#school success beyond black and white

[quotesfromall]

Students find much meaning in the way classrooms are structured, especially in multiracial schools. These schools send implicit messages to many poor Black and Latino students when the ability grouping is highly correlated to racial and ethnic background. In multiracial and multiethnic schools, certain courses can become known as classes for Black kids, White kids, or Asian kids.

Prudence L. Carter, Keepin' it Real

[confessedlyfannish]

Writing Prompt #11

It's an innocent ("please," Jason sneers, "there's nothing innocent about a plagiaristic propaganda machine encouraging minors to dance for sick ol' pervs while it spews misogynistic hate speech.'"

"okay, boomer,"

"the fuck did you just call me, replacement?") TikTok, one of those ones that kind of simmers in the background for a few weeks until someone with a decent enough following posts it on the Platform Formerly Known as Twitter and from there it seriously catches traction, blowing up until Tim knocks on Bruce's office door, phone in hand. Damian stands behind him, arms crossed and clearly simmering.

Bruce, fresh off a series of zoom conferences, raises an eyebrow.

"Okay, so you haven't seen it," Tim decides, striding forward.

Bruce's eyebrow jumps a smidge higher, on the edge of concern, as Tim thrusts his phone into his grasp.

"So," he begins, reaching over to refresh the mobile page "there's a video that's been making the rounds on Twitter and—well you should probably see it," He sighs over Damian's scoff as he clicks through the pop-up asking him to sign in or join TikTok, and presses "Watch Again", unmuting the video.

🎶 "Doo, badoo-badoo-badoo Badoo-badoo-badoo-badoo,"🎶 an upbeat background song hums as someone, presumably a student, films a school hallway with their phone. They walk past students talking near their lockers, some of whom flash peace signs and silly grins as the camera swings their way before continuing on.

But the main point Bruce gets stuck on is the all lowercase white text at the center of the screen that an automated woman's voice awkwardly narrates:

"when you go to school with bruce wayne's other long lost lovechild"

The student filming comes up behind a much taller student who faces away from him, in conversation with a black haired pale teenaged girl. She spots the cameraman and shoots him a confused, disgruntled look, saying something to the boy who then turns around.

Bruce quietly observes as the camera zooms in on a boy around Tim's page, possibly older. Tall and broad-shouldered, with a strong jaw, he raises an eyebrow at the one filming, looking beyond the camera, pitch black hair with blue undertones falling into his blue eyes. The camera momentarily zooms too far into those eyes then abruptly pulls back as he quirks a puzzled smile at the viewer, mouthing out an easily understandable "hi?".

The TikTok ends and seamlessly transitions to a person balancing their cat on an exercise ball with minimal success and this time Bruce presses the Watch Again button. The heart on the right side claims 750k likes.

Damian scoffs, louder, as it ends. "Clearly it is a hoax, but it has been popular among my classmates."

"The board hasn't made much noise about it—" Tim starts.

"And they won't," Bruce says, lifting his eyes from his phone. "Wayne Industries doesn't give statements on videos like these, no matter how viral they become. I've been getting lovechild claims since before I adopted Dick."

Which Tim knows, which is why his insistence on showing Bruce this one raises his hackles. He pins Tim down with a stare and despite Tim's perfected PR mask, he can see Tim is unsettled.

"B...he really, really looks like you." Tim admits. Damian scoffs for a third time and Tim shoots him a glare, "I get it, you don't see it, but you haven't seen the pictures of Bruce when he was younger."

"I don't need to!" Damian says angrily. "You're all being ridiculous!"

"All?" Bruce asks. Tim shifts awkwardly. "The family group chat has been talking," he says.

"I see," Bruce says. Because he does. Many claim Damian to be his doppelganger, but the boy actually favors Talia not just in skin tone but in the shape and color of his eyes, as well as the soft slope of her mouth and ears. Whether those features will sharpen once he goes through puberty is anyone's guess.

But this young man has Bruce's eyes. Martha's eyes.

That night they have a suspiciously full house for dinner, with even Jason dropping in, but no one says anything until Barbara wheels in for dessert, carrying a manila folder on her lap.

"What?" she says, when everyone stares. "Dick told me it was crème brûlée today!"

Bruce extends a hand wordlessly, and Barbara sheepishly hands the folder over.

"Bruce," she says, before he can open it, "I wouldn't have looked into this normally, but,"

"Just say it," Jason says, leaning back in his chair. "Take away the gray hairs, the receding hairline, and the wrinkles and the kid's a dead match."

"Take it back, Todd," Damian growls, "Father has a very full head of hair!"

"Not to mention a failed track record at keeping it in his pants, Exhibit A," Jason continues, pointing a fork at Damian, "oh wait," he says gleefully, "kid is definitely 18, so I guess that would make you Exhibit B!"

The table erupts, cutlery tinkling as Damian gets a knee up on the table to hurl himself at a cackling Todd, Dick jumping up to grab him as the others lean out of the way—

"Ahem!" Everyone stops cold as Alfred stands in the doorway, porcelain ramekins of crème brûlée stacked perfectly on a silver tray. Under his gaze, everyone sits back down, Damian and Jason both quietly uttering a "Sorry Alfie/Alfred," as they straighten up.

Bruce is oblivious to the chaos, Barbara biting her lip beside him as he stares blankly inside the folder at the printed copy of an adoption certificate.

Two days and several million likes later, another TikTok goes viral from the same user. Caught in the moment as whoever is filming runs up to the group, the same young man is chatting with a blonde in a red letterman jacket, a partially formed crowd around them. Even with one leg still in the cafeteria table, he towers over everyone.

"—sh. Look, we're all possibly Bruce Wayne's son!" the boy snarks. He has his hands out, palms up as if he's making a great point, and as he looks around he catches sight of the cameraman and his smirk drops.

"Ah Mac, c'mon dude not again—" and the TikTok ends.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Wajahat Ali and Yusuf Zakir at The Left Hook:

If you listen to Donald Trump, Maga Republicans and lazy comedians, DEI is the modern-day villain. It’s a wicked and terrifying Trojan horse of wokeness that is seeking to “replace” Americans and indoctrinate our children with a subversive agenda. It’s allegedly orchestrated by transgender people, immigrants of color, Muslims, Black people, Jewish people and feminists – anyone that isn’t straight, white and Christian. According to the president-elect, the rest of us are “poisoning the blood of our country” and destroying it.

DEI is an easy, direct and convenient way to package all of these fears. If you fall for this narrative, it can be terrifying and feel unfair. Events such as the collapse of the Silicon Valley Bank, the problems with Boeing aircraft and the destruction of the Francis Scott Key bridge in Maryland were blamed on DEI. This was a con.

Instead of pointing to a corrupt system and deregulation that benefits the wealthy at the expense of many, DEI was seen as the culprit. The bad-faith talking point is that had DEI not existed, these tragedies would not have occurred and real Americans – who are not “woke” – would be safe and economically prosperous. Unfortunately, the deception works as companies such as McDonald’s announced this week that they are renouncing their previous commitment to DEI. It was just revealed that anti-DEI shareholder proposals have tripled since 2020. In reality, DEI refers to three simple but important words: diversity, equity and inclusion.

Diversity is an outcome. Equity is the path to get there. Inclusion ensures we travel that path together. Diversity represents varied identities and differences, including race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, disability and veteran status. That means white people, Black people, straight people, gay people, rich people, poor people and more. Equity is the allocation of resources and opportunities and the elimination of barriers to create a path towards equality. The concept of equity acknowledges that there is not a level playing field. Inclusion is creating an environment where everyone is welcome, respected, supported and valued. It is about bringing people together and creating safety and belonging. It is, by definition, the opposite of exclusion.

[...]

Several years later, we see that organizational commitment to DEI has waned. For example, in addition to McDonald’s, Harley-Davidson and Ford recently announced that they will curb some of their DEI efforts. With the continued rightwing political onslaught against DEI and Donald Trump’s election, this could be the moment when many organizations decide to pull the plug entirely. This would be a major mistake.

For organizations considering this decision, we would like to remind you that DEI impacts your talent lifecycle, your culture and your economic success in significant ways. We need to remind US workers about the benefits of DEI as we risk losing them entirely. First, companies have to find and recruit the best talent and as such they will naturally have to cast a very broad net. DEI encourages and helps this outreach. Talent is everywhere, not just among children of politicians, the privileged class or those lucky to attend Ivy League schools and live in wealthy zip codes. DEI encourages us to look beyond traditional (and often archaic) measurements of success, such as SAT scores, and consider the hidden jewels of talent that exist everywhere.

Second, because hiring is so expensive and time-consuming, DEI helps organizations try and retain their valued employees. Equity is a key component that recognizes everyone has different skill sets, talents, strengths and weaknesses. By recognizing this, addressing it and supporting it, DEI helps employees maximize their potential. Studies have repeatedly shown employees are more likely to stay when they feel like they can grow, advance and continue to break through glass ceilings. [...] Costco is an example worth following. Their board unanimously recommended that its shareholders reject a proposal that would require Costco to report on the risks of its diversity and inclusion goals. In making this recommendation, Costco noted that DEI efforts help the company attract and retain employees and improve its products and services. Those who make DEI into a bogeyman paint society as a zero-sum game: a slice for you means no slice for me. But, that is a narrow vision fueled by fear, greed and ignorance. Unlike Trump, DEI views America as generous and limitless. It’s in the best interest of corporations, organizations and US workers to adopt such a vision if we truly want to become great again as a nation.

Love this column in The Left Hook on why DEI makes businesses better, despite what right-wing polemics say otherwise (*cough* Robby Starbuck, Christopher Rufo, Elon Musk *cough*).

[jasonshoodies]

WIP: Do we want me to continue this?

Jason Sudeikis x Reader

RPF

No Smut (for now)

___

"Oh, gross, Sudeikis is gonna be here?" You asked your brother, making a face and taking a sip of beer, "I thought he was too cool for all of us now."

At the edge of the party, you survey your older brother's friends. Bald. Bald. Bald. Married. 3 times divorced. Kids. Kids. Kids. It was Big Slick weekend, and your older brother always had the old Shawnee Mission West crew in to hang when Jason had time to visit Kansas City.

“You know Jason isn't like that. You two just can't stand each other." Your brother smirks and hands you another beer and moves away to work his crowd. Extroverts. You shudder.

Even at 39, so many of your brother's friends still treat you like a little sister, and considering the options laid out before you, that wasn't a bad thing.

Once you were finally in your 20's, there had always been a relentless ballbusting between you and Jason, and in the times he was single, it always came off painfully flirtatious. At least from you. By the time you were 25, he was already considerably successful (and married or just divorced), then by the time he was single again, he was 100% beyond your reach.

Which was fine. Of course. Whatever.

Getting lost in the Kindle app on your phone, you continue to sway on the glider, glancing up periodically at the twinkle lights and the crowd, offering a smile to your niece and nephew across the yard. It wasn't that you weren't social, it was more that this party was for your brother and his family and friends, but it was Friday night and you really didn't have anything better to do. But, to be clear, it wasn't like you were trying to see Jason. Of course not. How stupid would that be?

Looking back at your phone, you read another chapter until you feel someone sit directly beside you, man-spreading, his thigh pressed up against yours. You don't even have to look up to know who it is.

“Do you know how fucking rude it is to sit at a party on your phone?" He doesn't even look at you, instead, he stares straight ahead and tilts his head a little while pushing his tortoise shell glasses up on his nose. With a nod, he spots his own kids and younger sister, Lindsay, and gives all 3 a sweet smile and wave. "I mean, socialize a little. Say hello to people, y/n, Jesus."

Without looking up, you swipe the page on your book and chew your lip for a second, "I told Jeremy that I hoped it wasn't true. Maybe your flight from LA would get delayed. But, I guess when you're a piece of shit who can afford to ruin the Earth and fly private, it doesn't matter."

He doesn't miss a beat and deadpans, "You got it figured out."

“You good?" You ask, cutting him a look and finally putting your phone down, replacing it with a beer of your own. "You look good. Less like an old man from last year. Is that hair color?" Without hesitation, you put your fingertips in the hair at his temples and sideburns and gasp, "Wow. Just for Men. Didn't know that still was a thing. This was completely white last year. Good for you."

Jason leans back a little and smiles showing no teeth, a tight smirk, lips pressed together. "M'yeah. You are lovely as ever." He bites the corner of his bottom lip and considers you, giving you a once over that makes warmth flood your face until he glances away at the sound of his name. Playfully, he squeezes your thigh without another word and stands to join a circle of guys who you personally know live to tell people that they went to high school with Jason Sudeikis.

He does look good, though. Even in his Dad gear. Light color cargo shorts, a hoodie, black baseball cap, and obnoxiously high end sneakers. You can't help but watch him. He's always been comfortable and effortless. Warm. Qualities that have only gotten more developed and better with age.

He, quite unfortunately, has only gotten better with age.

For the rest of the party, he never sits down, and you force yourself back into your phone and mundane conversation until the crowd dies down and you start to help your brother and sister in law pick up and go inside.

It's not that late, but basically everyone has kids, so when Jason comes inside with an arm full of dirty plates and cups to put in the trash, you give him a funny look as you wipe down the kitchen counter. "Well damn, you didn't leave with the kid crowd?"

“Nah, sent mine home with my sister. Haven't seen y'all in a year, Jeremy mentioned playing some cards? I'm a night owl. Not even close to sleep. You staying?"

Your eyebrows shoot up to your hairline and you wash your hands in the sink, "Yeah, I drank a little, so I wasn't going to drive anyway, I planned on bunking up in the basement."

“Well, lock your Kindle app and come hang out. Unless the sight of me is so nauseating that you just can't stand it." He washes his own hands and grabs a handful of chips from a bowl and pops several in his mouth, leaning against the counter and talking with this mouth full. "I will somehow endure it for your brother."

Casually, you flip him the bird and he grins at you and shrugs. "Maybe later, let's have a couple more beers and see where the night leads us."

[tcbmemories]

Rock and Roll’s Black Roots

“Rock and Roll is the most raucous form of jazz, beyond a doubt; it maintains a link with the folk origins, and I believe that no other form of jazz has ever been accepted so enthusiastically by so many”- Duke Ellington (Lavezolli 2001, p.76)

Elvis Presley is often heralded as one of the originators of Rock and Roll, and while he did bring the style to the masses and his contributions to the genre are not to be disregarded, Rock and Roll is at its core an amalgamation of Black musical styles, from the Blues to Jazz to Black Gospel. Throughout his career, Presley recorded songs written by Black musicians, and used historically Black performance practices, like Mahalia Jackson’s movement-driven singing, to secure his place in popular music history.

Presley, born in a shack in Tupelo, Mississippi in 1935, moved to the bustling city of Memphis, Tennessee with his family in 1948. In Tupelo, Presley and his mother lived near the Black neighbourhood of “Shake Rag” in a higher-income Black neighbourhood called “The Hill”, (Warnock, 2017) and this was where he first became exposed to Black music. The move to Memphis only further allowed for the young Presley to hear a wider variety of Black music. As a teenager, he attended Blues clubs on Beale Street, where he saw secular Black musicians like B.B. King and Little Richard perform. These musicians and their performance practices had a profound effect on Presley’s vocal and musical style throughout his career and shaped much of his personal taste in music. Presley himself, whose first hit came from a cover of Black Delta Blues musician Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup’s song “That’s All Right” stated: “Down in Tupelo, Mississippi, I used to hear old Arthur Crudup bang his box the way I do now and I said if I ever got to a place I could feel all old Arthur felt, I’d be a music man like nobody ever saw.” (Presley, 1956).

In 1954, a year after graduating from high school, a 19-year-old Presley went into the Memphis Recording Service studio on Union Avenue in Memphis and recorded a cover of Crudup’s song “That’s All Right.” He and the studio musicians, Bill Black and Scotty Monroe, who created the modified version of Crudup’s track after a “jam session” had no idea they would change the course of popular music forever. “That’s All Right” is now widely considered to be the first Rock and Roll record. Sam Phillips, the owner of the studio and the Sun Records Label, was known for producing Black music, referred to as “race records” at the time. Although Phillips believed in Black music, he did not have much commercial success with the Black musicians he chose to record. As Maureen Mahon suggests, Phillips recognised that “the excellent quality of music performed by African American artists could not offset the fact that in the United States, it was easier and more lucrative to sell white artists playing black music than it was to sell black artists doing so” (Mahon 2022, p.115). As such, he was delighted to hear and record Elvis’ interpretation of Black music.

Presley’s “That’s All Right” became his first hit, but Arthur Crudup was not paid the royalties from Presley’s success. At the time, it was the norm that Black songwriters were given measly one-time payouts for their songs, and as such they did not receive adequate royalties from the songs they wrote. This was the case with Arthur Crudup and “That’s All Right” in 1954, but this attitude towards Black songwriters continued until as late as the 1980s, when Chuck Berry finally received sole credit for his hit song “Maybellene,” until then, he had shared writing credits for the song he wrote with two white men. (Garsd, 2020). Although unjust that Crudup did not receive adequate royalties for his songwriting until after his death, it is important to note that Presley held nothing but respect for Crudup and that as the recording artist, he was not responsible for the exploitative practices of the recording industry and its disparity towards Black musicians. (Umphred 2022)

Henry Pleasants suggests that Elvis’ cover of Crudup’s song generated such success and became so revolutionary because it

Heralded a metamorphosis of popular music, a new phase in the interaction of white and Black musicality [...] they represented the convergence in one small-town boy, born at the right time, in the right place, in the right environment and under the right circumstances, of all the musical currents of America’s subcultures: Black and white gospel, country-and-western, and rhythm-and-blues. (Pleasants 1974, p. 255)

Indeed Presley’s recording of “That’s All Right” incorporates elements from all of these genres. Instrumentation-wise, it is relatively sparse but reflects all of these influences: an acoustic guitar, electric guitar, upright bass and Presley’s unique vocals. There are several key differences between Presley’s recording and Crudup’s original track, one of which is Presley’s much faster tempo, almost twice as fast as the original. The signature rhythmic “slapping” sound produced on the upright bass is perhaps the most distinctive feature of the 1954 track and is arguably what made it so innovative and genre-defying. The “slapping” sound, created by studio musician Bill Black, is the main rhythmic drive in the song and reflects both country-and-western and Blues influences. This new sound, heard first on “That’s All Right” was named “rockabilly,” a precursor to straight Rock and Roll. Another difference between the two versions can be heard in Presley's altered lyrics. By contrast, the original, slower song has an audibly sexual overtone, reflected in Crudup’s use of the extremes of his vocal register, in particular the highest parts of his voice, in vocal gestures which at times err on the side of moaning. Presley’s version is perhaps more “sanitised” and youthful (and white), while still incorporating some of the versatile vocal techniques that Crudup and other Black musicians used, moving seamlessly between a deep resounding chest voice to his lighter head voice, oftentimes utilising both in the same phrase.34 There is also an improvisatory jazz-like scatting section in both versions, but while Crudup’s seems more natural, in Presley’s recording, we get the sense that he is imitating Crudup’s vocalisations, rather than creating his own organic improvisation.

As Pleasants puts it, Elvis:

would seem always to have been a naturally assimilative musician [...] the Black rhythm-and-blues style he had in hand, - and in throat and body- from the very first [...] Gospel music, and the gospel sound, are second nature to him, too, along with the gospel singer’s affectionate mutilation of words. There are songs where he lays into them in a manner worthy and reminiscent of Mahalia Jackson. (Pleasants 1974, p. 261)

In Presley’s earliest records, like “That’s All Right,” his nature as an “assimilative” vocalist is most audible. Throughout most of the 1960s, Presley’s music mainly focused on movie soundtracks and did not generate songs that defied genres in the same way as his first releases did. In the later, more commercial tracks, it is evident in his voice that Presley wasnot satisfied with the quality of music he was putting out; when in “That’s All Right” his youthful admiration for Crudup is audible, later movie soundtrack songs sound flat and bored in comparison and do not display the vocal quality Presley was capable of. Perhaps in this way, Presley was an “assimilative” musician too, putting out music he did not fully believe in mostly for its commercial value. However, his “assimilative” nature is most impressive when he combined his unique background with both white and Black musical traditions in his earliest records, or when he recorded his Gospel albums. His fusion of country-and-western, blues and Black and white gospel changed popular music permanently, but the corny, formulaic “Song of the Shrimp” (1962) did not.

One of the most well-known and obvious examples of a Black musician’s influence on Presley can be heard through his recording of Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton’s song: “Hound Dog.” Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton originally recorded the song “Hound Dog” in 1952. The track was written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, who were, as Ben Wynne describes, “two white teenagers obsessed with Black culture.” (Wynne 2024, p.2): Leiber and Stoller wanted to write a song for and in the style of one of the Black musicians they so greatly admired. As such, they wrote “Hound Dog,” a 12-bar blues that was revolutionary for its use of guitar as the most prominent instrument and otherwise relatively sparse instrumentation. The use of the guitar as the primary instrument was unusual for this era of Black Rhythm and Blues music, which typically was thick in texture, loud and heavily featured brass instruments like saxophone or trumpets below the vocalist. The prominence of the guitar in this song marked the shift towards the Rock and Roll music that would become popular soon after.

Thornton’s record became a hit, reaching number 1 on the Billboard R&B charts, which inspired several artists from a variety of different genres to cover the track. In 1956, two years after he’d experienced some success with “That’s All Right,” Elvis Presley was one of the artists who recorded a cover of the song, in his signature amalgamative Rock and Roll style, using a version of the lyrics he’d heard Freddie Bell and the Bellboys sing in Las Vegas. The lyrics that Presley heard, rewritten by Freddie Bell and the Bellboys, changed the message of the song, much to the original songwriters’ and Thornton’s dismay. (Sheffield, 2024).

Thornton’s lyrics were a disparaging account of a womaniser, sung from the perspective of a woman who had been wronged. The lyrics, much like Crudup’s on “That’s All Right,” were more sexually charged: “You ain’t nothin’ but a hound dog/ Been snoopin’ round my door/ You can wag your tail/ But I ain’t gonna feed you no more.” The innuendo implied with the image of “wag your tail” was obscured by Freddie Bell and the Bellboys, and then Elvis Presley, who both sang words that didn’t quite make sense: “You ain’t nothin’ but a hound dog/ Cryin’ all the time/ Well, you ain’t never caught a rabbit/ And you ain’t no friend of mine.”

Although the lyrics were modified to appear less sexually suggestive, Presley’s performances of the track on three major television shows, The Milton Berle Show, The Steve Allen Show and the Ed Sullivan Show, still caused much controversy for its sexual nature. The first taste of fame that Presley experienced with his cover of Crudup’s “That’s All Right” had been mostly localised to the South, by contrast, in singing Thornton’s “Hound Dog” and thrusting his hips suggestively into the microphone on national television on The Milton Berle Show Presley caused an all-out revolution. Wynne suggests that Presley’s cover of “Hound Dog” was so controversial because:

It was a clear, unmistakable signal to an older generation that a new youth culture was emerging in America, and they were powerless to stop it. The song was a three-minute testament to everything that American elders hated or feared about rock ‘n’ roll [...] Like rock ‘n’ roll itself, the song was the product of a type of racial interaction that [...] blurred the lines between white and Black culture in a way that some viewed as dangerous. (Wynne 2024, p. 4)

Indeed, with Presley’s reinterpretation of Thornton’s track, his emulation of some of her raw vocalisations from the original recording and his adaptation of Freddie Bell and the Bellboys’ rewritten lyrics, he achieved what had been proven by his initial success with “That’s All Right”: white America enjoyed Black music even more so if it was being performed by an attractive young white man.

What is most interesting about the controversy that ensued with Presley’s cover of “Hound Dog,” is that in one sense his ability to integrate a variety of different musical styles and genres is precisely what led to his version of “Hound Dog” becoming one of the best-selling Rock and Roll records of all time, while its inherent Blackness was also deemed threatening. Certain parts of white America felt that by simply emulating Black musicians, Elvis was encouraging racial integration. Much of the outrage that ensued after his performance of “Hound Dog” on The Milton Berle Show in 1956 was over his dynamic, movement-laden performance. Presley was a white man who embodied the movements he’d seen originally done by both Black secular and religious musicians he admired in his hometown of Memphis, and these performance practices were inescapably Black. Just as Mahalia Jackson ruffled feathers with her Gospel blues in the North, Presley angered many white Americans by performing in the style of Black musicians. All of this is to say that Elvis Presley caused a revolution, yes, but all of the elements he utilised, from his flamboyant fashion sense to his notorious leg-shaking, originally came from the Black musicians he looked up to.

Regarding the success of Presley’s “Hound Dog,” Mahon suggests that:

The cross-racial exchange that contributed to Presley’s version of “Hound Dog” is an early example of what became a common practice of white male rock and roll artists borrowing from the sound and style of black women. It is also indicative of the ways the vocal and performance practices of African-Americans informed those of white rock and roll musicians. To her great frustration, Thornton did not receive any financial compensation for the role she played as originator of what became one of the best- selling records in rock and roll history. (Mahon 2020, pp. 41-42)

Unfortunately, like Arthur Crudup in 1954, Thornton did not receive royalties proportionate to the success of Presley’s cover of her song. She was understandably frustrated with this lack of monetary recognition for her contribution to music history, however, without her song, and her powerful voice, Elvis would have never released what is still to this day one of the most recognisable Rock and Roll songs of all time.41 While she may not have received adequate compensation for her contribution to Rock and Roll history, the legacy of Thornton’s original “Hound Dog” has not been forgotten. As recently as 2022, Thornton’s original “Hound Dog” was interpolated in Doja Cat’s song “Vegas,” written for the Baz Lurhmann film Elvis, a biopic about Presley’s life and career. In using Thornton’s version, rather than Presley’s, Doja Cat acknowledged the Black woman to whom Elvis owed his success with “Hound Dog,” reflecting a change in attitude in the past decade or so.

While Elvis is often heralded as “The King of Rock and Roll,” it is interesting to note that he refuted this title. According to Michael McDonough, “After [Elvis’] first opening in Las Vegas, in 1969, a reporter referred to [Elvis] as ‘the King’ in a press conference, which prompted him to point to [Black Rock and Roll legend] Fats Domino at the back of the room and say, ‘No, that’s the real King of Rock and Roll’.” (McDonough 2023.) When earlier in his career, Presley was pressured to denounce the influence of Black musicians on his music, it is reassuring to know that he was aware of the huge impact they had on his work, and the way that he would not have had half of the success he did have without their influence.43 With changing racial relations towards the end of the 1960s, Presley was able to acknowledge that he owed his success to the Black musicians who came before him.

[fantomcomics]

What's Out This Week? 10/18

Y'all coming to our Furry Nite event this weekend??

Beneath The Trees Where Nobody Sees #1 - Patrick Horvath

Don’t. Murder. The locals.

This is small-town serial killer, upstanding citizen, and adorable brown bear Samantha Strong’s cardinal rule. After all, there’s a sea of perfectly ripe potential victims in the big city just beyond the forest, and when you’ve worked as hard as Sam to build a cozy life and a thriving business in a community surrounded by friendly fellow animal folk, warm décor, and the aroma of cedar trees and freshly baked apple pie…the last thing you want is to disturb the peace.

So you can imagine her indignation when one of Woodbrook’s own meets a grisly, mysterious demise—and you wouldn’t blame her for doing anything it takes to hunt down her rival before the town self-destructs and Sheriff Patterson starts (literally) barking up the wrong tree.

Cyberpunk 2077: XOXO #1 - Bartosz Sztybor & Jakub Rebelka

Beneath the skin, flesh, and cyberware lies a beating heart--and only two things can stop a heart from beating: love and death. It's gang on gang violence as the Maelstroms target the Moxes for an ambush. Is a bloodbath underway or could this be love at first sight?

BRZRKR #1: Pen & Ink - Keanu Reeves, Matt Kindt & Ron Garney

For those that couldn't get enough of Keanu Reeves' record-obliterating jump into the comics world, BRZRKR returns in a new format while fans eagerly await the Netflix feature film, the Netflix anime series, the novel, and more comic books!In addition to enjoying the brutality in the refreshingly bleak black and white of BOOM! Studios' Pen & Ink line, series artist Ron Garney brings some method to the mayhem with brand new exclusive commentary!

Crypt Of Shadows #1 - Rebecca Roanhorse & Karen Darboe

The heroes of the Marvel Universe spend most of their time in the bright sun, flying high above it all…but every once in a while, they venture into the darkness that lurks in the hidden corners of the world. There lurk the creatures, the monsters, the vampires…the ones who prey on innocence and goodness. Join us, and some of your favorite heroes, for tales of fangs, claws and silent, stalking swamp creatures to celebrate All Hallows’ Eve!

Fear The Funhouse: Toybox Of Terror One-Shot - Timmy Heague, Danielle Paige, Michael Northrop, Ryan Caskey, Ryan Jampole, Tango & Sweeney Boo

In Riverdale, even the toys are terrifying in this anthology one-shot set in the universe of last year's successful Fear the Funhouse comic. Three tales of dolls, robots, and puppets gone awry all thanks to the work of a shadowy toymaker and a young girl intent on revenge, in the vein of the widely successful M3GAN movie and Child's Play franchise.

Gargoyles Halloween Special One-Shot - Greg Weisman, Bonesso Diego & Matteo Lolli

It's young Gnash's first Halloween in Manhattan, and you're invited to come along as he heads out to find friends on the one night of the year when Gargoyles can roam the city unbothered! Unfortunately, he's about to run afoul of the masked Quarrymen, who are out to hunt down any Gargoyle foolish enough to brave the streets on All Hallow's Eve. That means Brooklyn, Katana, Lexington, Broadway, Angela, and even Goliath are in real danger! Will they survive this cruel trick, or become a treat for the marauding Quarrymen? Find out in October with this all-new 40-page special featuring a 28-page main story written by Gargoyles creator GREG WEISMAN!

Hack/Slash: Back To School #1 (of 4) - Zoe Thorogood

Slasher hunter Cassie Hack is only just getting used to her man-monster partner, Vlad, when she's drawn into a new case involving a murderous bunny mascot, dead kids, and an entire squad of maladjusted teenage serial-killer hunters!

A completely new chapter in the beloved, long-running series that's perfect for new readers and old fans alike, just in time for Halloween.

Headless Horseman Halloween Annual #1 - David Dastmalchian, Valeria Burzo, Phillip Sevy & Lukas Ketner

Boils, ghouls, vampires, monsters, and creatures of all kinds, welcome. Take a seat, go on, fill the aisles, relax your fangs, and sit with us for a while. Join us in a macabre and magical journey through all the haunts and spooks that keep you up at night for here we revel in the darkness and present to you a chilling, nay petrifying experience as the Headless Horseman presents a collection of five terrifying tales to warm up your cold soul. Hurry up now, you won't want to keep them waiting...

My Little Pony: Black, White & Blue One-Shot - Tee Franklin & Agnes Garbowska

Sorry, everypony, it seems our printer ran out of pink, purple, yellow, green, red-uh, well, all the colors except black, white, and blue! What to do with all this blue? Hmm... OH! Drumroll please...In Misty's first comic appearance, everypony's favorite blue pony is in Maretime Bay for a sleepover with the Mane 5! But when everypony wakes up...all the color is gone! It kinda looks like Violette and Skye's favorite old TV show, Betwitched-at least the years it was in black and white-but everypony can still see blue for some reason. Determined to make the best of a gloomy situation, Vi and Skye put together a plan to spread cheer. Meanwhile, Izzy helps the distraught Misty see the beauty in messy situations using the power of unicycling! Join us for a magical one-shot of color calamity before returning to your regularly scheduled programs.

Sensational She-Hulk #1 - Rainbow Rowell, Jessica Gao, Genolet, Andres, & Jen Bartel

THE SENSATIONAL SHE-HULK IS BACK! Jen Walters is dusting off her adjective and kicking off a new era! The best hero slash lawyer in the Marvel Universe is going to remind you why she's so SENSATIONAL, going up against her deadliest challenge yet! PLUS: MARVEL STUDIOS SHE-HULK series writer JESSICA GAO makes hers Marvel in a short story with the Jade Giant!

Spine-Tingling Spider-Man #1 - Saladin Ahmed, Juan Ferreyra & Rod Reis

Terror continues for the Web-Slinger! After a fight with SPIDER-CIDE, Spider-Man gets taken on the most terrifying ride of his life. If you think you've already read the scariest Spider-Man story ever, you may stand corrected after this one!

Subgenre #1 - Matt Kindt & Wilfredo Torres

A man is living two lives. He is a private detective in a dystopian cyberpunk future trying to solve a triple murder. But when he falls asleep... he wakes up as a wandering adventurer in a barbaric fantasy world where magic exists. Is he two separate people? Or is he a third person that has undergone a psychotic split? He jumps back and forth from sword-wielding barbarian to jaded private eye trying to solve the brutal crime. But the bigger question is, can he merge these realities without losing himself?

A Splatter Western One-Shot #1 (of 4) - J M Brandt, Tom Napolitano & Garry Brown

A chance encounter between a sideshow owner and a man with his fair share of secrets unleashes an unholy terror on the folk of Randall's Oasis and Professor Morris' Pageant of Curiosities. A grisly murder brings the attention of fastidious Sheriff Jacob Dillon. What will he discover in the desert, and how will he stop it? Read the darkly comedic Splatter Western Swallower of Shades to find out those shocking answers!

TMNT: The Best Of Bebop & Rocksteady - James Biggie

Elegant. Mild-mannered. Graceful. Two upstanding gentlemen eager to help their neighbors. Just Kidding! Bebop and Rocksteady are wild, angry degenerates with muscles the size of sedans. And they're charging toward your local comic shop to relive their greatest hits! Try not to miss the party, will ya?

Whatcha snagging this week, Fantom Fam?

[globofhoney]

I believe that each Dragonborn has their dress code to represent themselves, modded or not.

Mine is White 80% , silver 15%, Blue 5%

A snow elf mage who has a very VERY hard time accepting a single flaw about herself. Getting shit from the Dominion quite a lot since she is not an Altmer, both mentality and appearance.

The arrogant mage were made, not born into.

she left Summerset to find her own path.

With a facade of happy and articulated chatter, behind the mask is a cold and bitter person who is not afraid to lashes out at those she deemed nuisance.

Gifted and ambitious in the study of arcane, she mastered all school of magic and enchanting by the age of 85, and arrived in Skyrim by accident at the age of 91 years old.

And that is when she discovered that she is gifted for more than just magic. The Dragon god of time has chosen her of all people to be his champion.

All this time, the ambitious and domineering nature of hers has roots from a hidden draconic soul all along. Finally she finds a thing that she likes, a unique power...one that also requires cultivation and mastery over time. But there's no need to rush, patience and mindfulness is also hey key to success. It is alright, she can wait and learn along the way, after all, there is plenty of time as a long living race such as hers.

Many bandits cannot see beyond the veil of peaceful and noble looking of frail and weak woman, therefore, their punishment is justified trying to rob her.

Dragon aspect: White and shining in color.

Dialogue:

- Idle

"the lack of progression serves no purposes..."

- Get hit (90% - 60% HP)

"Well met"

"How rude!"

- Get hit (HP below 50%)

"My patience wears thin with you..."

"You got some nerve laying your hands on me..."

- When it's raining

"A perfect weather for good shock spells, shall we hunt for storm Atronach?"

- When it's snowing

"How lovely, these dancing little snowflakes..."

- When the weather is nice

"Hmm~ such a nice weather for reading"

//when someone offers her Lusty Argonian maid//

"I...have to refuse. I could use another book for entertainment, something more refined. But still, I thank you for your kind offer"

(Translate: "thank you for trying to help me find a book to read, but I don't need this shit" )

- When it is sunny

"It is almost time for an afternoon tea"

Color represents

White: In some people, white color may represent angles and goodness, but in this case, I chose the colour theme for my LDB as white because of her perfectionist concepts, clean, rigid, empty, and bland. Like an Order untainted by chaos.

But, the grand clarity and purity in the color of white represent her arcane aspects. Her mind is ready, and her heart is resolute and cleared, just like a diamond, brilliant and unyielding.

Elegant when unprovoked, but also barely approachable (don't mind the courier part, that guy approaches everyone) not many people have a heart to directly ask her for help, even though she would do it for free to kill her boredom.

Silver: The color of nobility, illumination and enlightenment. But also...insincerity, deceiving, immoral, and enigmatic nature.

Aside from glittering gold and jewels, the person who has deep insecurities about not being enough, and being a target for making a fool of. She prefers to let her brilliant light shine to hide the flawed inside.

Like a swan that tries to hide a black feather..or even pluck them all out without fearing pain or grave consequences it may bring to itself.

But what does the great father of dragons see of the Eminence, chased after by his champion?

Blue: while the color blue can represent tranquility, honesty, trustworthy, wisdom, and reliability. It can also represent yearning, sadness, passiveness, aloof, and predictable nature.

A simpleton, a No one who once never has a role in anything big, got what she wanted in the end and yet it never made her whole as much as she thinks it will be. Instead, it created a big gap between her and the people around which... didn't actually help much.

The question in her heart remains unanswered. What does she really want?

"A mighty Dov that has scales shine in all platinum lays atop its mountain of hoards and ponder, is it not enough? Or is this never the right answer to begin with"

So...what is the dress code and color theme of your LDB????

[mariacallous]

Outdated grooming policies banning natural Black hairstyles have fueled racial inequities in schools and workplaces for too long. However, a new wave of legislative reforms and public advocacy aims to finally dismantle this form of discrimination. The CROWN Act (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair) has emerged as a legislative solution, prohibiting race-based hair discrimination. To date, the CROWN Act has been enacted in 24 states and numerous municipalities but has stalled in the U.S. Senate after passing through the House. Additionally, some state-level versions of the CROWN Act still enable discriminatory targeting of Black hairstyles.

In Texas, the CROWN Act left loopholes allowing bans on hair longer than two inches, which explicitly singles out and prohibits natural Black hairstyles like afros and dreadlocks on male students. By failing to bar restrictive policies on length and color, Texas’ version of the CROWN Act falls short of fully preventing race-based hair discrimination. Such gaps at the state level undermine the spirit of the CROWN Act and must be addressed through truly comprehensive reforms that protect all facets of Black hair. This gap between legislative success and real-world implementation, as evidenced by the suspension of a Texas student months after the Act’s passage, highlights the need for comprehensive legislation to fully address hair discrimination. Moving forward, legislation must address hair length, color, texture, and style to create truly inclusive policies without loopholes that permit discrimination.

Hair policies that regulate length and color have specifically targeted Black students, leading to disproportionate discipline and loss of educational opportunities. National data reveal that while Black students represent 15% of the K–12 population, they account for 31% of all school suspensions. Black students nationwide are missing nearly three times as many school days due to suspension as white students, accounting for a disproportionate number of the total 11 million days of lost instruction. In one school district in Texas, research from the Center for Justice Research at Texas Southern University found that Black students are seven times more likely to be suspended compared to white students, often for discretionary, minor behavioral infractions. Repeated suspensions increase the risk of falling behind, dropping out, and having contact with the juvenile justice system. In fact, one study revealed a concerning cycle—students who were suspended from school were seven percent more likely to later have contact with the juvenile justice system. Moreover, once these students returned to their schools after suspension, they were 20% more likely than their peers to face another suspension.

The consequences of hair discrimination extend beyond the classroom. A 2021 study found that Black women with natural hairstyles are less likely to be recommended for a job interview compared to white women with curly or straightened hair. Natural hairstyles like dreadlocks were deemed less professional. This employment discrimination limits economic mobility and forces Black women to incur the financial and health burdens of damaging chemical treatments, including increased uterine cancer risk from chemical straighteners.

To achieve the goal of ending hair discrimination, the CROWN Act must expand to cover all facets of hair style and presentation without exceptions, such as those found in the Texas version. Congress should pass the federal CROWN Act, joining states like Colorado and New Jersey in enacting more comprehensive bills that close loopholes. Enforcement will also require dedicated resources and training. School administrators must learn how to shift away from punitive dress codes toward supportive, culturally-informed policies. Human resource professionals need guidance on removing Eurocentric appearance standards from hiring and grooming practices.

The CROWN Act reflects an important step towards ending race-based hair discrimination. However, true progress requires closing loopholes that allow for continued disproportionate enforcement against Black students and workers. Comprehensive legislation coupled with proper training and enforcement provides a path forward to ending harmful policies rooted in white supremacist standards. Schools and workplaces must move beyond narrow beauty norms towards valuing diversity in how individuals present themselves. This includes embracing and protecting all hair lengths, textures, and colors.

Why it matters

Hair discrimination limits educational attainment, career opportunities, and economic mobility for Black Americans. It also exacts a psychological and physical health toll by forcing assimilation to white beauty standards. The CROWN Act has the potential to eliminate centuries-old institutional policies and stereotypes that perpetuate racial inequities and trauma.

However, achieving this goal depends on enacting legislation that fully encompasses all facets of hair, including length, texture, color, and style. Comprehensive legal protections coupled with training and enforcement can help create more inclusive environments, where individuals are empowered to show up authentically. Getting the CROWN Act right matters for racial justice and equality of opportunity.

[anonymusbosch]

trying to help an acquaintance with some severe life issues and I'm beyond the point where I can help. below the cut, heavy mental health stuff:

she needs to get into grad school and get a job and move out from a bad living situation. I've offered to help review her resume or do practice interviews and I've offered tide-over money and I've tried to be supportive and talk through some of the "the world hates me and I should kill myself and no one will ever love me" stuff, but I think she's possibly having some kind of reality disconnect or interaction... issue that I'm not familiar with. she just told me I should either directly give her a job or shut up and leave (this doesn't follow from previous bits of conversation, but as a stress/frustration reaction I'm not surprised) but also that she should kill herself because of people like me. that one came out of nowhere. there was a lot of black-and-white "either i succeed 100% or i need to die" that I was trying to meet with "are there things that can help address aspects of the situation even if they don't solve the whole problem/intermediate steps to get more stability". which was apparently the wrong thing to say, because not supporting her by directly giving her a job meant not understanding the situation, not caring, and directly hurting her. and therefore being part of the problem and both deserving to die myself (like everyone else who hasn't helped her) and that she deserves to die (bc the world is uncaring and doesn't want to help her).

I'm respecting her request to not message her though she's sent more invective at me. the previous conversation went on for several days with me trying to reassure and support and being at least somewhat successful, but I guess something tipped the scale? I don't know how to help - there's no one she trusts and no one I know near her, and I surely don't intend to message her against her directive, and I can't and wouldn't try to get a wellness check on her. but I'm worried she's having some kind of break with reality and that there's a nonzero chance of harm to self or others.

i don't know. I just don't think there's anything I can reasonably do and I don't know what I could have done better. her reactions had been a little extreme and unpredictable but I still didn't expect this.

I guess all there is to do is hope? hope the storm passes?

just needed to articulate this somewhere. can't get it out of my head

[rogue-ai-cat]

What Happened Today That You Should Know

Tuesday, April 29, 2025

Courtesy of GovBrief.Today

1. Prosecutors charge migrants for breaching a 60-foot defense strip on the New Mexico border now controlled by the Army.

2. Trump says he could bring back Maryland man mistakenly deported to El Salvador but refuses despite Supreme Court order.

3. Federal judge Randolph Moss challenges Trump claim that his border-invasion asylum ban is beyond court review.

4. Judge bars Border Patrol in Eastern California from warrantless arrests and coerced departures after profiling farmworkers.

5. State Department working on terrorist tag for Haiti’s Viv Ansanm and Gran Grif gangs.

6. Postal Inspection Service shares mail tracking data with DHS task force to help find undocumented immigrants for Trump’s mass deportation campaign.

7. Federal judge in California orders Trump administration to keep funding lawyers for unaccompanied migrant children.

8. Wisconsin Supreme Court temporarily suspends Milwaukee County judge Hannah Dugan after her arrest for helping a migrant evade immigration agents.

9. White House blasts Amazon for plan to show Trump tariff costs on product listings.

10. White House will soften auto tariffs, blocking stacked steel and aluminum levies and offering partial reimbursements on parts.

11. Judge blocks Trump move to fire 1,500 CFPB workers and orders officials to testify on possible injunction breach.

12. Trump administration investigates Chicago Public Schools over Black Student Success Plan, alleging race-based discrimination.

13. Harvard president apologizes and pledges reforms after task force reports expose campus antisemitism and anti-Arab bias.

14. Trump fires all Biden appointees from U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council, including Doug Emhoff.

15. Judge orders Trump administration to restore $12 million in funding for Radio Free Europe, blocking its shutdown.

16. Trump fires three Corporation for Public Broadcasting board members, prompting lawsuit over his authority.

17. Houthis say U.S. strike on Saada migrant center kills at least 68 Africans, Pentagon reviewing the claim.

18. House GOP blocks vote to probe Hegseth’s Signal chats on Yemen plans.

19. Hegseth ends Women, Peace & Security program on women’s military leadership, calling it divisive even though Trump signed it in 2017.

20. HHS chief Robert F. Kennedy Jr. urges parents to “do your own research” on vaccines, despite overseeing the nation’s vaccine safety.

21. FL legislature passes bill banning local water fluoridation and restricting plant-based foods from using milk or meat labels.

22. Trump nominee Ed Martin dodges Jan. 6 and Nazi-sympathizer questions in Senate confirmation answers.

FIGHTING BACK: “Your Local Epidemiologist” Katelyn Jetelina offers webinar on influencing health policy this Friday.

Take Action:

Write your officials via resist.bot

Call your officials via 5calls.org

Find events via mobilize.us

[shruggingcutely]

I made a couple of posts about Daria and my thoughts about the show, but I finally wanna elaborate a bit on it, because there are many things to chew on

Daria is a 1997-2000 spinoff of Beavis & Butthead about the minor character Daria, a cynical highschooler complaining about society. I first watched the show as a teen when it came out and liked it a lot because I could relate so much to it, but I was actually surprised on rewatching it how much better it is than I remember, which might be because I don't think I ever saw season 4 & 5, which is, I think, when the show really hits its stride

The show is a mostly episodic comedy, usually involving different plot lines for Daria and Jane, her artsy best friend, and Quinn, Daria's little sister a year below her, who is obsessed with popularity and fashion, and usually acts as a foil to her. As the show goes on there are real character arcs, though, which mostly pay off in the two final seasons (which is what makes them so good). Daria tries to be cold and distant, but she does actually care about many things and the show does portray her as in the wrong frequently. After all, she is just a teenager, even if she is wise beyond her years

The show has such a strong 90s feeling to it (you had to be there), with the MTV music and the aesthetics (and very rare cellphones or computers), but Daria (and Jane)'s critique (and mocking) of all things that are weird and bad about society, like rampant consumerism, preferential treatment for athletes in school, or restrictive beauty standards, is still tragically relevant. Like basically nothing they bring up has gotten better since and many things got much worse (to emphasize, the show was pre-9/11 and the 2008 recession and other things like that)

At the same time the show does acknowledge that knowing something's a problem is not the same as solving it. One of Daria's character arcs is realizing that words are cheap, and while she has strong principles if she never actually does anything she loses the right to complain because she is just as complicit as everyone else. Again, the later seasons highlight this more by having Jodie, the only black girl at her high school, as her foil. As the daughter of a successful black business man, Jodie is in a somewhat different situation. She is just as astute as Daria, but shouldering high parental expectations, being ambitious, and finding herself as a role model due to her status as a black woman means she tends to look for compromises and tries to work within the system, because she cannot get away with rejecting everything as easily as Daria does (not that Daria actually gets away with it). A lot of Jodie's conflict in the final season boils down to "the system is unfair, but if I'm not the one benefiting some white person who doesn't care will be", which is a lot of pressure

Another big arc Daria goes through is strongly tied to Jane. While Daria keeps everything and everyone at arm's length and tries to be above it all, Jane tries to have fun with things or at least give them a try because worst case she has something to make art about. She likes to give Daria a little push every now and then to show her making mistakes and growing is part of being human (and particularly being a teen). Or that wearing contacts doesn't mean betraying your ideals... (again, teen). This extends to her supporting Daria's hopeless crush on Jane's older brother, Trent, and then also on Jane's... then-ex, Tom, who ends up being Daria's boyfriend for the final season and not doing a terrible job at it. A big part of Tom's role specifically is to teach Daria (not actively, on a narrative level) to open up and be vulnerable. Let me just note here that almost every guy Daria is ever interested is strongly connected to Jane, let me do that

Finally, a big part of the puzzle is Quinn, who spends most of the show being almost insufferably vapid by only ever talking about fashion and who's popular and who isn't and who does she go on a date with and being almost afraid of using her brain for anything else. She's so afraid of not fitting in she keeps calling Daria her cousin who sorta lives in the same house to not have her unpopularity infect her, so to say

I actually found myself really liking Quinn this time around. She gets a few moments in the earlier seasons where she immediately turns to Daria if she needs advice, showing that she does value her, and she is sometimes shown to be the only member of the fashion club who does care about things beyond looking good. In fact, while the fashion club is a lot about passive-aggressively putting each other down, Quinn isn't shown to actually enjoy doing it (though she is easily provoked into it). In the first movie (i.e. the finale of season 4) she hires a tutor because she realizes does feel like she has some academic potential, and thanks to her tutor she actually learns things and enjoys it. She then asks him out (which she never does and also she usually dates cute guys and he's not cute or like he is cute but he's not trying to be cute) and he rejects her because she still doesn't really value her intellectual side, but the seed is planted. She starts putting in effort at school and deflecting the catty jabs of the fashion club and ends up being one of the few people in her class who does actually well on an essay scab substitute teacher Daria has them write on Romeo & Juliet

It is also revealed that their parents once got into a fight because they were stressed out but kept being called into school because grade school Daria wasn't "trying to get along with others" but they didn't know what was wrong or how to fix it, which ended up teaching baby Quinn that "being difficult" can have severe downsides, explaining why she's always tried to be not just social but popular and as different from Daria as possible. Then their mother and their aunts getting into decade-long fights makes the sisters resolve never to end like that. And finally the finale shows Quinn that when she gets out of college the rules of high school no longer apply and knowing things doesn't actually make you a pariah. I just, really love that she wasn't only allowed to grow, it also showed that she always was multi-faceted

On Daria's part, some of her "teenage mistakes" teach her that she's overly harsh to Quinn about her interest in fashion, and a writing exercise about what she wants her life to be like in the future shows her getting along happily with her family, which she also somewhat works on by reassuring her parents they're doing fine. And they do have things in common. Things like, to use the show's metaphor, Quinn wearing a mask to pretend to be a dumb airhead to not scare off people attracted to her looks and Daria wearing a mask to pretend to be a meanie so she never has to be vulnerable

So yeah, I like the character writing a lot and the social critique hits consistently, which makes my two complaints about the show be actual complaints in contrast because it's the show undercutting itself. There is so much talk, particularly early on, about the damage beauty standards can cause. E.g. for an art contest about high school life Daria and Jane submit a painting about a girl developing an eating disorder due to her need to stay skinny. Yet there is a single recurring fat character, who is some lady who really craves junk food despite her doctor's insistence. The idea seems to be that the problem is her neglecting her health, but come on. Fat lady can't stop eating but we totally support diverse body images

The other thing is that the show is kinda painfully straight. No shit, you might think, but with the whole focus on social critique and non-conformity and having principles there could probably be more than a single (outside of an admittedly funny joke where like 6 girls come out of the same bathroom stall) out queer character who is a bi girl who very aggressively hits on Jane at her summer art commune, tells her she can tell Jane actually likes girls, who then turns around and sleeps with the terrible artist dude they were making fun of the whole time, while Jane safely gets to ignore the whole thing because the girl was clearly an asshole. And like, none of the girls at this camp give very straight vibes but they all are. Feels like such a missed opportunity to do... anything, really. Anyway, I agree with a friend that Jane is bi and Daria is too repressed to realize it was actually Jane she was attracted to the whole time

These two aspects are annoying because the show hits so much more (*hippie women baking bread* hippie men: "sounds like the girls are getting liberated) than it misses, though it does still have some minor liberal moments early on (the hippie friends making compromises to have an easier life while the suburbanites don't change), which the show mostly seems to evolve past

Cynical know-it-all Daria gets to grow as a person and realizes it's good to care, to have real human relationships, to find the good in bad situations, not to set people impossible standards, to try to solve problems with actions instead of only complaining about them, while still sticking to her principles and questioning the status quo. Basically I'm saying Daria is about Nietzsche's übermensch

Also Jane, Quinn, and Daria's mom all share the same voice actress and that is mind-boggling, what a performance

[birkcreative]

The Concrete Wall: A Black Woman's Journey to Success in the Creative Industry

A Teacher's Recognition

As a Black woman in a creative industry, my path to success has been circuitous. It began in art school, as it does for many young professionally-trained creatives. I could have felt lost, but a woman teacher recognized my talent, was unafraid of my own femaleness, didn’t fear my blackness, and she spurred on my creative development. Back then, it said a lot about a design student if they could hold a steady hand to create designs with an X-acto knife, and still love the entire process. It showed an attention to detail to my teacher, a requirement she knew was needed for a successful career in branding and design.

Breaking into Boutique Agencies

I also started winning student design awards, and recognition in national publications like HOW Magazine, which gave me visibility within the art school, and with my peers and later, for my job prospects.

However, there are many factors that play into success, and talent and hard work are only two of them. Design culture, around the globe, is overseen by the cultural elite: white curators, funders, and others who have resources for insider access. Rarely will you see Black people in prominent roles at the world’s greatest boutique, branding and design agencies.

Exclusion at the Top

The same can not be said for internal creative roles at global brands like McDonald’s, Twitter or Coca-Cola, which rely on Black talent in many areas, but this is because they have Black audiences that consume their products, and recognize the need to adapt their messaging as such. Consider prestigious assignments like annual report design, brand strategy or product packaging design, which involves development processes and buy-in from majority white leadership, shareholders, investors and the like. These are the kind of projects that you will rarely find spearheaded by Black people.

Lack of representation then creates a continuous loop environment where Black people are often excluded from and not recruited for coveted creative jobs at close knit branding agencies and white people (at any level) are not held accountable to bring Blacks to the table, in any capacity (outside of mailroom jobs, project managers or front desk receptionists).

Performative Support

While you will notice many white-dominated agencies voicing their support for Black Lives, it’s often truly performative. Yes, they may cover up by creating design and branding work for nonprofits that have Black audiences and customers from within the Black community. The actual agency however, doesn’t employ full-time, permanent Black designers or Black thought leaders. They may offer pro bono to Black Lives, but don’t have Black people serving on their board of directors. There are obviously exceptions to this, but from an industry-wide view, Black designers and leaders are absent at these preeminent agencies, nationally and globally.

The Tide is Turning

In the 2021 Graphic Design USA, not only do I appear on the cover, but I was selected as a “People to watch in 2021” as part of the annual celebration in the elite graphic design industry. It is not only a major accomplishment for myself, but it also perhaps signals the slow breakthrough of other talented, hard working, overlooked Black people in other creative professions. Recognition from a top tier publication like GD USA shows that the tide in these creative industries may be turning, pushing beyond performative gestures, towards a true meritocracy.

A non celebrity non entertainer-type of Black face on the cover of any magazine is highly unusual and worth recognizing. It is a full circle moment for me, as a creative technology leader also recently recognized as an independent, non celebrity leader in the annual Female Frontier Honoree for Transforming Technology award. 

Pay It Forward

I am so proud to have built a steady career as a woman in the creative industry, and have intentionally used my success to bring others up with me. I have used my experience and talent to pay it forward and open doors for other Black designers and creatives who may have not been given the same opportunities as I have.

I founded Birk creative, a multidisciplinary branding and design agency that focuses on diverse talent, to not only be inclusive but to also give back to the community. I want to use my platform and influence to create change within the industry and to inspire other Black designers and creatives to follow their dreams and never give up.

Making Real Change

It’s important for the design industry to recognize and celebrate the contributions of Black designers and to make a conscious effort to be inclusive and diverse. It’s not enough to just pay lip service to Black Lives Matter, it’s about making real and lasting change. As a Black woman in the creative industry, I’m determined to do my part to make that change happen.

[bookmuseum]

[REVIEW] In the Belly of the Congo by Blaise Ndala

2/5 stars (★★)

“Still, he had held on to the wound and not life, to decadence and not revival. He said he was a man of a bygone era.”

This was a relatively good book to read for Black History Month, and all the more relevant when remembering the atrocities happening in the Congo as I write this in 2025. I appreciated that the copy I read had a concise yet informative chronology on the former Belgian Congo from 1885-2005, which put the novel in perspective for me. As someone who doesn't know much detail about this history, it was grounding to learn a little beyond the lessons about the scramble for Africa, King Leopold, and colonialism that I learned in high school, but I also wasn't bombarded with too much knowledge, so I was grateful for that. I also liked that this book had consistent footnotes and translations that allowed for the original language to remain on the text and not totally get swept up with the English. Even though this was a translation, I think the translator Amy B. Reid did a good job with Ndala's text, though of course that's just me going off of my gut feeling.

The act of actually reading the book was quite easy for me. I finished In the Belly of the Congo in under 24 hours; perhaps because the book read like one long oral speech rather than didactic textual diction. I wouldn't say I loved the book so much that I couldn't put it down, but it was certainly easy to pick up and keep going, like turning on the radio and passively listening to the spokesperson ramble on about the weather or current events. Even though Ndala's writing definitely suffered from far too much telling and not enough showing or allowance for interpretation, I can still confidently say I don't often encounter much of this type of writing style in fiction, and in a way it was quite spellbinding, especially the times when he opted for more crass, deadpan, and even vulgar language instead of the poetical kind I am used to. So many blunt references to shit, piss, vomit, semen, blood, farts, and even amniotic fluids, which gave the novel a very visceral and elegantly crude touch, if that makes sense. I liked that Ndala didn't shy away from depicting characters that used bold turns of phrase and different ways of talking. However, I would say that overall the unique writing style didn't amplify or serve the messages the book held all that well, especially since the main subject material is so complex and important:

"You must always remember this — never would the White Man have been able to conquer the multitudes that still lie at his feet centuries after they cried for ‘liberty’ . . . if he hadn’t already written their history for them."

Despite this great line, it didn't feel like Ndala took his own story seriously. True, a more casual, laid back approach to the issues at hand could have been promising, but it ended up coming off as selfishly blasé and sloppy -- the same kind of lazy ignorance Nyota criticized her athlete boyfriend for near the end of the book when he prioritized his career's success over honoring his Congo background.

I found the first half of the book with Princess Tshala a bit sluggish and frustrating (she sounded more like a delusional modern-day female lead in a steamy romance slash fairy porn novel rather than a member of a Congolese royal family in the 1950s). I did like how Ndala framed her part as like a grave or a monument speaking to her niece Nyota in 2003; you realize that it's the princess' ghost who is speaking and directly addressing Nyota in the second half, which was interesting narrative-wise, but more so insufferable with how shamelessly horny she was for a mediocre middle-aged white man. That was the book's biggest turn-off for me. She went on and on about how René Comhaire (with the culturally appropriated name Kunyaza, how dashing) was this sex god who turned into a fountain of orgasmic ecstasy, but his measly -- and frankly unsettling and cringe-worthy -- presence in the book was so underwhelmingly pathetic that I had secondhand embarrassment for this princess who had fallen so low for such a sad excuse for a man, who claimed to be anti-colonialism and progressive but did exactly what all colonizer men have done since the dawn of time to women of color. It wasn't romantic or passionate, and it was kind of insulting for Ndala to assume I would even entertain Comhaire's sexual assault, racism, pedophilia, grooming, and fetishization of Tshala's barely eighteen-year-old body as anything but horrendous. (You can imagine how I was 100% on Tshala's friend Kisita's side the entire time). That's why I can't really hail this novel as a feminist one despite Ndala choosing to center his story on the female perspective: His male gaze and exaggeratedly frantic sensuality severely clashed with his attempts to educate his readers on this unspoken and misunderstood part of history. Ironically, I'd even say Tshala's "affair" with Comhaire adds to that nexus of misinformation, because, no matter how you put it, colonized women simply are not that stupid in real life, much less initiated princesses on the cusp of adulthood. Tshala gave in so comically fast to Comhaire, which totally went against what Ndala was trying to tell me about her intelligence and strength as a character. I simply could not reconcile the woman who says stuff like, "If happiness is faceless, that’s because it doesn’t want to be recognized by those it leaves on the sidelines" with the same one who went on for paragraphs and paragraphs about stunning white penis. Girl, please.

Thankfully, that ridiculous horny nonsense was only a small part of the book, but the aftertaste of how out of touch it was to actual reality lingered throughout the rest of the story, which ultimately left ITBotC flat and yet also unnecessarily complicated with little to no reward. The middle parts of the book were very weak, especially the awkward transfer from Tshala's point of view to Nyota's. That being said, I liked that the novel orbited around the exhibition in Belgium's 1958 World's Fair in Brussels, which I had known about prior to reading this novel from a visit to a museum exhibition detailing its ugly colonial history. I appreciated that Ndala kept a sense of mystery and suspense with Nyota's investigation into her missing aunt, which leads her on a bit of a wild goose chase (complete with old cat ladies still fantasizing about fucking buxom African men). Ndala kept dangling the 1958 fair across the reader's eyes, making you want to turn the page to find out more of what happened and get past the weird side stories and dead ends. There were a lot of (at first) deliciously drawn out detours with small anecdotes and asides that held potential, but they ended up amounting to nothing since they provided very little commentary or insight into the history of the Belgian Congo and the princess' disappearance overall. There were lengthy digressive stories and character backgrounds (like Akwesa Kolosoy, who I found interesting but Ndala just chucked aside after a few pages), but these asides didn’t serve the main plot, turning the initially intriguing suspense into a type of blue balls narration.

When you did find out what actually happened, the timeline is still a bit scrambled and warped, and you feel like you got cheated more than reached any sort of clarity. So much buildup and the big reveal is that, wow, a man murdered her and no one did anything about it except cry a little and feel bad after the damage had already been done and she was practically dead already. How original. What's worse is that Ndala's description of it all -- the putrid racism of the entire episode, the violent attack on Tshala, her fight for her life in the hospital -- lacked emotional depth and effect. What could've been a very strong and reflective section that analyzed the 1958 fair and all its hideous injustices against the Congolese people it cruelly exploited, as well as the unfair and horrific role black women play in the midst of these chaotic events, became sanitized, indifferent, and boring. Ndala expressed no feeling or emotion for the people he tries to humanize and draw attention to -- in fact, you even get the sense he's mocking them for his own amusement. This notion extended and is even best represented in his two heroines Tshala and Nyota, who he praises left and right for being exemplary women, but almost every aspect he focuses on is related to their physical bodies, sexual attraction, and the effect their beauties have on men who cannot help but lust after them. The princess and her niece were extremely difficult to relate to and sympathize with beyond face value. The lack of character depth was astoundingly painful; I really wanted to know more about the inner lives of these women, but it was like Ndala cared more about convincing me they were goddess-like levels of sexy rather than human beings.

The book ending on a somewhat positive note with hope of forgiveness and change with new generations also felt superficial to me. The dying King Kena Kwete III, who was such a force of nature at the beginning of the book, says near the end:

“For as long as the earth has been our shared home, peoples have met, sometimes in joy, sometimes in pain, sometimes caught up in happiness, sometimes under the yoke of barbarity. It’s not the wounds they inflict upon each other that matter the most once time finally lifts the veil from our illusions. What matters, son, is that the children who come after learn to build a less repugnant world than the one they inherited.”

That sounds good and everything, gramps, but this truth and reconciliation smokes and mirrors bullshit didn't distract me well enough from the fact that you forgave and sympathized with the colonizers who destroyed your life, homeland, and family. This multigenerational novel delves into the history and human cost of colonialism in the Congo and you're here wasting the last few pages of the book holding hands and crying with a white man who has daddy issues that don't even compare to the misogyny and trauma you inflicted on your female children. Get real. Even though I did find the fading king's last moments quite touching as someone who has been a granddaughter witnessing an elder's final rites, everything about it felt like Ndala was pandering to a white savior audience. There was no anger or fire in this book that I would've expected as the bare minimum requirement when touching on such a rich, multilayered, and infuriating Congo history.

[heavymetalyogi-blog]

TW: violence, sexual assault

2025 Black History Month Day 6: Alvin Ailey (1931-1989)

Not many people know this, but when I was young I really Really REALLY wanted to be a DANCER but was too fearful of being clocked as queer to pursue it beyond the component in high school drama.  The two figures I most looked up to in the world of dance were Bob Fosse and Alvin Ailey. Alvin Ailey's childhood was smothered by the violent racism of segregated small town Texas.  A foundational moment in Alvin's life was when his mother was gang raped by white men when he was 5, around the same time he joined her picking cotton in the fields. The KKK had a resurgence in the 1930s as blacks were used as scapegoats for the Great Depression.  He learned at this early age to fear white men.  At the age of 11 in 1942 his mother moved him to Los Angeles, where he studied art, poetry, and music in high school.  For an extracurricular activity he took up gymnastics. He began to flourish.  He saw a multitude of black musicians and had a spark ignited within him when he saw his first ballet on a school trip. Another spark was ignited within him around the same time when he realized he was gay. After trying tap and primitive dance he discovered Lester Horton's dance school where they taught modern dance, and he fell in love with the style.  He studied dance but was disappointed to discover there weren't many roles for black men. He moved to San Francisco and briefly had a dance act he performed in clubs with Maya Angelou. Alvin took a job with Horton's Dance Company in 1953 and was given the freedom to choreograph his first piece.   Lester Horton died unexpectedly later in the year.  The dance company was without a leader and when it seemed nobody would take up the reigns to fulfill their commitments Alvin stepped forward. After his term with Horton's was over he danced in Broadway productions for several years before founding the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 1958. A big motivation for him founding his own company was honoring black culture and providing dance gigs for other blacks. In 1960 he choreographed 'Revelations,' a masterwork of modern dance which is still performed today.  In 1961 his dance company received its first contract to work with the US State Department. Throughout the '60s the State Department sent him to countries around the world as a cultural exchange, including the USSR. While he was happy to have work (he wasn't able to book performances in most of the US), his company was marketed as an "ethnic dance troup" which he felt was disrespectful as they were performing modern dance and he had to deal with the stresses of being more closeted. Also in the '60s he collaborated with Duke Ellington.  In 1968 he received a Guggenheim Fellowship and created productions with modern pop music.   Throughout his entire career he encountered racism in the dance world, but he persisted. In the '60s he had toured the world but had difficulty charting a tour of the US. In the '70s, Alvin found success with his foundation finding a permanent home in New York City, as well as touring the country (including many urban and rural areas in an effort to reach as many people as possible). He also created programs to encourage the arts in education, especially in undeserved communities.  He publicly came out of the closet and gave interviews where he discussed his blackness as only one of his features, being gay was another.  His dance empire has continued since he was struck down by AIDS in 1989. May his memory allow us to flourish in our creativity!

[ggladd01]

Garrett Morgan (1877–1963) – The Man Who Made Roads Safer

Garrett Augustus Morgan was a self-taught Black inventor and entrepreneur whose innovations continue to impact society today. Born in 1877 in Claysville, Kentucky, Morgan only received an elementary school education before moving to Cincinnati, Ohio, in search of work. His keen mechanical skills and business acumen allowed him to become one of the most successful Black inventors of the early 20th century.

The Three-Position Traffic Signal

One of Morgan’s most significant inventions was the **three-position traffic signal**, which revolutionized road safety. Before his invention, traffic lights only had two signals—“Stop” and “Go”—which often led to accidents, especially when drivers had no warning that the light was about to change.

Morgan witnessed a serious car accident at a Cleveland intersection, which inspired him to design a third signal: “Caution” (the forerunner of today's yellow light). This addition allowed drivers time to slow down before the light changed, reducing collisions. In 1923, he patented this innovation and later sold the rights to **General Electric for $40,000**—a massive sum at the time. His invention laid the foundation for modern traffic control systems used worldwide.

The Safety Hood (Early Gas Mask)

Morgan also invented the **safety hood**, an early version of the modern gas mask. In 1914, he developed a device with tubes that allowed wearers to breathe clean air in smoke-filled or toxic environments. The invention gained national attention when Morgan and his brother used it to rescue trapped workers during the **Cleveland Tunnel Explosion of 1916**. Despite this heroic act, racial prejudice prevented many from recognizing him as the inventor, and white salesmen were often hired to promote the product. The U.S. Army later adopted versions of Morgan’s design for soldiers in World War I.

Entrepreneurial Legacy

Beyond inventing, Morgan was a savvy businessman. He founded **G.A. Morgan Hair Refining Company**, selling hair care products, including a hair straightening cream that became popular nationwide. As one of the first Black entrepreneurs to own a car in Cleveland, he understood the importance of road safety firsthand, which led to his traffic signal breakthrough.

Despite facing racial barriers, Morgan’s work saved countless lives. His patents and inventions earned him a place in history, and in 2005, he was posthumously inducted into the **National Inventors Hall of Fame**. Today, every traffic light we encounter bears the influence of his genius.

#BlackHistoryMonth #BlackExcellence #BlackInventors

[carmshifts]

sparking hero ask game ( my hero academia college dr ) ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

( from laylasverse )

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ . ✦ ✦ . 　⁺ 　. ✦ . 　⁺. ✦ ✦ . ✦ . 　⁺

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ׄ 　۪ 𓂃 ੭୧ 𓂃　۪ ׄ

🏹 BRAVE BOW AND ARROW . . . are your abilities not related to biological powers? are you proficient with a certain weapon? does your power rely on your intelligence instead of your agility or physical strength?

- my abilities are biological! i don’t carry any specific weapons as that would make it difficult to swing, so i prefer hand to hang combat and capturing. my ability relies in my intelligence because i need to be able to know when it is safe to use timewarp and not damage myself or others.

🌎 GREAT GLOBE . . . have you saved the world yet? if so how did it go? was it successful all around or was it a bit of a bumpy ride?

- i aid in both of the wars that happened in japan but beyond that there’s nothing else worth noting… yet.

⚡️LUCKY LIGHTNING BOLT . . . what city do you protect? gotham like batman? central city like the flash? queens like spider-man? or maybe your own city?

- tokyo, japan since that’s where U.A. and the hero agencies i train under are.

🔎 MARVELOUS MAGNIFYING GLASS . . . who was the first person to discover your secret identity? how did they react to finding out?

- well my identity isn’t really a secret, but my father was the first person to know i wanted to become a hero and what my hero name was. he was both proud and scared.

🕸️ SLATE SPIDER . . . what is your hero insignia? what symbol do people know you by? what does your hero suit look like? who created / designed it? what is your color scheme?

- my insignia is a spiders web! my hero suit has a grey/black/white color scheme. i designed it with the help of the suit designers at U.A.

🎤 SOLEMN STUDIO MICROPHONE . . . how does the media in your desired reality portray you? are they in favor of your supersona or do they think you are a menace?

- not to toot my own horn or anything but since i’m apart of the class 1a big three… im pretty popular with the media.

🦸🏼‍♀️ STEEL SUPERHERO . . . when did you become your alter ego? what was the turning point in your life that made you want to be a hero?

- i started my hero training at age 13 but didn’t attend a hero school until i was 17 because in my dr hero high schools dont exist. i wanted to become a hero because of my parents and because i want to help others.

🗯️ SWIFT SPEECH BUBBLE . . . do you work alone? are you a part of some hero organization (the justice league, the avengers, x-men, fantastic four, new avengers, etc...) ?

- well once i graduate i become a member of best jeanists agency and work my way up to the #6 hero. katsuki and i eventually open our own hero agency.

🧪 TENACIOUS TEST TUBE . . . where did your powers come from? were they from a test tube like captain america? a radioactive spider like spider-man?

- my power is my quirk! quirks are genetic abnormalities that started to appear about 100 years before i was born.

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can yall tell i love these ask games LOLOLOL