a bi-weekly column by michelle ampofo ’25 staff writer The purpose of this column is simple—to carve out a space for myself in The Void, to categorize my thoughts, to mindlessly ramble, and to connect to other Black women who relate and might (for whatever reason) be reading. When thinking of how I wanted to…
Everyone needs some bad advice now and then. by Kalvin Verner ’26 Ever wanted someone to give you brutally honest possibly unhinged advice? The stuff your therapist bites their tongue about? The thing your best friend knows they probably shouldn’t say? Well you have come to the right place! Ask anything (the more details, the…
Here at DOWN, we’ve noticed a terrible habit perpetuated on the daily of people putting men—-especially white men—on pedestals for doing the absolute bare minimum. Stop it. This is how it sounds: “He genuinely has so much respect for women.” → man who held door open one time “He actually has such a big heart.”…
Why do Black people die early? Last year, the Marshall Project reported that Black Americans—at nearly every age—die at higher rates than their white counterparts. Lorraine Hansberry, 34. Martin Luther King Jr., 39. James Baldwin, 63. Google their names and so many of their pictures appear in black-and-white. Much of Blackness is prematurely historicized, but these…
Tell me the story of how you two met. Rahshemah Wise: We met on Tinder. I specifically remember seeing Loren on Tinder and thinking “God, they’re so hot.” They had their pronouns in their bio so I was like, it’s perfect, they’re hot and trans and Black. I swiped right, but we didn’t match. I…