I love reading stories of resilience, especially the ones that highlight a person’s troubled past. It’s a story that many can relate to, but through the lens of a black man from the inner city, it’s a different level of compelling. Having seen firsthand so many of my friends grow up with one foot in the streets and the other in the classroom, these are stories that I relate toTo see people overcome immeasurable odds throughout their lives and come out on top is inspirational. Civil rights attorney and activist, S. Lee Merritt, is one of those people whose triumphant story needs to be told. 

You are unauthorized to view this page.

'When They See Us," has been the topic of nearly everyone’s conversation over the course of the last two weeks. The Netflix miniseries directed by Ava Duvernay touched on so many important subtopics, it’ll make your head spin. I know that not everyone has had the chance to see it, and some have even chosen not to because of how difficult it is to process the emotions that will be triggered. The story is about five teenage African American and Hispanic boys who were sent to prison after being wrongfully accused and ultimately convicted for a rape and sexual assault of a white woman that they did not commit. As a journalist, one thing that was troubling to watch was the media’s biased coverage of the events. While that part of the series was just a mere subplot,  I couldn’t help but think how unfortunate it was that there was really no fair representation of those young men in the media. That probably wouldn’t have been the case had the North Star been around to speak truth to power. Giving the young men a fair representation in the media, rather than prematurely concluding that they were guilty.

Jharrel Jerome as Korey Wise

You are unauthorized to view this page.

Social media has reinvented the way we view activism. No longer do you need to pass out flyers or go knock on several doors to spread the word. A simple tweet to your followers or a post on Instagram will reach more people, in a short amount of time. This is especially true for individuals that are internet sensations or have a massive following. Social media presence is king in today’s society.

You are unauthorized to view this page.