I have loved the way that the Black women characters have been brought to the forefront of the storytelling in Misha Green's thrilling and provocative show Lovecraft Country. The uninterrupted wrath of Ruby. The expansive world and identities of Hippolyta. The resolve of Leti. Yet Diana's (Dee) plot line in the latest episode, "Jig-a-Bobo", reminded… Continue reading Lovecraft Country and Forgotten Black Girls
I never thought that sitting outside, the rays of the sun kissing my face and dancing off of my dark skin would feel so rare and necessary. Today is my 53rd day in some type of self-quarantine or shelter-in-place since returning from Thailand at the end of February. I didn't know when I was on… Continue reading Held
"To provide for those who grieve...to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes." Isaiah 61:3 Last night during my small group for church, our pastor had us reflect on the biblical passage: "The people who survived the sword, found favor in the wilderness while Israel was seeking rest" (Jeremiah 31:2). That passage evokes… Continue reading Beauty for Ashes
When I was younger, my mom would always tell me to write when I felt confused or hurt or angry. She would say that once I could start putting everything inside of me into some language that made sense to me, that in the creation, I would start to understand myself more. I often think… Continue reading Creating Myself to Freedom
In the last episode of season 4 of Black Mirror, "Black Museum," the realities of black suffering and torture on the precipice of death is front and center. I've read several interesting pieces on the episode that discuss a range of topics from black torture porn to black revolt. For me, it isn't just the imprisonment of… Continue reading “Black Museum” and the Precipices of Death
On a quiet road in an old Detroit neighborhood, you'll turn a corner and be greeted by vibrant displays of outdoor art. The Heidelberg Project, as it is called, was started by Tyree Guyton on Detroit's Eastside. It is a labor of love borne from a history of the desecration of black bodies and histories,… Continue reading A Moment in Detroit
One of the greatest gifts I have allowed myself to receive in my life are the reminders that I find of things that I need to recall or remember. Sometimes a word, a conversation, a photograph. I just have to be ready to listen. Last night I went to a celebration in Oakland in honor… Continue reading Reminders
Some days feel erratic. There's a little bit of something here, a little bit of something there, and time feels all over. It's hard to find solid blocks of time to sit in a moment --to relish the essence that is being completely and totally rooted in that second, that place, that feeling. I miss… Continue reading Finding Flow
What does it mean for something to be mine and not yours? what "right" do I have to a space, a land, a boundary? Maybe I'm the "good" immigrant to them. The Ivy degree, no criminal record, "good addition" to this country checkboxes. I think about the first time someone told me that I should… Continue reading Living My Own Narratives
I have what feels like a lifetime of wonderful childhood memories of my sister and me dancing and singing along to Prince songs with my sister. We never had a lot of CDs, but would use cassette tapes to record our favorite jams when they came on the radio and found creative joy in curating… Continue reading From the Little Girl who Always Sang ‘1999’ too Loudly
Odelia Younge 