Love is not a far cry from tangible delight. The tapestry of human life contains ever-rich patterns, shape formations, and constellations reflecting the motif of human connectedness. We see semblances of it in cinema and visual art, we feel its vibration in the tones and symphonies of instruments, we hear […]
As I sit here at the close of 2025, wrapped in the energy of the winter solstice—that sacred moment when darkness yields to returning light—I find myself thinking about the challenges Black women have faced this year. Recent data shows our unemployment rate increased from 6.7% to 7.5% between August […]
It is that time of year again, when the ground gets cold, leaves get crunchy, and the aroma of sweet potato pie wafts throughout every room in Grandma’s house. Despite often experiencing significant inequality in everyday life (Bonilla-Silva, 2021), for many Black families, the holidays are frequently characterized by […]
One of the foundational myths of ancient Kemet (otherwise known as Egypt) features Ausar (otherwise known as Osiris) and his brother, Set. Ausar is a divine king who presides over Kemet with wisdom and righteousness. However, his younger brother Set grows envious of his position. Thus, he and his henchmen […]
For many Black communities, the holiday season carries layered meanings. While often framed as a time of joy and togetherness, it can also heighten grief, stress, and emotional fatigue, particularly for those navigating systemic inequities that persist year-round. African-centered traditions, however, offer culturally rooted pathways to psychological healing and resilience. […]
Reflection is a powerful tool for fostering self-love and restoring power to our minds. It offers us an opportunity to appreciate progress, express gratitude, explore mistakes, and identify areas for improvement. In the spirit of reflection and in honor of our Ancestors, I offer this reflection on a visit to […]
Our trans elders and transcestors have always provided the blueprints for how to live and love expansively. Through courage and care, they showed us how to nurture the discarded, how to build a chosen family when the world turned its back. Our work now is to imagine and sustain new worlds rooted in African‑centered values, worlds where enlivened spirit, truth‑telling, and compassionate care are the foundation of community life.
Nakumbuka is a Kiswahili word that means I remember. Nakumbuka is the name given to the annual day of observance for the Maafa (The African slavery holocaust). Jomo Nkombe, a Tanzanian who lived in Canada, pioneered the idea of nakumbuka as a public ritual in 1990. From early youth, Nkombe […]
If I hear very rhythmic sounds and music playing, be it African, Latin, or Diasporic, I can’t help but move to it, even if it’s just my little toe in my shoe that you can’t see moving. I move to it. My soul sways to it. I am the mother […]
By: Huberta Jackson-LowmanJustin WilliamsChrista JohnsonStephanie BarnesJasmine PlummerEarnestine RichardsonFlorida A&M University ABSTRACT This study investigated knowledge and use of proverbs, values associated with proverb use, and proverb prioritization among Afrikan American elders 60 years of age and older. Forty elders living in retirement homes in the southeastern part of the country […]
