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Japan Writers Conference 2017: Black Eye is in da House!
The 11th Annual Japan Writers Conference will be held this (long) weekend October 8th and 9th (Sunday & Monday), at Nihon University College of Art, Ekoda Campus. And once again I’ll be presenting....
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How to Win in Japan? “Compete at the Japanese Level!”
#BlackEye is back! As promised, Part Deux of my conversation with the new president of Kyoto Seika University, Dr. Oussouby Sacko, detailing his rise to the top slot in Academia once arriving in Japan....
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What the World Needs Now…is More Kwanzaa!
This month for you guys I’ve put together a special holiday #BlackEye focused on the African-American celebration known as Kwanzaa. I’ve been celebrating Kwanzaa since I was 6 years old, back when the...
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The Seven Principles of Kwanzaa Illustrated Pt. 1: Forging Umoja Abroad
This year, I took the liberty of writing personal messages illustrating what the Nguzo Saba (Seven Principles of Kwanzaa) mean to me and how they’ve impacted my life since I first celebrated the...
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The Seven Principles of Kwanzaa Illustrated Pt. 2: My Name is Baye
Maybe you’ve wondered how an American, from Brooklyn, got an African name like Baye. Well, it was a result of the 2nd principle of Kwanzaa, Kujichagulia. Kujichagulia: My Name is Baye! Me and...
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The Seven Principles of Kwanzaa Illustrated Pt. 3: The Land of Ujima
The third principle of Kwanzaa is Ujima, and I’ve seen Ujima best illustrated, surprisingly, here in Land of the Rising Sun, which I’ve rechristened for the purposes of this post: The Land of Ujima....
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Japanese Speak Up on Blackface in Japan
日本語でのコメントが下に掲載されています Happy New Years to all! #BlackEye is back! To begin the year I’m gonna do something I began last year: I’m gonna let Japanese people talk about Blackness in Japan. After all, when...
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Let’s Get Ready to Rumble…with WWW Diana!
Last month’s #BlackEye featured Roni Nicole, AKA Big Bang Nicole, a a model, actress, dancer and , yes, Professional Wrestler doing her thing here in Japan. Here’s an update on her schedule. She’s...
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What’s The Status of Black People in Japan?
I received a Troublesome question on Quora about a term I’m not very fond of: “Social Status”. But unfortunately it is a reality we all have to live with and so I’ll answer this loaded question to the...
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Is This How The World Views Us? Part 1: Loco in Cap-Haitien
In the past two weeks I’ve had the pleasure of watching two remarkable films, both of which have gotten deserved acclaim: “Fences” and “Moonlight”. I won’t be spoiling anything so don’t worry if you...
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Is This How The World Views Us? Part 2: Image is Everything!
If you haven’t read part 1, Loco in Cap-Haitien, HERE you go! I wasn’t in Japan long at all before I came to learn that here, particularly for non-Japanese, you are what the image of you portrays you...
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Traumatic Reminiscence at a Japanese Cat Cafe: Neko in Yokohama
When I mentioned to one of my students that I liked cats, she recommended I check out this new Cat Cafe in Kannai, Yokohama called Cafe Miysis. So I made my way over there today to check it out. I’ve...
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Was Dr. King’s Dream Deferred? A Birthday Message to the Good Doctor
Dear Dr. King: In 1951, long before you made your “I have a dream” speech, the great poet Langston Hughes wrote the following poem, called “Harlem”: What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up...
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How to Avoid Becoming a Stalker
So, last night, I was out in Yokohama stalking random Japanese people using my fearsome physique and menacing mien to threaten them with bodily harm or worse…actually I was headed to my friend’s house...
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Gaijin Hygiene
One of my favorite things about Japan are onsens (hot springs). I was introduced to onsens on my first visit here, before I decided to relocate. I came to visit a friend and stayed with him for a...
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On Trump’s Inaugural Speech: Speechless, Sleepless and Shook!
Last night I couldn’t sleep. I had received a lot of requests from friends and fam to boycott the Inauguration by not watching it. But I went ahead and did it anyway. You might as well be telling a...
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How to NOT Get Racially Profiled in Japan…if You’re Black
The latest #BlackEye is coming at you right now! Interviewing a brother by the name of Jesse Freeman who finds himself on the business end of police harassment way too often. In this interview he makes...
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Theories on Racial Profiling Discrepancies in Japan
Been getting so many comments on today’s #BlackEye article that I believe I’m going to have to do a follow-up. Perhaps even something investigative, either on my blog or on my column. haven’t decided...
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Is This How The World Views Us? Part 3: Furious Styles Packs A .357 Magnum
If you haven’t read parts ONE: Loco in Cap-Haitien and TWO: Image is Everything check them out. To me, the true point Chris Rock made in his stand-up routine (purposely or obliviously) is this: Just as...
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The One-Eyed Black Jew Who Changed the World!
When I was a kid there was a TV show I watched every sunday called Wonderama. I really only remember a couple of things about the show…the songs mostly. One song in particular was performed by a black...
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