Culture

The other day, I turned over my expired Texas license and officially admitted to the DMV that I am a permanent resident of Mississippi. I’ve been thinking a lot about what that means. Whenever someone asks me what it’s like living in Mississippi, I always say, “The Help.” To clarify, Kathryn Stockett is a genius, and not just because she captured southern racism. She also gets the unwritten rules and subtext of social life in the deep south. I have no fear of being denied entry into a bathroom. In spite of its baggage (and perhaps a bit because of…

The death of Jordan Edwards is yet another reminder that an honest family meeting to discuss matters of race, ethnicity, and justice is long past due. This conversation needs compassion rather than condemnation.

We cannot relegate the work of teaching our children to Disney or Pixar, to Dora or Sesame Street.

Growing up, little girls are told, “Be a strong black woman, we need more of those.” I heard the challenge and accepted. But at some point, my goals radically changed.