My Opinion
Welcome to My World
“We must go back and reclaim our past so we can move forward; so we understand why and how we came to be who we are today.” (The Akan principle of Sankofa) Welcome to my online home. The posts, pictures and links reflect many of the things that are most important to me, the things…
Read MoreLet's Tell Our Children
Today, December 6, 2013, the morning after Nelson Mandela’s passing, I posted the following to Facebook: “When I heard of Mandela’s transition, I was deeply saddened. Yet I was consoled by a memory of [my] Dad taking us to see him in Boston after his prison release. What an amazing opportunity and blessing! Just…
Read MoreCrooked Smile
A few days ago, I saw the video for J. Cole’s recent single “Crooked Smile” (featuring TLC). The lyrics of the song and the images in the video made a powerful impression on me. About a year ago, a brilliant friend/hip hop scholar (Sid Marie Arroyo) told me about J. Cole and seeing this video…
Read MoreThe Power of Oral History
For one month between December 2002 and January 2003, I was fortunate to travel to Cape Verde for the first time to do research. Talking to elders who I assumed were strangers, I soon discovered family among them. In the process, I uncovered layers of my own identity. I visited sites I had only read…
Read MoreBehind the Veil
I am indebted to the professors and mentors I had as an undergraduate for laying the foundation for my career and for inspiring me with the idea for this endeavor. One of the first jobs I held after graduating from Duke University, was working as a Research Associate/ Office Manager at “Behind the Veil,” a…
Read More