A reminder that Jim Crow wasn’t that long ago. — I was born in a post-Civil Rights-era in South Alabama. My parents were born in segregated hospitals. Even though I’ve known this fact all my life, it still blows my mind. Because I grew up believing I could achieve anything and be anything. …

White saviorhood for fun and for profit. — This is going to be a left-field analogy, but follow me on this one. The ancient Roman military was a well-oiled machine of effective warfare. There were two types of forces: the legionnaires and the auxiliary. To be a legionnaire, you had to be a Roman citizen. Non-Romans could serve…

Why Southern states and local governments continue to place their citizens in mortal danger. — I was warned. We were all warned. We didn’t think the scenario from Jaws would happen in real life. Why would a mayor keep a beach open with a killer shark prowling the shoreline? And yet, here we are: arguing whether or not to open beaches and other public spaces…

I’m about to rain on someone’s parade. — I love Mardi Gras! I love sharing my culture and heritage with others regardless of where I am in the world. It’s a holiday meant to be shared and to us native Gulf Coasters, the holiday is like a second Christmas. …

Black storytellers tell stories differently than white storytellers. — Telling stories is easy. Telling a good story is hard. But what is a good story? Who gets to decide what is good? White people decide what is good. We must acknowledge all popular media is made to appeal to a white audience, particularly a young, white, mostly male, slightly…

The nuances of Photographing While Black. — Whenever I need a creative reset, I do what most photographers and filmmakers do: I shoot the world around me. We are an eccentric bunch and there are enough people interested in photography — or the idea of photography — who like to approach photographers and filmmakers to start small…

How I am navigating pandemic and post-pandemic work. — This was written in response to the Medium Creators Write Here prompt during an Open Writing hour. This is in response to prompt number two for the week of March 14. Please follow other people’s responses here. In March 2020, my department head at my community college told me to…

Part of me never left. — This was written in response to the Medium Creators Write Here prompt during an Open Writing hour. This is in response to prompt number three for the week of February 14. Please follow other people’s responses here. I attended college in Los Angeles. In my 18-year-old mind, it was the…

A Speculative Fiction. — Happy Lunar New Year! This article is in response to the WriteHere writing prompt #1 during the open writing hours. LaGuardia Airport. The air is thick and hot. But not like home. No, the air in New York isn’t swampy. Just a stuffy September day. I take a snapshot with…