We need to put abortion back into its context, which is the lives and bodies of women, but also the lives of men, and families, and the children those women already have or will have.

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This is political gamesmanship of the lowest order, playing on media and public fears over a legitimate and terrifying health crisis, to again belittle Obama. And with the stakes sky high in the 2014 midterm elections, the dirty political pool by the GOP was totally predictable.

Everywhere from pop culture to the hood, men are either consciously or subconsciously telling black women they aren't "wanted."

If scholars and adherents of Vodou are to be believed, consistent portrayals of 'voodoo' practitioners as barbaric, violent and most of all as African-American, not only influences public perception of our religion, but perception of African-Americans.

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Dr. Gloria I. Joseph has a treasure trove of memories of the renowned Audre Lorde, her late partner. Joseph's long-awaited new book, The Wind Is Spirit: The Life, Love and Legacy of Audre Lorde, gives us a rare glimpse of Lorde, as told by people who knew Lorde or whose work was greatly impacted by her.

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Refusing a label or claiming humanism does not excuse Raven from the responsibility she bears as a participant in communities where people are fighting and dying to exist. Nor does it help deconstruct the racist, homophobic systems prevalent in America.

I've never been very good at saving. I'm a spender -- shoes, trips, nights out, you name it. It's a fact that became especially apparent to me when I found myself saddled with $10,000 of credit card debt after graduating from college.

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Fellow graduates of historically black colleges and universities, we can and must come to the aid of our institutions while there is still time to make a difference. Fiscal insolvency and the loss of accreditation are two insurmountable challenges from which I have not known any institution to recover. What follows are some concrete steps we can and must take to support HBCUs.

When Thomas Eric Duncan, a visitor from Liberia, became ill in Dallas on September 24, he went, as many people do, to the local hospital emergency room. However, serious questions must be raised about what happened when he did.

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The reality is that most black colleges have not accepted sexual identity diversity as an issue with which they need to be concerned. A number of reasons have been suggested -- among these, a level of social and religious conservatism within the black community.

Faith Evans is on a high celebrating 20 years in R&B music. Yet, before executive producing the R&B Divas reality TV franchise or becoming a NY Times best-selling author, the soulful singer from Newark entered the music scene as the first female artist signed to Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs' Bad Boy label back in the early '90s

As I begin to look forward to what awaits me in the Motherland, my Facebook timeline and social media accounts are filled with ignorance and caution about any and everything African.

In his debut feature film, writer/director Justin Simien's perceptive observances take no prisoners.

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The leadership dilemma for HBCU presidents is that of broadening access while also advancing high academic standards and strengthening outcomes. The data suggest that this will be a steep climb for most HBCUs.

So exactly how does one go from being a back-up singer for Mary J. Blige and Diddy to presiding over the hit TV judge show Paternity Court? If you're Lauren Lake, it starts with your upbringing.

How do we restore the institution of marriage within the black community? The lines of communication between black men and women have to improve.

Take a moment and try to remember a day during which you didn't spend money, check your credit or bank account, or worry about a financial burden. Can't think of one? Me either.

Do you usually ignore the Open Enrollment period for your employee benefits? While it's easy to feel that once you've signed up everything is covered, times and benefits change. So each year, usually in the fall, most employers offer the opportunity to modify your choices.