Opinion Archives - Page 2 of 84 - Word In Black

From Reconstruction to today, political representation has helped Black communities secure educational opportunity. Denise Forte warns that new restrictions on voting rights could undermine decades of progress in public education.

When Black Communities Lose Their Vote, Schools Pay the Price

by Denise Forte June 4, 2026June 4, 2026

Organizers behind Power Read 25 say the omission of Black women from a federally backed reading list reflects a broader pattern of historical erasure — one they hope to challenge through biographies, reading circles, and public conversations focused on Black women change agents.

Team Unerased Launches Power Read 25 for America 250

by Joseph Williams May 21, 2026May 21, 2026

They’re Testing Democracy’s Collapse in Louisiana First

by Julienne Louis-Anderson May 7, 2026May 6, 2026

Black women are among the most educated and entrepreneurial groups in America — yet hundreds of thousands are unemployed. The disconnect reveals a labor system shaped by policy choices, not personal failure — and a growing push to rebuild it with Black women at the center.

Black Women Built the Workforce. Why Are We Locked Out of It?

by Nikki Porcher April 29, 2026April 29, 2026

The installation of state-grade air monitors in two historic Black neighborhoods underscores a broader environmental justice fight: communities most affected by pollution are leading efforts to measure — and challenge — it.

In Houston’s Fifth Ward, Residents Fight for the Right to Breathe

by Dr. Denae King April 29, 2026April 29, 2026

Black women face some of the highest risks of intimate partner homicide, yet their deaths rarely drive national attention, revealing a hierarchy of grief embedded in America’s gun violence debate.

Misogynoir, Gun Violence, and a Crisis We Refuse to Name

by Mariah Cooley April 28, 2026April 28, 2026

Four in 10 Black women have experienced intimate partner violence, forcing them to navigate a culture that teaches them silence is preferable to shame. Those feelings operate as a form of control, keeping abuse invisible and allowing a lethal crisis to persist unchecked.

Shame About Being Abused Silenced Me. Now, I’m Speaking Up.

by Jacqui Patterson April 23, 2026April 23, 2026

The transition out of foster care has never been easy. Now, new federal requirements are raising the stakes, threatening access to food and health care while underscoring a deeper failure: a system that still doesn’t listen to the young people it serves.

We Can’t Be Silent About the Voices of Youth in Foster Care

by Shantay Armstrong April 20, 2026April 20, 2026

In a time when as many as five generations work side by side, the balance between hard work and self-care is evolving. While Gen X wears commitment to the "grind" as a badge of honor, Gen Z understands that few jobs are worth the burnout and prioritizes work-life balance — with clear boundaries.

Gen X Grind vs. Gen Z Boundaries: Who’s Right?

by Sharif El-Mekki April 17, 2026April 16, 2026