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"Our voices weren't heard last night, but that doesn't mean we are silent." That's how Morgan's email closed. When my friend and fellow member of the black Washington University community that coined the very term 'Blavity,' sent those words, that's all I could think about. Choosing to keep being our loud, boisterous, bold, unapologetic black selves takes on a different meaning when the first black president hands the keys to the White House to a man supported by the KKK. The threat is different. The risk is greater. Our voices now carry with them additional responsibility and additional propensity to bring harm to the speaker.      But we know silence is not an option. Not now, not ever. Silence was never an option for those of us who know oppression. Sister Zora made sure we knew it: "When you are silent about your pain, they can kill you and say you enjoyed it." If we don't share our suffering and our joy truthfully and from our own mouths, we allow others to craft our narrative and define us. Worse yet, those same people will carve out the outcomes they deem appropriate for us.  When we don't have a clear say and exert our innate power over how our neighborhoods are policed, how our homes are zoned, or how are children are educated, we end up dead with folks saying we enjoyed it. We have within us the creativity, the talent and the capacity to tell our stories accurately and to voice the expectations and solutions we wish to see in our community. One election doesn't silence that. One (maybe) president-elect doesn't undermine that. The power to define our future is not something I am willing to give away, no matter who occupies the Oval Office.   What is necessary now is disciplined, organized thought and action about exactly how we make ourselves heard. Now is the time to keep making our unbridled passion meet thoughtful strategy and unencumbered imagination about what's possible. The fight of the past two years was not new, but engaged a great many of us in brand new ways. During those years, we have spent time waging real moral battles against our potential demise and gaining traction around the world. I propose that we have also, in these past two years, been prepared for this very moment. With every organizer, activist, poet, artist, candidate, leader or builder born or grown in the past two years, we have surrounding us an army fully trained and prepared to wage the battle in new ways. We are more ready than ever to continue a provocative protest movement. We are more ready than ever to run slates of progressive candidates who legislate on our issues with us in mind. We are more ready than ever to place more minds at critical decision making tables and more thought leadership into academia.  We are the ones we've been waiting for — silence isn't an option. So, how do we best make our voices heard? How do we speak up in ways that will both disrupt the status quo and orchestrate the change we seek? Stay informed  There's nothing worse than someone who's loud and wrong.  We've all been there — you don't have to be embarrassed. But when you know better, do better.   This movement must protect the lives of *all* black people — and we are wise to stand in solidarity with other oppressed people around the world. Not just because we have strength in numbers, but because it is the moral choice. That means staying informed on what it means to build inclusive movements, reading up on the histories and steeping ourselves in the cultures of communities that intersect with and stand next to ours. (Real talk: We lose if this movement is only for cisgendered straight black men and we lose if the movement demonizes them, too. Looking at you, Twitter.)   We should know the police violence stats in Cleveland just as well as we know the affects of the Dakota Access Pipeline on Native lands and American water drinkers. When you choose to use your voice, be sure to be informed, speak the truth, and think ahead about the potential of using your platform to build rather than destroy.   Choose wisely Because our voices matter, we have to target them to the places and use them in ways that allow us to maximize our impact. Taking an Anti-Trump protest to the White House when he doesn't yet live there may not be the best move. Organizing drum circles around the banks and corporations that benefit from the pipeline is provocative in truly profound ways. Organizing is a discipline: What most of us see in the street is the result of thoughtful planning, strategic effort and community engagement. If you aren't yet trained in the skill, that's ok. The good news about the past two years — or rather, the entire history of being black in America — is that lots of people have been doing this for a bit and are always looking to add to the number. Join a protest for an organization you trust and see how you can be involved in supporting the next one. Learn by doing and make sure that the organizations or individuals you engage with truly share your values. As you learn essential skills, you'll continue to equip yourself with the ability to move whenever the moment calls for it.   Be a voice at every level Should Trump enter the White House (a victory many of us have not yet conceded — looking at you, popular vote and electoral college), the work of the next four years will be just as much about mitigating harm as it is about ensuring we still make progress. Much of that can happen at the state level, local level, and in working with career appointees at various federal agencies.   Many of the issues you may have with police violence are about your municipality’s policies. Are their policies public?  Is there citizen oversight? What does the union contract look like? Do they have public meetings? Research these questions and others like them, then take action. Show up at those meetings with a clear policy agenda and bring your coalition with you. Be a thorn in the side of your public servants. After all, they derive their power from us. You're the boss.  Be passionate and strategic We have to dream radically and act purposefully. This is why protest and policy work hand in hand: Protest creates crisis-and policy brings solutions. Sheer passion alone won’t win the change we seek, nor will meek policy proposals with no power behind them.  Be as diverse in your approach as we are as a people. My friend Kayla Reed, a brilliant organizer from Ferguson, led a street shut down by chanting and playing street games with hundreds of our protest family and families from the neighborhood willing to join in. Imagine the consternation of those who'd like us to open the street when they saw protestors playing hopscotch and jacks and two black millennials teaching a white grandmother to double Dutch? It was a brilliant strategy that brought out joy, passion, and even a few more folks to the cause. From there, she has organized local educational brunches on ballot initiatives affecting black folks, assembled one-of-a-kind debates for critical civic positions where real people asked real questions, supported campaigns for activists who successfully ran for office, and unites everyday with other struggles in solidarity. Like Kayla, imagine what's possible and then take the deliberate, creative and international steps to get there. We will never be silent — that’s just not who we are. So let's stand up. Let's keep choosing to be our loud, boisterous, bold, unapologetic black selves. Most importantly — let's win. For more essays like this, sign up for Blavity's daily...

Toni Morrison has always been known to tell it like she sees it as far as being black in America is concerned. The Nobel Prize winning novelist responsible for the Bluest Eye, Sula and Beloved has a wealth of first hand knowledge into the mindset of demagogues and their followers thanks to being a conscious black woman in America for nearly nine decades. Ms. Morrison wrote a piece in the New Yorker titled Mourning for Whiteness. She gives her hypothesis as to why a person as woefully underqualified as Donald J. Trump has been elected to the highest office in America. Morrison's tact is simmering and subtle.  But, before you know it, your face is on fire. Morrison is one of the most venerable novelists in the history of America, and one of the sharpest too. She's not just a giant in literature, but a great thinker on social issues. Unfortunately, it's not like she can game America into being more respectful to their fellow human beings, but I'm here with popcorn to applaud every time she's clowns those deserving it, speaks for the downtrodden and uses words to black smack the enemies of diversity and tolerance. Read her full essay on The Shadow League. For more Blavity, sign up for our daily...

He goes in on the secret racial word play in sports When it comes to descriptions and characterizations, stated words can have a greater significance residing underneath the selected verbiage. This is especially true when it comes to the sometimes strained relationship between sports and the media. Some of us grew up hearing the statements from Jimmy the Greek, listening to racially-tinged play calls from Howard Cosell and continue to fume over the infamous "thug" label constantly bestowed on Black men by the media. But while those are overt examples of racial ignorance, insensitivity or racism (depending upon your personal feelings on the matter), it's the covert usage of words that have affected athletes of color in a different way. A Black athlete is called a "showboat" or labeled a poor example for the youth when celebrating, while the celebrations of white athletes are deemed colorful or entertaining. When you really think about it, it's not that subtle at all, and last week we experienced another case where insensitivity and verbal ignorance lead to a harsh response from the hardwood. Phil Jackson, President of the NY Knicks, was speaking with reporter Jackie MacMullan and said this about LeBron's time in South Beach: When LeBron was playing with the Heat, they went to Cleveland and he wanted to spend the night. They don’t do overnights. Teams just don’t. So now [coach Erik] Spoelstra has to text Riley and say, ‘What do I do in this situation?’ And Pat, who has iron-fist rules, answers, ‘You are on the plane, you are with this team.’ You can’t hold up the whole team because you and your mom and your posse want to spend an extra night in Cleveland. For those in the know, the key word was "posse." This is one of the trigger code words used in descriptions of Black culture, and it doesn't refer to the movie by Mario Van Peebles. Some thought it was racist, some felt it was insensitive or improper while others didn't think it was a big deal. For more on this, check out the full story on The Shadow...

You know that moment when you're just out here minding your business and suddenly you get a phone call or email that the opportunity you've been waiting for has finally come through? Or, that split second when you're bolted over with an idea or inspiration that stops you dead in your tracks? There is nothing more exhilarating than these magical instances when everything you've ever done and all of your experiences and abilities meld together in one epiphany and you just know, on a molecular level, that your life will never be the same! What do you do with that energy? If you're anything like me and Quinta here, you want to milly rock on every block, shout it out from the mountains and tell everyone you know. Slow down there whoadie! As natural as this impulse may be, it's not always best. In the brilliant words of Lil Wayne, sometimes it's better to "move in silence like lasagna." Here are a few reasons why it's necessary sometimes just to stay low and grind: 1. Necessity v So you have a brilliant idea, but how are going to execute it? When are you going to start? How are you going to transform this inspiration into reality? You're still in the idea phase and that's fine. Enjoy the moment, but if you share your vision right now you're going to get questions that you aren't prepared to answer. 2. Vulnerability Not everyone is going to see the beauty and potential that you see, and you can't expect them to. This is your baby, it's your job to protect and nurture it. 3. Protection Let's say someone does share the enthusiasm for your idea. That may not be a good thing. Placed in the wrong hands, your brilliant idea can become your worst nightmare. Sometimes you have to play your hand close to your chest so no one can cheat you out of your win. 4. Resentment You're super sensitive right now...and maybe even a little irrational. Any critique, no matter how logical or well intended, feels like hate at this stage. You're not looking for feedback, you want validation and you're going to resent anything less. Why open yourself up to that kind of unnecessary animosity? 5. Hate No matter how pure your intentions, sharing your good news can provoke jealousy. Not everyone wants to see you win. This doesn't make them bad, no one is immune from casual bouts of hateration, but vibes are real and transferable. Your dream is in it's embryonic stage right now and that kind of negative energy can be detrimental. 6. Protect your enthusiasm That hopeful, child-like excitement is there for a reason. It's the fuel you're going to need to get you through the challenges that will inevitably come with the new opportunity you're stepping into. Enthusiasm is the currency of destiny. Protect it at all costs! Life is good, enjoy your win, but as tempting as it may be to put yourself all the way out there, it's probably best to show some restraint. Stay humble, keep moving in the direction of your goals and let your life do the talking. The transition into adulthood isn’t an easy one. Navigating relationships, managing workplace politics, hitting those milestones on schedule— don’t be fooled, no one knows what they’re doing. There will be all kinds of fumbles, blunders and awkward missteps along the way. If you’re constantly wondering to yourself, “Am I doing this right?” Welcome. This is just the place for you. Want more articles by Ebony F? Sign up for Blavity’s daily...

Photo: Syrian Nonviolence Movement Wars in the Middle East are complex, devastating and hard to digest. Five years ago in Syria, citizens demanded President Assad step down from his now 16-year presidency. Since then, a civil war has ensued between those who are and are not loyal to his regime. Complicating things further, ISIL began fighting for territories in Syria. And to grossly oversimplify the issue, loyalists and rebels were fighting against each other and against ISIL at the same time. To try and defeat ISIL, the US, UK and Russia began launching airstrikes on Syria. And since then, nearly five million people have been displaced and nearly half a million have died, leading to the current refugee crisis in the region. As of this week, there are 1 million people living under siege in Aleppo. The Syrian war has been described as a horrific, man-made disaster, and one of the worst humanitarian crises of our time. Despite current rhetoric attempting to portray Muslims and Arabs  as violent and deserving of this violence, a majority of those impacted by senseless drone attacks are civilians, displaced indigenous people, living in hyper-militarized and over-policed neighborhoods, subjected to state-sanctioned violence. Sound familiar? The easiest way to justify violence against a people is to perpetuate dehumanizing narratives about them in the collective consciousness. The same vehicles of mainstream media that target Muslims and work toward justifying military engagement in Arab/Muslim countries are employed in justifying the continued oppression of marginalized groups domestically. This crisis is largely a result of global capitalism and The Military Industrial Complex. The Military Industrial Complex is defined as the alliance between a nation's military and the weapons industry that arms it. In order for the weapons industry to thrive, the nation must go to war, and in order for wars to occur, countries must be invaded and villains must be made out of anyone who looks and prays differently than you. The Military Industrial Complex fuels a multi-billion dollar war industry that is not only promoting mass displacement, terror and murder globally, but is inextricably linked to the oppression of the black diaspora. The United States spends nearly $600 billion a year in military and defense funding, which is an exponential number in comparison to most developed countries. This misallocation of funds impacts black folks here domestically. Earlier this year, The Movement For Black Lives released a policy platform calling for a divestment from the Military Industrial Complex and investing those funds in black futures. "The US military accounts for over 50 percent of discretionary federal spending, a total of 598.5 Billion dollars spent annually, as compared to 70 billion spent on education, 66 billion spent on healthcare, $63.2 billion spent on housing and 29.1 billion spent on social security and unemployment." The President Elect’s rhetoric and policy platforms clearly display his willingness to strengthen and equip The Military Industrial Complex. The U.S. Defense Stock along with the Private Prison Stock surged in the days following Trump’s victory — two blatant indicators of a shift toward a militarized society that will not hesitate to use an iron fist, profiting as it pounds away. Although Trump’s rhetoric around the Middle East/Muslims may feel far removed, nearly one-third of Muslims in the United States are black. African refugees make up a significant and growing population of the migrant crisis. And quite obviously, black people in America are the most likely to fall victim to militarized police forces and a growing private prison industry. Oppression is global and intersectional. Remaining neutral in situations of injustice not only makes us complicit, but limits our ability to strategically dismantle systems of oppression that impact our futures. Stand in solidarity with Syria by expressing your discontent with the war, by having difficult conversations with people in your communities who may be Islamophobic or xenophobic, and by donating to organizations providing help on the ground. Loving Blavity's content? Subscribe to our daily newsletter...

Photo: InTouch Weekly I juggled with the idea of writing about Kanye West. Not because of the sensationalism surrounding his story, but because of the painful connection I have to a story like this. Mental health awareness is far more than a popular hashtag. It’s deeper than a month of observance. It’s more powerful than a movement. For those battling with the disorder on a daily basis or for those who haven’t figured out how to define and confront the emotional rollercoaster they’re riding, mental health awareness is a life or death situation. According to the National Association for Mental Illness (NAMI), nearly 44 million adults suffer from mental illness, whether it’s something more socially acceptable such as stress and anxiety or more complex such as manic depression or schizophrenia. Sometimes these illnesses aren’t properly diagnosed because many adults are afraid to discuss their symptoms or deal with the aftermath. This could even be the case with Kanye West. Why is it easier to wrap our heads around physical health illnesses than mental health illnesses? One isn’t greater or more detrimental than the other. Although the conversations about cancer, HIV/AIDS and the countless other diseases are difficult, they’re still being openly discussed. However, many can’t seem to utter the phrase mental health without feeling the effects of the stigma or becoming worried about labelled as “crazy.” What do you do when you’re crying out for help but your cries go unnoticed? What do you do when you live in fear of being stigmatized? How do you live with your grief, depression, anxiety or severe mood swings, when those closest to you are telling you to “get over it,” “pray about it” or otherwise dismiss the emotional turmoil you’re experiencing? What can we learn from Kanye West’s experience? First, it's IMPERATIVE that you surround yourself with decent, authentic and well-meaning people who will notice your erratic behavior and tell you about it. Surround yourself with the folks who won't mock you, ridicule you or otherwise continue to let you pursue a breakdown because they are either embarrassed, ashamed or benefiting from your mental despair. Whoever pushed Kanye to seek help did not care about the publicity, the concert ticket refunds or his “brand.” They cared about the man and his impending meltdown. Secondly, give yourself credit for addressing your emotional disturbances. It takes A LOT of bravery to commit yourself to an institution or allow someone to urge you to go and seek help. The fear, confusion, pain and desperation is enough to make people go into hiding or worse, contemplate suicide. So when you DON'T run and you DO admit that you need help, that can be the beginning of a cold, lonely and dark road where normalcy evades you. However, this road can lead to recovery. It might not be easy, and at times you might travel the path to healing alone, but taking those steps can save your life and enhance the quality of your life. Kanye’s story of admittance to the hospital might be more publicized than his recovery process. However, he has to remember that he’s not doing this for anyone else but himself. You have to remember this as well. During healing and recovery is your time to be selfish. Finally, don’t become discouraged by people who don’t understand the complexity of your illness. Mental health isn’t something that can be compartmentalized, easily diagnosed or suppressed. In fact, it can take years before the onset of the illness surfaces. It can be triggered by an event that happened a long time ago or something that happened just a few moments ago. You can go long periods without feeling the effects of your illness and then they can suddenly appear and disrupt your lifestyle for any period of time. Mental health is a mountain that must be conquered by smaller, yet intentional steps. And sometimes, people might not understand your trek, therefore, they’ll discourage you or isolate you. Kanye might lose some friends and become the butt of a few jokes, but he’ll also figure out who his real friends are. Kanye West has made a name for himself from his brilliance and blatant personality. However, at the core of Kanye is the story of a black man who dodged death, only to have it steal his everything (his mother), in the midst of a career within an industry which capitalizes on the pain of its artists. Kanye battles being a genius and normal guy who hasn't dealt with his grief, yet pushes to make himself known as an asset to multiple industries that might not fully understand (or care about) his story. I've been in Kanye's shoes (the cheaper version), where mental breakdowns cause you to discredit yourself, question everyone and wish that the world could stop spinning and recover the sense of comfort and normalcy that you've been robbed of. Do your part to understand mental health and to accept anyone who is battling mental health disturbances. They're not "crazy." They're not seeking attention. They're hurting. I’m one of those people. And chances are, someone you know is dealing with it too. Some people will tuck it away, hoping others won’t discover and judge their secret. And some will wear it openly, hoping that the right people find them and help them to heal and create a new normal. For more community submissions like this, sign up for Blavity's daily...

Remember the Halloween episode of black-ish when Dre's (Anthony Anderson) unrefined cousin June Bug (Michael Strahan) came to visit? His stay was met with a mixed bag of emotions for Dre as he recalled their tumultuous past and the completely different paths the two had taken into adulthood. Like with most cousins, the relationship is either extremely strong or rather complicated. Your family ties become most apparent during the holidays and family reunions. When you see your cousins, you both greet each other as so. Because ya'll love cutting up together at family gatherings. But any other time of the year.. While you're excited to see your cousins, who are like your extended brothers and sisters, you know they come with a whole heap of mess and remember why you keep your interactions at a minimum. Below is a list of definitive characteristics for every cousin that can be found in any family. 1. The cousin who used to slang (probably still does), but has a good heart and always gives you great life advice. 2. The cousin who you can't leave your purse around. 3. The cousin fresh off line who just crossed and came decked out in their letters. 4. The cousin who is always opening up a business or planning to start a new venture. 5. The cousin who brings a new significant other to the table every year so you gotta be careful you don't call this year's flame, last year's name. 6. The cousin who thinks they’re the next patriarch/matriarch of the family so they always try to do jobs that are reserved for elders. (Say grace, carve the turkey, etc.) 7. The cousin that always makes the best church punch so you rejoice when she pulls ginger ale and Kool-Aid packets out her purse. 8. The cousin always making a million to-go plates and didn't chip in one cent on the meal. 9. The little one that stays in grown folk business. 10. The cousin who is a professional student and is always acting brand new. 11. The cousin whose ball dreams were deflated so he talks over the game the entire time providing unnecessary commentary. 12. The cousin who thinks they're too good to learn how to play spades (half-sister to cousin #8). 13. The cousin whose kids run all over the house spilling stuff so you understand why your grandma had plastic on her couch back in the day. 14. The cousin always begging for vegan options and counting calories the entire meal (doesn't get along with cousin #13). 15. The cousin who normally doesn't mess with this side of the family during the year but only came over because ya'll have cable and he needs to catch the Bayou Classic. 16. The cousin you can't trust to not burn the rolls so y'all put her on "watch duty" to make sure she keeps an eye on the kids so they don't come in the kitchen. 17. The Hotep cousin who tells you you're glorifying "the white man's holiday." 18. The cousin who erased everybody off Facebook and is trying their best to deflect attention from questions about what they're trying to hide online. 19. The cousin who made your grandma's cake fall in '92 and is still the black sheep of the family because of it. 20. The cousin who never had kids but is always telling everyone else how to raise theirs. How your aunt lurks in the corner every year trying to keep busy and stay way from the sharp objects. You watching all of the mess unfold, waiting on someone to tell you that you're adopted. Sike! It doesn't matter. You love them and wouldn't trade your family for the world. Be ye not deceived. You are one of these folks to somebody. Cousining is an equal opportunity relationship for dysfunction. How your cousins probably look at you every year. Which cousin(s) on this list belong on your family tree? Tell us in the comments! Want more articles from Girl Tyler? Get your fix by signing up for Blavity's daily...