Locs, Heels, and the Bible

  Kendrick Lamar turned the Superbowl halftime show into full Sunday experience of reckoning! Liss’n! I always loved English Lit and I have been real good at it too. Let me tell you how I had a grand time with the masterclass in storytelling, history, and the urgent rhythms of now that Mr. Lamar brought to the stage on Sunday February 09th. Admittedly, I was not even aware that it was Superbowl Sunday. I am not a football fan, and I only tuned in to previous Superbowls for the commercials and the halftime shows. When my friend told me that Kendrick Lamar would be performing at halftime, I knew it was about to be on. I am a Kendrick Lamar fan. Now that that is out of the way, let’s talk about halftime. We had a WHOLE time at halftime! The lights dimmed and the first beats dropped as a 1987 Buick GNX was revealed. It was personal. It was Kendrick’s birth year, and an echo of the Buick Regal his father drove. It represented power and defiance. To me, it was also a symbol and a rem...

I n a move that has sent shockwaves through the international community, the Trump administration has effectively pressed a hard stop for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), freezing foreign aid and initiating a rapid shutdown of its operations. This decision, spearheaded by Elon Musk and executed with warped speed, has left thousands of employees worldwide in a state of uncertainty and has jeopardized critical humanitarian and development programs across the globe. My teeth are still chattering at the speed at which we arrived here. And my noggin is still puzzled at the slow pace at which we are moving towards sensible gun laws. Are we still wondering about the US value system? The Human Cost USAID has been a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy for over six decades, channeling billions of dollars into health, education, and economic development initiatives in more than 120 countries. The abrupt cessation of its activities means that thousands of employees, many of wh...

We live in a world where hatred is wielded as a political tool, leaders exploit fear for personal gain, and  those tasked with reflecting the image of Christ too often choose silence (or cowardice). The other day, Bishop Budde chose courage and invited Donald Trump into acts of decency. Since then, her prophetic challenge in the form of a call for mercy on behalf of the undocumented, LGBTQ+ individuals, and others targeted by sweeping hate policies has been met with the expected hatred and cowardly retaliatory death threats. The response she has received reflects the depth of polarization in this country and the frightening reality of a faith community that has often chosen power over principle. I shudder (literally) when I think that religious leaders have once again chosen either to err on the side of ignorance and hatred, or cowardice and power-grab.  What kind of preacher/pastor/priest/decent human being would truly support the actions of the Trump administration? It takes...

Is green the new Black?   The story of Wicked, as told through the lens of Elphaba, the so-called "Wicked Witch of the West," is a masterclass in exposing the prejudice, manipulation, and societal victimization that shape our perceptions of other people. At its core, Wicked forces us to confront uncomfortable truths about how easily systems of power manipulate narratives, perpetuate fear, and marginalize those who don’t conform. Truly, nothing is new under the sun, for we find similar stories as Elphaba’s in the Holy Writ of those judged unfairly, cast aside, or misrepresented because they didn’t fit societal norms or power structures. And Scripture’s call to “judge with right judgment” (John 7:24) is a loud “Come here!” to dismantle these false narratives and to look beyond appearances.   The Power of Prejudice I don’t mean to give spoilers. However, in order to share my thoughts, I must also share some scenes from the movie. Elphaba is born with green skin, a ...

Luke 3:1-6 Advent is a season of paradox. It can feel like a see-saw of waiting and arrival, promise and fulfillment. It invites us to sit in the tension between the “now” of God’s work in the world and the “not yet” of God’s ultimate restoration. Luke 3:1-6 captures this duality perfectly (as much as any of us knows anything of 'perfection'). In Luke 3:1-6, John the Baptist calls us to prepare for the coming of the Lord, proclaiming both an immediate need for action and a vision of salvation that stretches far beyond the present. God knows that the present is a dam wreck. The “Now” of John the Baptist’s Context Luke doesn’t waste words setting the scene. He anchors John’s ministry within the oppressive structures of his time: Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate, Herod, and other rulers dominate the political landscape, symbolizing systems built on exploitation and violence. It is no accident that John does not emerge not from these centers of power. Instead, we see him emerging fr...

Election season in the U.S. feels like riding a rollercoaster you didn’t want to get on, and one that you can’t get off of. It is full of stomach-churning twists and turns. For immigrants, people of Color, and anyone who’s lived on the margins, the stakes feel sky-high. Politicians on every side tell us that if “the other guy” wins, life as we know it will collapse. And honestly, it’s hard not to feel that way sometimes. This is a country divided by ideologies that seem to tear at the heart of humanity. We hear terms like “freedom,” “patriotism,” “security,” and “justice” tossed around, used both as shields and swords. What weighs heavily on my heart, though, is the way these words often feel hollow. They're wielded to separate, to strike fear, and to reinforce stereotypes that reduce people to caricatures. It seems the whole political stage has turned into a big show, not unlike The Hunger Games, with everyone scrambling to save their own district, even if it means destroying ev...