CEDTalks

With July coming to an end, we are nearing the last few weeks of summer. The issue? These dog days are the final days to get everyone together for one of my favorite events, the cookout. Cookouts (not picnics) are the pillars of  summer  fun in the African American community; in addition to the endless laughter and fun, they temporarily dismiss the stress and evils of the daily grind. They offer incredible food, great music new and old, and of course, provide the platform for which we can "invite someone to the cookout". "Inviting to the cookout" is a rising phenomenon in which a person of color invites someone (often one void of color) that would not usually be in attendance at our backyard barbecue. Though a fairly recent trend (because  Brother Malcolm  would've never "invited" ANYONE to the cookout), it is quickly becoming a national Black pastime. The invite is usually based on their impact on Black culture; past invitees include Michael ...

"Why you bother me when you know you don't want me? Why you bother me when you know you got a woman? Why you hit me when you know you know better? Know you know better" SZA, "Love Galore" Wish I could tell you, SZA. We don't know what we're doing. Relationships. It's the hardest and most rewarding job a man can ever have. King Kong...ain't got sh*t...on relationships. Last week, I finally got around to watching the recent Denzel Washington film Fences with my family. It was signature Denzel; with the help of fellow stars Viola Davis and Mykelti Williamson, the movie delivered a strong depiction of the challenges and sacrifices of family life. The crazy thing was, it simultaneously reinforced yet redeveloped my perspective on family and committed relationships. Davis and Washington's relationship identified the unique layers of love. It spoke to the beauty in fantasizing of days past and enjoying each other's company; conversely, i...

Hov for President...too soon? Earlier this morning, the world and Black Twitter stood on end as we received  4:44 , the 13th studio album release from hip-hop legend and business...man Jay Z. As done with his last release, "Hova" caused a stir with initial stipulations to obtain his album, requiring a subscription to Tidal and/or phone subscription to Sprint to stream immediately. This was of little concern, however, as fans turned into military strategists working to gain access to the album. As evidenced by the initial coverage by both social media and traditional media, 4:44 is a nother example of a conscious, thought-provoking album setting the music world ablaze. Following the recent leads of Kendrick Lamar's DAMN (and To Pimp a Butterfly ) and A Seat at the Table from sister in law Solange Knowles, Jay tackles socioeconomic, cultural, and even personal battles and creates what all initial signs show as a commercial and intellectual success. Whichever nick...

To stay in shape during my days off from the firehouse, I've decided to work my way back onto the basketball court. While my jumper needs work, I still have my handles, my Tim Duncan fundamentals, and actually, have learned a few new tricks. I felt like vintage D. Rose. Unfortunately, so did my knees the next morning. Asking my fiance for the Icy Hot was just another sign of my graduation to...lord..."Old Head" status. The true O.G. Upon the age of 26, we reach a qualifying age for the 4 tier chart of old head status, also known "O.G.". Ironically, the lower tiers appear to be young bucks to the higher members, but they are considered...more "mature" in the grand scheme of life. Like sports, age is a taboo point of discussion; experience is required to achieve the ultimate success, but we often attempt to cast away our elders at the first sign of Father Time. Despite this, growing old is a wonderful thing. If done strategically, we all ...

Sometimes it's the little things. When I was 11 or 12 years old, I played Little League baseball. Basketball and Football were my sports of choice, but Ken Griffey, Jr. truly had me believing I could earn this major league money. A few days before the start of our season, the coaching staff ended an afternoon practice by handing out our brand new uniforms. No problems , I thought, about to get this #24 jersey; this "finna be a BREEZE"! Unfortunately, another teammate overheard my excitement and sneakily claimed the jersey before me.   I broke down and cried. Cried like a little kid...a biatch, by any other standards. When that so-called teammate grabbed that jersey and no one stood up for me, the only defense available was shedding tears. My teammates and coaches stood there. No one consoled me; nobody prayed for me either, Kendrick . All of a sudden, my dad appeared. Just when I expected him to reign down with tough love and tell me to stop crying, he led...

Quick story in regards about my brother Garvin Reid. I've known the esteemed photographer and career/style coach for over 10 years. During our college days, my friend G and I had a penchant for pursuing high quality sistas in tandems. We were like the Serena and Venus of couples dating (Garvin is Venus because he's skinny). While no true gentleman lavishes in details, revisionist history would show that this was arguably some of the most fun I had (before I met my queen of course) and it is directly attributed to the high risk, high reward approach of New York's other 5 foot assassin. Despite the great times and what I'd call a successful conversion rate, every so often we'd have a hiccup and it would always lead to me being highly pissed at my teammate. One example in particular that still befuddles me is the time we were wooing upperclassmen AKAs before we were Alphas and my particular interest wasn't having it. Shut me down like a reparations request...

  "You can do anything as long as you have the passion, the drive, the focus, and the support."                                                                                                                                          -  Sabrina Bryan   While the quote above is inspirational r...