Ernest Owens
A Black Face in a White Space: My Four Years at Penn
My first day of class at the University of Pennsylvania was an introduction unlike anything I could have predicted. It was my fourth day living […]
OPINION: Philly Isn’t Charlottesville. It’s Worse.
“Who is more racist: The North or the South?” That is the age-old question I’m often asked when I tell people I moved to Philly […]
OPINION: White People, Only You Can Stop the Next Charlottesville
The moment I came out of the womb, I already had two strikes against me: being black and gay in a nation that continues to […]
OPINION: Now Isn’t the Time for Marginalized People to Compromise
This week has shown marginalized communities that our adversaries are still alive and well. On Wednesday, President Trump announced plans to ban transgender individuals from […]
OPINION: Philly Millennials Need to Up Their Game
Disclaimer: This is not another hit piece by a Boomer or Generation X-er targeting millennials — this one is by a millennial. While the rest […]
The Inquirer and Daily News Don’t Know How to Talk About Racism
As a black man in Philadelphia, telling me that racists exist in the city is like reminding me that oxygen is in the atmosphere. I […]
OPINION: Pa. Democrats, Quit Blaming Stop-and-Go Stores and Fault Yourselves
Welcome to Prohibition Philadelphia, 2017: the town where Democrats apparently still believe — almost 90 years after American gangster and black-market-liquor entrepreneur Al Capone did […]
OPINION: Why I’m Giving Up on “Allies”
During this tumultuous political climate, no quote resonates with me more than this one from the late Black Panther Party leader Eldridge Cleaver: “There is […]
OPINION: Philly’s Soda Tax Is Shaping Up to Be an Epic Flop
It’s been six months since the city’s soda tax (or, more accurately, the sugary beverage tax) was implemented — and it’s off to a rocky […]
OPINION: Why I’m Boycotting Philly Pride This Weekend
Dear Philly Pride Presents: Since the late 1980s, your organization has annually hosted an event that aims to bring thousands of LGBTQ individuals and allies […]
OPINION: Mayor’s Commissions Are an Exploitation of Diverse Community Labor
There’s no way to put this nicely — the racial diversity of Mayor Jim Kenney’s administration sucks. For a majority-minority city, somehow the bulk of […]
OPINION: Why Rich Negrin Should Be Our Next DA
Next Tuesday our city will have the chance to vote for a new district attorney amid a federal investigation that’s put a dark cloud over […]
OPINION: Diversity Isn’t “Being in the Room” — It’s Whites Giving Up Their Seats
As Philadelphia and the rest of the nation grapple with what it means to be more inclusive, it seems as though some privileged individuals aren’t […]
OPINION: Brian Sims, Stop Chasing the National Spotlight and Focus on the Gayborhood
If you frequent the Gayborhood, by now you’re aware of the ongoing conversations surrounding racial discrimination in the community. You’re most likely also familiar with […]
LGBTQ Event of the Week: Queer Performances of Color
For its diverse lineup of entertainment and intersectional inclusion, this week’s LGBTQ event of the week is Queer Performances of Color. This edition’s theme is […]