More Than A Single Story in Black and White — I remember her well. We lived with my paternal grandmother in a small rural town when I was a young child. She was fair-skinned with a mane of thick, wavy “salt-and-pepper” hair. Despite her lighter complexion, it never occurred to me to question her heritage. I was well into adulthood…

… and why I choose to write about her — Audacious. Brilliant. Classy. These are words I attribute to U.S. House Rep. Stacey Plaskett (D-VI). This week, the nation had a chance to hear House impeachment managers lay out their case for the conviction of Donald J. Trump. In my estimation, they have all been calm, poised, professional, passionate, and…

A message to my fellow Americans — On Wednesday, January 13, 2021, I listened to arguments made by members of the U.S. House of Representatives regarding whether or not to impeach President Donald J. Trump for a second time. The persuasion of every argument seemed to hinge on the presumption of truth-telling. …

*Note from the Author: An original version of this article was published in Medium on 11/13/2020. The author has since updated the article to include data from the American Political Science Association (APSA). When Mary Elizabeth Taylor resigned from the State Department in June 2020, I took notice of political…

Finding commonality through one simple gesture of love — In early 2020, before the pandemic lock-down, before the world knew the names Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd, before the Black Lives Matter summer demonstrations of racial reckoning, I had the pleasure of worshipping at a church in the northern mountains of Georgia. …

Perspectives on life as a Black woman — A few years ago, I interviewed for a position within an organization. I was being interviewed by a panel of people — all of them white. Now, at the outset, there is nothing wrong with that, but in my opinion, the main interviewer was being overly gratuitous. For a number…

Reflections following the Derek Chauvin trial — Two days following the death of George Perry Floyd, Jr., I wrote a blog piece entitled “The Day I Mattered,” which was posted on my personal blog site. I reflected on an incident in my own life where I felt seen rather than unseen. Granted, my experience was comparatively innocuous…

A Call for Peace in a Nation Rife with Hatred — Race Around the Globe You’ve witnessed it. You’ve heard it. You’ve lived it. You’ve experienced it. Racism. It has become increasingly mordant and vitriolic. Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives do not appear to be working. The prayers of religious people have not united us. …

On finding common ground in the midst of diversity — Two years ago, I took an online course in religion, conflict and peace from HarvardX, an online learning initiative of Harvard University. I took it in hopes of improving my skills in anti-racism/pro-reconciliation work, of which I was involved through my church denomination. I am committed to the work of…