The foolishness and violence of the Oscar winner’s act — and of Chris Rock’s cruel joke — were undeniable, but the broader context and roots of such behavior merit reflection. Written by Eisa Nefertari UlenContinue reading

“Nella feels the aloneness that is inevitable in an industry that is among the most segregated, despite its left-of-center inclinations.” The Other Black Girl, a novel thriller written by Zakya Dalila Harris. Published June 2021Continue reading

Here’s what defunding the police could look like—and the best arguments from advocates in favor of this approach. Published April 26, 2021 by Reader’s Digest. Written by Eisa Nefertari Ulen – As the nation movesContinue reading

Racism enters Black bodies. Enduring racial discrimination lowers heart rate variability and increases heart rates. Racism is fight or flight. Published March 9, 2021 by Truthout. Written by Eisa Nefertari Ulen – The internalization ofContinue reading

Critic’s Notebook: A film critic, academic and novelist notes the acute joy and pain of viewing awards contenders that explore African American genius, including ‘Judas and the Black Messiah’ and ‘The United States vs. BillieContinue reading

On Alison Rose Jefferson’s “Living the California Dream” Published in the LA Review of Books December 15, 2020. Review by Eisa Nefertari Ulen – ALISON ROSE JEFFERSON documents a world I knew little about beforeContinue reading

Founded in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, Kwanzaa incorporates African language, cultural traditions, and family for a week of affirming, enduring celebrations of Black life. Published November 12, 2020 by Reader’s Digest. Written by EisaContinue reading

This commentary is part of the Pulitzer Center’s COVID-19 Writers Project (C19WP), which captures a hyper-local view of the coronavirus pandemic, while examining the extent to which health outcomes are impacted by socio-economics, education, andContinue reading

Can a catchy little rhyme really be that problematic? Yes—and it’s one way racism was inextricably woven into American life. Get ready to cringe at these childhood favorites. Published September 30, 2020 by Reader’s Digest.Continue reading

Critic’s Notebook: The star’s vulnerable, tender portrayal was so inspiring in part because of its departure from many of the qualities usually associated with strong Black screen heroes. Published August 29, 2020 by The HollywoodContinue reading

This seemingly innocent question has racist overtones. Published July 2, 2020 by Reader’s Digest. Written by Eisa Nefertari Ulen – I have a friend who lives in New York City and has a super-strong BritishContinue reading

Facial Recognition Systems Threaten Black Lives Facial recognition technology promises to alert us if our children are skipping out on their college classes, to zip us past all the suckers waiting in line at theContinue reading

Environmental Racism and Its Assault on the American Mind Published in the LA Review of Books November 26, 2019. Review by Eisa Nefertari Ulen – IN HER 1962 BOOK Silent Spring, Rachel Carson documented theContinue reading

Award-winning poet Shonda Buchanan honors multiple literary traditions in her breathtaking new memoir, Black Indian. An educator, freelance writer, and literary editor, Buchanan is a culture worker with deep, decades-long engagement in communities of color.Continue reading

“To create art amid sorrow or oppression is to insist on excavating meaning from the dull senselessness of pain. It is to be alive and speaking back. Art dives headfirst into the uncharted perils andContinue reading

This is about fear. I can’t watch “When They See Us” … yet I know I must. I have to watch Ava DuVernay’s miniseries about the five wrongly convicted Black and Brown children labeled theContinue reading

Young people learn best in classrooms where they feel valued, and where the social and emotional aspects of their development are prioritized by teachers and other adults tasked with their care, according to a newContinue reading