Confession: I’ve been called a ‘ho’ before by a man that did not have any prior knowledge of my sexual tendencies. It was a typical nightclub scene that involved a 20 something Me chilling with my friends.  The whole ordeal was common, so common that many of my friends and I knew how to deal … Continue reading →

“She couldn’t make him look just like any other man to her. He looked like the love thoughts of women.” — Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God I was asked to write this piece, although it’s something that I’ve been wanting to address from my angle anyway; that’s why there wasn’t any hesitation … Continue reading →

Any writer worth their salt has suffered from writer’s block. I’m sure of it. If I meet someone who says they’re a writer and claim to have never dealt with it, I’d think they were lying or perhaps writing is simply a hobby and not a serious profession.  For the most part, writing is hard … Continue reading →

It’s a metaphor, but I made you look, didn’t I? This post is about art and living as an artist, I promise. Just follow me here. Creative energy is at the heart of both coital activity and artistic expression.  Let’s make the connection here. When using creative energy to engage in sexual activity, humans can … Continue reading →

COCOA BUTTER Ms. Uptown sits in Republic Coffee near the window on every visit.  The young dark-haired girl with the thousand tattoos and fifty piercings smiles at her as she enters and motions in the direction of the window seat if it’s vacant. Otherwise, she heads over to the occupants and informs them of the … Continue reading →

So, here I am, deep into the draft for my next stageplay, Honey’s Kitchen. I’m constantly developing the story, the characters, and envisioning the set.  Then, one day in February, a tragic event stopped my creation process dead in its tracks.  I came across a headline about an unarmed teenager murdered by, of all things, … Continue reading →

Cultural Translation: The first time I heard this term, it was being used by a political science professor to describe the late Isaac Hayes.  At the opening ceremony for Kwanzaa 2006, the artist formerly known as Black Moses was standing alongside the former Superintendent of Memphis City Schools (Memphis, TN), Carolyn Johnson as official ceremonial royalty. … Continue reading →

This is dedicated to the courageous women who dare to be over 35…..and single. The ones who boldly arise every day to stare down traditional values and dare them to stress us any longer. This is an anointed lot of the Black single woman population who are fed up with the drab statistics and the … Continue reading →

Happy Father’s Day to all of the Dads, soon-to-be Dads and would-be Dads out there.  I just got off the phone with my Ol’ Dude and as usual, he was just as nonchalant and unexcited about the whole thing.  As I jubilantly said ‘Happy Father’s Day’ and ‘Happy Belated Birthday’ (he turned 63 earlier this … Continue reading →