The clock on the kitchen wall said 8:45 pm. Fifteen more minutes and Trysten would be in bed. I stood in front…
The clock on the kitchen wall said 8:45 pm. Fifteen more minutes and Trysten would be in bed. I stood in front…
My grandma’s house was always full. The hinges on the front door were almost invisible. In the heart of Cleveland, Ohio, not…
“My name is Tavonne Carson. I’m six years old.” If she hadn’t said my name, I wouldn’t have believed the little girl…
When Helen lands in her birth country, nobody is there to greet her. The deathly heat from the Caribbean sun can’t penetrate…
“Good lord, girl. You swelling!” The girl looked down at her belly, then beyond it down to her shoes, at this she…
When I arrive, the first part of the journey is to walk past the avid chain smoking of the other residents. Each…
Jocelyn found it hard to focus on the date, although it had been the only thing occupying her mind until she got…
Sydnee glanced at her phone and saw a text from her mother, Marilyn. Sometimes she wished she had never taught her mother…
I typed the letter on a regular morning. But obviously, it was a courageous morning. I typed the letter in the dark…
As Bill Withers plays in the background about grandma’s hands, I look down at my own. I have my grandmother’s hands. They…
As a kid, I remember the subject of race coming up twice in our family. The first time was when my brother…
I need to remind myself that Mama is human, that she is not endless love, and food, and sacrifice. But she makes…
“If I didn’t define myself for myself, I would be crunched into other people’s fantasies for me and eaten alive.” — Audre…
“Have you considered writing a book about your life?” It is likely someone has asked you this question, or maybe you have…
Let me start by giving my parents the grace they deserve. My mother was only sixteen when she had me, and the…