My Christmas Seasons in Ghana and the United States
Each year, as the Christmas season approaches, I find myself instinctively measuring the present against a backdrop of my Ghanaian childhood.
Dispatches
How Black Migration in St. Louis Sparked Generation Nope
What was once America’s fourth-largest city remains an enigma consistently met with collective ambivalence. There is a dark side to the city, especially when it comes to racial disparities. Historically, decades of oppression have left a bad taste in the mouths of many Black St. Louisans.
Five Reasons Black St. Louisans Are Migrating from St. Louis
The mass exodus of Black St. Louisans in recent years continues to raise eyebrows and stir concerns that question where longtime residents are going, but mostly, why they are leaving.
Five Things I Learned at Greenwood Cemetery
The fact that a place like Greenwood had to exist in the first place reveals much about the profound implications of racial dynamics at the time. The history of its desecration and neglect, followed by the necessity of its revival, poignantly illustrates the enduring struggle and resilience of African Americans in our pursuit of equality and acknowledgment.
Reflection Is the Lost Art of Our Time
Reflection is the opposite of distraction. The opposite of impulsivity. The opposite of blind, atavistic selfishness. Done right, it stops us from lying to ourselves.
Invitation to the Dance
What first moved Antonio Douthit-Boyd to dance was a drumbeat strong enough to rattle the air. It was coming from a studio on Washington Avenue. He and his friends, all early teens, crashed the dance class for the hell of it.
“Christmas Music” is Better Than You Think
There is no reason to suffer through another holiday of musical clichés and battle-ax standards better heard by children. All it takes is a few clicks, and a few risks, to find yourself a new set of Christmas music standards.
How a Sufi Shrine Outperforms Western Medicine
If someone suffers from hallucinations, paranoia, depression, or intense anxiety in, say, northern India, what can they do? They can visit a Sufi shrine.
Why Dust Matters
Dust is insidious, yet innocuous, tiny, and indeterminate. We do not see those wriggling bugs or vile toxins; we see only fluff. And so we grow accustomed to the stuff, joking about its presence when an unexpected guest comes to our home.
Now More Than Ever, We Need Jacob Bronowski
If you have never watched “The Ascent of Man” or remember it from years ago but have not watched it since, watch it again.