Racial Justice

In America, police shootings occur regardless of an officer’s race. For example, Black cops are no less likely to fatally shoot Black people than white cops. Despite that, Black people are still 3.5 times more likely to be killed by police than white people. The way cops are trained, the secrecy among them, and the protections granted to them via their contracts have created a culture that is based on fear of the general public and a lack of accountability. Unless, of course, the victim is white and the cop is Black. Then, it seems, accountability becomes a factor.

As…

Racism

Over the last 75 years, you, white conservatives, have overwhelmingly given your support to the Republican Party. If we look as far back as the Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) campaign in 1945, Republican presidential candidates lost the white vote only once to Lyndon Baynes Johnson (LBJ) in 1964 — during the Civil Rights Era. It was a time when many Southern Democrats jumped ship to the Republican Party because they were subverted by the overwhelming Democratic support for the equal rights of non-white people — particularly Black people.

For reference: Trump won the white vote 54%-39% in 2016. Romney won…

Gun Control

Sorry folks, but banning AR-15s won’t stop domestic terrorism. It’s far too late for that. There are more guns than people in the United States and those that would do us harm are already locked and loaded. Many of them are preparing for a civil war in fantasy land while journalists and researchers like me who track hate groups fear more isolated attacks across the country similar to the recent and past mass shootings.

Do we need gun reform laws? Absolutely. But the conversation always seems to get lost once we begin to talk about banning any firearms. We know…

Equality

Equality seems like a utopian dream for the dominant population in America. The majority of American society appears to believe that finding equitable solutions to racial injustice and inequality is someone else’s responsibility. Namely, those who are oppressed by the same system that supports and upholds the majority. In other words, those who benefit greatest from the systems of oppression are largely unwilling to allow others the same privileges they enjoy.

Since the George Floyd protests, it has become evident that the majority of the population will say they believe in equal rights but the reality is, they don’t want…

In my antiracism work, I often expose how and when White people and the people in my own community (the Cuban American diaspora) regularly act to uphold white supremacy. Yes, it’s unpopular and not very rewarding but I’ve always done this. I often discuss how everyday normal behavior can sometimes uphold racist stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination. From micro- to macro-aggressions, minorities, particularly Black emerging adults, experience several instances of racism every day resulting in traumatic stress and it must be properly addressed.

A recent article of mine titled, “Where the White People At?” was met with a whole lot of…

In 2018, non-college-educated white men (66%) and white women (56%) were the biggest voting bloc for Republicans followed by college-educated white men (51%). These are typical numbers that deviate very little from one election to the next. These demographics represent a good mix of minimum-wage earners, tradespersons, and a significant amount of professionals with income brackets that vary from below the poverty line to the mythical middle-class.

While standing to benefit the most from expanded government programs, this collection of white voters consistently stands opposed to them. Their loyalty to a set of principles that have reliably worked against them…

While the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI issued a joint intelligence bulletin to state and local law enforcement warning domestic groups have plans to take control of the U.S. Capitol and remove Democratic lawmakers on March 4, the reality is, the date represents the start of something much bigger and longer-lasting. As large protests are expected in D.C., the threat of violence is very high despite the presence of the National Guard.

The bulletin, which warns of “domestic violent extremists” being emboldened by the attempted insurrection on January 6, fails to address the threat they pose beyond March…

As a first-generation Cuban-American, I’ve always searched throughout history and the modern era for Cubans to look up to. In more recent history, there were great writers such as Reynaldo Arenas, a world-renowned poet, novelist, and playwright. We also can’t forget the legendary singer Celia Cruz, whose life Cubans my age were lucky to witness. And looking further back there are revolutionary legends such as Jose Marti who was also a journalist and poet.

When you look at current affairs, some of the most well-known Cubans in America are Jose Canseco, Pitbull, Marco Rubio, and yes, Ted Cruz. Ay Dios…