I Take My Coffee Black: Reflections on Tupac, Musical Theater, Faith, and Being Black in America

Because proximity breeds empathy. And with empathy, humanity has a fighting chance.

There is something for you, something that the world really needs, and that only you can do. Only you. And it’s not too late to do it.

If you don't deal with your stuff, your stuff will deal with you.

Life is too short to spend tons of time around people who suck.

The deepest part of you is NOT your mistakes or your failures. When God looks at you, He sees so much deeper than your mistakes to your actual identity, your true worth and value. And those of us who love you can see that part, too. So get a better perspective and live that truth out.

Someone once told me that true change always begins in our mind, and that people who live great lives are people who habitually think great thoughts.

sometimes, there’s something that makes you “you” that other people around you either don’t understand, or don’t take the time to understand, or are sometimes openly hostile to. And that feels like rejection. Which hurts.

don’t know if you know this or not, but the United States didn’t even formally apologize for slavery until 2008.

Shame is really easily understood as the fear of disconnection: Is there something about me that, if other people know it or see it, that I won’t be worthy of connection?

Forty percent of these new draftees were black—at a time when the general US population was only about 9 percent black.

No other way No day but today —“Another Day” from the musical

Proximity (which breeds empathy) + Honesty (vulnerable dialogue) + Value (seeing each other as having inherent worth) + A Common Goal (seeing that we’re all in this

And more than that, I valued Miguel. My legitimate value and love for him as a human being trumped any issues I was supposed to have with him. I

Before we go any further, can we all just admit that junior high sucks eggs? I have never met a person who said, “Man. Seventh grade was the best.” And if I did, I would not want them in my life. Like a person who wears Crocs on purpose, or prefers Pepsi over Coke, I don’t need that kind of delusional idiocy in my life.

I never feel more alone than when I am trying to put sunscreen on my back.