13 Reasons Why: Season Two

In Dante’s narrative poem Inferno there are nine circles of hell. Limbo, lust, gluttony, hoarders and spendthrifts, wrathful, heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. After watching the recent season of 13 Reasons Why, I couldn’t help but contrast it with Inferno. Because for the teens in 13 Reasons Why, high school can feel like an unpleasant field trip through Dante’s nine circles. I was familiar with the show and its first season when the show’s narrator, Hannah Baker, ended her own life after enduring bullying from her cruel peers. But this second season had me thinking, is high school really this dark now? I hope it isn’t. Season two of 13 Reasons Why was darker than the first and painfully disturbing. I was disappointed with the things that happened, the conclusion, and the cliffhanger and I wonder if there’ll ever be salvation, justice, or peace for the show’s young teens and sadly, any teenagers dealing with the issues the show portrays, such as bullying, sexual assault, drug use, violence, and the high school “code of silence” that teens have to protect their friends and bullies. I’m also aware that many people have chosen not to watch the show due to its subject matters, but there’s no denying that it hits hard issues that today’s teenagers may be dealing with. Being open to discuss these controversial issues sparks conversations and these conversations are critical to have. I had some rough times in high school but never at the capacity like the characters on 13 Reasons Why. Who knew high school could be so tough? I know the show is fictional, but for those coping with its realities, what can be done to change things for the better?

Thoughts From a Black Educator: Qualified, Credentialed, and Constantly Undermined

I’m a Black educator in my fifth year of teaching middle school English, and in my third as the 8th Grade English PLC (Professional Learning Community) Lead. And while I genuinely enjoy the purposeful work I get to do, seeing the growth of my scholars, and continuing to hone my skills in a content area I’ve loved since I was a little girl, I’ve had to confront some unpleasant experiences in this space. I’d been through much worse when I was an academic advisor at a Christian university. Racism, sexism, harassment, and workplace bullying were sadly norms in that environment. However, some of what I’ve experienced as a Black educator hasn’t been normal … It doesn’t seem normal to be the only Black educator in my department – in a predominantly Black school. One of my Black colleagues once said, “It should look like a Tyler Perry movie in here.” But it doesn’t. It didn’t feel normal being reprimanded in a meeting (during my second year of teaching) by an administrator who went in on...

Ditching Dating And Decentering Men

Today’s current dating climate is bizarre. It’s grown so bizarre, that men barely, if ever in some cases, will approach a woman in person and ask her out on a date. Instead, the new normal has become DM sliding, creeping on social media accounts, and liking photos to build romantic connections, which honestly doesn’t sound too romantic or appealing to me at all. As a child of the 90s and a teenager of the early 2000s, I miss and prefer the time when men interacted with women without hiding behind technology. There was something special about handwritten cards and notes, thoughtful dates, serendipity, and intentionality. After having some unpleasant encounters, embarrassing moments, and failed set ups (from well meaning people who believe I need to be partnered), I’ve decided, that now, at 36, to choose me. I’m ditching dating and decentering men. I’m no longer interested in meeting anyone, dating, or creating space to prioritize a relationship. I’ve never been a male-centered woman any...

The Day I Made A Will

When I was a teenager, I remember writing a list of my greatest fears. One of the things I listed was death. Looking back, it was an interesting item to list because inevitably, death is something each of us will face at some point in our lives. Even though it’s no longer a fear of mine, I understand why and how it’s not a comfortable thing for everyone to navigate. But regardless, this past summer I completed a detailed will. I signed it, had witnesses sign it, and got it notarized. As I was getting everything done, one of the witnesses looked at me and said, “You know, it’s just that you’re so young…” I’ve learned that death doesn’t care how young or how old you are. You can be five, fifteen, thirty, or fifty, and it’s still something that happens. Completing my will wasn’t scary. It gave me peace of mind having documentation in place stating my detailed directives and requests. A year ago, I had one of my kidneys removed. It was a surgery that came with risks that were presented cle...

Making Waves