Mel Hopkins

@Pioneer1 Yep... You were correct ... This argument is vote for republican or make sure your vote doesn't count in the presidential election. Here we go again.

Thank You!!!

YEP! It worked in 2016 - and they even put together a documentary showing how well it worked. The documentary showed how they profiled black voters in key states. They identified the weak minded, the thinkers, individualists, and one other type and then convinced them not to vote. I guess even weak-minded, but engaged, social media users couldn't be persuaded to vote for Trump. Kind of like a hypnotist can only get a subject to do something they might be inclined to do but not something you'd never do. @Troy ,can we get a "Yep" button to go with "like," "thanks," "laugh," "sad," and "confused.") I don't like everything I agree with.

Ok. Except I think this species sometimes wears 'white' skin. Sometimes they may choose other skin colors to advance their agenda but calling them people, folks, or even human is a stretch. As you mentioned, LEGERDEMAIN only occurs in plain sight. They can't help but record in writing all of their dastardly deeds. So anyone who doesn't read is S.O.L.. because their hubris forces them to keep 'history' - I guess it's necessary for the others who join them at a later date. Anyone with excellent reading comprehension, the ability to connect the dots and detect change will always stay ahead of the curve.

With NYC Central Park Condos going for nearly $10 million, imagine how much Seneca Village would be worth today? Descendants of the Lyons family may know the dollar amount but they probably will never see a penny. I shared this NYT article from my account it should be open to read. Their Land Became Part of Central Park. They’re Coming Back in a Monument. A new sculpture will honor the Lyons family, black activists and property owners who once lived in Seneca Village, a community destroyed by the creation of the park. A double ambrotype portrait of Albro and Mary Joseph Lyons. The city is planning a monument depicting them, along with their daughter Maritcha, in Central Park.Credit...Smith Collection/Gado, via Getty Images Also, check out the book Black Gotham |A Family History of African Americans in Nineteenth-Century New York City  by Carla L. Peterson, "an academic who wrote a book on investigating her own family history. Dr. Peterson is a great-grand-niece of Maritcha Lyons."

@MzuriI Know Right! This case put the spotlight on many other eminent domain landgrabs from Black Americans. The local media here in GA even resurfaced how ( haunted )Lake Lanier was actually a community (Oscarville, GA) of Black Americans run out of their homes. The land was flooded, cemetery, fences many remnants of the what the town looked liked remains but underwater.

Yep Black and indigenous people…I think we collectively hold a little over 1 percent of this country’s wealth. And they continue to write laws to remove of us from our land and chip away at what we do have. At least one family, in California, got their land back this week. The California governor returned Bruce’s Beach back to its rightful owner.

Well I did have my fingers crossed. Anyway, I had to refresh my memory on the President’s record so far - I haven’t seen anything he’s done except clean up the ish left by the last administration. This is what the democrats do for the first two years of their administration - especially after the GOP raids the treasury, pass laws for their cronies and reduce taxes on the wealthy. Here’s a list of President Biden’s signed executive orders. He even issued an EO for the Human Rights crisis in Ethiopia - - Some of the bills he’s signed into law overturn 45’s harmful laws against the environment and working class. I like that he overturned 45’s Usury law and put the cap back on how much payday lenders can charge “the poors”. - those exorbitant interest rates usually hurt black communities the most. And he also overturned a Trump law that made it easier for employers to retaliate against workers who filed EEOC claims - that is direct win for the black community. I know because I once had to file a claim against my television station. So… it would be interesting to learn who we should be checking out next.

I remember when you pointed out this one - and with receipts … I appreciated your fight. I didn’t understand why the algorithm would come for black women. But a caste system needs a base.

Same question.

OMG! You just read me like a book …and you probably don't even know how deep it goes but this is truthdotcom! It is exhausting - especially when I have to stifle the " I told you so" in the aftermath. And yes, as a journalist, I'm used to other people's words LOL!

Bridgeman Sports and Media (EBONY's new owner) isn't expected to and they are no longer based in Chicago - even though a lot of people seem to think so. According to their spokesperson, , for the time being, EBONY is digital format only. Bridgeman Sports and Media, bought the BRAND name, EBONY, and decided to keep the BRAND's money-making events. For example, the EBONY 100 gala. Bridgeman Sports and Media, bought EBONY from the Clear View Group, during the liquidation process. The Clear View Group bought the EBONY brand Name from Johnson Publishing in 2016. The Clear View Group put the magazines (JET Included) under Ebony Media Holdings LLC but the CVG owners were forced into bankruptcy chapter 7 (liqudation) in 2020. So. that is it. In short it is EBONY magazine is a resurrected digital version. OH one more thing - the CVG CEO is allegedly in trouble with the SEC for using cannabis funds to resurrect EBONY. Remember my cover story on Issa Rae in September 2018? Well, that was the next to the last print issue of EBONY. Note: Some of the links are behind paywalls. After the sale, it appears Bridgeman Sports and Media transferred EBONY to another of its business holdings. "EBONY is a property of 1145 Holdings LLC"

@Cynique, I was recently thinking the same! The older I get, the less I have to say too. WHY IS THAT? I began to think about the elderly who have come before us - and they seem to disappear from the script. However, the sad thing is that the young people are simply repeating the same damn things that everyone has said before us. So, while I don't believe you have anything interesting to say - I think anything you would say would be off-script, and we sorely need those words.

These are presently the most important jobs. Probably why governments pay farmers to stop producing, and prevent others to start. Further, social movements are system disintegrator. And lawmakers are working overtime to stop it. See: Florida, Texas and Georgia.

The objective of a book review is to provide insight into the author's message. Without an independent review of messaging, it's difficult to judge whether the reader might want to explore this new perspective. I recently read a fascinating book review by a black woman, Veronica Chambers, about an 800+ page novel written by a black woman, Honoree Fanonne Jeffers. I was damn near tempted to buy the book, "The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois," and read it. The only thing that stopped me, for now, - is I don't have the time. It is definitely on my list. I would like to explore what it would be like growing up in the south (Georgia). Then, navigating the world of "Our Kind of People" and regular black folks. Then deciding to take the road less traveled in your career choice. The reviewer also provided the literary context of the coming of age novel and its relationship to poetry. The latter indicated that the prose would be musical. Also, the reviewer is a subject matter expert on W.E.B Du Bois, has been highly educated in the literary genre and discipline. So the review was art in itself.

Yep! I definitely missed @Cynique when she left; it was like losing a wise friend who was way more intelligent than me. The sad part is I had to wean myself from her posting, and anyone who has experienced loss knows it's a process. And I got into a habit of not visiting as much. I'm so glad you've returned,@Cynique. Thank you, @Troy , for tagging me. AALBC forum requires independent thinking. Haven't you noticed the people who post here don't follow a script? Thinking outside of the program is a challenge, especially when the forum is not an echo chamber. The latter makes it hard for trolls and ditto heads. The good news is the people who sign up want to throw away the "script." Maybe when they attempt to post, it makes them feel uncomfortable. For example, has the OP who wrote the AALBC forum is "boring" ever started a topic? If s/he hasn't - that indicates how intimidating this forum may be to some. Still, I find it encouraging that a lot of people are signing up. Signing up on a literary website means people are ready for a new paradigm. Give them time.

Put it this way, I only style my natural hair and it caught my attention!

Because Facebook ads - made Mark Z ruler of the world. - So why can’t you get some of that ad money. Then you too can “buy” a U.S. senate seat.

I wasn't clear. You were clear. Here’s another take. Her words speak volumes if she said, “I was surprised he drugged me.” Case-in-point, If she was willing to take drugs there was no need for him to “drug” her. . She would simply take the drugs herself. So, it appears her words in this context, speak to his pathology. His alleged need to control women like I’ve written “a monster.” Aside: In his deposition, under oath, he said he never drugged anyone. Which is possibly another reason the PA supreme court overturned the prosecution’s case.

Really? I can understand from an emotionally-invested perspective … But from a legal standpoint the PA Supreme court got it right. We still have rights under the constitution. So if prosecution wants to keep playing these shoddy legal maneuvers, then those guilty of crimes will be on the street. Especially since, the more money you have the better access you have to exercising legal rights. Now if you’re broke and black, the wheels of justice turn slowly. Did you see the story of a Black man who was finally exonerated after serving 34 years in prison? If he were wealthy he would have never served a day.

OMG! It’s so rare to see my face in another person! And we even wore our hair the same! Aside: Funny thing is I kicked Italian Victor’s azz when he called me a n-er. We were rolling around in the school yard until Mr. Weintraub with the awful toupee finally pulled us apart. Then Mr. Weintraub whispered to me “Your mouth finally got you in trouble” My 4th grade teacher hating on me! lol… But I digress. This video made me cry. When you grow up in certain neighborhoods, like those children you’re so innocent, so sheltered. You think the whole world is beautiful. You think every black kid lives the same life you’re living - and you think every white, brown, beige, person is loving you too. Then one day, you ride your bike smack into hate. You’re never the same. My Afghani friend calls it the “full stomach syndrome.” Those black kids had full stomachs until that day. Those white kids were filled with even more hate. That was they day they leaned their parents were liars. Thank you for calling me out @Pioneer1 -I didn’t know this happened in Rosedale. My college sweetheart grew up in Rosedale right around this time. His father was an engineer. He never talked about this time period, although he lived through it. Now, I understand a little more about his life before we met. wow. just wow.

No, not them. My former co-worker was a NYer from Harlem. And he was around our age or a little older. But I remember Willie Tyler and Lester - so it was really inspiring to see another brother come up in that field too.

My daughters would say, “this dude sounds “kinda rapey.”” Our social media generation - millennials & Zs are very in tuned to language and phrasing. Have you ever told your daughters about going out after dark alone, or showed concerned about provocative outfits they’ve worn or wanted to wear? Have you warned them about certain types of boys? - If you’ve ever discussed any of that with them - you’ve taught them how not to get raped. Don’t you think we’re way past the time of teaching boys NOT to rape through the same type of messages we share with girls? I’m not trying to convince you though. You and I both grew up on the tail end of the age of “let boys be boys” I’m offering a perspective that you may not have considered.

@Pioneer1 and that was the lesson I leaned when I was almost 17-years-old. It was the best lesson I learned about men, and women for that matter. I will never forget him - and i’ve searched the internet to find him - but I think he left the entertainment business. He was an excellent ventriloquist. Yep he was a Black ventriloquist with a Black puppet. I get her confusion. And this illustrates my point perfectly. A good man who is NOT a monster would get her help - NOT drugs. Like I wrote, the Cosby I met isn’t the monster we’ve come to learn exist. I get it.

If we teach boys not to rape it wouldn’t’ be necessary to determine whether a woman is less sophisticated or promiscuous. We already know, as a man, he would not attack her under any circumstance. Her state of mind is only an extenuating factor if she’s unconscious or under the influence. But he wouldn’t need to worry because he wouldn’t put himself in the position to harm her. Sadly, this society doesn’t teach boys to be mindful of their behavior. We teach girls to be responsible for their own behavior, and the behavior of boys and men. So, yes it needs to be said over and over. Boys who learn not to rape girls grow up to be men who won’t rape women. As for your question, I couldn’t think of one reason to be alone with Cosby in his hotel room. But even if I were, I’d expect him or any man to respect my boundaries. i’d respect his just like I did on the plane. He invited the crew (men and women) to take pictures with him.