I’ve told you how I ended up at the university I went to, right? No? Well gather ‘round chil’run! It’s an amusing story, best told with brevity. My mother, as some of you know, was (and I think, still is) a militarized Black woman. She didn’t like White folk, but she learned to get along […]
I always wait too long to talk to my father. The last time we talked was – what? – two weeks ago? It’s to imagine I went a full two years without talking to the old man… “Yes… Abena Owusua. What do you want?” “Kwasi Gyekye. How are you this evening?” “Hmmm. I’m okay. My […]
I opened my inbox today and found a note from my favorite teacher. I was all at once excited. We have a pretty decent bond and have managed to keep in touch, even though I have not been under his tutelage in seventeen years. I tore into his message, which read this in part: Howdy? […]
The excitement in the room was contagious. Three rows behind us was the Queen’s Hallelujah Quartet – four women whooping, and hollering, and screaming “AMEN!” every time there was mention of the Fragrance Protector’s accomplishments. Finally, she came to the tiny stage. I strained my neck to get a better look her. As she prepared […]
We’re human. We judge other humans. We just do. I am judged every time I step out of my house, and I’ve come to live with it. People look at me and think “African American female, natural hair, 4 kids. She must be unmarried, Democrat, on some form of public assistance.” Then they find out […]
It’s a question that every child gets asked at some point in their life: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” When I was between the ages of 8 and 10 I knew exactly what I wanted to be when I grew up. “A baker, a writer, an actress and a mermaid,” […]
My Aunt Elizabeth passed away a little less than a month ago and was buried over the weekend. She was a three years older than my dad and was one of my favorites. With the stark reminder that all life comes with an expiration date, I decided to call the old man to check up […]
Every once in a while, something magical happens that shifts the course of your existence. It’s rare that someone who does not bear the last name ‘Gyekye’ takes me by the hand and guides me into M.O.M. mode, but that’s what Gyedu-Blay Ambolley did last night. Like a newly dropped leaf floating wantonly on babbling, […]
I was in love with a Douche Bag once. I’ve written extensively about him here on MOM over the years. I’ve talked about the numerous times I’ve paid his bills, financed his dry cleaning, brought him food, bore his baby, paid some more bills, and finally ended up in court. HE took ME to court […]
Nobody knows what it’s like to work in retail. You think you have an idea, but until you’ve experienced the genuine horrors of working with the public, you really have no idea. Being a retail worker is a multifaceted job. You have be a janitor, cocktail waitress, psychologist and peace advocate while occasionally throwing in […]
I didn’t set out with sexual harassment on my mind, but it’s one of those unfortunate consequences of giving an individual like me access to a keyboard, a smartphone, a podium…pretty much any vehicle that allows one to communicate with humanity. You see, sometime last week, I got a tweet from Gyedu Blay Ambolley. He […]
The title is not a misprint. VILENTINE’S Day. There is a vile side to Valentine’s Day, my friends – a slimy sequence of events that occur during a day that was created to honor love and affection. It turns out that not everyone has noble intentions for Cupid’s favorite holiday. There are those who go […]
Close your eyes and imagine the face of Hunger. (Now go ahead and open them so that you can finish reading the rest of this post.) What does Hunger look like to you? Is it a frail Black African child with ashy skin, belly swollen from kwashiorkor, lumbering aimlessly about his village? Is it a […]
“I can’t speak for the rest of Africa, but I can say for sure that in Ghana, we treat our women very badly.” My father had nosed his way into a conversation I was having with a childhood friend who had come to visit me a few years ago. I am always happy to have […]
There are always sirens blaring in Roswell. Fire trucks, police cars, security teams – whatever. So when I heard the tornado sirens I took note, but barely paid attention. My mind was fixed on something else. One of the managers had offered me extra hours at work, and you know how “we” are when it […]
This morning I woke up with hopeful exuberance. Ghana turned 56 years old at midnight, and even though the country still has many of the same challenges that it possessed on the eve of independence (and some our ancestors couldn’t have possibly imagined) I opened my eyes and imagined what the country might be in […]
When Lunks Don’t Know Their Locker Room Limits We’re going into MOM Mode tonight people. Get your sensory faculties screwed in tight! But before we dive into the pit, I need you to do something. Imagine you’ve got a fist full of cold, wet lotion seeping down your knuckles. Now rub your hands together furiously. […]
Women’s issues have been all over the global news lately. With headlines ranging from the horror of domestic violence to the struggles so-called ‘left over women’ in China, one can’t help but look at herself and ponder her place in the world and what society assumes that place is. In my circle, the issue of […]
Working in retail is a lot like holding position in public office. You have to have thick skin, be ever ready to face derision and scorn, but somehow feign appreciation for the maltreatment meted out to you. Of course, a politician’s six-figure salary compared to my $8/hour as a part time retail associate makes this […]
Rambro When Jamie Foxx was doing the media rounds and promotions for Django Unchained a few months ago, Bill O’Reilly – whom I am a huge fan of – went absolutely berserk when Foxx explained the plot of film. “But don’t worry,” Foxx said in conclusion. “I get my revenge and kill all the White […]
There’s nothing like the thought of losing your life to get you back on track, is there? Last week I found myself in agonizing pain. I had tremors in the night and frequently broke out into sweats. My throat was dry. My entire body was wracked with pain. And I had the sniffles. I instantly […]