Haiti One Month Later

Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) writes about his recent trip to earthquake-ravaged Haiti as a part of a congressional delegation:
As weather paralyzed the nation’s capital with record snowfall, scrambling schedules and disrupting plans, I was able to participate in a short, one-day trip to Haiti. Normally I would think twice about the usefulness of spending less [...]

Haiti on My Mind

Catastrophic doesn’t begin to describe the Haiti earthquake’s devastation on a country already ravaged by poverty.  Haiti is one of the poorest in the Western Hemisphere, if not the world.  I can’t bear to watch the news footage or see the pictures of destruction without doing something to help.  I encourage you to do so [...]

Women You Should Know: Somaly Mam

Sometimes we get so caught up in our own plight that we forget about the world around us.  But your perspective completely changes once you meet Somaly Mam. 
You think life has dealt you a bad hand?  Take a seat, count your blessings, and learn about an existence you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy.
Through an [...]

Nobel Peace Prize: Obama’s No King?

Though no one in the media punditocracy found fault in President Obama’s acceptance speech in receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, author and pastor Byron Williams, writing in The Huffington Post, makes clear that President Obama shares little with the two African Americans receiving the prize before him, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and [...]

Racism: Cuban Style

It is amazing how many African American leaders, celebrities, and the like are STILL in awe of Fidel “presidente por vida” Castro.  The same goes for Hugo Chavez. 
It’s borne out of a false and nostalgic sense of solidarity for the people’s poor in those countries and solidarity against the United States government.  To be sure, [...]

Etiquette Expert: Obamas bow to Japan’s emperor shows breach in protocol

The Etiquette Expert debuted her new updated blog.  A great read for those of us looking for etiquette tips in business, technology, and general manners.  Check out her recent blog on the much-hyped bow of President Obama’s bow to the Japanese emperor.
President Obama’s bow to Japan’s emperor shows breach in protocol.
Let’s set the record straight [...]

Since Apologizing for Slavery is All the Rage

We’ve touched on the recent spate of slavery apologies from the U.S. Congress, to Bill Clinton, to states and cities, and even corporations.  All of these public penances are by predominantly white institutions  apologizing for the slave trade and and benefits from free slave labor.
The Black Informant has written extensively on the subject and recently wrote [...]

Civil Rights Movement Marches on in Mexico

Time Magazine posted an article outlining the plight of Afro-Mexicans. Time writes:
Mirroring Mexico’s history itself, most of Yanga’s Afro-Mexican population has been pushed to neighboring rural villages that are notable primarily for their deep poverty and the strikingly dark skin of their inhabitants. Mexico’s independence from Spain and new focus on building a national identity [...]

(Afro) Hispanic Heritage Month

No, Black History Month has not been moved.  It’s still in February.
September 15th – October 15th celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month.
Why should this be of interest to African Americans?  Because the African diaspora spreads throughout the Western Hemisphere from the Canada to Chile. We just got dropped off at different slave ports throughout the hemisphere.  Afro-Latinos [...]

Culture Club – April

Culture Club is a periodic posting of cultural events which may be of interest to readers. Events are limited to the Washington, DC area.

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