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?

The Day I Became A Kidney Donor

About a year ago, I had a dream my dad wanted to talk to our family about something serious. I wasn’t sure what he wanted to discuss, but I knew it was something I needed to prepare myself for. Around the time after I had this dream, I remember stopping by my parents place and sensing something was going on that they weren’t telling me. I tried to dismiss what I’d been feeling, but I couldn’t shake it. Something serious was happening. As I returned to my home after visiting them one day, I was in my kitchen washing dishes when a heaviness hit my heart like nothing I’d ever felt before. Something’s wrong with dad. That’s what that dream was about. God, what’s going on? As I continued washing dishes, I started crying and praying. Then in mid-spring, my dad held an unexpected family meeting that would change all our lives forever. He hesitated at first, and as his voice started cracking and he started crying, he said, “Well, I wanted to talk to ya’ll to tell you that I have kidney disea...

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...

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