Happy Sunday #BlavityFam! Check out the long reads we have for you this week: read about Donald Trump’s longtime butler, to the repercussions of the War on Drugs, to why POTUS should have nominated a Black woman to the vacant SCOTUS spot. Let us know what you’re reading as well- tell us in the comments or hit us up on Twitter or Facebook.
1. “How Black People are Being Shut Out of America’s Weed Boom” (via Buzzfeed)
Buzzfeed News reporter Amanda Chicago Lewis examines the intricacies of the growing legalized-marijuana economy, and how the long-term effects of the War on Drugs destroyed the chance for many Black prospective business-owners to “go legit” and take advantage of the opportunities that lie in weed.
2. “A King in His Castle: How Donald Trump Lives, From His Longtime Butler” (via the New York Times)
Jason Horowitz went to Palm Beach and saw the Mar-a-Largo estate, Donald Trump’s 118-room mansion complete with long-time butler, Anthony Senecal. Senecal, who has worked for Trump for 30 years, is familiar with the candidate’s innermost moods and desires- how he likes his steaks, his sleeping patterns, and how exactly to stroke his ego. And you thought your job was soul-sucking.
3. “My Struggle to Protect Black Men When They’ve Been My Abuser” (via Blavity)
Loy Azalia’s essay on sexual abuse and the realization that she was afraid of Black men questions the enduring resilience of Black women and how the effects of thousands of years of erasure and struggle have manifested in our generation.
4. “Up Against the Centerfold: What it Was Like to Report on Feminism for Playboy in 1969” (via Jezebel)
In 1969, the “women’s lib” movement was quickly gaining traction, and the media wanted a piece of the action. Susan Braudy dove into the thick of the emerging social movement and emerged on the other side with access Gloria Steinem, Betty Friedan and other feminist pioneers. However, writing for Hugh Hefner’s publication wasn’t so straightforward- editors believed that feminists wanted to “destroy the Playboy way of life”.
5. “The Audacity of Hoping for a Black Female SCOTUS Nominee” (via EBONY)
EBONY editor Jamilah Lemieux writes about the Supreme Court, the politics of representation, and how Black girls and women (who have never served on the Court) deserve a seat at the table. With the contentious nomination of Merrick Garland this week, Lemieux ponders what it will take for a Black woman to be nominated and serve the people in the highest court in the land.
