Author: Frank Staropoli

One week after the November 5 election, the lame duck Monroe Country Legislature passed a law:  “Prohibited Harassment of a Police Officer, Peace Officer or First Responder in Monroe County.”  The Republican sponsors declared it a matter of “urgency” in order to short-circuit process. Now, who could possibly object to protecting these public servants from… Continue reading The City/Suburban Divide in Living Color

We’ve become a society obsessed with labeling.  As sides are drawn in every realm of our existence, we seem hell-bent on categorizing each other, depositing anyone who opposes our thinking in some bucket from which there is no escape. Author Ibram X. Kendi (How to Be An Antiracist) is seeking to steer us off this… Continue reading “I Am Not a Racist – Sometimes”

“Like fighting an addiction, being an antiracist requires persistent self-awareness, constant self-criticism, and regular self-examination.”  Ibram X. Kendi Since I began intentionally to learn about racism five years ago, I’ve read probably 100 books about it, attended dozens of workshops, viewed countless videos, scoured innumerable articles, engaged in hundreds of conversations with Black leaders and… Continue reading Layer Upon Layer: Uncovering Bias

At times I ask myself:  Why would I be attempting to convey the experience of many Black people when there are so many visceral testimonies already in existence?  I imagine others have had the same question about these posts! So I offer you two examples, and encourage you to take the time to watch, reflect,… Continue reading In Their Own Words: What It’s Like….

This post was born with advice from City Councilman Willie Lightfoot who noted that barbershops and salons are hubs of conversation and connection in the Black community.  In a meeting about the proposed Police Accountability Board he was encouraging those who wish to promote this concept to visit the neighborhood barbershops and salons, because they… Continue reading Barbershops, Salons, and Relationships