By Alexa Spencer, Word in Black We all know working up a sweat is a must for keeping our bodies and minds in top form. From fending off illnesses to supercharging our brain power, exercise does it all. But here’s the tricky part: when it comes to hitting those health goals, Black folks are facing […]
Author Archives: Word in Black
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My 9-year-old loves Ja Morant (I kinda wish he didn’t)
By John Celestand, Word in Black My 9-year-old son’s favorite player is Ja Morant. I need to explain this further, so you really get it. The person writing this article— the one who contributed to giving my son life—grew up a Los Angeles Lakers fan, played for the Los Angeles Lakers and won an NBA […]
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It’s time to ‘go beyond grades’
By Tracie Potts, Word in Black New York’s Times Square is famous for its neon ads promoting anything from Broadway shows to consumer electronics and fancy cars. But this past month, there was a different kind of message among the sea of lights — an important appeal to parents: 90 percent of NYC parents think […]
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Want more black creatives? Stop cutting arts funding
By Marissa Gutierrez-Vicario, Word in Black On Inauguration Day in January 2021, many were left spellbound by Amanda Gorman’s “The Hill We Climb.” As the youngest inaugural poet and first national youth poet laureate, Gorman’s words were both poignant and powerful. However, as the social media buzz surrounding her delivery began to subside, a critical […]
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Serena Williams deserves a healthy second birth
By Liz Courquet-Lesaulnier, and Alexa Spencer, Word in Black Glowing in custom Gucci, tennis icon Serena Williams revealed her second pregnancy at the Met Gala in New York City on May 1, sparking well-wishes and congratulations from her fellow celebs and fans worldwide. Yet, behind the joyous news, there’s also worry. Williams’ last journey to […]
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Jordan Neely: from Michael Jackson impersonator to hashtag
By Liz Courquet-Lesaulnier, Word in Black Remember the lyrics to “Empire State of Mind?” How Jay Z raps, “Street lights, big dreams, all lookin’ pretty.” 30-year-old Jordan Neely, a talented former Michael Jackson impersonator who used to be found — in full MJ regalia — moonwalking on the subway and in Times Square, surely had […]
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Black women are more likely to be breadwinners- that’s not a bad thing
By Bria Overs, Word in Black In 1972, men were the primary or sole breadwinners in 85 percent of opposite-sex marriages. Things have changed drastically 50 years later. Today, according to new research from the Pew Research Center, husbands are the sole or primary breadwinners in 55 percent of marriages. The change over several decades […]
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Only three percent of golfers in the U.S. are Black, this program gives kids a shot at the sport
By Aziah Siid, Word in Black Golf, like many sports, is riddled with a long history of systemic racism, which has contributed to a significant lack of representation of Black players. The numbers speak for themselves: of the roughly 24 million recreational golfers in the United States, only 3 percent are Black, and a mere […]
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Five ways you can use less plastic
By Anissa Durham, Word in Black You probably don’t notice, but every time you inhale, you are breathing in plastic. The production of plastic has exponentially increased in the last two decades. So much so that, globally, 400 million tons of plastic waste are produced every year. Because plastic does not decompose, all plastic that […]
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Commentary: Air pollution impacts us all — but not equally
By Margot Brown, Word in Black Access to clean air is a fundamental human right. Unfortunately, not everyone has access to clean air. Across the U.S., air pollution threatens the health and safety of millions of Americans, and those threats are not felt equally. Your race or zip code should not determine your life expectancy […]
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How maternity care deserts put Black moms at risk
By Alexa Spencer, Word in Black “I don’t want to die.” That’s what a pregnant Black woman told Adriana Hawkins-Smith, a doula serving McComb, Miss. during a prenatal visit last year. The two met up over coffee to discuss birth plans when the mother’s fear bubbled to the surface. The expectant mom was afraid of […]
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With Carolyn Bryant’s death, where is justice for Emmett Till?
By Liz Courquet-Lesaulnier, Word in Black Emmet Till deserved to grow old. If he hadn’t been murdered in Money, Mississippi, on August 28, 1955 — if he had lived long enough to develop wrinkles and gray hair, and bounce his children, grandchildren, and possibly his great-grandchildren on his knees — he might have celebrated his […]
