I don’t believe that we should assign “homework” to elementary/middle school students. I wanted to “full stop” this, but my Facebook wanted to continue the debate.

Here’s what I have to say to those that are upset about the statement: We are indoctrinating scholars to do the very thing we write self-help articles about. You read bulletpoint lists about closing the laptop, not answering work emails, and turning off devices after your 9-hour workday but...

On July 25th, 2017, my cousin Zanu G. Simpson was murdered after leaving a party. We mourned. Today, Queens will rename Hollis Avenue after you. Cousin, the black officers have the streets blocked off and they will not move until every speech is done. Today, we celebrate you. Hollis Avenue is now Zanu G Simpson Way. ✊🏾

On this day, in 1963, four girls in their Sunday dresses, were murdered when four members of the Ku Klux Klan planted at least 15 sticks of dynamite attached to a timing device beneath the steps of the African American 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. My mother turned one, the day before this tragedy. We celebrated her 56th birthday, yesterday. Let that sink in.

Been M.I.A. on social media. I mean, I'm always on it with the articles, but I lost complete control over consistent content once the school year started. I'm doing the work. I love it. I'm tired, but I love it. I'm not tied to it for any reason other than my students. My PR/branding friends have been shaming me about not growing my following. My besties have been shaming me about not finding time. My family shakes their head when I lug my large bags in and out of my home. *cues @fatbellybella*

The #GeoffreyOwens ordeal really bothered me. I haven’t spent much time on social media these days, because I’m immersed in the work. I’m finalizing summer clients, starting the school year, and trying to find free time to still be a creative. This is the hustle. When I came across the article, the first thing that left my lips was: SO?

We are all out here juggling and balancing in our own ways to stay afloat and sane. What is it about “celebrity” that negates humanity?

It’s been exactly 1 year since this clip went viral. It’s been an amazing journey. However, my journey started long before this educational remix. It started the moment I realized that the classroom was the biggest stage I’d ever perform on.

https://twitter.com/ericabuddington/status/900880011158315009

In 2009, a woman that did work in juvenile detention centers & group homes saw me perform spoken word. She said, “I think you’d change the life of some of the kids I work with.” I’d never imagined myself as a teacher until this moment.

I’m watching some of my friends, family, and colleagues evolve and I’m proud. I’m doing the same too. Tonight, I want to talk about ableism. We love to repost articles about injustice but aren’t willing to share the moment that we discovered our lenses. I am not. Ableism is a prejudice that is very rarely spoken of. It’s discrimination in favor of able-bodied people. A lot of it is rooted in deep ignorance and the inability to see all aspects of disability.

#THREAD: #mylifewithstan

There’s a scholar that I used to teach. His name is Stan. He’s wild. We’re really close and he often reaches out to me to keep me updated. Trust me. You want to read everything this child has to say. Got my weekly call from Stan today. School has begun. Stan seems to have issues with all of his teachers...

Me: So tell me about your day...

Stan: There’s not much to tell. I was in and out of the dean’s office all day.

Me: It’s DAY TWO!

I really need to discuss yesterday’s episode of #InsecureHBO. If you haven’t seen it, you might want to ignore this thread. So...I know y’all are all about your relationship hives but there were KEY social issues being addressed. She’s addressing the issue of financial instability at 30, the inequity of community services, white saviorism, monogamy vs all other relationship structures, and a lot more.

But let’s zoom in on the equity + saviorism.

While we’re on the subject of R&B and who’s trash for forgetting @tevincampbelll—-I have to tell y’all the story about how I embarrassed myself in front of my childhood crush, Olamide, from the group Imajin. Y’all remember them? My father was a marketing executive for BET, once upon a time, and he used to bring him all kinds of swag. One day he brought home Imajin’s album. I saw that cover at 12 and I was like, “Harpo, who dese mens?”

The idea of a consultation is foreign to many people. Someone recently inboxed, “You want me to pay for me to ask you some questions? I’m not paying you 4 some time. Pssssh.”

Uh, yes.
&...you’re right. You’re not paying for time.

But I’ll tell you what you are paying for... A consultation is a meeting with an expert or professional, in order to seek advice.

This means you’re meeting someone who delves into their content area everyday, not as a pastime. You’re also meeting with someone that has comprehensive knowledge.

Thread:

I had a black hair moment, at work, today that was embarrassing and enlightening. Sooooo y’all know I have box braids in right? Know what happens to box braids when you don’t take care of them? They start hanging on for DEAR LIFE. So I’m in professional development and I’m trying to make a critical decision. Do I pull the braid out of my head right in this moment? Do I step out and do it? & then I realize that if I yank it...the way it’s hanging...my real hair is going with it.

This next thread if for all y’all that finna dispute this thread with your person’s circumstances and how they’re different.

I shall call it: “Translations of an F-They.” Because they apply to all. ✊🏾

https://twitter.com/ericabuddington/status/1027035900964941824

“I’ve got work to do.”

☝🏾Complete with an absent rescheduling of date, time, or place.

TRANSLATION:

“You’re not up there on my priority list so take me off of yours. Even if I slide in your inbox a week from now, remember that I’m here for ego...not interest.”

Thread:

I don’t write dating columns anymore but something has been heavy on my mind & I know there’s someone here that needs to hear it:

IF HE IS NOT MAKING TIME & IF HE IS NOT CONSISENT, HE IS NOT INTERESTED. You are not a conjunction, my love. No if, ands, or...buts. Whew! Had to finish that episode of @LoveIsOWN before I finished this. Where were we? Ah, yes. I’ve only been in 3 long-term relationships in my life...but looking back there were VERY CLEAR INDICATORS about how these brothas were gonna show up. & I ignored them.

THREAD:

It's #BlackWomensEqualPayDay! Here's a little transparency because, as a community, we have to be very intentional with explaining how we're paid or NOT PAID for things so that black girls don't end up in the cycle. We're paid .63 cents on the dollar of our counterparts. Extended over a 40-year career, the wage gap has black women earning $850,000 less than men’s median annual earnings, according to the National Women’s Law Center. BW make 38% less than white men and 21% less than.WW,.

THREAD:

YOU have powerful things to say and too often we're derailed from our point via trolls with propaganda, "guilt," and outright "denial." I'm here to tell you that ALL of these responses are textbook and I guarantee that your troll fits into one of Joan Olsson's DETOURS. Presenting Joan Olsson's "Detour Spotting for White Anti-Racists," but really this is for some of the rest of y'all too. Too often we're taken off the path of anti-racism by folks who are content w/ privilege and aren't acknowledging it anytime soon. culturalbridgestojustice.org/resources/writ…

This theme of the desecration of black memories, remembrance, sanity and bodies is recurring. There is nothing new about it. If we continue to scroll by, repost, and shake our heads at the instances—they will continue. We should be outraged.

washingtonpost.com/news/retropoli… It isn’t bad enough that we were once not afforded even the same resting place as white Americans. It isn’t bad enough that we weren’t afforded justice and equality. It isn’t bad enough that we gave our blood for this country.

Designing the lower grade community meetings for the school year. With a predominate Latinx audience, I'm implementing a "Beyond Hispanic Heritage" month to celebrate scholars cultural roots + contributions. Here's the thing: That still isn't enough.

I'll also use my segment of teacher professional development to help educators align their curriculum/culture with the theme beyond the aesthetic.

It’s so hard to make real friends at 30. Life pulls us away from one another. I’ve had friends move to different states or disappear from my recent texts. But I’m growing and I’m realizing that it’s all a part of my trajectory. ericabuddington.com/blog I became really close with someone during my first few years of teaching. After 2 years, she moved in with her boyfriend. We were both in relationships and this mean double dating, but less one-on-one. A few years after that she moved to Hoboken. Eh, no biggie...

I put my mother on to @LoveIsOWN + she said it reminds her of the movies I clung to as a teenager. The 90s R&B love song movies. The Sanna Latham, Wesley Snipes, Angela Bassett, Omar Epps, Morris Chestnut, Tate Diggs, Vivica A. Fox joints. I knew the frameworks weren’t always amazing. I knew the stories we’re sometimes loaded with stereotypes. As someone that grew up on great culturally relevant literature: Cleage, McFadden, Morrison, California Cooper and more. There was room for depth. But I didn’t care....

Been dealing with an eye issue for a week and I’ve avoided heading to a @MountSinaiNYC due to the impairment’s inconsistency.

I finally took the time to rectify my issue and I’ve been waiting for 2 hours only to deal with a doctor that almost made me cry.

Like... When people are in their most vulnerable state, the last thing they need is someone that barks at them, sighs, and disregards them as human. The bedside manner of the physicians I’ve seen here are atrocious.