Editor’s note: The following article is an op-ed, and the views expressed are the author’s own. Read more opinions on theGrio.

On his last full day in office, President Joe Biden spoke at a South Carolina Black church about his vision for a just society one day before the federal holiday honoring the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“I first got involved in public life because of the Civil Rights Movement,” Biden said at the Royal Missionary Baptist Church in Charleston. “I had two political heroes growing up, Dr. King and Bobby Kennedy,” the former U.S. attorney general and senator, who, like Dr. King, was tragically assassinated in 1968. 

Biden, who was 25 when Dr. King was killed, said last April on the 56th anniversary of Dr. King’s death: “His unfinished mission inspired me to leave a prestigious law firm to become a public defender and begin a career in public service.” 

After leaving the church, Biden toured the nearby International African American Museum, at the site where some 200,000 captured Africans were sold into slavery. 

In another gesture of racial reconciliation, the president issued a posthumous pardon Sunday for Black nationalist leader Marcus Garvey, who was convicted of mail fraud in 1923, imprisoned for two years and then deported to Jamaica. 

Dr. King was assassinated when he was just 39. I was 8, and I vividly remember crying uncontrollably when I heard the terrible news. I couldn’t understand how God could let such a great and saintly man be murdered. Black America was plunged into a state of mourning, as if a close and dearly beloved relative suddenly died.

I later read all the books, sermons and other writings Dr. King produced. And I was honored to play a significant role in the campaign to make Dr. King’s birthday a federal holiday, working with his widow, Coretta Scott King, and many others to win congressional passage for needed legislation that was signed into law by…

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Editor’s note: The following article is an op-ed, and the views expressed are the author’s own. This opinion was originally posted on Bounding Into Sports. Read more opinions on theGrio.

When news broke that Michelle Obama wasn’t attending Donald Trump’s inauguration, word spread around the internet faster than gossip after a funeral.

After all, it was quite literally a funeral that sparked the first inkling that Michelle Obama wasn’t playing by anybody’s rules anymore.

As we watched former presidents and dignitaries solemnly walk into that church and sit down to pay respects to Jimmy Carter, a noticeable elephant in the room stomped louder than Mr. Bush thumping on Mr. Obama’s chest to slide into that pew and avoid interacting with Donald Trump: Michelle didn’t come.

The former first lady issued a statement with gracious condolences to the Carter family and a vague explanation about being in Hawaii, but some of us were already putting 2 + 2 together that Mrs. Michelle LaVaughn Robinson probably had zero interest in breathing the same air as the man who put a target on her husband and family’s back for years.

Birth certificate? Called my husband the founder of ISIS? Yeah. I refuse.  *Smooths microbraids.*

While the world applauded Mr. Obama’s class and going high as he politely entertained Trump during the Carter funeral, the princesses of petty read the tea leaves that Mrs. Obama likely skipped a funeral to avoid being fake. The disgust was likely too much to contain.

But once it was confirmed that Michelle was indeed not attending Trump’s inauguration, thereby crushing all the eggshells many had been tiptoeing around during this latest Trump transition, a collective slow clap of standing ovation emerged across the country, particularly among Black women.

Why, you ask?

Well, frankly, she is our hero- rather she-roe; for refusing to go along with the shenanigans we’ve all been forced to…

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Editor’s note: The following article is an op-ed, and the views expressed are the author’s own. Read more opinions on theGrio

In 2020, when he was officially declared as the next president of the United States, Joe Biden sent a clear message to Black America: I have your back.

Now, with less than two weeks to go until Inauguration Day, President Biden still has the opportunity to cement his progressive legacy, and deliver on three critical promises he made to our community.

First, clemency. 

Last month’s historic announcement from the White House — commuting nearly every federal death row inmate — was welcomed news for the holidays, bringing justice and healing to countless families across the country. Unlike the final days of Trump’s first term — where Trump oversaw an expedited “spree of executions” — President Biden is prioritizing true justice.

However, while these actions are significant on a number of levels, these actions alone are not enough to address the centuries of injustice and mass incarceration that Black communities have had to live with.

Right now, Black people make up about 14% of the total population but account for 39% of those in federal prison.

Granting clemency to those serving sentences that would be much shorter if they were sentenced today must be a top priority for the president. For instance, although the current Department of Justice has ended the widely condemned crack vs. powder cocaine sentencing disparity, far too many Black Americans who were sentenced before the policy changed remain incarcerated. Additionally, many people whose sentences would have been reduced if the First Step Act were made fully retroactive remain behind bars. And still, many others remain ineligible for consideration for compassionate release simply because they were sentenced before November 1987 under the “old law.” The majority of these individuals have likely spent decades behind bars and…

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As the nation turns the page on 2024, many are mentally shifting from a time of holiday celebration to a time of anticipation for what lies ahead. Although on January 6, 2025, we saw a peaceful certification of the 2024 presidential election, we are all collectively bracing for a new administration promising sweeping reforms impacting every household in America. 

President-Elect Donald Trump promises to eliminate the Department of Education as part of  Agenda 47, and dismantle any and all DEI programs that feature “critical race theory, gender ideology or other inappropriate racial, sexual or political content.”

He has chosen Linda McMahon, the former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), to lead the department, or perhaps, lead its demise. She joins a chorus of conservative voices intent on eliminating the DOE. Even more troubling is a lawsuit –now paused– claiming McMahon failed to act on credible allegations of child sexual abuse connected to the WWE in the 1980s.

But the dissolution of a federal government department with the mission ”to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access” will help no one. The new administration’s rhetoric offers little explanation for what will replace the department, except to say education decisions should be made at the state, not federal level. 

Why DEI Matters

It is irrefutable that the DOE goal to “supplement and complement the efforts of states, the local school systems and other instrumentalities of the states, the private sector, public and private nonprofit educational research institutions, community-based organizations, parents, and students to improve the quality of education” is necessary for the intellectual growth of students and the future of this country. The intellectual growth of our children increasingly demands they be able to think critically. Exposure to a…

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Editor’s note: The following article is an op-ed, and the views expressed are the author’s own. Read more opinions on theGrio.

President Joe Biden’s decision to drop his campaign for reelection Sunday and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris to become the Democratic nominee for president was a selfless act of patriotism and a strong vote of confidence in the extraordinarily talented woman he selected four years ago to be his partner in governing.

America needs Kamala Harris. Democrats must unite behind her

Biden picked Harris to be his vice presidential running mate in 2020 because he knew the former prosecutor, California attorney general and U.S. senator would be able to succeed him should he be unable to carry on with his duties due to severe illness, injury or death. He made a wise choice. 

Harris has played a key role in Biden’s long list of achievements, including passing historic legislation to improve Americans’ lives, implementing a wise foreign policy, and effectively defending our nation. 

Biden has now made another wise decision that Harris is the candidate best qualified to be elected and serve as our next president. I know Kamala Harris personally. I’ve worked with her, and I believe she gives Democrats our best chance to defeat former President Donald Trump and save America from his destructive policies. Democrats should unite behind Harris because she would do an outstanding job as president and build on all Biden has done to benefit our country. 

As Biden knows, there is no better preparation for the presidency than serving as vice president. Fifteen vice presidents have gone on to become president. 

The American people owe President Biden a debt of gratitude for his lifetime of service to our country. He has accomplished more than most American presidents and continues to provide strong leadership for our nation. 

But Biden is a realist. After his weak performance in his June 27 debate with Trump prompted a…

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Editor’s note: The following article is an op-ed, and the views expressed are the author’s own. Read more opinions on theGrio.

Being a cultural writer, especially one whose job it is to comment on pop culture events, can put you in the position of critic or cynic as often as it can make you a king (or queen) maker. Let’s face it, all of pop culture isn’t amazing or interesting; things worthy of note today might be lost to the annals of history by next year, only to be remembered via humorous looks back in a “what were we thinking?” capacity. Sometimes, though, you write a thing that impacts immediately and that impact remains forever, for better or worse, depending on your vantage point. 

In June 1985, writer and editor David Blum wrote a cover story for “New York Magazine” titled “Hollywood’s Brat Pack” about the actors (none of the actresses who might have fit the bill at the time were included) who made up the until-then-unnamed group and the fame-hungry, unserious-but-profitable lives they seemed to be living. The story centered around Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe and Judd Nelson, all actors who starred in several films, together and separately, that became the defining cultural markers for the youth culture of 1980s America. I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that they’re the defining cultural markers for white America’s youth — very few people of color existed in the worlds created by John Hughes and his ilk; Ira Madison and Malcolm Gladwell speak about this in the documentary. 

The article and its ensuing fallout (or not) were the inspiration for Andrew McCarthy’s documentary about the ensemble, “Brats,” now available on Hulu. McCarthy, who was mentioned in the article via a negative quote from another non-named Brat Packer, seems to have been holding onto that term and any negative connotations for almost 40 years as some sort of albatross around his neck. The goal of his documentary was to seek out…

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Editor’s note: The following article is an op-ed, and the views expressed are the author’s own. Read more opinions on theGrio.

Sometimes, as I tweeted last night, you really do have to pop out and show people. That’s what Kendrick did last night with an epic show. Someone on TikTok said “Kendrick is Juneteenth and Drake is the Fourth of July,” and after last night’s Kendrick concert The Pop Out, that checks out. Kendrick is Black culture while Drake is a huge crossover celebration. But, before we go any further, we need to come together on a name for this historic show that the culture watched as one, talking on Black Twitter and texts about how this show was giving us life. 

@shanellegenai on Twitter suggested we could call it “Gangchella” or “Gangteenth” because of how Kendrick brought together the Bloods and the Crips and the Pirus of L.A. at the end of the show. (She also suggested “Goonteenth,” “The Gangerie,” “The Blood Bonvention,” and “Niggapalooza.”) The gang unity aspect was both heartwarming and wild. To see red and blue dancing onstage together and taking a photo together showed Kendrick’s cultural power — his ability to unite warring people is unmatched in modern hip-hop. @michaelharriot tweeted: “Gangbangers frolicking was not on my Juneteenth bingo card.” @actatumonline tweeted: “It’s dudes with 14 bodies on that stage dancing care free.” They were onstage together at the end in peace. @righttimeBomani said Kendrick deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for that. I tweeted “Not Like Us” is so hot it united Crips and Bloods.  

But no this will not go down as “Gangchella.” Many suggested we call it “Hatechella.” @mikebeauvais tweeted: “This is like “We Are the World but for hating a guy.” Kendrick ran through all his battle records, starting with “Euphoria,” sliding into “6:16 In LA” and “Like That” and then ending with “Not Like Us” which he did…

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Editor’s note: The following article is an op-ed, and the views expressed are the author’s own. Read more opinions on theGrio.

Most Americans support the notion of liberty and justice for all. As children, many of us pledged allegiance to our flag, and as adults, we still believe in justice for all. I know I do. That’s why I’ve dedicated my life’s work to fairness, whether as a civil rights attorney, Chicago’s first chief equity officer, and now as the senior strategic advisor for Race Forward, a nonprofit racial justice organization.

No matter where I’ve worked, I’ve always been driven by a passion for upholding fairness and justice. To connect people. To form a bridge between what communities need and what opportunities and resources they can access. It’s on this bridge where concepts of diversity, equity, and inclusion serve as our guides, helping to ensure fairness in how we get to our destination. However, lately, that bridge has been under attack and the number one target: diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

DEI is being targeted as the enemy, and it shouldn’t be.

The Washington Post reported that DEI jobs peaked in 2023, but have fallen by 8% so far this year, per data from Revelio Jobs, which tracks workforce changes. Also mentioned was that tech companies like Meta, Zoom, Google and, of course, X (formerly Twitter) are all reporting layoffs, cuts and pullbacks on DEI and related initiatives — some cutting budgets by 90%. The reason? They cite inflation; they point fingers at DEI underperformance metrics; or they reference workforce reduction requirements. What they aren’t naming is fear.

When people fear that which makes them feel uncomfortable, they will listen to any bit of evidence that supports their feelings of discomfort. We’re in an election cycle; there is a lot of fear-mongering that caters to a growing narrative: “White Americans are losing control.” That makes people uncomfortable –…

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Editor’s note: The following article is an op-ed, and the views expressed are the author’s own. Read more opinions on theGrio.

Interviewing Jeffrey Wright is a joy. Just before the Oscars, I spoke to him in Los Angeles for the next episode of “Masters of the Game, which launches Season 4 on March 29 on theGrioTV. He was riding high on the wings of his brilliant starring role in “American Fiction,” one of the best films of 2023. I know Wright. We live in the same Brooklyn neighborhood, and we run into each other from time to time. He’s always got a kind smile for an old friend. 

Wright is one of the best actors in Hollywood. He’s a master of his craft, and I’m thrilled every time I see him pop up from playing Commissioner Gordon in “The Batman” to Roebuck Wright in “The French Dispatch.” His acting shows his intelligence and his understanding of human nature. 

Because it’s “Masters of the Game,” I wanted to hear him talk about what it means to be a master actor.  Three big ideas stand out from our hour-long conversation.

First, to be a master actor, it’s valuable to be truly immersed in the work. When Wright was much younger, back when he was working on his first big film role in “Basquiat,” he thought about work all the time. “Early in my career,” he said, “I could think about a character for 24 hours a day. In ‘Basquiat,’ I thought about that man’s life in my dreams.” He continued, “I could immerse myself.” He was diving soul deep into his characters and you could feel that intensity in the work. It established him quickly as an important actor. 

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That said, as an artist who’s also a parent, he’s learned to channel his immersive moments because he can’t quite lose himself in the work in the same way. “Can’t do that anymore,” he said. “Got kids. You know, it’s not always about creative purity. You have…

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