By Allison Harrell While scrolling social media on September 7, I find out that a man named Botham Jean was murdered in his apartment by an uniformed off-duty police officer the night before. My mind swirls. So many headlines grab my attention. I read through a few articles, but nothing makes sense. There are clearly […]
Dear Kadija
by on July 26, 2018 Leave a Comment
Dear Kadija (aka, Black African in Libya), I am sorry. My heart shatters into a thousand pieces at every remembrance of you. I cannot forget you, because I look exactly like you. I am so sorry. I am sorry that it took a CNN report of the live auction of you in 2017 for the […]
Confessions of a White Ally
by on May 9, 2018 9 Comments
A good writer zips the reader into their skin, according to Memoirist Mary Karr. A good Christian zips herself into the skin of others. As a white woman researching race, ethnicity and white privilege in the United States, I thought I was doing this—learning empathy, increasing compassion. I read the books, listened to podcasts, shared […]
I Carry All Their Stories In Me
by on April 10, 2018 8 Comments
My hands are his hands. They are the same shape as his and move like so – just like his did I marvel at the memory of this giant of a man, of this larger-than-life presence, of this proud and passionate man with these hands, these soft and gentle and determined hands. I carry him […]
I Can’t Rub My Brown Away
by on February 14, 2018 10 Comments
It’s hard to stay hidden when you’re the only brown girl in the room. I can’t slip into the background and hope no one notices me. I can’t rub my skin color away and blend into the sea of white. It’s hard to stay hidden when you have big, unruly hair that takes up space. […]
