This editorial calls on readers to challenge and disengage from media coverage that distorts or diminishes Black communities, emphasizing the power of audiences to shape narratives by withholding attention, support and resources from outlets that fail to provide fair, contextualized reporting.
Category: Commentary
Posted inEditorial
‘A whole civilization will die tonight’?: Dangerous words, 93 million lives, and a Congress that must act
An AFRO editorial by Dr. Frances “Toni” Draper warns that escalating rhetoric from the 47th president toward Iran risks normalizing mass destruction, endangering millions of civilian lives and increasing the likelihood of catastrophic conflict, while urging Congress to reassert its constitutional authority over war.
Posted inCommentary
Commentary: Behind every SNAP application is a family just trying to survive
LaMonika Jones argues that policy changes and administrative barriers are making it harder for vulnerable families to access SNAP benefits. She urges reforms to simplify the system and protect food assistance for those in need.
Posted inCommentary
Commentary: Black Americans face higher risk for colon cancer. Here’s why screening matters.
JaDonna Harris, a colorectal cancer survivor from Washington, D.C., shares her personal story to raise awareness about the rising risk of colorectal cancer—especially among Black Americans—and stresses the importance of early screening. Diagnosed shortly after turning 40, Harris highlights how symptoms can be overlooked and urges people not to delay testing, noting that new, more accessible screening options can help save lives.
Posted inCommentary
Beauty empire builder, Black bank founder: Remembering Rose Morgan
Rose Meta Morgan built a groundbreaking Black beauty empire in Harlem, operating the largest African-American beauty salon by 1942 and later co-founding New York’s only Black-owned commercial bank. Despite her influence, her legacy remains largely overlooked.
Posted inCommentary
When calling the police becomes a corporate reflex
By Chrissy M. Thornton There is a quiet calculus many Black people perform before we even walk into a store. We soften our tone. We monitor our posture. We keep receipts visible. We are mindful of where our hands are, how long we linger, whether we look “confused” or “confrontational.” This constant awareness is exhausting. […]
Posted inCommentary
The cost of war
By Eric Morrissette On Saturday, Feb. 28th, Americans woke up to find their country at war with Iran. Breaking news alerts carried word that the United States had joined Israel in an unprecedented joint military operation aimed at overturning the Iranian government. The human cost is already jarring: one week in, Al Jazeera’s live tracker […]
Posted inCommentary
IEPs made simple: How parents can advocate for their children
By Payton Aldridge Navigating the special education system can be overwhelming for many families. There’s a lot of unfamiliar terminology, meetings filled with professionals and decisions that directly affect your child’s education. It can sometimes feel like everyone else in the room understands what’s happening – except you. But it’s important to remember that you […]
Posted inCommentary
Reflecting on history, power and the future of the U.S. democracy
As leaders and communities across the United States prepare to celebrate its 250th anniversary, Americans from coast to coast are questioning the fabric of a nation that appears to be torn at the seams over race and capitalism.
Posted inOPINION
Opinion: For Black women, the Oscars are about more than Best Picture
Dr. Regina Davis Moss is a narrative strategist, cultural leader and reproductive justice advocate whose research examines how stories shape public belief and influence policy as president and CEO of In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice. In this piece, she discusses the importance of Black women controlling how their stories are told.
Posted inOPINION
How war news affects your mental health even from a distance
By Maurice Carroll Many of us wake up and check the news or social media before we even take a moment to check in with ourselves. We do this almost automatically, often without realizing it at the moment. It’s one of those habits many of us share but rarely talk about. We reach for updates […]
Posted inCommentary
Commentary: As the Old Guard of civil rights finish their march, ours must continue
By Steven Ragsdale This past weekend, thousands gathered in Alabama for the annual Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee Celebration, retracing the famous steps across the Edmund Pettus Bridge where civil rights marchers once faced violence for demanding the right to vote. As the nation reflected on that history, many of today’s and yesterday’s activists also mourned […]