Weekend At The Movies

I wouldn’t want to know or hear the thoughts of men all the time. I imagine it’d be a disturbing and unsettling thing. And it’s exactly what happened to Taraji P. Henson in the movie, What Men Want. I was impressed with her performance and comedic range portraying a strong female character named Ali, who happened to be in a heavily male-dominated work environment. When she was overlooked for a recent promotion at the company she worked at, she was upset and had every reason to be. She was smart, highly qualified, and equally if not more, hardworking than her male colleagues. Although this movie was a comedy, this kind of stuff happens in different workplaces all the time. Throughout the film a handful of people told Ali she didn’t connect well with men, so during a night out with her girlfriends, she met a psychic who gave her tea that allowed her to hear the thoughts of men. I’ve had the opportunity to work with a lot of men, and once, during an unfiltered moment, I overheard a group of guys discussing what they thought about the women in their lives. I couldn’t believe some of what I heard. As a woman, it was both enlightening and shocking to hear what guys say about women when they don’t think one of us is nearby. What Men Want was smart, funny, and entertaining. Check it out. Do something fun this weekend and enjoy yourself. TGIF!

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