BRRR it’s cold in This Black Ass Life!
Happy Black-Ass New Year!
Welcome back to This Black-Ass Life for our lucky number seventh installment of the newsletter. This week we’re talking all things winter - from the dangers of cold exposure to Black folks making the Winter Olympic Games.
Don’t forget: Send us topics, texts from your parents, Kanye Omari West updates and any Black-Ass anything from around the world and the web. Don’t forget to also forward to your friends to subscribe.
l. The Facts
It’s cold as F in these streets and Black people are suffering more because we make up a higher percentage of people experiencing homelessness.
Black families make up approximately 12 percent of the population, but represent 38.8 percent of the populations in shelters. Black families seek refuge in homeless shelters at a rate that is seven times higher than White families.
According to the CDC, Black people are at a higher risk of dying from cold-weather related injuries. Considering that there is a large concentration of Black people living in very cold cities (Chicago, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, New York, etc.), extreme cold weather is a public policy/racial justice issue that is often ignored.
Why is this important?
Exposure death is real. People, especially older people, can die due to the extreme cold outside.
Just this week, 9 people died in Wisconsin, one man in New Jersey died outside of a liquor store (saddest headline ever) and an 80-year-old man died in Chicago - all from the cold.
If the data tells us that there are more Black people seeking shelters and experiencing homelessness, it is highly likely that those most affected by hypothermia and exposure are also going to be Black.
What can my Black Ass do?
Here are some good resources on how to lobby your elected official and/or find a place to support by donating/volunteering.
The National Health Care for the Homeless Council suggest that if you see a homeless person who looks like they might be suffering from the cold, if you feel safe doing so, ask them if they are okay and if they need help. If they are sleeping or not responsive, most cities open emergency shelters in extreme weather, so call 311 to let the city know that there is a person in need of shelter. I (Jumoke) sometimes stay around to make sure that the city shows up, because they sometimes don’t.
You can also find your nearest homeless shelter to support using this directory.
ll. Other Things
Some (happier) winter happenings
Erin Jackson is the first Black woman on U.S. Olympic long-track speed skating team, FOUR MONTHS after picking up the sport.
She will join other Black-Ass winter winners Shani Davis and Maame Biney (who kicked some hiney).
I (Mitu) stand by the fact that Mariah sang her redemption song and sang it as well as she could in 2017/18 despite not having her tea like a common person.
It’s objective fact that cold weather is racist.
Not a wintry happening, but Oprah bodied the Golden Globes.
Our Black-Ass song of the week (Jumoke):
I’m currently slogging through all 19 ½ hours of Ken Burn’s Jazz because I have never finished a Ken Burn’s documentary and I feel a way about that. I heard Single Petal of a Rose (Duke Ellington; 1963) on hour 7 and it is currently on repeat.
Special shout out to the new Kendrick Lamar and SZA song, “All the Stars,” likely from the new Black Panther movie soundtrack. Kendrick is also producing the soundtrack for the movie.
Obligatory Kanye check-in:
New Kanye music soon come, thank goodness.
Things we are looking forward to / things we are not looking forward to:
I (Mitu) am looking forward to the return of Donald Glover’s flawless FX show Atlanta on March 1 and the January 16 premiere of the CW’s Black Lightning featuring a Black lesbian superhero.
I (Jumoke) am not looking forward to the series finale of Scandal in a few months. Not because Scandal is still good (it’s not), but because the show is so important to the culture and to me personally. I cannot underestimate how important it was for me as young Black woman wannabe professional to see a Black woman run shit.
lll. Text from a Black-Ass Mama
Jumoke’s mama wants to take you to church and inspire you in the New Year!
Have a great week and we hope your year is off to a Black-Ass start! We’ll hit your inbox next on January 22. Keep your Black Asses warm in these streets!