Posts by Opinions - Letters to the Editor
To the ones who matter: a message to Black kings
After another man who looked like the ones I admire was lynched for the world to see, my heart shattered. I tearfully drafted a text to the Black men in my life and pressed send. The sentiments that came flooding back were unexpected, heartbreaking and yet assuring. I got a rare glimpse into their quiet…
Read MoreReflecting on blackface
Reflecting on this White psychology and their obsession with having to don blackface. But don’t get me wrong. From the 1840s creation of the minstrel show, born out of “massa” having his enslaved property perform for his entertainment, I get. I get White folks’ need to demean and see Blacks as ignorant, stupid and as…
Read MoreHow to have a difficult talk with young Black children about George Floyd
While getting ready to leave our home in St. Paul, Minnesota, four days after George Floyd died, I wanted to prepare my 6-year-old daughter for what we would encounter. I told her that things might look different. That some of the buildings we would see might be burned or boarded up. I told her that…
Read MoreJudge Penny Brown Reynolds: ‘America, I dare you not listen!’
Something feels different in America this time. It feels different because something is different. We are at a turning point. Without question, there is nothing new about the injustices and dehumanization of Black people at the hands of law enforcement and a criminal justice system that has been used as a tool of oppression to…
Read MoreChanging the world
George Floyd’s 6-year-old daughter Gianna looked on quizzically while her mother gave a heart-wrenching description of what the death of her father would mean throughout the child’s life. Roxie Washington, Gianna’s mother, described the future. He won’t be there to soothe hurts, to answer hard questions, to host the graduation party or the wedding reception. The…
Read MoreNonprofit Soul Reborn shifts focus to support frontline workers during pandemic
Restoring hope and dignity in women has long been the personal mission of bestselling author, transformational speaker and successful entrepreneur Cheryl Polote-Williamson. Williamson has changed lives through her labors of love, which include writing and producing motivational and inspirational books and films and serving her community as founder and CEO of the Tyler, Texas-based charitable…
Read MoreCommunities at risk of COVID-19: Get the facts and take action
We’ve all heard that people with underlying medical conditions are more likely to develop COVID-19, but what many do not realize is that at-risk, vulnerable communities are disproportionately affected by these underlying conditions. At-risk communities – which are far too often predominantly Black and Hispanic populations — have been long-affected in greater numbers by medical…
Read MoreOpportunity knocking: Answer the door
Have you ever felt a calling over your life but gave yourself every excuse in the book as to why you can’t embark on the vision God has shown you? I have. I distinctly remember running and hiding from God and my purpose primarily because it felt so heavy — bigger than life — and…
Read MoreFulton County Magistrate Court Clerk Cathelene ‘Tina’ Robinson sued for not performing mandatory legal duties
Fulton County Chief Magistrate Judge Cassandra Kirk on Thursday expounded on the reasons why she filed a lawsuit against Magistrate Court Clerk Cathelene “Tina” Robinson. Robinson is accused of failing to perform the duties she agreed to when she was appointed in 2016. Kirk said during the last two years, the court has fielded a…
Read MoreBad public education? We must stop placing blame and look in the mirror
Our nation is ablaze with political debates surrounding education, charter schools and failing public schools. I read about thousands of schools failing nationwide, and all I can think is our children are not “failing.” We have failed our children. Oftentimes during debates, I’ll ask panelists to share who’s actually consistently volunteering at a local school.…
Read MoreThe youth vaping epidemic is not over
The youth vaping epidemic, which has led to more than 30 reported deaths and countless illnesses, very clearly got its start due to the actions and decisions of one company — Juul, the leading e-cigarette manufacturer. Juul has been marketing flavored vaping products to teenagers across America, and until now, they have been getting away…
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