Quote of the Day

"If I didn't define myself for myself, I would be crunched into other people's fantasies for me and eaten alive.”
Audre Lorde

Hispanic Heritage Month: Hispanic Panic Reading

Come celebrate with supreme literary genius Charlie Vazquez and a fabulous line-up of writers that include Claudia Narvaez-Meza, Robert Vázquez-Pacheco, Maegan La Mala Ortiz, Erasmo Guerra, Cristy Road and Brandon Lacy Campos. I promise you it's gonna be hot!

Date: Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Time: 8:00pm - 10:00pm
Location: Nowhere
Street: 322 E 14th St (btwn 1st/2nd)
City/Town: New York City

Here's Charlie's Facebook link for additional information including how you can sign-up for his monthly readings at Nowhere.

See you there!!!

Is it ME or is There a Noticeable F'ed Up Trend Occuring in the Media of Late Regarding Black Women in Professional Sports???

As some of you may or may not know, I've been following the Caster Semenya story and continue to be sickened by the developments. Reports that she's been placed on suicide watch (story) continue to confirm that her right to privacy has been recklessly and literally ripped away from her. It's beyond disgusting.

Then, when the Serena Williams story hit - where Miss Thing allegedly threatened to shove a tennis ball down the throat of a line judge because of a real shitty call - I, like many people, had to prepare myself for the onslaught of negative press that was sure to follow Miss Williams and her "actions." So thankfully, I follow a very cool Twitter gang (thank you B.L.) that keep me well informed of some interesting critical thought on thangs. My new blog fav is (Queer) Bully Bloggers. Jack Halberstam wrote a piece on Venus, Caster and the distorted media coverage of female black bodies and the blatant double standards that plague black female athletes so intellectually hot it made my toes curl. I am thankful that my pain and suffering on this issue has been somehow validated. Here's the piece called Match Points. It's brilliant. I'm also posting another piece Bully Blogger Tavia Nyong’o wrote on Caster called The Unforgivable Transgression of Being Caster Semenya. You folks @ BB ROCK in my book.

Regarding the Blatant Disrepect for this particular President of these United States

Finally, a journalist has indicted the media in the current anti-Obama fray.

Link.

Quote of the Day

"I have learned silence from the talkative, tolerance from the intolerant, and kindness from the unkind; yet strangely, I am ungrateful to these teachers.”
Kahil Gibran

Dr. Toni Morrison

Last month I had the privilege of attending a reading where Dr. Morrison talked about her latest masterpiece, "A Mercy." As always, she had the standing room only crowd transfixed with her carefully worded pearls of wisdom. Visiting a dear friend's blog reminded me how powerfully moving her quotes are. Right now, here's my favorite by her.

"When there is pain, there are no words. All pain is the same. "