What I'm Reading

1 month ago | whatimreading.net | Phil Lewis |Kaitlyn Greenidge

For Harper’s BAZAAR, wrote about Howard University’s 100th homecoming celebration — and the model for the story is Anok Yai, who was discovered as a model at a past homecoming celebration at the Mecca. The beautiful photos and stylings are by Quentin De Briey and Yashua Simmons.

2 months ago | whatimreading.net | Phil Lewis |Craig Jenkins |Karen Attiah

President Donald Trump has railed against diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, but those who lead Black businesses say those programs never went far enough to truly help anyway, despite the good intentions. "DEI isn’t for us," Casey Cooper, who works in the long-haul trucking industry, told Reuters. "It looks good on paper, but that money doesn't go to us anyway."As news geared toward Black Americans shrinks, newsletters like this work to inform our community.

2 months ago | whatimreading.net | Phil Lewis |Taryn Finley |Julia Craven |Eve L. Ewing

Patrice Gaines wrote a fun piece on line dancing, which has always been popular where I’m from, but social media has caused it to grow in new ways. “That sense of doing the same steps together, whatever dance it is, creates a sense of holistic well-being,” said April Berry, a master dance instructor. “Dancing together bonds us together.”As news geared toward Black Americans shrinks, newsletters like this work to inform our community.

2 months ago | whatimreading.net | Phil Lewis |Ken Klippenstein

We celebrate Black History Month every February, but how many of us know its origins? For the New York Times, Veronica Chambers created an interactive explainer detailing how Negro History Week evolved into the month-long celebration we know today. ICYMI: I received an exclusive on NPR’s Tiny Desk lineup for Black History Month, which kicked off with Braxton Cook.

2 months ago | whatimreading.net | Phil Lewis |Michael Jones |Lauren Rhoades

On Monday, President Donald Trump issued an order to freeze all federal grants and loans, causing widespread panic and confusion across the country. A federal judge blocked the order before it went into effect, setting up a fight in court—which appears to have been the point of the order all along.