Makiah-isms 2016: A Year in Review
I cried on my 24th birthday. I attended Sundance for the first time & considered missing my flight to see Birth of Nation. (I ended up not seeing it there […]
Author Archives: makiah-isms
20 Lessons I’ve Learned Since Leaving the Church
I haven’t been to church in over a year now, and I’ve been pondering how I should address what I’ve discovered along the way. If you’ve been following my blog […]
Counterfeit $20s & the Appeal of Harriet Tubman
When I discovered that Harriet Tubman–one of my favorite role models and revolutionary soul sistas–was set to replace Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill, I almost caused a scene. I immediately […]
Black History Month Playlist
In celebration of Black History Month, I created a music playlist for us to jam, reflect, and rock out to. The songs included reflect our history, our struggle, our joy, […]
When Women Refuse: A Metro Story
Tonight, a man approached me on the train platform in Hollywood and asked me if I wanted to be his “train buddy.” He said he was going to MacArthur Park, […]
#MLKNOW: The Moment We’ve Been Waiting For
Our generation had a moment this MLK Day. On Monday January 18, 2016 some of the greatest artists and activists of our time came together to commemorate the legacy of […]
Makiah-isms 2015: A Year in Review
It’s been an interesting year at Makiah-isms! From struggling to finish my thesis to starting a relationship and landing a full-time job, it’s been a long and surprising journey. In […]
15 Black Businesses for Black Friday in L.A.!
Originally posted on TyreeBP.com:
Let’s put the Black back in Black Friday! Black Friday is here and we’re all looking for great gifts for our loved ones. If you’re…
Surviving at a PWI: The White House Listens to Black Students
On Wednesday, October 28th, 2015, the White House Initiative for Educational Excellence for African Americans hosted a summit at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, CA. The event brought students, […]
Between the World and Me: A Conversation with Ta-Nehisi Coates at CAAM
Originally posted on TyreeBP.com:
On October 30, 2015, the California African American Museum hosted a book signing with Ta-Nehisi Coates, made possible by Eso Won Books. The atmosphere was…
NWA: No Women Allowed – A Review of Straight Outta Compton
As a Compton resident and cultural film critic, I must admit that I was a bit hesitant to see Straight Outta Compton. As with any movie that seeks to depict “the hood,” […]
White-on-White Activism: MTV’s #WhitePeople Is A Must-See…For White People
On Monday night, I attended an advance screening of MTV’s latest documentary, White People, that is sure to spark much conversation and debate once it debuts this Wednesday. Directed by Pulitzer […]
The Silent Graduation: Depression & the Weight of Success
I recently graduated from the University of Southern California with my master’s degree in Professional Writing. I wrote about my journey to getting accepted and the uncertainty that followed, but […]
TV Diversity Is Not Reverse Racism
Deadline recently published an article entitled, Pilots 2015: The Year of Ethnic Castings – About Time or Too Much of Good Thing? As if the title isn’t problematic enough, writer Nellie […]
On the Power and Pitfalls of Protests
Any mildly intelligent person knows that shutting down a freeway won’t dismantle institutionalized racism, but we do it anyway because it symbolizes the shut down of a system—it symbolizes the revolution.
‘Beyond the Lights’: A Review
*This article was originally published on Urban Cusp. When I saw the trailer for Gina Prince-Bythewood’s latest film, Beyond the Lights, I knew that it would be of good quality, […]
CW’s ‘Jane the Virgin’ Tackles the Complexities of Faith & Sexuality
*This article was originally published on Urban Cusp. When was the last time you saw a fictional TV character actively trying to remain celibate until marriage? The only example that […]
The Rise of the Black Anti-Hero
*This article was originally published on Urban Cusp. With the recent success of shows featuring African-American leads, there has been much debate over the types of shows Black people should […]
An Open Letter to Darren Wilson & the People Who Support Him
After watching the video of John Crawford’s execution yesterday, I couldn’t even bring myself to cry. I’ve become so accustomed to hearing about the unjustified murders of my people that […]
Everyone Belongs in the Kitchen
A significant number of my friends have been posting about their cooking habits, or lack thereof. They either post pictures of every meal they make, or seem to have an […]
Faith v. Feminism: Do I Really Have to Choose?
My faith crisis began at a church membership class. After leaving the Baptist church in 2009, where women aren’t allowed to wear pants or stand in the pulpit, I never officially joined […]
Confessions of a Pharisee
In case you haven’t noticed, I’ve been on a hiatus. I’m taking an indefinite amount of time off from Makiah-isms and all social media in order to refocus my life […]
Remembering Clay
My dear friend and brother, Clay York, is no longer with us. I don’t know the circumstances surrounding his death or why God allowed such a rare gem to leave […]
So You Think You Can Speak Things Into Existence?
I got an ear infection a few months ago and it never really went away. Whenever I tell certain Christians how I’m feeling, their first response is, “Don’t speak that” […]
Our Kids Deserve Better Music: Interview w/ Antoine Edmonson
I was introduced to Antoine Edmonson through his blog, Letters to Ohio, and instantly knew that he was destined for greatness. He recently launched a campaign to provide better music for […]
Letting the Movement Down Easy
I don’t know how to say this properly so I won’t even try: I’m done with the #USChangeMovement. No one did anything wrong and there is nothing wrong with me. […]
What’s An Education Worth?
“Well, you can’t think of it like that.” Apparently, you’re not allowed to calculate the return on investment when it comes to funding your education. In deciding whether or not […]
Conversation Can’t Save Us
Tim Wise recently visited the University of Southern California as part of his “White Like Me” lecture series. Amid the #USChangeMovement, a student-led movement to end racial profiling on and […]
Parking in LA
Trying to find parking in Los Angeles is like trying to find a metaphor that accurately describes how bad it is. I initially thought that parking a small car would […]
Where’s My Miracle?
I almost didn’t apply to graduate school because I knew I couldn’t afford it. But instead of stressing myself out prematurely, I decided to apply anyway and figured that I […]
Social Media & the Rise of ‘Dear White People’: Interview w/ Justin Simien
Note: An abridged version of this interview was first featured on Loop 21. Justin Simien took the internet by storm last summer when he released the trailer for his directorial […]
I Know (Why They’re Scared of You)
They’re scared of you, black They can’t see you in the dark, but They run from you anyway You are the dark You, black, are my scapegoat You, black, are […]
Miley Cyrus Isn’t Our Problem
If you didn’t watch the VMA’s last night, I’m sure you’ve seen clips of Miley Cyrus’ tasteless performance. At the very least, you’ve seen screenshots of her bent over in […]
The Man Behind The Urban Gospel Mission
I was introduced to Hafeez Baoku on Facebook. I put out a premature call for male, Christian writers and one of my loyal readers suggested that I meet him. When […]
Walking While Black: Brandon’s Story
In case you haven’t seen enough appalling news about the wrongful arrests and murders of unarmed Black men, this is Brandon’s story: On the evening of Monday, August 5, 2013 […]
Transparency Tuesday: I Hate Family Drama
I caught a glimpse of Ashley’s story on Facebook and invited her to share it with you. (Yes, you!) As someone who has seen my share of family drama, her journey […]
How My Words Drove Me to Success
In response to the question, “What drives you to success?,” I wrote a short essay about how my personal success is measured not by the number of commas on a paycheck, […]
IDK If I’m Going to Grad School
I’ve been telling everyone that I’m returning to USC in the fall to pursue my master’s degree in Professional Writing. I even added it to my email signature yesterday. But […]
Interview w/ Marcus Petitt
Marcus Petitt is an emerging musician who has performed before numerous audiences in Seattle and Los Angeles. With roots in contemporary music, Marcus performs a variety of genres, including gospel, jazz, R&B and […]
Jesus & Justice: Bible Study Guide
Unsatisfied with our lack of familiarity with God’s Word, a few friends and I went to breakfast a little over a year ago and left as accountability partners. We began […]
Put Your Media On Trial
For months it’s been clear that Trayvon Martin, not Zimmerman, would be put on trial for second-degree murder. For those who do not understand how that is possible, let me […]
Zimmerman Isn’t Worthy of My Riot
For the last few weeks I’ve been following the Zimmerman trial closely, curious as to why the prosecution didn’t adequately prepare and select key witnesses or vocalize obvious objections. Since […]
237 Years Later…What Are We Celebrating?
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty […]
Fruitvale Station: Why It’s Not Just a Film
Fruitvale Station chronicles the days and hours leading up to the historic murder of Oscar Grant. Written and directed by Ryan Coogler, the film offers a glimpse into the life […]
Media Monday: Interview with Jean Elie of 4SkinVision + Webisode
I met Jean Elie last weekend at Diversity Speaks at the LA Film Fest. Minutes after our lively introduction, we agreed that we needed to collaborate in the near future. As […]
Diversity Speaks at the LA Film Fest
On Saturday, June 15, hundreds of Black filmmakers, industry executives and creative professionals gathered in The Conga Room at L.A. Live to mix, mingle and celebrate diversity. The day began […]
Word to the Black Class of 2013
I delivered the following salutatorian speech at the USC African American Cultural Celebration on May 15, 2013. Last year, I watched Brittany Allen and Christina Wilkerson walk across the stage […]
Why The Charges Don’t Matter
There’s still a lot of confusion and misinformation circulating around the not-so-existent charges against the six USC students who were wrongfully arrested on May 4th. As I tried to manage […]
The Makings of The #USChangeMovement
When I wrote my article, “I’m a Scholar, Not a Criminal: The Plight of Black Students at USC,” I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. I expected no […]
Dictating Dr. Dre
If anyone should feel entitled to Dr. Dre’s historic $35 million donation to USC, it’s me. A day after graduating from the University of Southern California, I packed up my […]
