On April 8, a video was trending on social media from Norfolk, Virginia. The video consisted of a capital lieutenant named Caron Nazario, an African American-Latino man getting pepper-sprayed numerous times by the police at a gas station. During the video, Nazario is shown innocently keeping his arms up so he can demonstrate that he was not a threat. Despite this and repeatedly trying to cooperate with the police, Nazario was forced to feel the sting from the pepper spray.

On March 25, 2021, it was announced that Oscar Frayer, just days after competing in the NCAA March Madness Tournament as a forward for Grand Canyon University, tragically passed away from a car accident in Lodi, California. Frayer’s sister, Andrea Moore, and their family friend had also passed away as they were in the car with Frayer at the time.

Cicely Tyson lived a life full of glamour and grace. The pioneering actor paved the way for current female actors through the way she carried herself, while displaying a level of artistry through her performances. The film world was greatly saddened when they heard that Tyson passed away on January 28. She had an everlasting impact and she inspired many, specifically in the black community.

On January 6, 2021, a traumatic experience occurred that would forever affect our nation’s history. A mass assemblage of supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. in response to presidential victory Joseph R. Biden. Trump expressed the anger of his defeat numerous times to the media since the November election and believed there was an error in the process of counting the votes.

After many predictions and proposals, the NBA finally has a start date after a very short offseason. After Lebron James and the Los Angeles Lakers took home the Larry O’Brien trophy on October 11, there was quick speculation on when the next season would start. Would the season follow the usual protocol and give the players a good amount of time to rest and vacation from the grueling combination of COVID-19 and highly competitive NBA season, or will they start back sooner than expected to try to get future seasons to end in June once again?

Fashion is more than just putting on a set of clothes. It is also a way for someone to express their artistry and sublime way of thinking. While these people are showing creativity, there are also those who may not be able to have the same perception. These people will do one of two things: they will either carry on with their lives being at peace with the fact that they do not have the same perception, or they will hate the fact that others cannot visualize and understand what they see and end up slandering someone because of the hatred.

On October 22, 2020, the rematch was on in the second Presidential Debate. President Donald Trump vs. Democratic nominee Joe Biden was the main focus in the first second national debate. The first debate took place on September 29. 

*Written prior to the 2020 election

There's a reason why we should vote. I learned about her recently through a local play.  No one made the idea of voting clearer than a woman named Fannie Lou Hamer. 

The year 2020 has been rough for us all. The deadly virus that has kept us all stuck in our homes and the amount of surprising deaths of celebrities have taken a toll on all of our hearts. But one thing that has affected many all with the same magnitude has been the Black Lives Matter Movement. This movement was formed by African Americans to combat police brutality, which has resulted in tragic deaths to people such as Breonna Taylor and George Floyd.

Well, it did not look like we were going to get here, but here we are. Times have certainly changed due to COVID-19. Civilians are forced to keep six feet apart from our loved ones, wear masks to every destination, and watch the NBA playoffs on a Wednesday in September. The NBA, who had to make necessary changes due to COVID-19, came up with the idea to keep the best teams in the league in a “bubble” setting in Orlando. Once players and staff entered, they could not leave unless they were eliminated.