My father constantly reminded me that he named me after Angela Yvonne Davis, a scholar and activist who was well known for her work in tandem with the Black Panther Party. That felt like a purposeful, beckoning call to engage in strategic resistance and to fight for the oppressed.
I am not interested in trying to convince and change the mind of a bigot.
I am so proud to be black. I am, nevertheless, tired of the oppression. We need to develop and support a cohesive black agenda. We need to do what leaders have suggested since slavery. We need to recognize that while we are not monolithic, there is power in embracing a common agenda.
Whether you want to do a letter-writing campaign or a march or start a social media hashtag - whatever it is - know that there are people out there that are thinking exactly like you're thinking and are also afraid to take that next and very important step.
Working with BET always provides a reminder of why I began to do this work. It is essential that we have platforms where we can discuss our politics, our challenges, and our culture through our respective lenses.
I grew up always thinking that fighting for justice was our obligation, whether that's giving your voice to something, serving as a verbal advocate for someone, or physically being in spaces or occupying space to make and create change.
Do you think it's a good idea to be sarcastic about slavery?
Read things to not just know what's going on, but see it from different varying viewpoints.
