by Ashia Ajani The Saybrook Underbrook Theater is pitch black. A light slowly brightens up the stage, and a woman in white prison scrubs labeled “SHU” (Security Housing Unit) looks up at a screen. The screen reads: “Mariposa was sentenced to 15 months in solitary confinement for being in possession of tweezers.” From there, the play…
by Ashia Ajani At the introduction of a Jook Songs meeting in Swing Space, everyone checks in by passing around an object – sometimes a watermelon – saying their name, their pronouns, and an honest recollection of how they’ve been doing. One member confides, “it feels really good to be in this space.” Jook Songs…
by Ashia Ajani During lunch, where some of the most uncomfortable conversations take place, one of my peers brought up the death of Justice Scalia, who in my opinion, need not be spoken of anymore than necessary. Despite Scalia’s bigotry, his history of habitually flunking Black students under his instruction when he was a law…
by Ashia Ajani Right before the deadline to submit documents for the Baltimore mayoral race, Black Lives Matter activist and self-described “child of Baltimore” DeRay Mckesson entered his information and joined the fray. DeRay is a Bowdoin College graduate who taught sixth grade math at Minneapolis Public Schools until quitting his job March of last…
by Ashia Ajani A few days ago, Wiz Khalifa tweeted about a strain of weed known as “KK.” Kanye West, likely in hopes of manufacturing a publicity stunt, responded virulently, insisting that Khalifa was talking about West’s wife, Kim Kardashian. In a Twitter rant he managed to compare himself to a God (typical Kanye), bully…