How we portray Black people informs our unconscious thoughts — It’s true. Advertising nowadays does a much better job of featuring a wide variety of people than it did a couple decades ago. Black. Asian. Latino. Interracial couples. You name it. In fact, the diversity in ads has some people fuming that Black people are now disproportionately represented in commercials…

China: Economic partner or neo-colonizer — It’s no secret that much of Europe built its wealth on profits from the African enslavement trade. Spain, Portugal, Belgium, England, France, and others lined their pockets with proceeds from trafficking African people. …

Understanding the collective benefit of diversity. — At 7:00 every morning, I spend an hour writing in a coffee shop. If I’m in my hometown Denver, I usually head to Aviano, where they sell the most delicious single-origin coffees and play good music. And where I can people-watch the hustle and bustle of the morning crowd. If…

A mystical path toward empathy — For this piece, I need you to turn on that magical imagination part of your brain. You know, the one you used as a kid. The one that transformed you into a superhero. Created imaginary friends. …

Motivation for a life of advocacy. — The year was 1991. I was a senior at Ohio State University in Columbus. Yeah, I know, that officially makes me old. I had been active in various campus activities and organizations for the better part of my college career, but there was still one thing I wanted to achieve…

If I forget thee, O Africa — Like most people, I’m not sure I could live without my smart phone. Or airline travel. Or lightbulbs. I enjoy my stainless-steel appliances. Society as we know it wouldn’t function well without battery-powered machinery in manufacturing, ceramics, electronic appliances. What do all these things have in common? They all use…

The double standard of asking Black people to move on from racism — How many times have we heard American apologists tell Black people to just get over it? “It’s time to move on.” Slavery ended over 150 years ago. Black people have been able to vote since the 1960s. We ended separate drinking fountains and back seats on the bus long before…

Our failure to acknowledge what we don’t know slows racial healing — I think it likely coincided with the invention of social media and our new-ish world of instant reaction and gratification, but at some point in the last 20 years, far too many people have forgotten how to say the three magic words we all want to hear from time to…

Healing and repair can’t happen while we still disrespect Black people — It’s been commonplace and even chic for white people in the South to have their weddings on beautiful vast plantations. The scenery. The open air. The historical houses and barns. The charm. If you Google “weddings on plantations in Mississippi,” you won’t get articles about what transpired there. …