Am I not human? A call for criminal justice reform

Kiese Laymon is a writer that can best be described as history in the making. This collection of essays speaks to the complications, vulnerabilities, and trauma of living and surviving in America. Grappling with the intersections of race, gender, violence, and love, Kiese prioritizes personal narratives in describing the many touch points of hurt that informs the harm of growing up in America.

An international classic, I did not expect to connect to this book. For beginners, I thought Frankenstein was the Monster, but quickly learned that Dr. Frankenstein created this being that society conditioned into a "Monster." The trampling of the Monster’s need for relevance by his community can be paralleled to how many poor people in marginalized communities experience life—seeking to matter and succumbing to the boot of expected oppression.

Dr. Nadia Lopez's journey of creating a wholesome learning environment in one of America’s most under-resourced communities, Brownsville, Brooklyn is inspiring. As the founding principal of a middle school in a crime-ridden/crime-expectant community, this book underscores the importance of seeing greatness in people even when they are unable to see it in themselves.

Maya Angelou is brilliant.  We all know that. This book takes you inside the mind of a young poor Black girl experiencing trauma and violence. It also pushes us to admire the immense resilience of young people.  

Describing the steeple of Trinidad & Tobago, Dr. Kim Johnson of the Trinidad Carnival Institute says, "It was, perhaps, like rock and roll in the U.S. It came here and overnight every young person was in it." This NPR interview with Dr. Baz Dreisinger highlights the journey of the only acoustic instrument created in the 20th century. According to Dr. Dreisinger, "This kind of creativity—turning trash into something beautiful—is what history is all about."

The idea that we can live in productive and safe communities that are not overly reliant on law enforcement is possible, In this interview with the Open Society Foundation, I outlay why I believe we should invest more in communities and less in law enforcement.