Sikivu Hutchinson
OW Contributing Columnist

 Sikivu Hutchinson is the author of Moral Combat: Black Atheists, Gender Politics, and the Values Wars (Infidel Books, February 2011).

Sep 14 2011

Some see a ‘push-out’ mentality of Black students in effect

As an assistant principal with 29 years of experience in South L.A. schools, John Alvarez knows the drill. 

Aug 31 2011

Suspensions of African American youth soar as the school system—and parenting—fails them.

Sitting in the sparsely filled auditorium of Gardena High School in Los Angeles at the beginning of an annual senior awards ceremony, I looked around, and wondered; where the hell are the Black parents? I was attending the ceremony to see students from my Women’s Leadership Project program—the majority of whom are African American and en route to four-year colleges—receive much-deserved awards for service and academic achievement. 

Feb 24 2011

Urban neighborhoods have a few affordable alternatives

Lately, the sound of galloping hooves and rustling white sheets has risen in a deafening squall from the Capitol. Like their Klan ancestors, elite White males in Congress’ political lynch mob are once again savaging communities of color. The House’s vote to gut Planned Parenthood is a criminal act against poor and working-class women and their families.

Jan 27 2011

The colorizing of crime

An hour before last Tuesday’s accidental shooting at Gardena High School, the campus radiated calm and placidity. I had just finished doing a workshop on homophobia and gender stereotypes with a peer health class headed by the fabulous teacher Debbie Wallace. The campus is a big geographic hybrid. It abuts a train corridor to the west and a phalanx of freeways to the east. The grounds are labyrinthine and rose bushes bloom fiercely in the courtyard. Four parking lots book-end each of the school’s exits.

Nov 24 2010

Going Godless in the Black community roundtable

As a radical humanist critic of America’s Christian slavocracy, Frederick Douglass once wrote, “I prayed for 20 years and received no answer until I prayed with my legs.” 
 
What would Douglass, a trailblazing feminist, have made of the brutal ironies of 21st century Black America? 
 

Oct 13 2010

“God hates fags,” says…

“God hates fags,” says the face of terror.

It is the now repugnantly familiar slogan of the Westboro Church, a clan of White Christian fundamentalists recently in the public spotlight for a Supreme Court free speech case on anti-gay protests at military funerals. This particular brand of free speech is pure stars and stripes terror, easily repudiated by the enlightened, easily placed in that special category of sweaty troglodyte extremism.

Across Black America

Here’s a look at African American people and issues making headlines throughout the country.
 

Arkansas
Walmart Stores Inc. recently announced the promotion of Rosalind G. Brewer, 49, to president and CEO of Sam’s Club. She will replace current Sam’s Club President and CEO Brian Cornell, who informed the company that he would move back to the Northeast for family reasons. Brewer was most recently president of the Walmart U.S. east business unit, where she was responsible for more than $100 billion in annual revenue, representing almost 1,600 stores and more than 500,000 associates. Brewer was also the first chairperson of the Walmart President’s Council of Global Women Leaders. “Roz came to us with an outstanding background in consumer packaged goods more than five years ago,” said Mike Duke, Walmart president and CEO. “During that time I have seen her develop into a talented merchant and retailer. She has strong strategic, analytical and operational skills and has successfully managed a large and complex business. I’ve also been struck by Roz’s servant leadership when I have visited stores with her. She always lets her team do the talking, with her focus being on how to better support their needs.”
 

California
Essence magazine recently announced the fifth annual Essence Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon honoring the industry’s most exciting African American talent, both in front of the camera and behind the scenes in Hollywood. The event will take place on Feb. 23 at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Essence will celebrate five extraordinary women who have left an indelible impression with their work within the film and television industries: Kerry Washington (Vanguard Award), Octavia Spencer (Breakthrough Performance), Pam Grier (Legend Award), Paula Patton (Shining Star Award) and Shonda Rhimes (Visionary Award). This star-studded event commemorates Essence magazine’s annual Hollywood issue and in honor of the fifth anniversary, Essence.com is giving fans exclusive access to all the red-carpet interviews via live stream from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and re-airing that evening at 9 p.m. EST.