I’m so exhausted with the notion that if #SandraBland would have kept quiet she would have been alive. That as black people we need to be “smart” and listen. That she should have never mouthed off at the officer. All of this respectability politics nonsense ignores the civil rights movement. It ignores changes that came about as a result of not listening. What would happen if civil rights leaders would have listened? Would have not mouthed off? Would have kept quiet?
At what point did we convince ourselves it is our duty to keep an officer from killing us even when we’ve done nothing wrong? At one point did we take on this burden?
Because news cameras are apparently only there if looting and protests are mentioned, here are some shots from the march for peace in Charleston yesterday. In case you missed it, thousands marched to Ravenel Bridge, holding hands in prayer and unity. Yet this doesn’t make news, but an interview with the killer’s friend does. all photos from Twitter
We all know her as Liz Ten, of course BUT this is Sophie Okonedo.
And THIS is her in the revival of A Raisin in the Sun
And most importantly, THIS is her winning a Tony Award for her performance; the first time she’s ever been nominated, and the first time she’s ever been on Broadway.
So can we pretty please get some love for this gorgeous girl?!
"I tend to be cynical about a lot of things, but Maya Angelou is somebody that no matter how much I pick her apart, she still has integrity. She was a victim of incest and rape, and she worked as a stripper. And now she’s a literary icon and Nobel Laureate. It goes to show that life is cumulative, and you can’t devalue any type of experience."