1/14
Harvard University President Claudine Gay should not have stepped down. She should not have used lawyer-word-smithed statement before Congress. And she should have been supportive of her Jewish students.
All fixable.
Not fixable: being a Black woman.
All fixable.
Not fixable: being a Black woman.
01:06 AM - Jan 03, 2024
2/14
And it should be acknowledged that she wasn’t presented an option *not to use those lawyer’s words. She didn’t have that institutional power.
We rarely do at hers if any level. We aren’t trusted like that by boards and the power givers & power takers.
We rarely do at hers if any level. We aren’t trusted like that by boards and the power givers & power takers.
01:06 AM - Jan 03, 2024
3/14
Her plagiarism was “low level”& accepted by the hiring committee- as they’ve done for centuries, & as they will do again for the *right candidate
Black is the perfect color in the natural world but in society it’ll always be rejected by folk trained to see blackness as wrongness
Black is the perfect color in the natural world but in society it’ll always be rejected by folk trained to see blackness as wrongness
01:07 AM - Jan 03, 2024
4/14
Many Black folk who’ve reached a certain level can tell their story of how they were told what they can say, do, or not. They’ve followed rules and lost jobs while seeing other, non Black coworkers do the same without consequences.
01:08 AM - Jan 03, 2024
5/14
We are trained from birth to know “We can’t do what they do” and on the occasion we can and do, there’s always backlash and consequences.
Ask your Black friends- especially your Black women friend.
They got stories.
Ask your Black friends- especially your Black women friend.
They got stories.
01:08 AM - Jan 03, 2024
6/14
I once had to host a nation gospel choir contest at the Oakland arena. Choirs from across America were there to compete.
The stadium had 15k folk. I worked in marketing as the only local Black guy so naturally I was asked to host 🤷🏾 the event.
But I was given a huge caveat.
The stadium had 15k folk. I worked in marketing as the only local Black guy so naturally I was asked to host 🤷🏾 the event.
But I was given a huge caveat.
01:09 AM - Jan 03, 2024
7/14
I could not mention the presidential race or candidates.
This was in 2008.
A certain Barack Obama was the candidate.
The event was in East Oakland.
I was born & raised there.
And it was gospel choirs just like the ones I was raised in by my Bishop grandfather/family.
This was in 2008.
A certain Barack Obama was the candidate.
The event was in East Oakland.
I was born & raised there.
And it was gospel choirs just like the ones I was raised in by my Bishop grandfather/family.
01:09 AM - Jan 03, 2024
8/14
Like many Black folk, I’ve got preachers all throughout my family and though I’m not religious I learned from those preachers and all the aunties, church mothers, and my own mother that..
I will never listen to anyone tell me what I can or cannot say.
I will never listen to anyone tell me what I can or cannot say.
01:09 AM - Jan 03, 2024
9/14
I was at the highest level corporate job I’d ever have.
But I was home and home in East Oakland and Obama was running for president.
So I did what we do.
I rallied the crowd to should YES WE CAN YES WE CAN in between each choirs performance.
But I was home and home in East Oakland and Obama was running for president.
So I did what we do.
I rallied the crowd to should YES WE CAN YES WE CAN in between each choirs performance.
01:10 AM - Jan 03, 2024
10/14
Then because I’m a terrible student I told the crowd I wasn’t supposed to talk about Obama 😇
The laughs and boos were loud and wonderful.
I didn’t care about what the mealy mouthed executives thought because it was historical.
I talked voter registration and voting for B.O.
The laughs and boos were loud and wonderful.
I didn’t care about what the mealy mouthed executives thought because it was historical.
I talked voter registration and voting for B.O.
01:10 AM - Jan 03, 2024
11/14
I got reprimanded/ written up by my VP boss & chastised by him & the VP of HR-a white man and white lady.
I thanked them for their time, signed the warning, and casually said “I’m always Black first, middle, and last.”
Claudine Gay did what was expected of her & dictated to her.
I thanked them for their time, signed the warning, and casually said “I’m always Black first, middle, and last.”
Claudine Gay did what was expected of her & dictated to her.
01:10 AM - Jan 03, 2024
12/14
At her level doing defiant acts like I did are technically optional but not realistically optional because she’s working for all who come after.
Remember how guarded Obama & Michelle had to be for 10 years? How mentioning Trayvon or campus police caused so many problems?
Remember how guarded Obama & Michelle had to be for 10 years? How mentioning Trayvon or campus police caused so many problems?
01:11 AM - Jan 03, 2024
13/14
Harvard the institution has a damaged reputation having nothing to do with Claudine Gay.
Trump lawyers, insurrectionists, politicians who don’t know law or history, pundits who are liars, racists, & misogynists, etc continue to do damage to Harvard and other Ivy League schools
Trump lawyers, insurrectionists, politicians who don’t know law or history, pundits who are liars, racists, & misogynists, etc continue to do damage to Harvard and other Ivy League schools
01:11 AM - Jan 03, 2024
14/14
I wish Claudine Gay peace, grace, a massive severance package, and a vacation on an island with friends & family among people who look like her.
This is 2024 election tactics in full swing
As we like to say and as racists hate so much -stay woke.
And never give up your voice.
This is 2024 election tactics in full swing
As we like to say and as racists hate so much -stay woke.
And never give up your voice.
01:11 AM - Jan 03, 2024
In response to Myron Clifton.
Yes. She said the wrongs things to Congress. All of the Presidents did. They should have defended their Jewish students. If the lawyers told them to say something else, they were wrong. I think she has a right to step down rather than be crucified for it for the rest of her life. No job is worth it.
10:20 AM - Jan 03, 2024
In response to Allison Cotton.
I don’t disagree with your last sentence- great point that a few other BW on the other app pointed out 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾
05:45 PM - Jan 03, 2024
In response to Myron Clifton.
Only 6 months into the job. The University sacrificed her.
09:43 AM - Jan 03, 2024
In response to Natalie Hill.
And they were ALWAYS going to.
That is why she should have come out swinging and called out everyone. Burn the whole thing down. And don't resign. If they fire you, fine, but stand your ground.
One can't give in to these people.
That is why she should have come out swinging and called out everyone. Burn the whole thing down. And don't resign. If they fire you, fine, but stand your ground.
One can't give in to these people.
10:34 PM - Jan 03, 2024
In response to Myron Clifton.
https://news.harvard.edu/g...
Claudine Gay supported the Harvard Jewish community. Conservatives just wanted this Black woman gone because she’s Black.
Claudine Gay supported the Harvard Jewish community. Conservatives just wanted this Black woman gone because she’s Black.
09:13 AM - Jan 03, 2024
In response to Myron Clifton.
I believe Dr Gay made the decision to step down because she wanted to be fair to her University. She has plagiarized in her past. She could've remained president, but scholarly heat would have distracted during the years required to navigate those issues.
She remains a Harvard tenured professor.
She remains a Harvard tenured professor.
08:48 AM - Jan 03, 2024
In response to Myron Clifton.
I'm adding one of her multiple responses to the Oct. 7 attacks here. This was Oct. 27.
2024 is going to be another dark battle.
https://www.harvard.edu/pr...
2024 is going to be another dark battle.
https://www.harvard.edu/pr...
08:47 AM - Jan 03, 2024
In response to Myron Clifton.
“Replaced by a white man” is how Harvard addressed the real issue. You addressed the issue like a champion, very powerful read.
08:26 AM - Jan 03, 2024
In response to Myron Clifton.
This brother just wrote my feelings this morning.
Thank you
Thank you
07:15 AM - Jan 03, 2024
In response to Myron Clifton.
Yes! I am furious that she was forced to resign. And who do they replace her with? A white man. Let’s see if anyone researches his past papers for plagiarism!
😡 smdh
😡 smdh
06:38 AM - Jan 03, 2024
In response to Myron Clifton.
Thank you, Myron, as always for your words of wisdom. In the end, this is an untenable situation. I'm so pissed. So fucking pissed.
01:52 AM - Jan 03, 2024
In response to Myron Clifton.
The wimpy & legalistic statements all the presidents made felt really scary AND it was obvious that the right was out to get Dr. Gay. We know who they are: they want to end DEI & CRT and HISTORY; they're bigots but they support Israel; they want to destroy all our civil rights. We can't let them.
01:18 AM - Jan 03, 2024
