckhove of New Demographic. I was a guest on the portion of the podcast that discussed the Gates arrest, Obama response, and the potential for deeper race dialogue. You can hear what I ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/addicted-to-race-podcast-flash-point-racism/ So there are few things I find more ridiculous than Jeremih's (where the hell did the "a" in his name go) Birthday Sex song, so this parody made my day. It's of equal (low) quality, perfect! Hattip to BB! http://www.uptownnotes.com/friday-funny-birthday-sucks-birthday-sex-parody/ For the past few weeks, my inbox has been inundated with references to Whites Only swimming pools in Philadelphia, the arrest of Henry Louis Gates and things of the like. With each subsequent email, I've been reminded "this is post-racial America" 1, 2. The type of tongue-in-cheek commentary, I imagine, ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/on-swimming-pools-harvard-arrests-and-flash-point-racism/ One of my favorite portions of Assata are the verses interspersed. In honor of our great freedom fighter Assata Shakur I'm posting "Affirmation." As the US re-articulates relations with Cuba remember, "Hands off Cuba, Hands off Assata" (sign here) and love to all the PPs. I believe in living, I believe in ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/happy-birthday-assata-affirmation/ I love Hip-Hop, I love educational research. I love the piece my colleague Christopher Emdin, of Teacher's College- Columbia University, has put together on why autotune and 'acting white' should be laid to rest. Here's an excerpt, I encourage to read the WHOLE thing, yeah like it's a class homie! One ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/re-post-death-of-autotune-and-acting-white/ Tonight, Harlem Stage courtesy of Revolution books will host a dialogue between Cornel West and Carl Dix at Aaron Davis Hall at the City College of New York (CCNY). West, who is internationally renowned as a philosopher and Dix who is also renowned as a founder of the Revolutionary Community ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/cornel-west-and-carl-dix-at-ccny-tonight/ On Monday (July 13), I have the esteemed pleasure at speaking at the NAACP Centennial Convention in New York City. The 100th anniversary of the NAACP is a symbol of perseverance, power, and adaptation in the struggle for civil rights and beyond. I will be on the "Building a Progressive Agenda ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/speaking-at-the-naacp-centennial-convention-monday/ This is a pretty good one that comes from the Root. It's time we had a little fun with the super Black couple and how they relate to everyday folks. Like just about everyone else last week, I read “What Single Women Can Learn From Michelle”—Jenée Desmond-Harris’ sista grrl power manifesto—with ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/friday-funny-what-single-women-cant-learn-from-michelle/ Here is a hilarious edition of This Week in Blackness by Elon James White. This week's BET awards were ... interesting... here's his take [youtube w_fHqx8gskk] http://www.uptownnotes.com/friday-funny-because-you-still-watch-bet/ I was at conference when I received the news that Michael Jackson had transitioned to the ancestral realm and i immediately entered into denial. Telling my good friend, "No, you're wrong, that's just a rumor." After I got over the denial and thought of all the jokes that were no ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/more-than-just-the-man-in-the-mirror-mj-race-and-social-justice/ I've been traveling for work, but trust me, this could not wait until next Friday for a Friday Funny. I have one questions, 1) "where the hell were the ushers!?!" [youtube 8pUAnrVWUkk] question 2) "what the hell!?!" [youtube l0PCQYalZU8] Yes, you did just witness "Hurricane Chris" perform Halle Berry in the Louisiana house chamber ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/saturday-funny-offering-time/ "I was raised like a Muslim, praying to the east" -Guru of Gang Starr My first real introduction to Islam came from Hip-Hop, as is the case for many of my peers. Coming of age on the east coast in the late 80s and 90s meant that Islam became part of ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/check-the-fresh-new-muslim-cool/ There are many things to be fearful in this world bears, H1N1, back taxes, but certainly not Black leaders. From the title of the post, you may be confused. We've elected Barack Obama, we have a Black RNC chair, so what could possibly be the fear of Black leaders? Well ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/lions-and-tigers-and-black-leaders-oh-my/ This week, I've got a nice set of deep and thorough posts on some things you may have seen recently, but not really thought about what was happening beneath the surface. Up first, a really thought provoking analysis of Top Chef and the racial divide provided by Tamara Nopper of Temple. ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/link-round-up-top-chef-obama-in-cairo-and-carra/ This morning on Good Morning America, I was greeted with a disturbing story on a "gang" murder in suburbia, but I was less disturbed by the details of the death, which are sad, but more disturbed by the way it was reported. GMA went through great lengths to paint a ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/danger-your-suburban-bubble-is-under-attack/ Look, I'm sorry these three web items have me rolling. First, I thought the LeBron and Kobe commercials were pretty funny, but this is damn funny. [youtube 2HfXjAmeq40] Second, I told ya'll that swagger needed to stop, but Cracked has the list of the other 6 most over-used terms in Hip-Hop that were ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/no-really-cant-stop-laughing-my-a-off/ I haven't commented on the nomination of Sotomayor to the Supreme Court. For the most part, I'm pretty excited, pending finding out her opinions on abortion, but here are two interesting pieces on Sotomayor and race. The first is from Newsweeek by Raina Kelley, my favorite quote is, "if there ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/sotomayor-round-up/ On Sunday, Harlem will play host to an important conversation and dialogue about the Black Left and its direction. It features a great set of panelists, including my presidential candidate Cynthia McKinney. Well I told ya'll I wasn't voting for Obama. The event is sponsored, in part by, the Harlem ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/directing-the-new-black-left/ Yeah, I know it's now Saturday ... well not if you're in Cali. So with little further review I present to you the most ignant thing I've seen this week on youtube... this is so wrong, but be honest, you laughed? Didn't you? [youtube pCdmiZyyGjQ] hat tip to C.Dot for this foolishness http://www.uptownnotes.com/belated-friday-funny/ So this past week I've been really getting back into True Magic by Mos Def and I was reminded of two great things. First, the video for Casa Bey is online and is dope. I'm hoping this will represent a return to def music for Mos, should I be holding ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/mos-definitely/ This post will not be a lofty tribute to Brother Malcolm, if you would like to see one like that, check it out here. This will be a call to action, because that is one of the things El Hajj Malik El Shabazz was about. Today is a National Day ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/honor-malcolm-support-troy-davis-and-fight-police-brutality/ I spend most days in the classroom teaching on issues of race, social class, mobility and opportunity. The discussions I have always intrigue me, particularly because most of my students are people of color from working class backgrounds. After listening and reading, I'm beginning to think the belief that anything ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/the-possible-and-the-probable-part-one/ This week has been very busy and I have not been able to post, the end of the semester is a beast. Even still, I thought I'd get a Friday Funny up for you. This week Byron York wrote an Op-Ed in the Washington Examiner that got some attention because ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/friday-funny-black-public-opinion/ Last weekend, at the Malcolm X Grassroots Unity Brunch one of the topics covered was violence against LGBTQ people of color. I think it was Kenyon Farrow who mentioned the suicides of Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover and Jaheem Herrera who are both Black boys who recently committed suicide because of ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/torture-in-american-schools-by-jewel-woods/ We here at Uptownnotes have been carefully watching the first hundred days and wanted to let you know our perspective. First, we'd like to report, the first 100 days are done. Second, sometimes we get accused of being pessimistic about race relations because of highlighting signs of passe racial attitudes ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/an-in-depth-look-at-obamas-first-100-days/ There is a lot going on right now in the world of education. So much that I'm just going to drop a bunch of links and brief commentaries for you to check out. As the spring blossoms, so do questions about the future of education from pre-K through higher education. ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/education-link-round-up/ The Malcolm X Grassroots Movement & The Women of Color Caucus present: NO! The Rape Documentary Film Screening and Discussion Sunday, April 26th, 12:30-4:00 p.m. Community Service Society 105 East 22nd St. @ Park Ave., Room 4A 6, N, R, W to 23rd Street NO! is a groundbreaking documentary about sexual assault in the ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/this-sunday-no-the-rape-documentary-with-director-and-activists/ Okay, so I managed to not succumb to the foolishness known as Popeye's Pay Day (yeah, you know the special they were advertising) but leave it up to Fox in Minnesota and my people to make it into a news story. Okay, I guess this is funny, but I think ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/friday-funny-popeyes-pay-day-say-it-aint-so/ So I got an email yesterday with a link to this sign and I was wondering what your thoughts are on this? I imagine there are two basic reactions: 1) Outrage  or 2) Shaking your head and laughing it off. Which camp are you in? Do you have a different ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/if-a-picture-is-worth-a-thousand-words-what-about-this-billboard/ So by now, I'm sure you've heard that Disney has been working extensively on the "The Princess and The Frog" their first foray into a Black Princess. I for one, am very, very excited... particularly for my niece. She can pretty much be assured that between her mother, my parents, ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/the-black-princess-and-a-non-black-prince/ So what should be really funny is by the time this posts I should be in the air en route to San Diego ... but with my luck cold weather will follow me! But regardless, this is really how it's been of late in NYC and around the nation I ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/friday-funny-oh-hell-nawl-on-mother-nature/ Day 'n' Nite - Kid Cudi from DP on Vimeo. So you know you're getting old when folks tell you that the "future" is coming and when you look to see what they're talking about you don't get excited. That's been my feeling for the past couple of months when people ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/did-hip-hop-pass-me-by/ I really consider myself lucky to have such a loving circle of friends and family. I often want the love that I experience from them to be transmittable to all that I come in contact with, but for so many reasons that is impossible. Many of my greatest friends have ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/art-that-heals/ 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 kill three Pirates further saddened me. While I've heard people quickly jump behind the American crew and ship,  most of this has ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/getting-to-the-roots-of-somali-piracy/ I've been doing deep thinking and writing of late and one of my favorite ways to decompress is watch television. Not just any television, bad television. And thus I present "the questions." 1. Why did Ray J cut Chardonnay (aka the only sane one) didn't he know "shawty got gifts"? 2. Why ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/the-questions-tv-makes-you-smarter-edition/ The conservative bible news magazine National Review has been really consistent with their critique of Barack Obama, as you can see from the March and April covers below. Which one is it? hattip to JF http://www.uptownnotes.com/friday-funny-which-one-is-it-national-review/ One of the great hopes for the Obama administration is a revised relationship to Cuba and her people. While for many this is about the advance of political ideologies or commerce, in reality it is as much if not more about people's lives. When discussing Cuba and the United States ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/out-of-the-mouth-of-babes-childrens-worlds-from-nyc-to-santiago-de-cuba/ 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 and Akon. The song is entitled, "Blood into Gold (Remix)" and was commissioned to heighten awareness of modern ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/why-do-we-ignore-modern-day-slavery/ Yesterday, at the age of 94, the unparalleled historian of the African-American experience John Hope Franklin passed away into the ancestral realm. While many may not be familiar with his name, if you took a Black Studies or African-American Studies course you likely came across his seminal textbook "From Slavery ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/rest-in-power-john-hope-franklin/ So yesterday I was all existential on twitter, which I rarely do, so today I'll mesh my tweets with programming on my blog. I'm declaring this weekend "wellness weekend" because I was passed three events happening in NYC that stimulate the psychological, spiritual, mental, and physical. On Friday, Iyanla Vanzant will be ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/wellness-weekend/ First, let me say that I pay little attention to the Pope or his statements. I spent eight years of my life in catholic school ignoring Pope John Paul II and now Pope Benedict XVI has joined that club. In a recent visit to Africa, Pope Benedict exclaimed, “You can’t ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/why-the-pope-needs-to-take-statistics-class/ On April 11th, V Day will be celebrated in Harlem with performances of the Vagina Monologues at 6 and 8pm at the Maysles Institute. The recent headlines have put domestic violence, sex and race on the national radar, though most of the conversations have been too shallow and misdirected for ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/v-day-in-harlem/ So for the past few weeks I've been working extra hard and haven't had a chance to really blog or be caught up on the happenings. I've been hearing a lot of chatter about Jon Stewart going off about Jim Cramer of Mad Money. Well, I've finally crawled from under ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/i-come-from-under-a-rock-jim-cramer-is-crawling-under-one/ The Root has an interesting piece on the reclaimation or redefinition of Arab by Saaret Yoseph. What do you think about it? The word “Arab” is used way too liberally in the American vernacular. Since 9/11 and the advent of our six-year war, the term has become a mutilated mainstay in ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/re-claiming-or-re-defining-arab/ Today is a phenomenonally exciting day on the campus of the City College of New York. A series of lectures and talks will descend to bring some of the nation's foremost scholars and activists, if you're around you can hear Kwame Anthony Appiah of Princeton discuss "Race and the New ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/thinking-and-doing-race-today-at-ccny/ Today is Biggie day, so I let the Black Frank White speak for himself. [youtube 4rKnMp9U-Lg] Rest in Peace. http://www.uptownnotes.com/rip-to-the-king-of-new-york/ This week, my dear friend Yusef Ramelize, took on the issue of homelessness. No, he didn't decide to volunteer at a soup kitchen. No he didn't decide to give out change to someone he saw as he was exiting the train. No he didn't email his friends and tell them ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/going-homeless-for-one-week/ I've been very busy and going through a lot of late and had resolved I wouldn't post much if at all this week. But I just had the PRIVILEGE of watching a short clip of a full length documentary entitled Broken Social Contracts by Laura L. Rahman. In the past ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/broken-social-contracts-and-silent-consent/ You know that there is a lot of great art happening these days, but you should move something to check out the short entitled "G-trification" by Karra Duncan screening today at the Harlem International Film Festival. G-Trification takes on the issue of gentrification,  something all too common to those uptown, ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/check-out-g-trification-at-harlem-international-film-festival-today/ Tomorrow, Wednesday evening, the City College of New York will host an important panel discussion on the No Child Left Behind Act. The panel is entitled, "Has No Child Left Behind Failed High Poverty Urban Schools?" was organized by Tiffany O'Neal a CCNY student and New York Life Fellow. I ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/panel-on-nclb-at-ccny/ I just penned a libation for Brother Malcolm X, El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, Omowale at There Is No Spoon.  Here is an excerpt, it's a short one, so please read, reflect and comment. A libation for Brother Malcolm #fullpost{display:none;} 44 years ago to the day, Malcolm X also known as El Hajj Malik ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/a-libation-for-brother-malcolm/ So apparently there's a real movement in the streets (not the type of movement your favorite rapper likes to call his p.r. stunts) to replace the n-word with president. A president can dream, can't he? [youtube aWjNcwacHKA] Shout out to www.presidentplease.com and H/T to the lightskinned Obamaniac @GaTech http://www.uptownnotes.com/friday-funny-inspiration-whattup-my-president/ Yesterday, the NY Post ran an incendiary political cartoon by Delonas. In response NY City Council Rep Charles Baron and others have called for an in-person action against the Post. The action will take place today at noon, details below: Thursday, February 19, 2008 at 12 Noon New York Post Offices 1211 Avenue ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/ny-post-action-today-and-student-activism-aint-dead/ This is the point where you use your super politically savvy mind to explain to me why this political cartoon from the NY Post is not racially motivated or racist in the least bit ... please begin! I think I need alternative explanations. http://www.uptownnotes.com/ugh-can-someone-explain-this-to-me/ Jewel Woods, in a piece on Alternet offers an insightful and challenging analysis of why Sarah Palin was such a hit among men ... and it's not what you're thinking!!! What is the enduring legacy of Sarah Palin for men after the 2008 presidential elections? It seems like a reasonable question ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/re-post-sarah-palin-and-the-rise-of-the-playboy-electorate/ Re-post from south side scholar I have to be honest... Over the last couple of days I have been deeply disturbed... On Sunday night we all learned that Chris Brown and Rihanna would be absent from the Grammy's due to an alleged episode of domestic violence. As the days followed, those rumors have been ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/re-post-south-side-scholar-lets-all-laugh-and-point-at-rihanna/ I know folks are offended but this one is funny to me!!! Reason number 102 to change their name! [youtube IjUQeR89wgI] http://www.uptownnotes.com/friday-funny-happy-100th-colored-people/ This past week, renowned Psychologist Richard Nisbett published an opinion piece in the New York Times entitled, "Education Is All in the Mind." While I've come to respect Nisbett for his research and advocacy against polemics such as The Bell Curve, his recent piece misses the mark. The central issue ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/education-is-more-than-a-mind-game/ This week, on Thursday the 12th, I will be a featured panelist at New York University's Gallatin School. I will be on a panel discussing Black and Jewish Relations as part of their Black History Month Programming. From the look of the panelist it's going to be a lively and ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/dialogue-of-black-jewish-relations-at-nyu-gallatin/ "I'm writing for my life because I'm scared of a day job." -Common The arrival of the recession didn't really hit me that much. I remember the basic economic principal that I was taught when I was younger, "As the supply of jobs goes down, demand for education goes up." While ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/the-recession-and-the-ivory-black-tower/ I've been crazy busy, so here's a quick questions post... I'll be back! 1) How is it that a Village bakery can sell "Drunken Negro Heads" and "Obama Face" cookies and not get shut down? 2) Shouldn't Mikey B chill out for the week since when he shows up, folks show out? ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/questions-the-nyc-edition/ Other blogs have moving photo tributes to inauguration ... but I have this. More shots to come next week from my own camera ... whenever I upload them! Okay, confession, I'm not that big of a Sasha fan (Go Malia!), but this side-eye to W. makes me her number 1 supporter! ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/friday-funnies-pics-worth-a-thousand-words/ As the clock struck midnight and November 20th rolled in I thought about how 1.20.09 was emblazoned in my memory. I recall seeing bumper stickers years ago that had the date and "Bush's Last Day" proudly marked. I waited for the date and was glad to see it arrive. I ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/12009/ Today I'll on NPR's New and Notes on their bloggers roundtable discussion inauguration and coming challenges for Barack Obama. You can find out where it airs in your area here. Update: Here is the link so you can take a listen. I was featured with Faye Anderson of Anderson@Large and the ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/discussing-inauguration-on-npr-today/ "I have been dismayed at the degree to which abysmal ignorance seems to prevail among state, city and even Federal officals on the whole question of racial justice and injustice... But this white failure to comprehend the depth and dimension of the Negro Problem is far from being peculiar to ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/bhc-mlk-on-white-folks-and-the-pace-of-progress/ The event is finally arriving, the inauguration of Barack Obama. And while I am a strong critic of Barack Obama I can appreciate a good celebration, so I’ve decided to go on a hate moratorium and attend. As a result a bunch of folks have been asking me where I'm ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/friday-funny-can-you-roll-with-me-to-the-inauguration/ So I had no intention of writing a review of the new movie on Biggie, Notorious, but the reviews that I've been reading have left me with no choice. I will keep my comments brief and give you the punchline upfront. The movie sucks, if you have ten dollars I ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/review-of-notorious-aka-the-worst-of-biggie/ There are a million things to love about New York (for that matter a million to hate as well) but one of my favorite has to be how vibrant the Arts are here. Recently, I had the chance to check out one of my brothers weave his craft in the ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/review-the-breaks-by-marc-bamuthi-joseph/ The term revolutionary is often batted about and is bestowed upon most anyone who finds their ideas falling to the left of the political mainstream. For that reason we have more coffee shop revolutionaries than I can shake a vegan biscotti at! Now I don't mean that as pot-shot against ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/reflections-on-being-a-revolutionary/ Here is Skillz's 2008 rap up ... why are there so many versions of this on Youtube? And why did he hit it on the head with Nas, R. Kelly and the Inauguration? [youtube fIGgYl2yoIg] http://www.uptownnotes.com/it-wouldnt-be-right-without-a-2008-rap-up/ If you're not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing.  ~Malcolm X http://www.uptownnotes.com/bhc-media-distortions/ "Support Black Business" this was my approach to the principle of Ujamaa for years, but I realized that supporting a business by someone who looks like me will likely get our people no closer to liberation. Okay, so maybe everyone isn't going for liberation, but hear me out. The issue ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/reflections-on-ujamaa-cooperative-economics/ When it comes to discussing collective work and responsibility, I usually end up on the other side of most conversations which seem to start with, "The reason Black folks can't get ahead is..." or "We're just like crabs in a barrel..." While these conversations have their place, I think we ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/reflections-on-ujima-collective-work-and-responsibility/ Last year on Dumi Says, I began a series called "Black History- Contemporary" in which I would highlight the words of elders and ancestors in our past that rang true when they were said and hold even more relevance today. In reality, Black History becomes distilled away as factoids and ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/bhc-kwame-ture-on-zionism/ "To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves." Naming: What's in a name. If you've been visiting my blog, you'll see that I post under the name Dumi. Dumi is not a nickname, it's my name. Sometimes people ask me, "What's your real name?" To which I ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/reflections-on-kujichagulia-self-determination/ Umoja- Unity One of my boy's who said the other day, "Having a Black family without drama is like having China without rice." First off, it made be laugh, but it made realize how every year I get a rash of calls from friends and mentees who loath the trip home ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/reflections-on-umoja-unity/ “Pro-Black like Craig Hodges but my dashiki’s in the cleaners.” – Common 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 ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/quit-frontin-on-kwanzaa/ 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 ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/i-am-an-american/ Today I'll be doing the bloggers roundtable on NPR News and Notes. Check your local NPR listings or look for it on the webpage and podcast later today. I know, I know, it's Christmas eve, but while you're wrapping gifts, working, or laying on the couch check us out. After ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/bloggers-roundtable-today-npr-news-and-notes/ This past week, I had a chance to appear on NPR's News and Notes with Farai Chideya and discuss racial identity and the workplace. The segment was two parts, the first with my discussion of how racial identity and intersecting identities can affect the work environment. Second, there is a ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/racial-identity-and-the-workplace/ Over a year ago, controversy over the Kahlil Gibran International Academy unfolded, if you don't know who Kahlil Gibran was stop reading and click here - yeah, he's that important, in Brooklyn. The visible battle over the mission of the school, its practices, and its leadership put the academy in ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/did-you-forget-about-kahlil-gibran-international-academy/ Recently, Roland Fryer - economist, NYC Public Schools' Chief Equity Officer, and the public's latest cat's meow, was on the Colbert Report (video below) discussing his incentives program. The program has been the subject of much debate, acclaim and most importantly visibility. The interview is brief, a little funny, but ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/next-stop-education/ People have been tripping over the corruption of the governor of Illinois and his hair. But for some strange reason his hair didn't trip me out. I was strangely comforted by it, now I realize why. Wonder who told him getting his hair styled by the lego people was a good ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/friday-funny-the-mystery-of-blagojevichs-hair-solved/ The Automaker "bailout" remains a hot topic and the conversation about it on the web and in the mainstream press are interesting. I've tweeted about my frustrations with Big business' insistence that worker wages were the reasons for the Big Three's failures. I've seen some good conversations and writing in ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/finally-some-logic-in-discussion-of-detroit/ I was watching Soul Food the other day and remembered the Boondocks summary and died laughing out loud. The episode entitled "The Itis" also featured "The Luther", allegedly named after the last thing Luther Vandross ate. I ran across this laughable and cryable moment on a friends page today by ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/friday-funny-oh-yes-i-do/ In an age when grassroots Black leadership has become distilled, sanitized, and all too often co-opted, we are often left looking backwards to our ancestors for guidance on our future. Today, December 4th, marks the 39th anniversary of the assassination of Fred Hampton by the United States Government. Chairman Fred ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/in-rememberance-of-chariman-fred-hampton/ Just in time for some snowfall and to pay rent, I present five quick questions. 1) Now that Kanye and Weezy have demonstrated that auto-tune can be used to make someone whose singing is unbearable sound likable, do you think Kim from Real Housewives can actually have a real album? 2) Barry, ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/december-questions/ So in bizarro world news yesterday, my phone and twitter started blowing up about the commuting of sentence that John Forte received by outgoing (I just like saying that) president George W. Bush. As my friend Marc Lamont Hill put it, "The irony is that George Bush frees a Black ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/why-fortes-free-and-mumia-is-not/ The campaign and victory of Barack Obama were historic. In leading up the election I received a text that said, "Rosa sat so Martin could walk, Martin walked so Obama could run, Obama ran so our children can fly!"** This message, while inspirational, demonstrates the ways that one of the most historic ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/obama-is-the-pres-but-i-voted-for-chisholm/ http://www.uptownnotes.com/friday-funny-times-are-hard/ Over the past week, the media and everyone who could jump on the bandwagon of wagging fingers, frowned brows, and we told you so's in relation to the Big Three has. While I don't think all of these sentiments are misplaced, I wonder the most about the people of Detroit, ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/can-the-big-three-die-and-the-people-live/ Tune your radio into NPR ... okay well maybe you don't have a radio, in that case, check out NPR.org. On Thursday (November 20th) at 1pm EST to hear me on NPR News and Notes hosted by Farai Chideya. I'm scheduled to be on a segment discussing issues of racial ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/check-me-out-on-news-and-notes-today/ Check out the article by Jason Fink in AM New York (as one of my friends politely or rudely called it "the subway paper") entitled, "Racist Incidents Mar Excitement over Obama Election." If the web version is the same as the print version, you'll see a quote or two by ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/on-your-morning-commute/ While we were partying in the streets for the election of Barack Obama, Prop 8 in California passed by a small margin of support. There has been a firestorm of reporting, blogging, and reflection on the role that African-Americans played in the passage of prop 8. While I could weigh ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/prop-8-the-left-coast-and-lefty-politics/ Yesterday Outgoing President George W. Bush gave a speech on the market at the Manhattan Institute, this is probably my favorite and ridiculous quote, The record is unmistakable:  If you seek economic growth, if you seek opportunity, if you seek social justice and human dignity, the free market system is the ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/friday-funny-bush-is-still-at-it/ So I'm often frustrated by what plays on the radio... well actually I don't even listen to the radio so I can't make that claim accurately, but recently a couple of cool videos have come to my attention. These videos display a visual creativity that has been missing in Hip-Hop ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/ahhh-hip-hop/ The election of Barack Obama and Joe Biden (dang, I keep forgetting about him) one week ago was a remarkable event. While most folks will look at the election of Obama as simply an act of racial transcendence, in reality, it represents one of the most sophisticated, yet grounded electoral ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/hats-off-to-the-organizers/ On November 10th, Miriam Makeba b.k.a. Mama Africa transitioned to the ancestral realm. She was a powerful voice both musically and politically. Her work on Black Liberation in her native South Africa and globally beautifully demonstrated the richness and importance of Pan-Africanism and African Aesthetics. May her life in the ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/rest-in-peace-mama-africa/ I should be writing, but this is too good not to share. I honestly am more of a fan of Michelle than Barack, so this resonated with me immediately. It's penned by Celli Pitt. Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Let it be known that November 5th is now the Michelle Obama Federal Holiday! You both ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/the-michelle-obama-mandate-by-celli-pitt/ I just finished teaching and I know you want a fresh new reflection. I left my house at 5:50am yesterday to vote and came back at 3:45 am from celebrating. The moral of the story: I went hard (don't believe me, then check my twitter) so no new post right ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/living-in-the-moment-texts-tweets-and-statuses/ So obviously in a number of hours the polls open and what I hope will be a historic election will occur (yes, every election is historic, but you you know what I mean). I'm super hyped that UptownFlavor.com has created a list of places to watch the election uptown (Harlem, ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/where-to-watch/ Do I support Barack Obama? Yes. Have I donated to the campaign of Barack Obama? Yes. Have I canvassed for Barack Obama? Yes. Will I be voting for Barack Obama? No. Yes, you read that correctly. I am not voting for Barack Obama for the office of President of the ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/why-im-not-voting-for-barack/ I got this in an email a couple of moments ago, classic! Dear Red States: If you manage to steal this election too we've decided we're leaving. We intend to form our own country, and we're taking the other Blue States with us. In case you aren't aware, that includes California, Hawaii, Oregon, ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/friday-funny-dear-red-states/ Soulja Boy is getting berated by cats all over the internet. While I could easily make this post "beat the pinata aka Soulja Boy." I think his commentary over the past couple of months really displays a real sociological pattern (yeah, sorry I always gotta bring that in) about youth, ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/souljaboy/ Today, many folks are wearing red to raise awareness about domestic violence. A little while ago, I posted a commentary on witnessing some physical abuse and feeling powerless. Well, my good friend and colleague Jewel Woods offers a great personal reflection and conversation starter entitled "Stop the Hammer." Men sometimes use ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/blackmenanddv/ So the movies are some of my favorite things to watch, hate on, and critique (and yes, I still plan to write the review on Trouble the Water which was amazing) and sometimes I wait with anticipation. But not necessarily all good anticipation, half of the movies I see come ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/peeking-through-my-fingers/ Recently I've been burning the candle at both ends, so I haven't been able to get a new post together. But In the meantime, make sure to click around and see what else is happening on my blog roll. In the meantime, let this video be your motivation to be ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/burning-the-candle/ I thought it was bad enough when the good folks over at Racialicious alerted me to this image which appeared in a GOP newsletter recently. Then I realized things were even worse when a friend over at StopDogWhistleRacism emailed me this clip about the defense of it! Take a look at ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/whosaysitsracist/ Swagger. Swagger jacking. Swagger like us. Swag. I've had enough of swagger. Not because I think swagger is a "bad thing". But because it has reached its limits in the hip-hop lexicon. I'm hoping in the next few months swagger goes the way of "grown and sexy", "the g funk era", and the ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/swaggerrip/ This weekend, the City College campus will be filled with fresh young and old minds grappling with issues of inequality and access. I'm proud to say that City College is hosting the first CUNY Social Forum. The event will take place October 17th - 19th and will feature a great ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/the-struggle-begins-at-homecuny-social-forum/ Not too long ago, I lamented the docility of Hip-Hop given our current political moment. I definitely got a number of great responses and wanted to share a video with you that I just watched that definitely is not "mainstream" Hip-Hop or "mainstream" politics, so its voice is clear, unapologetic, ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/put-the-pressure-on-em/ In a recent Supreme Court decision, Connecticut overturned a ban on same sex marriage. We're third in line to do it, but nonetheless, biggup! Yes, I did just bring biggup back. I think it's key that we fight for progessive politics that we make sure that marginalized communities across the ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/because-my-home-state-is-fresh/ Bryron Hurt has quickly become one of my favorite documentary makers. I was first introduced to his work by Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes and he continues to shine. His more recent piece entitled, "Barack & Curtis" does an excellent job of going being dichotomies of masculinity, challenging historical narrative, ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/reconstructing-black-masculinity-barack-and-curtis/ "I never hit a girl, but I'd shake the shit out of you." - Bittersweet Poetry by Kanye West The above line played on my ipod as I arrived to Grand Central. Each time I've heard this line and changed the "but I'd" to "nor." This is strange practice I developed ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/watching-painfully/ A lot can change in a year, heck a couple of months. The city of Detroit has been through a lot: Kwame, proposed Automaker bailouts, population loss, threats of election disenfranchisement but is that all that's happening in the D? While we know it's so cold there, what lies on ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/tune-in-and-see-me-discuss-the-future-of-race-in-detroit-tonight/ What you know about the title to this post???? Since my last post, I've been very busy. For the first time in a while, I've been making good progress on my academic scholarship. Looking forward to getting a couple of things out there real soon. Also, my classes have started to ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/black-man-with-the-permanent-tan/ They can't be serious... http://www.uptownnotes.com/thoughts-on-mccains-rnc-speech/ The Daily Show recently did a great segment on GOP/RNC double speak. Some pretty amazing footage in here. Who knew that Harvey Dent was a Republican Strategist! What you don't trust the Daily Show as a reputable news source ... fine, fine, fine, ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/harvey-dent-visits-the-rnc/ If you aren't accustomed to clicking links on the side of this page, I hope this will help. This is a videoblog by Jay Smooth, long time Hip-Hop head and host on his blog illdoctrine.com. Jay in mid August posted a guide to "no homo", he really comes with it... ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/jay-smooth-on-no-homo/ "The Pta","Hockey Moms 4 Palin" and "small town" are those the parts I'm supposed to connect to? Did Palin really spend the first 5 minutes explaining that she has a family ... how does that mesh with the GOPs insistence on leaving her family out of it? Ugh, could someone check on ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/are-they-serious-rnc-palin-edition/ "I don't fuck with politics, I don't even follow it." -Talib Kweli on the Beautiful Struggle 2004 I love Hip-Hop, no for real, I love Hip-Hop. Hip-Hop has been one of the cultural forms that I gravitated towards since I was small. Hip-Hop has been more than beats and rhymes, it ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/politics-is-politricks/ Did the awe of the Olympics make you completely forget about China's human rights violations?Wasn't it interesting that US media kept concentrating on the general medal count, but ignored the gold medal count?So you just finished with the Olympics then tuned into the DNC, what's next?Is it okay that I ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/just-wondering/ but I had to share this. A rendition of Anti-Up by Bert and Ernie! http://www.uptownnotes.com/i-should-be-writing/ I'm outside of NYC right now, but been running around and getting work done. In the meantime check out this brief interview on DailyKos. The interview was done virtually with David Boyle who has developed a the site called Obamaism.org. Check it out and leave a comment. http://www.uptownnotes.com/im-still-here-and-over-there-too/ http://www.uptownnotes.com/no-on-2-posters-by-mollie-bates/ I like to laugh and distract myself. I'm a nerd of sorts. So here is my contribution to your procrastination:Fail Blog The "Blog" of "Unnecessary" Quotations http://www.uptownnotes.com/the-internet-is-a-funny-place/ Yesterday, the NYTimes ran a story on the mural being painted in Sunset Park by young women about military recruitment. In particular they're tackling the provision under NCLB that allows Military recruiters equal access to schools as post-secondary institutions (e.g. colleges) and access to private family information (e.g. phone numbers, ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/the-power-of-paint/ No I don't mean are you mad, I meant do you have a lot of salt in your body. Last week CNN's Black in America allowed Roland Fryer to open up the "salt sensitivity theory" of Black health again (see 31 minutes in on the first video below). If you ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/are-you-salty/ so I could give CNN Black in America four thumbs down!!!Really too disgusted to comment on it, but if you want a decent flavor of what was running through my mind, check out BlackSmythe's live blog post on it! http://www.uptownnotes.com/i-wish-i-had-more-hands/ Tonight, Monday July 21st, I'll be featured as a panelist on Lynn Doyle's It's your call. We'll be continuing the conversation about Jesse Jackson, Black political leadership, and the controversies surrounding both. The show airs regionally on Comcast's Cn8 or can be streamed live from here if you're outside one ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/tune-in-at-9/ Sunday morning I will be appearing on Jesse Jackson's radio show Keep Hope Alive Radio which is syndicated nationally. This week Marc Lamont Hill will be filling in for Rev. Jackson. We will be discussing Civil Rights leadership and contemporary politics. Find out where and when you can hear the ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/tune-in-sunday-to-keep-hope-alive-radio/ I am linking to a post by Jafari Sinclaire Allen about Morehouse, sexuality, and community. Jafari was before my time at Morehouse, but he lays out some heavy, powerful, and challenging issues in his post about his time at Morehouse, Atlanta, and beyond. Please, please, please ... did I mention ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/truthreconciliation-morehouse-on-my-mind-by-jafari-s-allen/ At about 1 in the morning I strolled along the main artery of Harlem, 125th street. As I walked from East to West I got to thinking about the transformation that Harlem is undergoing. Some call it gentrification, revitalization, land grab, urban pioneering, no matter what you call it, things ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/harlems-homeless-renaissance/ No, you won't see this on BET, you won't see this on CNN, you won't see this... pretty much anywhere but you're computer. But this is why I still love Hip-Hop. This is why I still have hope, this is why I know that Detroit is in good hands. Check ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/hidden-hip-hop-independents-day/ "hard to be a spiritual being when shit is shaking what you believe in." http://www.uptownnotes.com/the-gospel/ That's what people want to boil it down to. This morning the Root is running two pieces on "sex tourism" to Brazil and other "third world" locales. I pen a direct review of Jewel Woods and Karen Hunter's book "Don't Blame it on Rio" and Mark Sawyer does a indirect ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/its-just-sex-right/ The only way to make it better is to lovingly critique, right?1) What am I more disappointed in, the one million "a millie" freestyles or that Wayne sold a millie in a week?2)Why is the Nas and Green Lantern tape so banging? And why does it make me nervous ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/and-still-more-questions-critiques-edition/ This week I had a chance to do an interview with Newsweek.com regarding the significance of Barack Obama's campaign and Harlem. The short video entitled, "Martin, Malcolm, Barack?" features me and multiple Harlem artists. Click here to check it out.Like all journalism, whether print or multimedia, I always find myself ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/harlem-blues-and-the-barack-buzz/ Getting up for me usually involves a regiment of reading, eating, washing, and coffee. Before I could get to the last three, I was awakened by two things, but not by coffee.First the news that the Mets fired Willie Randolph arrived. Now anyone could have seen it coming, but it ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/all-before-my-morning-coffee/ Let go of your worriesand be completely clear-hearted,like the face of a mirrorthat contains no images.If you want a clear mirror,behold yourselfand see the shameless truth,which the mirror reflects.If metal can be polishedto a mirror-like finish,what polishing might the mirrorof the heart require?Between the mirror and the heartis this single ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/mirrors-of-truth/ So I was traveling this past week and didn't get a chance to hit you with anything new. But now I'm back in the States and I wanted to quickly to tell you to check out the Addicted to Race podcast that I guest co-hosted with Carmen Van Kerchove. In ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/been-around-the-world-and-i-i-i/ Byron Hurt, director of Hip Hop:Beyond Beats and Rhymes, has just produced an AMAZING short film on reaction to the Sean Bell Verdict. I found out about it from the article that he wrote on TheRoot.com and I encourage you to click this video and then do something! http://www.uptownnotes.com/dont-let-me-die-in-vain/ Here is an article that I penned for theRoot.com on the question, "Is college for everyone?" About a year and half ago, I was in a conversation with a 17-year-old about college, and she said to me, "My aunt has a master's degree, and she delivers pizza for Domino's. What's that ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/is-college-for-you-posted-at-therootcom/ A very peculiar thing happened last week, Willie Randolph went from bad manager, to bad guy in the eyes of the media. During the past couple of weeks, the Mets have continued to fall in the National League East, a division they were favored to win. Willie Randolph is cool, ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/its-not-a-game-race-sports-and-justice/ Jewel Woods offers a really good commentary on the difficulty of a national gender dialogue. Many commentators within the black community argued that it was “inevitable” that Senator Obama would have to give a speech on “race”. Not only in light of the comments by Rev. Wright, but also because ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/awaiting-the-gender-speech-keep-waiting/ Carmen over at Racialicious compiled two great guerilla visual art campaigns by Michelle Schwartz and ResistRacism. The Canadian Club Whisky adds that have been running have been redefined by some savvy badasses. Follow the link and keep clicking. I love subversive art! http://www.uptownnotes.com/for-your-visual-stimulation/ So yesterday was an important day in recent Harlem history... I think. The new Indiana Jones movie had a premiere at the Magic Johnson's in Harlem. One of my colleagues was walking down 126th yesterday and folks were huddled up outside he asked one of the men standing, "What's going ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/a-movie-premiere-in-harlem/ May 19th marks the birth of El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz b.k.a. Malcolm X. Since I first read the Alex Haley autobiography at 15, I've felt compelled towards, challenged by, and connected to Malcolm X. I know that each of us has adapted Malcolm in our own ways, I think Robin Kelly ... http://www.uptownnotes.com/happy-birthday-brother-malcolm/ it's okay, that's where they made me atThis had me dying laughing!!!! http://www.uptownnotes.com/mfs-wanna-bring-the-90s-back/