May 2013
The kindness of strangers is never given its proper due on this blog. You all are amazing and a reflection of the beauty and heart that exists in this world, but is often ignored. Thank you.
To recap:
Anonymous asked: Is it really that difficult being a young Black woman? Aren’t you exaggerating just a bit?
Anonymous asked: stop acting as if you’re oppressed… it’s the 21st century. time to stop living like it’s a segregated society and time to start realizing that opportunities are available to you regardless of your race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc.
...
Anonymous asked: Not EVERYTHING has to be about race. #sitdown
WatchNew Disclosure!
“F for You” by Disclosure
I feel like I’ve been waiting forever for this. There was a poorly shot version of the duo performing this in concert circling around a few months ago. But to hear it so clear and lovely is such a welcome gift! I love that they’ve stepped up to the plate and are singing now on their own tracks. It was inevitable, right? And listen,...
parktowersuniverse asked: Who are your favorite writers?
“We in turn cling to what we have come to understand as our own: certain corners...”
– Last week I wrote about the ways in which a city’s structure can affect social interactions for WBEZ. I thought about it in reference to an article from The Atlantic by Emily Farber and also in reaction to a conversation I inserted myself into last year. Someone once said to me that I am...
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WatchBrand Spanking New - MIXICISMS for the week of 5/13/13
Starting right now, I’m implementing something new: WEEKLY MIXICISMS. This will be a collection of all of the new music I am listening to and loving. A new one will begin on the Monday of each week and will be updated throughout the week as new perfect jams are unveiled. The mix will stream on Soundcloud (sorry, no downloads). Thus far,...
Please stop telling me I don't have to "dress up"... →
I love that people assume that you dress for them, as if your choices are informed by their opinions. This is not just about men versus women. This is about everyone believing the world acts according to what makes people comfortable.
I’ve written about this in the past, but it is my firm belief that this mindset is born out of others’ lack of comfort in themselves. Because this only...
“You should always have a project that is just your life work. It should be the...”
– Theaster Gates, in a wonderful feature with my friends at Chicago magazine about his life and work. I met Theaster briefly last year and he is as charismatic as he appears on paper. His latest major solo exhibition opens at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago next weekend. The article is long,...
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kajuncannon asked: Are you into sports?
On foodie culture →
I was on WBEZ’s The Morning Shift today to talk foodie culture as one of privilege and luxury. You can listen to my chat with host Tony Sarabia at the link.
“Oh Sheit It’s X” by...
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Anonymous asked: are you a fan of zadie smith's works?
Something about how I have been called “white” because I am a writer. Something about how I have been called “white” because of what I write about, because I write about race in weird ways and because I will also not write about race at all. There is a photo of me attached to my stories. This does not matter. Black people do not write about their lives. Other people write...
WatchStephen Sprouse’s 1984 runway show opening (his first)
(via)
“My friend Britt had me over sometime last summer and she mentioned how she was...”
– You should absolutely listen to Barrett’s mix. We discussed this last year and I wrote briefly about it (I don’t think I’m exhausted yet of the topic. What does it mean to own this voice in a new context? What is the difference between a sample and a complete re-working and...
That feeling of coming undone
Start with the understanding that no one or no thing can take this away from you. Don’t feel like you have to drink. Don’t feel like you have to do much of anything except for what you came there to do: dance, laugh, let the music take over. The first two are surprisingly easy. You think that you need people around you to move and yet your body is moving, swayed by the bodies around...
“Men never ask what they should call women’s pain, so they call us crazy. They...”
– “What Should We Call Girl Pain?” by Safy Hallan Farah
This is why Safy is the most brilliant writer I know. Read the whole thing. She just nails it.
April 2013
“Love, Thy Will Be Done” by Jessie...
Tumblrs I Love: Part Four
I meant to create this post a couple of months ago, but time got away from me. Perhaps that was a good thing as it allowed a couple of new and brilliant sites to pop in. This is a list of the tumblrs I currently love. It’s a mix of culture sites, style resources, personal blogs, music blogs, and everything else. Hope you find something you enjoy!
Earlier:
Part 3
Part 2
Part 1
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WatchThe New York Times’ “Intersection” videos are one of my favorite things to watch on their site. In the videos, random people they find on the street at a particular intersection talk about their personal style. It’s simple enough and works because they choose different types of people. They’re not looking for “street style stars.” Rather, they’re...
“The great artistic pilgrimage feels painful because our identities are tied into...”
– Last week, I wrote about what it feels like when all of your friends move to different cities to pursue their artistic careers, and why this is okay. For some reason, it hurts more than when a friend leaves for service work or grad school or a non-creative field. I’ve been facing this for...
WBEZ - Chicago: This is who I think you are →
I wrote about ideas of race, privilege, and assumptions we make about each other based on false senses of intimacy. The full essay is at the link above.
Last week, I found a comment on an article I wrote that said, “Why don’t yo write about how your parents pay your rent,” (along with “stay home kill yourself”). It was the first comment that made me particularly...
Anonymous asked: How do you think Mad Fat Diary would be different if it took place in current times versus the 90s?
