“That is why people are calling this Ireland’s George Floyd moment. They are not only naming grief. They are naming recognition. They saw an image the world was supposed to have learned from in 2020…with another Black man dead.” open.substack.com/pub/american...

“The trouble is that once you see it, you can’t unsee it. And once you’ve seen it, keeping quiet, saying nothing, becomes as political an act as speaking out. There’s no innocence. Either way, you’re accountable.” — Arundhati Roy (Photo by The Hindu)

This is why my favorite group of young Black men in Atlanta is The Library Dads. youtu.be/9plA5o0UxTw?...

I had a good day and a good dinner. And to hell with the dietary restrictions. I had a fresh home grown Salad with smothered Chicken Wings, Rice, home grown Collard Greens made with Smoked Pork Neck bones.

Anna Maria Horsford’s “High on the Hog” at time 20:39 in the video included in this essay is straight testimony that I had forgotten about. open.substack.com/pub/leslyejo...

Ted was one of the good ones. www.smartnews.com/en-us/articl...

Early Voting April 27-May 15, 2026. May 19, 2026, Election Day I am endorsing native Atlantan, and newcomer to politics—Democratic Socialist Mathewos Samson for the 58th district. Go Vote for this outstanding young brother. You can read more about him in the comments section beneath this post.

Music Legend Nina Simone speaking a truth we Black and Brown folks need to think about when it came to Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. I remember.

A Man Named Pearl. This is What We Do…Don’t Miss This Documentary… youtube.com/shorts/AKhLu...

Aging grants you something that youth cannot…

Quietly I wish that the recipient of that Rhinoceros’ excretion is Trump. This message works in dozens of ways.

“For colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf,” the classic choreopoem/play by Ntozake Shange with me back in 2016 at Spelman College in my hometown of Atlanta, Georgia. Goddess is good. Happy National Poetry Month.

I’m proud to have been in the same room with this professor of African & African Studies at Clark Atlanta University: Dr. Daniel Black ✊🏽🤎

On a rainy day with moderate temperatures, the perfect comfort food for lunch and dinner is Pot Roast.

One of my prized possessions is a LP that features a full speech by Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X. Now go do something amazingly radical in these times.—Physically visit your public libraries and check out books; then speak with the radical guardians of our information—Librarians.

From 2024: February 16…One of the most heartfelt reviews of @duvernay.bsky.social’s masterpiece film ORIGIN that was based on Isabel Wilkerson’s book “CASTE: The Origins of Our Discontent.” There are no adequate words for what Ava accomplished in this film.

And so it is on a Friday. Two Black Queens: U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson and Queen Latifah (née Dana Elaine Owens).

This post is in honor of my parents, who joined the ancestors on a February 9th in different years. They taught me the value of research and respect for my people’s history. They carried on a great Black tradition of laughing in the face of adversity. Here is Paul Mooney. All puns intended.

Georgia School Walkout on January 30th! Since Bluesky only allows 4 photos per post, the other 8 frames of participating schools and colleges are in the comments section!

These are some more of my children from my home state of Georgia standing up to I.C.E. and in some instances standing up to their principals. Go my sweet Georgia children!

This is a poster that is located in Greenland. Thanks Malcolm Nance for your recent reportage.

🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶 open.substack.com/pub/leslyejo...

“The scholar and human rights activist Dr. Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na’im corrected all of us in my East African History class.” open.substack.com/pub/leslyejo...

It’s January 7th and I am late: Happy Birthday Michaela Jaé Rodriguez. 🤎

“To soar in creation is to transcend the chaos. To soar is to leave a record of beauty and endurance. To soar is to not know when or where your legacy and your creations will land.” — ©️Leslye Joy Allen open.substack.com/pub/leslyejo...

Happy New Year to The Library Dads (www.thelibrarydads.org) who show up every Saturday with their children at Atlanta’s Public Libraries to insure their children’s love of books and learning.

And on this New Year’s Day 2026 in the spirit of my Ancestors, the menu is my Black-eyed Pea Soup, fried Chicken Wings, and fresh Collard Greens prepared with meat from Smoked Turkey Wings, and home grown Tomatoes.

I love it when @kamalaharris.com visits her alma mater Howard University! “I am counting on you as a very proud, proud Bison.”— Kamala Harris “You know!!!”— Howard U. Students #Bisons #YouKnow #HBCUs

My last Substack Essay of 2025 titled “Prose for My 🤎 Sistahs: Pink and Green, One More for AKA open.substack.com/pub/leslyejo...

Lawd, how I miss Queen Sugar. This is one of my favorite clips from @duvernay.bsky.social’s perfect creation. Have a Sane, Safe, and Soothing Christmas. 🤎✊🏽

I woke up with Miriam Makeba on my mind and that glorious song of her’s Patapata from the 1960s and this appeared: The Pathway Schools are winners of the NIAA Challenge Trophy: youtu.be/RCJztSVrcRw?...

This is the Atlanta CommUnity Choir singing Frankie Beverly’s “Before I Let You Go” in the celebration of the reopening of the National Center for Civil and Human Rights.

This is my First Family Forever. Recently I witnessed Barack with a couple of young families where he held both of their baby girls and say: “You can’t beat daughters.” — Barack Obama

Black Artistry at its finest. My Brother-King Billy Porter is still on the case at excavating the best of us. Do not miss this. 🤎

On her book tour: Kamala Harris and Tennessee State Representative Justin Jones at HBCU Fisk University!

Happy Thanksgiving. open.substack.com/pub/leslyejo...

Omg!!! This is spectacular 🙌 💪

From a few years back. Chelsea Gray (No. 12) makes this backhanded pass to Her Majesty A’ja Wilson (No. 22) of the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces.

Rest in Power Rap Brown (aka Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin)

Yessssss. Keep going Adelita Grijalva! Show these wimps like Jeffries and Schumer how it is supposed to be done. substack.com/@reallyameri...