Hi President Obama, I heard that you are coming to Chicago this week to deliver a “farewell” address. I can’t say that I’m not excited about that. You have given us so many truly iconic moments over the past ten years; I’m sure this one will be amazing. The only thing is that I can’t accept a “farewell” from you. …
Category: Hall Pass
What Traditional Schools Won’t Teach You About Michelle Obama
Michelle Obama will easily go down as one of the most powerful and influential women in history. Aside from being the first Black FLOTUS, she is intelligent, beautiful, strong, accomplished, and an ideal role model for young girls and women everywhere. So there’s no question as to why artist and Chicago native, Chris Devins, wants to paint a mural of…
5 Lessons from Donald Trump
Today President Barack Obama meets with President-elect Donald Trump to begin to discuss the transition between their two presidencies. These men could not be more different in terms of their backgrounds, policies, lifestyles and beliefs. But, the peaceful transfer of power is a hallmark of American democracy. So, President Obama will respect tradition and the rule of law and hand…
This Is Why We Can’t Move Forward
Eight years ago I was working for a small nonprofit organization in Evanston. The work was rewarding and equally stressful, which made is easy to air my frustrations from time to time. So one day, my supervisor/mentor and I were talking about programming and I was complaining about everything that was wrong with the organization, staff, etc. After my rant,…
Why Donald Trump isn’t the biggest threat to the Black community on the 2016 ballot in Chicago
Let me tell you why Donald Trump is not the biggest threat to the Black community on the 2016 ballot in Chicago. There is a seemingly harmless ballot question aimed at limiting access to high quality school options in Chicago that I believe presents a much more real danger in the long run. Let me explain. First of all, while…
No Role Models: The Audacity of Lil Wayne
Earlier today I was watching a Nightline clip in which an interviewer was asking famed rapper, Lil Wayne, about his views on the Black Lives Matter movement. Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. hasn’t really been known for being “woke” but I was extremely shocked and disappointed to hear his responses to the questions, especially considering the influence he has on youth.…
Freedom of Choice: Traditional Public Schools vs. Public Charter Schools
Today I wanted a gyro for lunch. I ran across a list of fast food restaurants in my mind and two stood out—one close to my home with average food and the other a couple of miles away with better food. A decision had to be made—do I choose the restaurant with average food because it’s convenient or the one…
Bandwagon Cub Fans… Can We Keep the Trend Going with Chicago Education?
I couldn’t tell you a single player’s name on the Cubs team if my life depended on it. Well, yesterday I learned about Dexter Fowler who’s making Black history by being the first African American Cub to lead-off in Game 1 of the World Series. Dope. But before that, no clue. To my defense I grew up on the Southside…