As a black man, I can’t be abstinent. Well, at least it seems that way. There is pressure to have sex. When I turn on music to get me through the day or get me from class to class, that fresh R&B crooner or hip-hop heavyweight — who looks like me or sounds like me […]
Joshua gray
We can Defeat the Impossible
Las Vegas students do not graduate. That is an overgeneralization; nevertheless, in the 2009-2010 academic year, only 52 percent of black males graduated high school, according to the 2012 Schott 50 State Report on Public Education and Black Males. In 2011, the Nevada Report Card reported that only 59.34 percent of Las Vegas’ enrolled high […]
Prime Time TV Changes its Color
With the recent surge of popularity of “Scandal” (Season 4 premiere of 9.8 million viewers, Entertainment Weekly), “How to Get Away with Murder” (series premiere of 14 million viewers, Entertainment Weekly) and “Black-ish” (series premiere of 10.8 million viewers, Entertainment Weekly), there is seemingly a quest to infiltrate the white culture that has dominated television […]
Why I Won’t Stop Talking About Race
When will we discontinue our insertion of race into every American political conflict or into every American social injustice? On the surface, Pepperdine is a welcoming and appreciative community. Promoted in the charismatic catalogues we browse before applying and some personal encounters with fellow Waves, Pepperdine generally demonstrates sincere interest in its students. According to […]
Am I Worthless?
I am not White, therefore, inauthenticity would ensue if I were to tell you my story from a White perspective. I am not Hispanic, therefore, inauthenticity would again ensue if I were to tell you my story from a Hispanic perspective. I am Black and I can only tell you my story, authentically, from my […]
I’m black and I’m in a war
Editor’s Note: Each week, The Joshua Gray “GRAYDE” column will present a collection of opinions based on Gray’s personal experiences “grayding” current cultural perceptions and challenging our societal progression toward a better future. I’m in a war. I’m a black man. I’m in a war that neither the majority of Pepperdine nor the majority of […]
