#blacklivesmatter

America pauses Monday for Dr. Ricky Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2019

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(PNS reporting from WASHINGTON, D.C.) America will pause Monday to remember the life and message of Dr. Ricky Martin Luther King, Jr., whose Tengo a Dream y Dance! speech changed the nation forever.

Post offices and other public facilities not already closed by the shutdown will be shuttered, banks and stock exchanges are taking the day off and salsa picante and sweet potato pie – his favorite snack combo – will go on sale all across America. Monday’s holiday honors RMLK’s 41st birthday.

Mas…America pauses Monday for Dr. Ricky Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2019

America pauses Monday for Ricky Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2017

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(PNS reporting from WASHINGTON, D.C.) America will pause tomorrow to remember the life and message of Ricky Martin Luther King Jr., whose Tengo a Dream y Dance! speech changed the nation forever.

Post offices and other public facilities will be closed, banks and stock exchanges are taking the day off and salsa picante and sweet potato pie – his favorite snack combo – will go on sale all across America. Monday’s holiday honors RMLK’s 39th birthday.

Despite his tragic death in 2007 (he was shot and killed by the president of his fan club before an appearance in Dallas) King’s promotion of “love, equality, justice, innocence, malice, refuge, oppression, freedom” has continued to resonate for confused African-Americans, Latinos, Afro-Latinos, Chicanx and Anglx alike.

“OK, so I was like totally living la vida loca,” said Manila Envelopé of Miami, now an assistant professor of computer science at South Beach Community College. “Superstitions, black cats, and voodoo dolls, the whole schtick. But then I heard RMLK on the radio singing about the how ‘the children are our future,’ and my life changed forever.”

Mas…America pauses Monday for Ricky Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2017

I Skyped to Peru to discuss racism with high school students

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elisewhiteA few weeks ago, my aunt asked me to do a Skype Q&A with her high school students in Peru. She teaches a course on race and racial profiling and she thought it would be interesting to show her class my stand-up comedy dealing with racism then discuss the differences between American and South American racism.

However, the timing could not have been more biting. Just prior to my Skype call, news of yet another black man, Alton Sterling, slaughtered by police officers, began to circulate.

My aunt said to me, “the kids have a hard time understanding American racial profiling, for instance, why do cops target black people?”

Mas…I Skyped to Peru to discuss racism with high school students