It's the annual birthday eve look back at the last year. Here's what I was thinking this time last year about how I wanted the past 365 days to go: Fall in love—a deeply painful sort detached from rewards and seeking what's in it for you, that seeks the other's highest good, that draws on … Continue reading Days 11,680-12,045
I returned to America swearing I’d never date a white man. In ten years, I’d come a long way from insisting white people could be trusted. My contempt for their inability to see both their privilege and the pervasiveness of racism was the imprint left behind from thousands of micro- and macro-aggressions—or what my heart … Continue reading The Race Chronicles–Movement 4: Old Haunts, New Grace
It was remarkable I ever moved to Laos. I’d turned down grad school in Hawaii because it was too hot. My adult life had been one extended migration north for cooler temperatures, at some point calling New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Washington state home. I hated hot weather and by extension the beach, tropical vacations, and summer. … Continue reading The Race Chronicles—Movement 3: Black Beauty
In a way, moving to China after college provided an escape from what felt like the oppressive and other-erasing ubiquity of whiteness. I was still one of only a few blacks, but to the Chinese that made me a novelty. I worked hard at Mandarin and dove deep into Chinese pop culture, history, and arts. Chinese people … Continue reading The Race Chronicles—Movement 2: Monsters
“You can’t trust white people,” went the familiar refrain growing up. It wasn’t said with malice. Rather, it was said with the same matter-of-factness as “look both ways before crossing” or “don’t touch the stovetop.” The implication was “…or you will get hurt.” If anyone could keep up the pretense of caring, it was white people. … Continue reading The Race Chronicles—Movement 1: Trust
I thought I'd experiment with a new series on my blog where I tell the stories behind some of my favorite things. Today I bring you the backstory to my favorite band. * * It started with a guitar. The summer between finishing college and moving to China I started to learn. I had studied music education as … Continue reading My Favorite Things: The Road to Radwimps
The last time this happened was some time this winter. You ever have one of those weeks when you get 7 full nights of uninterrupted sleep, where every outfit you put on you slay, where all your tones in Chinese are on point, when you're killing your #gymgoals, where you crush your step challenge competitors, … Continue reading That Mario Super Star Life
I was inordinately upset the day that my pearl necklace broke. Not just another accessory, this necklace was an amulet, warding off the unpleasant harassment or profiling my other less fortunate black brothers and sisters experienced. Whatever negative snap judgments others might make of me based on the color of my skin would no doubt … Continue reading #AliciaAkins
I want to love exercising and to get jazzed about clean eating but let me be real: I could live off twizzlers, chocolate covered pretzels, Girl Scout Cookies, starlight mints, hot tamales, tootsie rolls, and sour patch kids. How do I know? Cause that was basically my February and March, throw in some slim jims, … Continue reading I, the fitness fence-sitter
If you know me at all you know I love winter. The cold, frigid air; Girl Scout cookies; puffy winter jackets; snooooooooooow! But do you know where this great affection originated? I have lived in many places. 12, to be exact. 4 countries, 6 US states and the District of Columbia. Not all places have … Continue reading Remnants
Feet Cry Mercy 