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SLAVERY NEVER ENDED: PRISON AS PUNISHMENT IN “13TH”
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The Netflix original documentary 13th, directed by Ava DuVernay (Selma), looks at the legacy of racism and slavery in the United States and how it led to mass incarceration and the prison industrial complex. The film opens with a voiceover of President Obama saying, “So, let’s look at the statistics: The United States is home to 5 percent of the world’s population, but 25 percent of the world’s prisoners. Think about that.” The movie’s jolting statistics, compelling graphics, and rich interviews with nearly 50 scholars, activists, and politicians—including Angela Davis, Michelle Alexander, and Shaka Senghor—ensure that viewers will not only think about systemic oppression and but want to find ways to end it.

I’ve Been Nominated for a Pushcart Prize!

 

 

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My essay “After Your Great-Grandmother Tita” has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize by Exposition Review. The Pushcart is a prestigious literary award and I’m honored to be a amongst the 200K or so who have been nominated. Winners will be announced in the spring. While it’d be amazing to receive this recognition, what really matters — as I’ve heard multiple writers say over and over — is that I keep writing!