ammodlin

Feb 8, 2024

Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is

Image from Creative Commons   There have been many conversations about Black artists such as Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, Noname and more, in the realm of political activism and community based impact. While entertaining, these conversations raise critical questions about the intersection of music and activism. News outlets frequently portray Black artists as some sort…

Nov 30, 2023

Celebrating the Journey of Black Grief

Grief has become something of an old friend of mine. I am well versed in the matters of grief and the toll it takes on someone. It is something that many Black people are accustomed to. Grief is an inevitable part of the human experience. However, I believe that there is an extra part of…

Oct 20, 2023

40 Acres and a Lie

One of the many things I did not realize growing up was how rigged the game we as Black people have been forced to play for a long time. I would listen to songs about some of my idols making it from poverty to becoming wealthy and financially stable and buy into the belief that…

Aug 31, 2023

White Ain’t Always Right

Image From Creative Commons One of the things that has been confusing me lately is the amount of Black people, particularly older Black people, that are constantly debating dating differences between Black people and their white and non-Black counterparts. It’s honestly been plaguing my social media to an extremely annoying degree.  One of the main…

Nov 30, 2022

Suffering From (Black) Success

The aspect of success when it comes to Black people is one that’s layered with many nuances and gray areas. When I think of Black success, I imagine the endless amount of T-Shirts in large letter font that say “Black Excellence”, and two-piece H&M suits talking about brunch. Am I saying that this is a…

Sep 22, 2022

No Escape in Escapism

Escapism has been something that people have used in order to remove themselves from the harsh reality of the world. However, that hasn’t been the case for people of color. For me, video games have always been a way to leave all of the stress and bulls**t from my day to day. It’s just something…

Sep 8, 2022

The Power of Nostalgia

As everyone knows, the first week of classes has come to an end. Syllabi that haven’t been changed in years have been regurgitated by professors that already seem tired of the semester. Is it just me or has syllabus week gotten less syllabus focused? It seems like professors go straight into the material without any…

Sep 8, 2022

Did You Know Everyone’s A Criminal

It’s surprisingly funny how often we are blissfully unaware of the many things we do that are considered illegal. Or rather, it’s hilarious how ridiculous our justice system can be. I mean, you wouldn’t believe some of the insane laws that we’ve had over the years that, for some reason, are still active. Although, I…

Apr 14, 2022

The Healing Power of Music

As I walked into Room 3222 in Talley Student Union for the Music Fo’ Yo Soul Affinity Hour event to kick off Pan-Af Week, I was somewhat shocked to see that no music was playing. Whenever I saw the title for the event, I automatically assumed that it would have the same vibe as a…

Mar 31, 2022

Racialized Empathy

With everything that has been going on in the past 2 years, there has been tragedy after tragedy. All these things going on have caused people to hold the time-tested belief that in times of great tragedy and turmoil, people are able to showcase the best of themselves, able to empathize with their fellow man.…

Feb 17, 2022

Creating Spaces to Be Free

Being a Black student at a PWI is no small feat by any means. Our very existence here is living proof that the struggles of those who came before us were for a reason. The trials that our ancestors had to go through against racism and the many systems that hold it in place have…

Feb 3, 2022

BLACKness in All Forms

All people are similar in the sense that we want to share ourselves in what we do. Everybody wants to share their experiences in a way that shows their beauty. This is where art comes in. You can’t go anywhere without seeing the influence of Black people in art. From your favorite TikTok to your…