Print and Digital Articles
‘Pain to purpose’: Grieving mothers, aunts organize against street violence
On Sept. 2, 2010, Monalisa Smith’s life began to shift. Her nephew Eric was shot in Dorchester. His body lay in the street for two hours just past midnight before the 18-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene.
Working through her pain, Smith found solace among other community members going through a similar experience. Grief would soon morph into nightly gatherings in the basement of the Deliverance Temple Worship Center.
Published with the Bay State Banner
Girls’ basketball team in Worcester faces ongoing racial harassment
A Facebook video of South High Community School’s girls basketball team went viral earlier this month, amassing hundreds of racist comments. The ongoing vitriol and cyberbullying speaks to an underlying pattern of racial harassment levied at the Worcester team that extends beyond social media.
The video depicted gameplay from their Division 1 state tournament on March 6 against Andover High School. In it, a South High player appears to push an opponent after their own teammate was knocked down during an Andover play. Social media comments belittled their athleticism while calling the girls disparaging racial slurs and alluding to tropes of Black people as violent.
Published with the Bay State Banner
From Boston to New York: Local activists take on climate crisis
On Sept. 20 at 7 a.m., while most Bostonians were still asleep in their beds enjoying the last day of the weekend, a gaggle of locals stood on the corner of Summer Street and Atlantic Avenue. Just as the sunlight began to spill onto the streets, members of Extinction Rebellion (XR) Boston stretched as they prepared to board a bus with a destination in New York City to participate in the Make Billionaires Pay protest.
Aligning with the beginning of Climate Week and the UN General Assembly, Make Billionaires Pay was planned as part of the global week of action for climate justice titled “Draw the Line.” Convened by Women’s March, 350.org, Desis Rising Up and Moving (DRUM) and Climate Defenders, the New York march is one of many that occurred across the nation.
Published with the Bay State Banner
An Ode To Wonder
The magic of music that Stevie Wonder has brought to the world has been instilled in my mind from the day I was born.
My father often likes to attempt to ‘quiz’ me on facts about myself. For instance, he has asked on multiple occasions if I remembered what ‘birth’ songs were.
There’s the obvious “Happy Birthday,” off of Stevie’s 1980 album Hotter than July written to push for the commemoration of a holiday celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Yet, today that song is known as the more soulful part of the celebration for Black households.
The second song is “Isn’t She Lovely,” off his 18th studio album Songs in the Key of Life. This Stevie masterpiece is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. “Isn’t She Lovely” was written and dedicated to his daughter Aisha, and then subsequently done so unto me by my own parents.
Published with WERS
More than a smile: Remembering Smiler Q. Haynes and her lasting legacy
Smiler Q. Haynes, a trailblazer and leader in the Boston community, died on Jan. 6. After decades spent uplifting others throughout the city, Haynes left a lasting impact not only on her family, but on the many people she helped along the way.
Born and raised in Killarney, West Virginia, Haynes was one of seven siblings and was the second to youngest in her family. It was there she grew up and met her late husband Randolph Haynes Sr., whom she married in 1951.
Published with the Bay State Banner
LGBTQ+ Elders of Color hosts joyful storytelling day
On Nov. 16, the Reggie Lewis Center at Roxbury Community College came alive as people of all ages gathered for “Love, Health, and Liberation,” a storytelling celebration hosted by LGBTQ+ Elders of Color.
Throughout the afternoon, with stories ranging from hardships and resilience in the face of struggle, to a humorous story of getting locked out of an apartment and having to break in, stories of resilience and self-love echoed across the room.
Published with the Bay State Banner