She’s Gotta Have It

In November Netflix premiered a series based on Spike Lee’s original film She’s Gotta Have It. I’m a huge fan of Spike Lee’s work. Malcolm X, Do the Right Thing, School Daze, and He Got Game are a handful of my personal favorites. I watched his film She’s Gotta Have It for the first time awhile back this year, and I thought it was interesting. The basis of the film is about a young woman named, Nola Darling, who can’t figure out what kind of guy she wants to date, so she dates three (very different guys – a goofball, a put-together guy and a narcissist) all at once, and also has a brief fling with a woman, while figuring out what it is she’s looking for. Fast forward to now and the series on Netflix? Bold. And…

Brilliant.

Creative.

Smart.

Funny.

Informative.

Thought Provoking.

When I heard a series was coming out – I honestly wasn’t interested. But before I knew it, I finished the series in two days. I can’t deny that what Spike Lee has done with this new version of Nola Darling is unbelievable. Nola Darling is smart, beautiful, complicated, sexually liberated, and indecisive and an incredibly gifted artist. The Nola from the original film even made a cameo in one of the episodes, which was cool too. The series is very well-written, the music set to the different episodes is on point, and the diverse and well-written characters and dialogue, in addition to the setting in New York City, all come together to tell real and powerful stories about a young woman in search of love, success and self-expression and discovery. It’s amazing.

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 Took A Concealed Carry Course

Ability, opportunity, and intent are three words I’ll never forget after taking my first concealed carry course. Learning about firearm safety, how to properly purchase and use a firearm, and obtaining my concealed carry license were goals I set for myself and accomplished at the end of last year. Although I felt completely outside my comfort zone, I knew taking these steps were important to me. Mainly because of the current state of our world and society in general. During the course with Concealed Coalition, our instructor began by stating that the world seems more hostile than ever. He shared how you could be an innocent person minding your own business and suddenly find yourself in a situation where a firearm is present or needed. When he asked, “What made you take this course?” I responded, “For protection.” The course was filled with men and women there for the same reason and others. We all learned about specific laws in place surrounding firearms, the steps to purchase them, ho...

Making Waves