By Aziah Siid, Word in Black If you’ve been lucky enough to score tickets to Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour, you know Queen B is on stage dancing with Larry and Laurent Bourgeois — better known as Les Twins. The 35-year-old identical twin brothers are known for their distinctive hairstyles (afros, braids, or twists) as well […]
Category: Word In Black
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Centering education in the reparations conversation
By Maya Pottiger, Word in Black We are in an era where the discourse on reparations travels along a number of crucial pathways. It meanders through the history of housing discrimination and inequities in home loan approvals. It acknowledges the haunting reality of police brutality and violence towards Black bodies. “Those are clearly grounds and […]
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Five Black mental health accounts to follow
By Alexa Spencer, Word in Black Social media has made it easier than ever to access mental health education. In a matter of seconds, a quick search for “ways to manage anxiety” or “how to set boundaries” on Instagram or TikTok lands users face-to-face with licensed therapists. With a new platform on the scene — […]
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Florida Decides to Teach That Our Ancestors Benefitted From Being Enslaved
by Aziah Siid, Word In Black Florida has taken yet another stride against teaching the full scope of Black history in statewide public schools — and it’s sparking criticism from advocates and families both state and nationwide. The new standards, posted on July 19 to the Florida Department of Education website, approved require public schools to teach that enslaved […]
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Survivors of the Tulsa Race Massacre say their fight is not over
by Bria Overs, Word In Black The fight for reparations and justice isn’t over. The legal counsel and living survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre plan to appeal after an Oklahoma judge threw out the lawsuit on July 7. Lessie Benningfield Randle, 108, Viola Fletcher, 109, and Hughes Van Ellis, 102, filed their suit […]
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In the classroom: a Black male teacher’s perspective
By Brian Delk, Word In Black In America’s most extensive public school system, New York City Public Schools hope to address the disparity between the student body and teaching demographics which shows an alarming disproportion of Black male teachers. In the U.S., Black male teachers make up 1.3 percent of educators, and in NYC alone, […]
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E-cigs are still flooding the U.S., addicting teens with higher nicotine doses
By Liz Szabo, Word in Black When the FDA first asserted the authority to regulate e-cigarettes in 2016, many people assumed the agency would quickly get rid of vapes with flavors like cotton candy, gummy bears, and Froot Loops that appeal to kids. Instead, the FDA allowed all e-cigarettes already on the market to stay […]
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State of Maryland ranked highest for student loan debt
By Bria Overs, Word in Black From coast to coast, Americans are closely watching and dreading the upcoming end to the federal student loan payment pause. Borrowers in some states, however, have more debt than others. For Black people, the lasting effects of their debt depend on where they live which is often in those […]
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There can’t be reparations without climate justice
By Maya Richard-Craven, Word in Black Imagine a world where Black folks experience liberation. We receive reparations for centuries of racial harms. Compensation goes beyond making amends for the atrocities committed during slavery. And the environmental problems affecting Black people get addressed head-on. If the promised 40 acres and a mule had been given, that […]
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Nope, long probation sentences don’t help students
By Aziah Siid, Word in Black It’s a split-second decision. While browsing the aisles, a kid slips something into her pocket. Or, after school, he throws a punch without thinking about what comes after. But what’s coming are life-altering consequences. Whether it’s a juvenile misdemeanor or offense, students have to face the reality that part […]
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Extreme Heat Is Killing Incarcerated Black Folks
By Maya Richard-Craven As we march into what climate scientists predict could be one of the hottest years on record, plenty of us will be cranking up the air conditioning, sitting in front of a fan, or sweating on our front porches. But imagine the torment of trying to find relief by lying on a […]
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Too Many Older Black Men Are Dying After Surgery
by Alexa Spencer, Word In Black A UCLA study found that Black men between ages 65 and 99 are more likely to die within 30 days of an operation. The purpose of surgery is to solve an otherwise daunting medical issue — but that only works if the patient survives. While most people live well past […]