Sep 19Member-onlyMy Love Affair With Cultural AppropriationI was about fourteen when the startling realization of my place in society hit me like a bag of coins across the face. My eyes were literally bulging out of their sockets while staring up at the auditorium stage, where two uniformed police officers, one male and one female, stood…Race8 min read
Published in Pop Off·Aug 30Member-onlyThe Indigenous Revolution is Being TelevisedA dark bulbous cloud hung overhead, casting a looming shadow across the entirety of the world. Coronavirus was spreading unabated and killing many thousands of people each day, companies were hemorrhaging employees, and Donald J. Trump was still president. Society continued to trudge forward though, but signs of a hopeful…Television5 min read
Aug 17Member-onlyI’m Thinking About Leaving the Catholic ChurchThree years ago, I wrote an essay about my experience with the Catholic Church, the institution I’ve assigned the lion’s share of credit for improving my mental health. This essay was plucked out of relative obscurity by an editor at LEVEL magazine, elevated to Editor’s Choice on medium.com, and distributed…Abortion6 min read
Published in Pop Off·Aug 5Member-onlySay This Man’s Name!I was not expecting to be let down by The Umbrella Academy, the quirky television show about a family of super powered beings now streaming on Netflix. The first two seasons had proven to be undeniably great television, whetting my appetite for a third season exploration of the Hargreeves family. …Entertainment5 min read
Published in Perceive More!·Jul 25Member-onlyThe Most Hated Black Man In AmericaI am just a lead customer service representative at a hospital, a miniscule cog in a gargantuan rolling wheel, devoid of any real power to change things. Apart from the members of my immediate family, nobody really takes me seriously. …Supreme Court6 min read
Published in Pop Off·Jul 1Member-onlyMs. Marvel is Perfect TelevisionMy appreciation for the Marvel Cinematic Universe extends beyond its focus on the surface motif: humans, and beings created in the visage of humans, are gifted with enhanced abilities, becoming veritable gods and goddesses among men. Marvel has tapped diverse creators to construct entertainment vehicles that explore the issues lurking…Television4 min read
Published in An Injustice!·Jun 22Member-onlyBlack Rights and LGBTQ Rights Should Be Fought For In TandemMay 2002: Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Charlene Dorsey was gay, vegan, and white, perhaps the most confounding and interesting individual I had come to know twenty years ago. …Civil Rights7 min read
Published in Perceive More!·Jun 8Member-onlyI’d Probably Choose A White Supremacist Over Clarence ThomasPart 1: I’m Accused of Being a Racist One of the worst moments of my professional life, when I began questioning my worth and character as a black man, came when I was teaching English Language acquisition at an elementary school some years ago. …Supreme Court8 min read
May 27Member-onlyI Let Her Run All Over MeA couple of years ago, my attitude was akin to that of The Joker, the one played by the late Heath Ledger in the Dark Knight movie. …Memoir8 min read
Published in Pop Off·May 10Member-onlyToo Much Personality?Do you want to know when I was completely sold on Moon Knight, the latest superhero themed streaming show produced by Marvel Studios, the entity considered by some DC (Detective Comics) aficionados as the new evil empire? It was near the end of an extraordinary first episode, when Steven Grant…Television5 min read
