Top Blog Posts from 2017

This annual roundup is always very sobering for me because most of the posts are typically my coverage of violence against LGBTQ people. I’ve written elsewhere about why this matters and I will continue to do my best to provide good information on these important stories. 15 posts out of the top 20 most read […]

#SayTheirNames – Kala Thomas, Mia White, and Nicole Dailey

Do you remember Kala Thomas? She was 25 years old raising four children as a single, working black mother in Garfield with the support of her extended family. On May 23, her body was discovered on the hillside behind her home. Her abandoned car was found the next day.  Police have not identified any suspects. This […]

Freedom Isn’t Free: Invest in the Work of POC in Our Community

Today is the Fourth of July and many of us are celebrating and/or enjoying the relative degree of freedom we have as American citizens. Not everyone is free and not everyone saw independence in 1776 or anytime soon after. The enslavement of African peoples as well as the eradication of Native Americans indigenous to these […]

Will There Be Justice for Kala Thomas? #SayHerName

Kala Thomas was 25 years old, raising four children as a single, working black mother in Garfield with the support of her extended family. On May 23, her body was discovered in the hillside behind her home. Her abandoned car was found the next day. Six weeks later, police have not identified any suspects. I […]

The Tragedy of Dakota James and Overlooking Other Violent Epidemics

This post began as a Facebook post as I reflected on the outpouring of skepticism around the autopsy findings in the death of Dakota James. The autopsy declared his death an accidental drowning, suggesting he fell into the water on his own. His family rejects that finding and insists that there must be more of an […]

More Info on How to Donate Items to the Children of Kala Thomas #SayHerName

You have generously helped Kala’s family reach 10% of their crowdfund goal to meet the needs of her four children in 24 hours. Kala had two sets of twins. The eldest are 8 years old and the babies are 3 months old. Please consider a modest donation to ensure that the family does not have […]

Please Support the Four Children of Kala Thomas #SayHerName

I blogged yesterday about the devastating murder of a 25 year-old local mother of four, Kala Thomas. She leaves behind two sets of twins, 8 years old and 3 months old. Her family has established two sources for donations to support the children. If you can donate, please do so. The children lost their mother. […]

Her Name Was Kala Thomas

She was 25 years old and lived in the Garfield neighborhood in Pittsburgh’s East End. Her name was Kala Thomas. She was a mother to two sets of twins, according to WPXI. According to her Facebook page, one set are school aged and the youngest are just three months old. Oh, those sweet babies. Kala […]