Published inOneZero·PinnedMember-onlyAre Censorship Algorithms Changing TikTok’s Culture?How social media users push back against the policing of speech — When I was a kid, my mother would speak in pig latin whenever she needed to have an adult conversation in front of my sister and me. Because I didn’t understand pig latin, I viewed these exchanges with childlike wonder, as a secret adult language or code that I could…Social Media9 min readSocial Media9 min read
PinnedMember-onlyMore of a Question than a CommentLike most internet users, I have a love/hate relationship with online comments. When I love comments, I believe that the comment section of online content has the power to build community ties through shared experience and engagement. But when I hate comments, I view comment sections as hot-beds of all…Social Media9 min readSocial Media9 min read
PinnedMember-onlyTikTok, Plagiarism, and the Politics of CitationTikTok is a fascinating place for a researcher and writer. Everyday I learn something new about the app, and it brings up questions that are not only relevant to the app itself, but to the norms of information sharing and content creation at this moment in time. Especially in light…Tiktok App7 min readTiktok App7 min read
May 29Member-onlyTeaching Tina Turner: From Black Feminist Thought to TheodicyAfter HBO made its move into Max, the channel has been hounding me to check in on their changes and explore the new platform. And while I had little interest in visiting the new site, when I learned of the passing of Tina Turner, I knew that this weekend would…Black Women11 min readBlack Women11 min read
May 12Member-onlyThe Medium is the MessengerAre you familiar with the phrase “The Medium is the Message”? Since using the Medium platform, I have been thinking a lot about the meaning of the word medium. From a mundane perspective, the term medium can be seen as an in-between or a conduit for information and data, but…Medium8 min readMedium8 min read
May 6Member-onlyThe Phenomenology of AlgorithmsI love repeating numbers, from 11:11 to binary code, I am always thinking about the meaning behind what appears to be mundane. This usually leads down a few fun rabbit holes, one of which began as I was teaching Professor Anna Everett’s essay “The Revolution Will Be Digitized: Afrocentricity and…Social Media7 min readSocial Media7 min read
Published inMomentum·Mar 21Member-onlyAmazon Prime’s “Swarm” as Black Horror for Lovers of CampGore for the gworls — For over a decade, I have been a fan of Childish Gambino, or the artist sometimes known as Donald Glover. From the stand-up comedy and writing era to the albums and television series, tracing Glover’s career has been a wild ride as his fans discover new talents at every turn…Horror13 min readHorror13 min read
Mar 20Member-onlyHey Mr. DJ: TikTok, Spotify, and the Era of Machine Moderated MixologyI have made a lot of mixtapes and playlists in my life, in addition to spending more than the requisite 10,000 hours at nightclubs and dance parties. Combine those two things, and you become the type of person that knows a little too much about music and, even more so…Social Media7 min readSocial Media7 min read
Mar 6Member-onlyDining Alone: The Collapse of CompSex and Revival of Queer CommunityAs a high school student, US History and Economics were two courses that I was required to take for graduation. And although these classes relied primarily on textbooks, each teacher assigned readings from popular non-fiction books to supplement the lessons. One such book was Robert Putnam’s Bowling Alone: The Collapse…Culture10 min readCulture10 min read
Feb 13Member-onlyThe New Human Zoo: Digital Remediations of Reality TV and Reactionary CultureOver a decade ago, in 2011, Ryan Murphy and company released the 4th season of the iconic series American Horror Story. Controversially titled “Freak Show,” this season explored the history of human zoos and traveling circuses during the 1950s. For those unfamiliar with this history, “freak shows” were a form…Social Media8 min readSocial Media8 min read
