I came into political consciousness in 2008 — the year that then-presidential candidate Barack Obama energized the leftist base with the promise of politics-no-longer-as-usual. I found myself annoyed that I was only a year away from legal voting age,...
I understand that Sandra Bland’s family asked that no posts or protests be published or undertaken in her honor. While I cannot understand the tremendous pain her family is experiencing in this moment, I do believe that remaining silent...
As I was getting into a cab last week, a Black boy no older than 15, made a full 5-finger grab of my backside. A year ago, I would’ve remained silent, but I reflexively turned around, yelled “Excuse me!” and...
If you were to ask what my greatest social concern was a few years ago, I would’ve said gay marriage. That answer has drastically changed. I recognize the monumental significance of the Supreme Court decision which made gay marriage constitutional...
I spent the first 18 years of my life in Seattle, Washington, a city largely known for how White it is. Grunge music, biking, softball, and skiing were as much a part of my cultural arsenal as were Kwanzaa, my...

White Flag

By Sebastian Johnson “Thine enemies roar in the midst of thy congregations; they set up their ensigns for signs.” Psalm 74:4 For months, the events have gathered, scattered ominously across the landscape like dark foreboding clouds, pregnant with the force of...
I’m tired. Really tired. I’m tired of fighting against a white supremacist empire that’s adaptive in it’s violence. I’m tired of how easily white supremacist values are held and legitimized by white folks who benefit the most from it, from...
1. Justify or police our rage. We have the right to feel and express our rage in a manner we deem appropriate. My only ask is that Black folk aren’t harmed by other Black folk. 2. Apologize for our trauma or...
There was a shooting at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal. There was a shooting, a massacre, and a tragedy at AME. Calling it anything else — especially a #CharlestonShooting is a function of white supremacy. The erasure, the inability or...
I’m not writing about Rachel Dolezal. There’s no need for her — and her lies, cultural theft, violence, and overall fuckery — to take up any more space. But since we’re all so transfixed with Black women now, can we perhaps channel...