The Discovery space shuttle. Photo by Paul Jackson Jr.
By ONEITA JACKSON
Oneita Big Mouth Writer
10:17 a.m. my home phone rings.
It is my brother.
“Man,” he says slowly, then exhales, then snickers, then pauses.
I feel him beaming through the phone.
“What?”
“I just witnessed one of the most beautiful and spectacular things known to man,” he says smugly.
Oh, wow, I think. The Discovery is landing today. Continue reading
By ONEITA JACKSON
Oneita Big Mouth Writer
He waved with an enthusiasm I could not match, but I threw up my hand and smiled, anyway, as I searched my mind for an indication of who he might be. I speak to everyone in my neighborhood, and the man looked familiar, but his smile and his confidence communicated a more intimate connection–he was waving as if he knew me. Continue reading
By ONEITA JACKSON
Oneita Big Mouth Writer
Five years ago today I wrote my first blog entry for the Detroit Free Press. Continue reading
By ONEITA JACKSON
Oneita Big Mouth Writer
Inspired by the killing of Trayvon Martin and the memory of Mitch Hedberg.
There were people I didn’t recognize sitting in front of the building I live in, and that made me nervous, so I called the girl at the front desk. Continue reading
They kept sniffling, the people to my left, and I couldn’t figure out why.
It was supposed to be a joyous occasion—state and city leaders, including Detroit Mayor Dave Bing, City Council members and Kim Trent from Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s office—were in Mexicantown on Cinco de Mayo 2010 to celebrate the opening of the Bagley Pedestrian Bridge. Continue reading
They can hear you.
Every discouraging word you say.
Every diss, they hear it.
Every diatribe disguised as discussion. Every I told-you-so, conveyed with delicious disdain. Every dismal statistic:
Enrollment dips.
Test scores drop.
Graduation rates decline.
You are destroying their confidence. Continue reading
City of Detroit officials are proposing changes to bus routes and they haven’t told the people most affected: the passengers.
I found out on the bus ride home from work Friday. A flier dated April 6, 2011, lists the times and routes to be affected.
“HEY YOUR BUS IS NOT COMING D-DOT HAS DECIDED TO CUT SERVICE ON THESE LINES WITH OUT WARNING!!!!” Continue reading
My cleaning lady died yesterday.
This, I learned when my cab driver circled back to my apartment because I had left something. “Mom, Ms. B died,” my son said as he leaned into the cab. “I just saw her son in the elevator. He said she died a couple of hours ago.” Continue reading
