Irene Monroe
DigBoston
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Past articles by Irene:
OPINION: AFTER JUNETEENTH, WHAT DOES THIS 4TH OF JULY MEAN?
Juneteenth can no longer stand in the shadows of America’s celebration of independence → Read More
SHOULD COPS BE AT PRIDE PARADES?
“We reject the notion that police ‘keep us safe’ and refuse to work with them.” → Read More
OPINION: GORMAN’S INAUGURATION POEM STILL HAS BLACK WOMEN TALKING
Still, it’s hard for many to believe that America can change. → Read More
A LOSS FOR ALL AMERICANS—EVEN THE ONES WHO DON'T REALIZE IT
"Ginsburg’s death comes as a crushing blow to those of us who believe in building a multicultural democracy and a participatory government." → Read More
THE LISTENING: WHAT PORTLAND'S WALL OF MOMS IS MISSING
There are various levels of listening, and what’s needed here is what MLK preached about. → Read More
SHRED THE GOP PLAYBOOK: RESTORATION OF VOTING RIGHTS HONORS JOHN LEWIS
To honor the congressman, let’s make some good trouble this November, and vote out our present Republican thugocracy. → Read More
WHAT, TO BLACK AMERICA, IS THIS 4TH OF JULY?
"I am not included within the pale of this glorious anniversary! Your high independence only reveals the immeasurable distance between us." → Read More
PRIDE CELEBRATES MILESTONE ANNIVERSARY VIRTUALLY DURING MULTIPLE CRISES
The continued distance between the white LGBTQ+ community and LGBTQ+ communities of color has a historical antecedent. → Read More
BAKER’S RESTRICTIONS ON WORSHIP LAX COMPARED TO INITIAL CDC GUIDELINES
We compared the CDC's earlier guidelines advising gatherings to the governor’s instructions limiting places of worship occupancy to 40%. Baker, no doubt, was under pressure not to be "too prescriptive." → Read More
IT’S RISKY TO REOPEN PLACES OF WORSHIP, WHETHER MASS ALLOWS IT OR NOT
COVID-19 continues to pose an existential threat to public health and safety, and many of the churches that flouted social distancing guidelines became hot spots in their regions, increasing infection and death rates. → Read More
WITH COVID-19, WE'RE LOSING THE SAME POPULATION THE AIDS PANDEMIC TOOK
Clergy in these communities have been performing non-stop homegoings, and helping families, loved ones, and communities of the deceased through this valley of anxiety, fear, and death. → Read More
LIVING THROUGH CORONAVIRUS, AND IMPROVING, TOGETHER
This pandemic doesn’t call for pandemonium, petty divisions, political wrangling, or panic buying. We are all in this together. Our collective concern should be about saving lives and not the momentary upending of our lifestyles. → Read More
KENNEDY IS YOUNGER THAN MARKEY. WHAT ELSE?
The first debate, for me, didn’t demonstrate a compelling reason to replace Markey—to swap an older straight white male for a younger one. → Read More
HOW TO GET MY SUPPORT: THE SCRAMBLE FOR BLACK VOTES NEEDS TO ADDRESS ISSUES THAT MATTER TO US
Although most African Americans are Democrats today, our disaffection from the GOP only led us to FDR’s Democratic party after Republicans reneged on their formerly strong civil rights plank. → Read More
LOVING A CHURCH THAT DOESN’T LOVE YOU
The schism in the UMC, sadly, mirrors today’s ongoing battle among religious conservatives. → Read More
WHY REPARATIONS: AMERICA NEEDS TO PAY UP AND PAY FORWARD
Uncle Will’s grandmother, my spouse’s great-grandmother, was born into slavery and died as a free woman at the age of 108. Sometime during Reconstruction (1863-1877), the great-grandmother accrued a small plot of farmland that now awaits its fate, as her brood scrape together enough money to keep it. → Read More
NO GOING BACK: THE VOLUME ON XENOPHOBIA AND RACISM IS ON BLAST
President Trump’s proclivity for racist remarks comes as no surprise. His comment stating a preference for immigrants coming from Scandinavian countries like Norway, rather than from Africa and Haiti, which he depicts as “shithole” countries, is based solely on his xenophobia. → Read More
JOY AND PAIN: THE BITTERSWEET ANNIVERSARY THAT COMES EVERY MAY
This May marked the 15th anniversary of marriage equality in the Commonwealth. Looking back at advances such as hate crime laws, the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell” and DOMA, the legalization of marriage equality, and anti-homophobic bullying becoming a national concern, to name a few, the LGBTQ community has come a long way since the first Pride marches. → Read More
AFTER THE EMPIRE
Could the Smollett situation affect public perception of hate crimes? → Read More
INCENSED OVER INSENSITIVITY
Official’s N-word nonapology ignites Cambridge It should have been an enriching classroom engagement. Instead, it turned into a public outrage that prompted an outside investigation. Last month, Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School history teacher Kevin Dua invited his school committee and other elected officials to participate in his students’ final project. Titled “RECLAIMING [N-word] v.… → Read More