In my recent essay, The Tyranny of the Single Opt-In Intro, I laid out my case for why single opt-in introductions are so harmful. TL;DR — they rob people of their agency and ability to decide for themselves how to use their time and energy. …
A sure sign that a situation has gotten out of hand is when you need to create a scripted response to it.
I was driven to that point a few years ago when I received one single opt-in introduction email too many. My employer at the time had posted a…
In the pantheon of soul food, mac and cheese is one of the most important dishes
It finally happened the day before Thanksgiving in 2017.
I knew I’d done it the moment I slipped that first forkful into my mouth. The pasta was perfectly tender, neither too firm nor too soft. The cheeses combined into a heavenly blend of sharpness, richness, and saltiness with the right…
The current racial climate often makes it uncomfortable for me to reclaim my roots
I was able to keep my face a neutral mask when a young White woman recently described her upcoming plantation wedding to me.
I was attending a gala dinner where an acquaintance and his fiancee excitedly relayed their plans to get married at a “beautiful, old-time” plantation in the South…
For black women, it’s especially crucial to protect your focus
The “strong black woman” is a familiar trope in American culture, embodied by heroines ranging from Harriet Tubman to Florida Evans to Beyoncé. …
Charitable gifts deserve the same thought and care as any other investment
What’s your process for deciding how to donate your money?
It’s okay if you don’t know how to answer. For plenty of people, charitable giving is mostly ad hoc or reactionary — something done after a natural disaster or around the holidays—and that’s certainly better than not giving at all…
Verdell Walker
Christ follower. Writer. Storyteller. Brand builder. Web: http://verdellwalker.strikingly.com/.
