Colorism - MMIH

Bill Dukes’ documentary Dark Girls, which recently aired on a cable network, raised the issue of colorism in America—an issue that Dyson came face-to-face with when a older black women at a convention “complimented” him on his light complexion. In this commentary, Dyson addresses the historic biases with regard to lighter and darker complexioned blacks, and how best to move past the pathology of color bias.

Prison Disparities - MMIH

Whenever a media outlet features a segment about the disparate paths that Dyson and his brother Everett took—one a university professor and nationally recognized commentator and the other serving a life sentence in prison—he inevitably receives an e-mail from another black person saying that he shares that experience. In this commentary, Dyson explores the reasons behind the disparity in prison sentencing between black and white men for the same crimes, and why it’s time to speak out against it.

Dr. Sampson Davis, Author, “Living and Dying in Brick City: An E.R. Doctor Returns Home.” - MMIH

Turn on any cable news channel and you’re bound to hear one talking head or another droning on about the nation’s health care crisis. Rarely, however, do you hear it from the prospective of a doctor in the trenches. And not just any doctor, but a doctor who is a product of the urban community that he serves. That’s what you get from the book, “Living and Dying in Brick City: An E.R. Doctor Returns Home.” The author, Dr. Sampson Davis, is an emergency room physician in a Newark hospital, and sometimes the patients who come through its doors are a reminder of the road he didn’t take.

The Problem with MOOCs - My Mic is Hot

Depending on whom you ask in educational circles, MOOCs—massive open online courses—are either all the rage or a source of rage. There are obvious benefits to a course offered online that aims for large-scale interaction and participation driven by open access of learning on the web. It seems tailor-made for non-traditional students who need maximal flex time and space to complete their education, and offers students at lower-tier schools greater access to lecturers at prestigious institutions. But, says Dyson, problems loom with MOOCs as well, and some of the familiar disparities between well-resourced universities and smaller schools and the education offered at these institutions resurface in the digital space.

A Bad Rap: Brad Paisley and L.L. Cool J’s “Accidental Racist” - My Mic is Hot

Country music singer Brad Paisley and hip-hop legend L.L. Cool J sparked a firestorm of controversy after the release of their collaboration, “Accidental Racist.” The song features noteworthy lyrics from both Paisley and L.L., including the rapper’s line, “If you don’t judge my gold chains, I’ll forget the iron chains.” While the motivation for the partnership between Paisley and L.L. may be admirable, says Dyson, what’s lacking is a sophisticated understanding of history and race.