Rise of the Modern Southern Black Belle
2019 Update: In the 2018 election, women, especially women of color, showed up and showed out! The strength and resilience of black, Latinx, and Native women will be the change we need to make America a government for the people and by the people. The Read More …
Healing Hearts – The Art of Love
Art is therapeutic and can be used to restore a broken hearted to a healing heart. Valentine’s day can be a somber reminder of heartbreak or love lost. Enter artist Raub Welch. His artwork has exhibited worldwide and caught the eye of Oprah, who owns Read More …
Black History: Reclaiming Sisterhood
For Black History Month, inspired by the Honorable Maxine Waters’ “reclaiming my time,” I want to change the narrative. I am tired of the media and television images portraying black women as ratchet thots that tear down one another. If we are not mammies or Read More …
Black History: Brotherhood
There are many negative media images about black boys and men. However, I know black men who are being the village to our youth. I grew up watching the men in my neighborhood reach out to young kids in the community. If they were hanging out, Read More …
Black History: Reclaiming the Black Family & Love
If you seek the traditional black history story, you can read my article on Why America Needs Black History Month and America Lift Every Voice and Sing. This year for Black History Month, I am doing something different. Inspired by the Honorable Maxine Waters’ “reclaiming Read More …
Memphis: Bring Your Soul & Entrepreneurial Spirit
2019 Update: For Black History Month, discover Beale Street‘s origins as Memphis’ Black Wall Street. Beale Street was the commercial district for black enterprise, music, and civil rights via the sanitation workers’ strike that ended with the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. There Read More …
MLK50 – Assassination of MLK
2019 Update: Republican Congressman Steve King said, “White nationalist, white supremacist, western civilization – how did that language become offensive?” A few days later other Republicans spoke out. However, for years King had been known to use racist language. The new face of the Republican party includes Read More …
H&M: Boy, Monkey & the N word
Update: Florida Republican primary for governor Ron DeSantis said voters should not “monkey this up” in reference to Andrew Gillum winner of the Democratic primary. The term boy and monkey have a special meaning in reference to black people. When I heard about the H&M controversy, I Read More …
Zenni Optical – A Game Changer
I was in a junior in high school when a couple of guys in my physical education class decided to act like they were playing Olympic level racquetball. Class was over, but they continued. As I walked to the exit, a ball hit the back Read More …
Afro-Ritz New Year’s Eve
Chicago based painter and interior designer, Raub Welch’s art work and life is an ode to Afro-Opulence. In addition to his beautiful Afro inspired collage and oil paintings, he is known for his elaborate themed parties. Throughout the year, musicians and artists can be found having Read More …
Reflections on 2017
This time last year I fretted what a Trump presidency would bring for 2017. It was worse than my cynical mind could imagine. More pressing was my mother’s cancer diagnosis. She had surgery a few days before Christmas 2016. Her health and recovery were paramount. Read More …
New Year’s Eve Cocktails
Champagne, cava, and prosecco are necessary to welcome the New Year. However, you need something else to serve until the midnight countdown. To that end, I visited two Chicago distilleries that have returned spirits to the city to get some cocktail recipes: KOVAL Distillery and Read More …