Like many, I watched Hillary Rodham Clinton accept the nomination of the Democratic National Committee, making her the first woman presidential candidate of a major political party, with a combination of hope, happiness, and pride, but what really resonated with me from her 56-minute speech were the words: “systemic racism”. It happened at about the 51-minute … [Read more...] about “Words Are Things”: The Importance of Naming When Speaking Truth to Power
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Women of Color and Sexuality: Adding Trauma to the Discussion of Diversity
Previously, I discussed a recent experience I had at a conference that promotes healthy human sexuality called “A Pattern of Diversity”. At this conference, I was slated to deliver a presentation about the impact of trauma, the intersection of violence and sexuality, and the continued dismissal of Women of Color from discussions about trauma and healthy … [Read more...] about Women of Color and Sexuality: Adding Trauma to the Discussion of Diversity
Women of Color and Sexuality: Another Lens to Appreciate Diverse Experiences
Sometime ago I enjoyed the opportunity to offer a scholarly presentation on some things I learned through research about African American women and sexuality. The conference, “A Pattern of Diversity”, brings together academicians, other professionals, and lay people from various attitudes and interests regarding healthy human sexuality. Typically, this … [Read more...] about Women of Color and Sexuality: Another Lens to Appreciate Diverse Experiences
Life at the Intersection of Race, Gender and Class
I am a middle-aged African-American woman, single mother of two, raised as the youngest of eight children by a mother with a 10th-grade education. I grew up on the East Coast in an impoverished and crime-ridden former industrial town where the illegal drug trade is now the mainstay of the economy. From the description of me above, some might have me currently pegged as … [Read more...] about Life at the Intersection of Race, Gender and Class
Déjà Vu at the 50th Anniversary March on Washington
On Wednesday, August 28, thousands of people will go to Washington D.C. and commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. This first march focused on civil and economic rights for African Americans and has been credited with advancing the passage of both the Civil … [Read more...] about Déjà Vu at the 50th Anniversary March on Washington