Dushan and Chioma were at Lungotevere de’ Cenci, 00186 Roma, the meeting point for the Ghetto and Jewish Museum walking tour. The tour was about three hours long. They had arranged it through the hotel. Initially, they had planned to explore the Ghetto on their own but Alfredo, the attendant at the concierge suggested the …
Shandra’s Bha Bha Experience
"That's some dress," Stuart remarked. "Do you like it?" "Of course!" She smiled as she walked around to the passenger side where he stood holding the door open. It pleased her that he liked the dress. It was fairly new and this was the first time she was wearing it. He looked sharp in the …
Stand Up
“I’m tired of hearing people say, all lives matter.” “Well, they do.” “I’m not saying that they don’t. All I’m saying is that when people say that they are downplaying the Black Lives Matter Movement.” “Black Lives Matter Movement sounds militant.” “It isn’t. It’s a cry for justice, a cry to end the systemic racism …
Retiring Aunt Jemima
"I can't breathe" these haunting words of George Floyd have set off a chain of events in the reckoning of race relations in America. One of these events is today's announcement that Quaker Oats is replacing the Jemima brand with a new name and image in order "to make progress toward racial equality." According to …
Drusilla’s Story
I was having lunch with my cousin, Tia. We hadn't seen each other for a while so there was a lot of catching up to do. She was working at an advertising company while I was in my third year at university. I was studying Sociology. She was engaged to a Nigerian man she met …
Laughing Again
It's Saturday night and I'm at a pub with my friends, Ronald and his wife, Juanita. We are having a great time. I haven't laughed in a long time--not since I learned that Pamela was really my sister or since she died. It felt good to be with people I cared about again and to …
To Vote or Not to Vote
Heather sat at the table, still reeling from what just happened. One minute Linda and she were sitting in a cafe, having coffee, got to talking about the elections and then she got up and walked out after a heated argument ensued. Heather had never been so humiliated in her life. This was one of …
Zala’s Story
I'm a Ethiopian Jewish woman living in Israel but life here is terrible for people like me. We are not welcomed in the Jewish community because of our skin color and we are accused of being "fake Jews". My husband is a white Israeli Jew. We met when he came to Gondar, a northern town …
My Reality
I see the fear on her face as we walk towards each other. It’s broad daylight. I’m just walking down the sidewalk, minding my own business but she looks at me as if I was going to attack her at any minute. She walks faster and clutches her handbag tightly. Maybe she thinks I’m going …
It is What it Is
“Have you told your parents?” she asked, toying with the straw in her milkshake. He shook his head. “Not yet.” She sighed. “How long are you going to keep putting it off?” “I promise, I will tell them—when the time’s right.” “And when will that be?” “I don’t know. My parents are old fashioned…” “So, …
Notes to Women 