Shalise Manza Young, Yahoo Sports Journalist Profile

Articles

The World Cup meets Trump's travel ban

5 days ago | contrarian.substack.com | Shalise Manza Young

By Shalise Manza Young While much of the country was focused on a head-spinning weekend—a surprise bombing by the United States of Iran's nuclear facilities—that followed another head-spinning weekend—a political assassination, the jaw-droppingly cruel response of some lawmakers to those deaths, millions of people from cities big and small taking part in the “No Kings” rallies, and the sad, sad sound of old tanks rolling down a mostly-empty street—the Trump administration has been considering...
In the Boston mayoral race, money vs. experience

1 week ago | contrarian.substack.com | Shalise Manza Young

By Shalise Manza YoungNearly two hours into a forum for Boston mayoral candidates last month came a simple question: Which ward do you live in? Mayor Michelle Wu proudly shouted out Ward 18, quickly adding that she loves all of the city’s districts. But when the moderator came to Josh Kraft, he sheepishly admitted that he didn’t know. It was an embarrassing moment, particularly for a candidate who has been fighting his outsider status since the moment he threw his hat into the ring.
Coco Gauff: A shining light of resilience

2 weeks ago | contrarian.substack.com | Shalise Manza Young

By Shalise Manza YoungThere was one gutsy, gorgeous, gracious, bright spot last weekend. Hopefully, you got to see it, a shining light in what was otherwise a dark couple of days. The joy was provided by Coco Gauff, who won her first French Open on Saturday, beating Aryna Sabalenka.
Linda McMahon knows exactly what kind of diversity she wants

2 weeks ago | contrarian.substack.com | Shalise Manza Young

By Shalise Manza YoungThere is a print hanging over our dining room table of a little girl taking the final step into her new school; she accessorized her collared white dress and black Mary Jane shoes with a look of apprehension. There are two marshals outside the door she’s walking into, and beyond them a scowling mob, with some in the crowd holding Confederate flags aloft. The little girl is Ruby Bridges. And the education secretary seemingly has no idea who she is.
When so-called adults bully a child for political points

3 weeks ago | contrarian.substack.com | Shalise Manza Young

By Shalise Manza YoungAB Hernandez had the meet of her young life last Saturday at the California Interscholastic Federation state track and field championship. She won the triple jump and high jump and finished second in the long jump—posting personal bests in all three events. But as she climbed the podium to receive her medals and pose for photos, she had to make space for another girl to share the top and runner-up spots.
The Media is Questioning the Wrong President's Fitness

1 month ago | contrarian.substack.com | Shalise Manza Young

By Shalise Manza YoungAs a working journalist for my entire adult life, I’ve done plenty of shouting at the news in recent years—whether at my laptop screen, in my car, or on public sidewalks while walking my Very Good Girl and listening to political podcasts. In the last decade or so, nothing has been more infuriating than witnessing corporate media normalize the completely abnormal. Minimize the monstrous. Ignore the immorality. Whitewash the wicked.
Louisiana's Nottoway fire took us back to when Black Twitter was a time

1 month ago | contrarian.substack.com | Shalise Manza Young

By Shalise Manza YoungIn its heyday, before a certain South African immigrant bought it and destroyed everything that was good about it, Black Twitter was a time, hunny. It was a community of strangers but also a community of family, a way for Black Americans to recognize that whether you grew up in the deep South or the Baltimore suburbs or Oakland, there was a commonality to how we were raised and things only we would understand.
Why white South Africans are migrants the Trump adminstration can love

1 month ago | contrarian.substack.com | Shalise Manza Young

By Shalise Manza YoungAmong the many terrible, horrible, no-good things the Trump administration has done since re-taking office in January is firing as many Black federal employees who have risen up the management ladder as possible. The firings are abrupt and without cause, and because media writ large are reporting on the firehose of scandals and stupid decisions coming daily, many of these firings have received little to no coverage.
When Philadelphia bombed its own residents

1 month ago | contrarian.substack.com | Shalise Manza Young

By Shalise Manza YoungForty years ago, on May 13, 1985, Philadelphia dropped a bomb on its own residents, killing 11 people and destroying over 60 homes. It was the only time the American government has taken such action in a residential neighborhood. Shockingly, this attack is not well known outside of Philadelphia.
The 'Not Me' Trump administration's blame-shifting

1 month ago | contrarian.substack.com | Shalise Manza Young

By Shalise Manza YoungWhen we were younger and something happened in our house, some small infraction that was more aggravating to her than egregious, my mother would ask my sister and I who was responsible. Often, the answer was “not me.” To our mom, it was often enough that one year there was a gift under our Christmas tree for Not Me, her unseen third child.