I gave a speech at the 50501 No Kings Rally in Pittsburgh on Saturday, and it’s heartbreaking/frustrating to continue giving speeches on the City County Building steps because our elected officials are still so out of touch. We assumed that we would get a thousand people to speak, but was overjoyed when there were so…
Author: Chardaé Jones
Barbie Didn’t Dream of This: When Pick-Me Politics Ruined the Plot
The Barbie Movie feels a bit like real life, except for the happy ending. I keep thinking about the part where the accomplished Barbies ride around town rounding up all the Barbies that have been brainwashed by the Kens in Barbie Land and trying to reprogram them to remember who they were before Ken discovered…
We Need More Humans in Human Services
My neighbor told me that if it wasn’t for Medicaid, he would have to pay over $2k for his lifesaving medication. He’s a veteran and very much retired, and Medicaid is his saving grace. The federal budget’s recent draft is calling for over 700 million in cuts to Medicaid in exchange for tax breaks for…
Cuisine with a Cause: Café Momentum Sets Lunch Menu
Café Momentum, located in downtown Pittsburgh, is more than just food outside of Market Square. If you Google “Food Near Me,” it will show you the Momentum Menu, but delving deeper into what accelerates this restaurant makes you want to come back for seconds. Opened in March 2023, Café Momentum was started by Chad Houser…
Black Women Lead Even When It Hurts
Black People have been leading the movement for change for decades and the change has always intentionally included everyone else, but if this election taught us anything, it taught us that everyone doesn’t have that same “everyone” mentality.
Unapologetically Black, Undeniably Erased: The History They Tried to Give Us
The Impatient Optimist A Quarter History “My mother told me Christopher Columbus didn’t discover America,” I remember telling my teacher during a whole American History High School Course. I say whole because I remember signing up for an African American History Course and was quickly let down to learn that only half of the course…
The Failed Nippon/US Steel Deal Gives “Buddy I Hope You Find Your Dad” Vibes.
Finding out that one of the last things Biden chose to do while in office was to block the Nippon/US Steel Deal gives me “Buddy I hope you find your dad,” vibes. It may feel blindly optimistic that someone domestic will buy US Steel. Still, the intentions behind the purchase won’t make as much sense…
17 NYE Parties in Pittsburgh to Bring in 2025
Last year I made a list of awesome NYE parties in Pittsburgh and although I made it my mission to go to none of them because staying in is a much better time for me. But if you’re looking for somewhere to bring in the New Year check out these events. CAVO Pittsburgh $60 |…
Why I Traded Vision Boards for Bingo Boards: A Goal-Getter’s Journey
A look back at my 2024 Bingo Board and what’s up for 2025.
Unwrapped and Unemployed: How Past Holiday Layoffs Changed My Perspective
The holiday season may be filled with joy and corporate holiday bonuses but for some reason, corporations lay off employees a lot during the holiday season. I’m employed now but being laid off in the past helped me align my purpose. Right after college, I stayed to work at said college but it was also…