I constantly hear debates over whether phones and other forms of technology should be allowed in classrooms. People ask whether or not technology is helping or hindering our youth. Are they really learning if they’re wearing headphones or are they playing and wasting time?

Mainstream society continues to see black people based on our physical characteristics, hair being one of them. And today in 2019, black hair is just as political as it ever has been.

I pledge allegiance to my skin
to always put me first
to avoid using external factors and comparisons
to evaluate my self-worth.

You see, I am a wife and mom of seven. Through all the crazy chaos of my life, it is hard for some people to believe that I am still sane and genuinely happily married for almost fifteen years. When people ask, “How do you do it?” I tell them this truth: Anybody can get married. However, staying married is a whole different story.

The old cliché a picture is worth more than a thousand words, well now, more than a thousand likes is no longer a statement. It’s a reality!

This year’s group of talented men are literally beating the odds everyday. They are beating the odds that say they should be dead or back behind bars. They are not only surviving, but thriving.

As you explore the images in this collection we hope that you will be inspired to do your own research, connect the dots on your own ancestral story, and learn about the cultures that birthed you.

In Dr. Prince’s interview with II Magazine, he provides us with doses of wisdom, empowerment, and unity. Here’s what the doctor has to say:

Yes, I still call you King. It’s who you are.  Who you have always been. Despite the distorted lens that some view you through, I see your perseverance and I admire you.

When I think of bitterness I think of roots. Roots are not fruit, sweet and attractive, but they are just as essential to plant health. They are patient but always moving forward, growing unapologetically. Some roots are impossible or even deadly to ingest if pulled straight out of the ground, but if you know your roots, you might find that you can turn them into medicine, and although you can almost bet that it will be bitter to the taste, they are healing.