be real black for me

@a-banks

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be real black for me@a-banks· Jul 10

#PaulineBinam 36yo Black migrant, DV survivor, and single mother has lived in the U.S. for 34y. and now detained for 6 months. years ago, she was subjected to medically unnecessary procedures performed by a physician contracted by ICE without her consent. photo & caption: gaequality ig

free pauline binam. her body was violated, now she faces deportation.

be real black for me@a-banks· Jul 4

5 Black women were arrested during an action in ATL demanding land back, reparations, and an end to the last 250 years of oppression. rally in atlanta tonight @ 9 pm. #Peachtree5 original post: mvmnt4blklives ig

EMERGENCY RALLY:
FREE THE PEACHTREE 5
Atlanta City Detention Center (ACDC)
254 Peachtree St. SW ATL, GA
JULY 4 @ 9PM
Earlier today 5 Black women were arrested at the Peachtree Road Race for protesting America's
250th birthday. Join us at the Jail Support Rally @ 9 pm to call for their release.
HELP US FREE OUR DAY ONES

be real black for me@a-banks· Mar 17

.@wbez.org hilarious! #IllinoisPrimary

screenshot from WBEZ’s voter guide webpage listing FAQs. the circled question at the bottom is, “what if i’m too tipsy to vote because it’s st. patrick’s day?”

be real black for me@a-banks· Feb 1

i fear, fellow iPhone 13 users, it’s our time for apple to drain our batteries. normally, my battery is between 78-85% following my morning workout. all week, it’s been in the 40s. today - 45% after a 1 hr, 13 min workout. jokes on them, i’ll carry a battery pack before i buy another phone.

screenshot of phone: “09:03 45% battery”

be real black for me@a-banks· Feb 1

same, chanea. i turned into a piece of art and it’s the first thing guests and i see upon entering my home.

lucille clifton’s poem “won’t you celebrate with me” printed on a dark gray canvas with bronze frame.

won't you celebrate with me
what i have shaped into
a kind of life? i had no model.
born in babylon
both nonwhite and woman
what did i see to be except myself?
i made it up
here on this bridge between
starshine and clay,
my one hand holding tight
my other hand; come celebrate
with me that everyday
something has tried to kill me
and has failed.

be real black for me@a-banks· Jan 11

jonathan ross, the man identified as having killed renee nicole good, worked for border patrol before ICE. [image with alt text]

screenshot from the website, “the nation” of an article dated february 28, 2014 and titled, “u.s. border agents intentionally stepped in front of moving vehicles to justify shooting at them.” the subtitle states, “an internal review of the u.s. border patrol raises serious questions about the agency’s use-of-force policy.”

be real black for me@a-banks· Aug 21

walgreens has removed the ability to make an appointment for the covid-19 vaccine. it notes that when the updated vaccine is available, appointment selection will resume. however, in previous years, selecting the current vaccine had not been eliminated.

screenshot of walgreens’ website, vaccination page. image shows that website users may select vaccines for flu, rsv, pneumonia, and shingles. the selection for the covid-19 vaccine is greyed out preventing one from selecting it. the website notes, “updated 2025-26 covid-19 vaccines are expected soon. once available, you’ll be able to book an appointment.”

be real black for me@a-banks· Jul 13

alt text added

Dr Ellie Murray, SCD
@EpiEllie
Some of y'all forget the reason we have food safety regulations is because companies used to do things like adding chalk to spoiled milk so it looked normal.
Regulations don't exist because governments enjoy them. They exist because pure unadulterated capitalism would kill us.

be real black for me@a-banks· Jun 3

🥹thank you, @thatmc.bsky.social, for caring for these young ones as your own. may what you do for others return to you tenfold. signed, someone who attended elementary school in bayview hunters point (shout out, sir francis drake elementary!) and has this keepsake on my desk at all times.

a sticker mimicking the form of the old paper sf muni transfers.

be real black for me@a-banks· Apr 3

@zachwlambert quotes a post, “this is how you write a headline.”

the post quoted is from the dan antonio express-news @expressnews, with the headline “sen. raphael edward cruz, who uses the preferred name ted, has introduced a bill to limit the use of preferred names and pronouns.” their post includes a picture of raphael edward cruz standing with a microphone in his left hand, right hand extended appearing to be pontificating on the most absurd and hateful thoughts that come to his mind.

be real black for me@a-banks· Mar 12

if the shooting at o’hare early this morning, a passenger offered, “an increased police presence, at airports worldwide, could be on approach.” our imaginings must reach far beyond “an increased presence of police” (spending more money on police). this ain’t it - never was, never will be.

“You’re always thinking about how these things can be prevented moreso, that was the first thing that came to my mind,” Saint-Louis, 34, said. “What are we doing to make a difference?”

Saint-Louis suggested an increased police presence, at airports worldwide, could be one approach.

“No matter what time people are coming in, they always want to be safe and want to be in an area they know is supposed to help them,” said Saint-Louis, who has relatives who live in the city. “I would hope they take some time to really think about what can be done and not try to put a band-aid on the solution.”

be real black for me@a-banks· Feb 26

<alt text added> also, “‘responsible leadership’ on real housewives of potomac”?! girrrrllllll…

quote from an article: “Karen Huger argued the stress of losing her parents and providing ‘responsible leadership on’ Real Housewives of Potomac led to her taking more anti- depressants, and she believes this played a role in her being arrested for driving under the influence, In Touch can exclusively report.”

be real black for me@a-banks· Feb 11

chicago, please come support! <alt text added>

SAT FEB 15th @1 PM
Seneca Park - Chicago

Protest Laurie Children’s Hospital
Elimination of Gender-affirming Care

Hosted by: Trans Up Front Illinois

Endorsing Organizations: Equality IL, Chicago DSA, IL Parents & Caregivers of Transgender & Gender Expansive Individuals, PFlag, Indivisible

be real black for me@a-banks· Jan 23

alt text

Today, Sonoma State University's admin announced it is eliminating the Women's and Gender Studies Department,
including firing all tenured faculty. That means I'll be unemployed come July,
despite nearly 20 years of
teaching, scholarship, and service. They are also eliminating the Queer Studies minor,
which I established in 2010.
We plan to fight this.
It was justified as part of a budget reduction. This fails to contextualize the specific harms the elimination of WGS and Queer Studies does,
especially in this current climate.

be real black for me@a-banks· Dec 10

“i wrote a good omelet” by nikki giovanni

I wrote a good omelet... and ate
a hot poem... after loving you

Buttoned my car... and drove my
coat home... in the rain...
after loving you

I goed on red... and stopped on
green... floating somewhere in between...
being here and being there...
after loving you

I rolled my bed... turned down
my hair... slightly
confused but... I don't care...

Laid out my teeth... and gargled my
gown... then I stood
...and laid me down...
To sleep...
after loving you

be real black for me@a-banks· Dec 8

2#0 - i’m indebted to authors who dedicate themselves to children/YA lit, the san francisco public library system, and my parents who allowed me to read late into the night. these characters and many more were my steady companions as a child. #BookSky #BlackBookSky #BookChallenge #20DayBookChallenge

a graphic of “mildred d. taylor’s: the logan family saga complete collection” book covers. includes the covers of ten award-winning classics: roll of thunder, hear my cry; all the days past, all the days to come; song of the trees; let the circle be unbroken; the land; the well; the road to memphis; mississippi bridge; the friendship; and the gold cadillac.

a picture of a slightly tattered “the novels of judy blume: friends for life” book box set. the set includes the books: are you there god? it’s me margaret, super fudge, tales of a fourth grade nothing, otherwise known as sheila the great, and starring sally j freeman as herself.

three roald dahl books: james and the giant peach, charlie and the chocolate factory, and the twits.

be real black for me@a-banks· Dec 8

choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. one book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. no explanations, no reviews, just covers. book 19: “the new jim crow” by michelle alexander #BookSky #BlackBookSky #BookChallenge #20DayBookChallenge

book cover of “the new jim crow: mass incarceration in the age of colorblindness” by michelle alexander with a new foreword by cornel west. the background photo is a closeup shot of three jail cell bars with the hands of a black adult clenching the outer two bars. across the top notes “new york times bestseller”

be real black for me@a-banks· Dec 8

choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. one book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. no explanations, no reviews, just covers. book 18: “the autobiography of malcolm x” as told to alex haley #BookSky #BlackBookSky #BookChallenge #20DayBookChallenge

book cover of “the autobiography of malcolm x” as told to alex haley. the cover includes a closeup, black and white photo of a smiling el-hajj malik el-shabazz (malcolm x). the title and author’s name are in white font except for the words “malcolm x” written in larger red font.

be real black for me@a-banks· Dec 8

choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. one book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. no explanations, no reviews, just covers. book 17: “assata” by assata shakur #BookSky #BlackBookSky #BookChallenge #20DayBookChallenge

book cover of “assata: an autobiography” by assata shakur. forewords by angela davis and lennox s. hinds. cover includes a closeup, sepia-filtered photo of assata shakur framed in a black rectangle. the title and author’s name are in bold red font.

be real black for me@a-banks· Dec 8

choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. one book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. no explanations, no reviews, just covers. book 16: “the kite runner” by khaled housseini #BookSky #BlackBookSky #BookChallenge #20DayBookChallenge

book cover of “the kite runner” by khalid housseini. across the top “#1 new york times bestseller” and “this is one of those unforgettable stories that stays with you for years. all the great themes of literature and of life are the fabric of this extraordinary novel: love, honor, guilt, fear, redemption. — isabel allende” the background is a picture of kabul, afghanistan with greenish filter. title is written in red font.

be real black for me@a-banks· Dec 8

choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. one book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. no explanations, no reviews, just covers. book 15: “having our say” by sarah delany and a. elizabeth delany with amy hearth #BookSky #BlackBookSky #BookChallenge #20DayBookChallenge

book cover of “having our say: the delany sisters’ first 100 years” by sarah l. delany and a. elizabeth delany with amy hill hearth. the book cover is yellow with shades of purple font. across the top, the book cover notes “the new your times bestseller”. below that is a ‘newsweek’ review, “a proud, vivid oral history.” in the middle is a picture of the delany sisters. in the bottom third of the cover is the note, “two extraordinary women tell their stories of family, love, sisterhood, and a century of american history…”

be real black for me@a-banks· Dec 8

choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. one book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. no explanations, no reviews, just covers. book 14: “letter to my daughter” by maya angelou #BookSky #BlackBookSky #BookChallenge #20DayBookChallenge

book cover of “letter to my daughter” by may angelou. cover includes a off-centered circular rainbow mosaic with dark colors in the circle’s center and getting lighter towards the outer portion of the circle. a yellow rectangle covers a section of the circle with the author’s name and book title within written in blue text.

be real black for me@a-banks· Dec 5

choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. one book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. no explanations, no reviews, just covers. book 13: “the autobiography of martin luther king, jr.” edited by clayborne carson #BookSky #BlackBookSky #BookChallenge #20DayBookChallenge

book cover of “the autobiography of martin luther king, jr.” edited by clayborne carson. the cover includes a black and white photo of dr. king standing with his arms crossed in front of a desk.

be real black for me@a-banks· Dec 3

choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. one book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. no explanations, no reviews, just covers. book 12: “a more beautiful and terrible history” by jeanne theoharis #BookSky #BlackBookSky #BookChallenge #20DayBookChallenge

book cover of “a more beautiful and terrible history: the uses and misuses of civil rights history” by jeanne theo harris. the book cover’s background is a black and white photo of 6 people including coretta scott king. the title, subtitle, and author’s name are written in white font. the cover also notes that the jeanne theoharis is also the author of “the rebellious life of mrs. rosa parks”.

be real black for me@a-banks· Dec 2

choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. one book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. no explanations, no reviews, just covers. book 11: “mama day” by gloria naylor #BookSky #BlackBookSky #BookChallenge #20DayBookChallenge

book cover of “mama day” by gloria naylor. background of book cover is a cloudy dusk sky to ground with two black hands conjuring lightning. near the ground are circling yellow flowers. author’s name and book title are written in yellow font.

be real black for me@a-banks· Dec 1

choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. one book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. no explanations, no reviews, just covers. book 10: “teaching to transgress” by bell hooks #BookSky #BlackBookSky #BookChallenge #20DayBookChallenge

book cover of “teaching to transgress: education as the practice of freedom” by bell hooks. book cover is bright yellow. in the top third of the cover is a small vertical rectangle with a ladder on a red floor leaning against a green wall. below that in red font is the title and subtitle. in the bottom third is the author’s name in black font.

be real black for me@a-banks· Nov 30

i broke my middle toe on my left foot this morning after stubbing it on the corner of a wall.😢 no run for me this morning and for the foreseeable future. 😭 send any healing advice and all of the good energy that i’m not down for 4-6 weeks.

be real black for me@a-banks· Nov 30

i set out to run at least 4 days/week, each no shorter than 4 miles. grateful and proud as about 1/2 of these miles were run during work travel. (my watch still isn’t calibrated to indoor runs, so # of runs is altered to ensure correct mileage.) i was excited to end the month w/ a run UNTIL…

screenshot from apple fitness app. detailing my runs for the month:
time - 11:58:06
calories - 6,457
distance - 79.91

screenshot from apple fitness app. november 2024 month view showing at least 4 days/week of closing workout circle.

be real black for me@a-banks· Nov 30

choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. one book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. no explanations, no reviews, just covers. book 9: “the last lecture” by randy pausch #BookSky #BlackBookSky #BookChallenge #20DayBookChallenge

book cover of “the last lecture” by randy pausch, professor, carnegie melon with jeffrey zaslow. the cover is shades of gold, military green, and blue. in the center is a rocket ship that mimics one drawn by a child with three stars around it. the book cover is wrapped in a gold string tied in a bow.

be real black for me@a-banks· Nov 29

choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. one book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. no explanations, no reviews, just covers. book 8: “quiet” by susan cain #BookSky #BlackBookSky #BookChallenge #20DayBookChallenge