Published in LEVEL·Apr 1, 2020Member-onlyNewsflash, Americans: Everyone Has an Accent, Including YouThe truth is we all sound ‘funny’ to someone — On my way to a paid gig, my Lyft driver bombarded me with an unsolicited conversation about himself and the weather. I noticed that he spoke with a delayed tone, going out of his way to over-enunciate his words. He assumed that because I didn’t have an American accent that…Accent6 min readAccent6 min read
Published in ZORA·Dec 5, 2019Member-onlyHow I Learned to Swim Away My Intergenerational TraumaThis fear is an ancestral one, but I wanted to overcome it to know freedom — I have a fluctuating relationship with swimming. As an adult, I gave it little to no thought, and never questioned why until last summer. When invited to a swimming event by hairstylist Felicia Leatherwood, I was forced to address memories I’d compartmentalized for years. In my childhood, most of my…Race6 min readRace6 min read
Published in ZORA·Oct 4, 2019Member-onlyAmber Guyger Does Not Deserve Our ForgivenessIt is harmful for Black people to be expected to forgive when White people inflict pain on us — Patrol officer Amber Guyger was recently found guilty of murdering Botham Jean, whom Guyger shot in his sleep after wrongly assuming he was in her home. Many outlets have referenced White privilege, his mother’s statement, and the light 10-year sentence Guyger received. Another main focus from the verdict has been…Opinion5 min readOpinion5 min read
