Today, May 25, marks a year since George Floyd was murdered in Minneapolis by then-cop Derek Chauvin — a death that triggered one of the largest protest movements in U.S. history under the rallying cry of “Black Lives Matter.” Memorial marches, rallies, and vigils are planned in many locations. If you’re in New York City,…
racism
Abolition Now
It’s been difficult to know what to blog here, while police all over country continue committing acts of violence against Black and brown people. For 20-year-old Daunte Wright to be shot to death by a veteran cop at an unnecessary traffic stop in Brooklyn Park, Minn. — mere miles away from where Derek Chauvin is…
My Best Dressed at the 2021 Grammys Is …
The winner of my Best Dressed/Wear What You Want award for the 2020 Grammys is Billy Porter and his fabulous mechanical hat! Yeah, I said 2020. I know the 2021 Grammys ceremony was on last night, and I’ll get to that eventually, but I’m a wee bit behind! There was a lot going on when…
Impeach Trump Now
I don’t want the domestic terrorism that took place in Washington, D.C., today to sap all the joy out of the yesterday’s huge achievement: Georgia’s election of two Democratic senators, Rev. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff. Warnock is the first Black person to win a Senate seat in Georgia; Ossoff is the first Jew. Their…
Relaxing With Joe Biden … NOT!
I don’t like to count my chickens before they’re hatched, but at the moment I’m cautiously hopeful for Joe Biden. Keep your fingers, toes, eyes, and all other body parts crossed! I’ve read and heard a lot of people bemoaning the fact that Biden’s lead isn’t the landslide they hoped for. In response, I will…
Activism Inspiration: White Rose Leaflets of WWII
On this day in 1943, Nazis beheaded three young Germans — Christoph Probst and siblings Sophie and Hans Scholl — for their part in writing, printing, and distributing six leaflets urging nonviolent resistance to the fascist regime. Embed from Getty Images The leaflets were produced by the White Rose — the name chosen by a…
Super Halftime: The Shakira & J. Lo Show
The Shakira and Jennifer Lopez Super Concert on Sunday was so much more meaningful than I expected! I’m told there was some kind of big sports event before and after their performance, and — if that’s correct — I just hope both sides had fun. More importantly, we had two Latinx women headlining the show…
Martin Luther King Jr. Day Inspiration
When I’m frustrated by individuals who fail to take positive actions to improve society, I reread Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter From a Birmingham Jail.” “… time itself is neutral; it can be used either destructively or constructively. More and more I feel that the people of ill will have used time much more effectively…
Role Model: Representative Ayanna Pressley
Rep. Ayanna Pressley is a groundbreaker: She’s the first woman of color to represent Massachusetts in Congress. Her election — which occurred during the “Blue Wave” of November 2018 that flipped the House to a Democratic majority — came nine years after she was voted in as the first woman of color to serve on…
Take to the Streets … and (Maybe) Laugh at My Expense
*** COMING UP! NATIONAL ACTION ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17 Rallies are planned all across the country at 5:30 p.m. local time to declare that nobody is above the law — especially the president. If you can be there physically, grab a couple of friends and go. FIND A LOCAL RALLY HERE. *** Tuesday’s #JewsAgainstIce protest…