The much awaited suspense surrounding baby Blue Ivy and which parent she most resembles can now come to a halt as proud daddy, Jay-Z, recently posted the first pics of his baby girl on his lifeandtimes.com website. I have to say that she is beautiful and thankfully favors her beautiful mommy, Beyonce. There’s something sexy about seeing a man holding his child. God bless the Carters and their … Continue reading First Pics of Blue Ivy Carter
I have been writing for as long as I can remember. When I was in second grade, as part of a library project, I wrote my first book How the Pig Got It’s Curly Tail. While that book never made it out of the P.S. 16 library, my hope is that this book makes it all around the world. I live by the motto “Dream BIG and if … Continue reading Official Welcome To Heartbreak Book Release
Growing up in Williamsburg, Brooklyn I have always felt connected to my heritage. In my house there was always El Gran Combo playing on the stereo, spanish novelas on the TV, late nights spent preparing pasteles for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, and time spent with an abuelita who only spoke spanish despite living here for over 40 years. I am Afro-Latina! The product of a Black … Continue reading Afro-Latino American Crossroads: A Cultural Art Exhibit to feed your soul
On days like today, I remember you. Tragedy does not remain localized. It manifests outward, from the epicenter, heart and guts exposed; Exploding out of chests, like limbs decapitated by land mines, Earthquakes ravage, hurricanes savage and if you’re at the wrong place at the wrong time Fall victim to anger that shoots first and asks questions last. Pressurized water bursts through rotten aluminum pipes … Continue reading When the Earth Trembles
I am hardly ever shocked by stories that I see on the news or read in the newspaper or online. The reality is that we live in a world that is marred by self interest, crime, and heartache. It isn’t often that we hear or see good stories on the news and the story that I am going to share with you below not only broke my heart … Continue reading Rape Victim, 14, Dies After Public Flogging in Bangladesh
Photo credit: Matthews/AP Deputy Mayor for Education Dennis M. Walcott (c.) and New York Schools Chancellor Cathie Black. More than 3,100 New York City public school students struggled to come to terms yesterday with the Panel for Educational Policy’s decision to close or phase out 10 NYC schools. The schools which include four in Manhattan, four in the Bronx, and two in Brooklyn are all being … Continue reading As Bloomberg continues to close NYC schools what does that mean for our youth?
New York Catholic Archbishop Timothy Dolan at a a press conference in New York on Jan. 6, 2011. (AP Photo/Chiaroscuro Foundation, Diane Bondareff) A recent study by the New York City Department of Health released statistics that 39% of pregnancies in the city end in abortion. According to the report, in 2009 there were 225, 667 pregnancies in the City. Of those, 126,774 resulted in … Continue reading Abortion Rates for Latinos are 2nd Highest in NYC
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is often considered Mark Twain’s greatest masterpiece and has long been regarded as one of the best books in American literature. It captured a very real time in American history that dealt with slavery, racism, and the relationship between whites and blacks in the United States. Combining his raw humor and startlingly mature material, Twain developed a novel that directly attacked many of … Continue reading Re-writing Huckleberry Finn: An injustice to a writer’s craft
Today’s New York Daily News had a story that I found interesting. Ohio congresswoman, Rep. Jean Schmidt, shocked teachers and students of a Cincinnati Catholic school when she began discussing abortion to an audience that ranged between first graders and eight graders. In a letter written to parents by the school Principal, Dan Teller says “Your children may come home with questions, especially if this … Continue reading Ohio Congresswoman talks abortion with 6 yr olds
I’ve been appalled by recent news of suicides among young people who have been bullied because they are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender or because others perceive them to be LGBT. It is a tragedy that students are being bullied or harassed without mercy because of their sexual orientation or gender identity – or simply because of who their tormentors think they are. Sadly, most … Continue reading Teaching Tolerance: Why It’s Everyone’s Responsibility
nancy arroyo ruffin 