Until We Get It Done (On My Meeting with Zohran Mamdani)
A couple of Saturdays ago, I had an existential question that I couldn’t grapple over. “Do you think I should go canvass?” My wife, knowing who I was, neither confirmed…
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In Defense of the Egomaniac (Or I’m Walt Mossburg … Shut Up)
I’m The Jose Vilson. Shut up.
It’s My Fault
As a teacher, it’s my fault. My bad.
The Tourist (or Not That Black in America)
Sure enough, I didn’t catch most of CNN’s Black in America 2 special. I’ll most likely catch that sometime in the future; reruns prevail over
Jose Vilson: American Latino Take 2
Ladies and gents, Some of you missed the last time I was on American Latino TV for my interview. Well, if you’re in the 100
Make You Whole
“Make You Whole” by Jose Vilson © 2009 She gives him a look of absent fatalism Welds streams of release through her face’s fine crevices
Frank McCourt and The Whole Teacher Respect Issue
Today, I read a great article from Leonie Haimson of Class Size Matters via the Huffington Post in which she lauds the virtues of the
Why I Blog
Last week, a lady did a semi-interview with me regarding why I blog. At first, the question seemed simple enough, and I wrote: I blog
Live With Legends – Julian Bond and Cornel West
I had the pleasure of sitting in the front left aisle in the Barnes & Noble Bookstore in Union Square for a conversation between Julian
Just A Quick Thought About School Leadership
A few things come to mind when I’m asked about school leadership. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention some of the school schemas I’ve
Short Notes: Fire and Rain
A few notes: Jose, who chooses to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but
Letters: Why I Don’t Just Color In One Crayon
Dear Random Commenters and Viewers of My Blog, In my last post, I contended, from personal experience and other sources, that Black and Latino males
On The Reason Why You May Only Get One Black Male Teacher Ever In Your Life (If At All)
Here’s a real and researched statistic for you. Before college, I only had 1 Black male teacher. I also believe I had 1-2 male Latino
Who’s Gonna Cover Your Vibes, XXLs, and Sources?
Recently, Vibe Magazine closed its doors, at least in print form. For those who never ventured into black publication, Vibe Magazine was a Black-based magazine
Short Notes: Blame It On The Boogie Edition
For some reason, that title just sounded right. A few notes: Before I go, (and I know I’m going to get a little flack for
Oops, He’s Sorry, He Lied: He’s Number 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5
Someone asked me recently if I talked to my kids about Michael Jackson and the impact he had on me and people of my generation.
An Interrupted Morning
It’s been less than a week since my vacation started, and my mind tingles like it did when I was still in the Mr. Vilson
Sacrosanct
Alas, the year is finally over for me. Today was my first official day off from school, and my feet, more than any other part
Letter: Man In The Mirror
Dear Michael Jackson, First, let me say that I’m deeply saddened by your death. Your passing ranks up there in the moments where people had
Letters: No, Your Hips Aren’t Enough
Dear Political Volunteer: I’m going to say it: there’s no situation under which, when you have a serious proposition for me, you can nudge me
Short Notes: The Shadow of a Father
A few notes: My Fathers’ Day celebrations have been sparse and uncomfortable. Lately, I’ve contemplated the various father figues I’ve had and the ones I
Your Moment of Zen – Your Writing Prompt
“Your Moment of Zen” or “Your Writing Prompt” Think of a time when you were really uncomfortable When you grew a pair of hemorrhoids so
Against All Odds
Today will mostly be remembered for 2Pac Shakur’s birthday. The once and still prolific MC carried on a legendary life, evidenced by his persistent legacy
Can’t Read My Poker Face (I Ain’t Got To Love Nobody)
When I first started teaching, the most common complaint people had about me was that I didn’t smile or laugh. I think people caught subtle
Doing a Touchdown Dance, Throwing the Chalk to the Floor
Imagine spending 8 whole months with 2 hours in mind, and those 2 hours have a major impact on your “teaching” career. You prepare with
Short Notes: Top 9 Signs I Know I’m Trippin’
9. The Lakers and the Magic, the #3 and the #10 scoringest teams in the league, only had 30 points in the first quarter of
In Other News, Sit Down Already!
The A train usually puts me right to sleep. Literally. I turn on my iPod, let some U2 or The Killers crank in my ear,
Decimas For The Poet In You
These poems were birthed from a poetry workshop Tara Betts did as the featured facilitator for the Acentos group. Some of the poems I’ve been
A Letter To The Black Star, Mos Def and Talib Kweli
Dear Mos Def and Talib Kweli, (or whoever decides to read / respond / reflect) Your concert piece last night reminded me why I’m such
Of Eccentric Confusions, Prestidigitation, and Legerdemain
On Twitter, I revealed one of my great not-so-secret secrets: I used to be a spelling bee champ. Not that hardcore, but it was really
I Was Never An Empty Cup (Consumer Beware)
Another poem inspired by that crazy Acentos workshop last Sunday I keep talking about. Comment as you please. I was never an empty cup.I was
Death Measured At Words Per Minute
In this increasingly popular post entitled, “But I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” a commenter by the name of Kat, whose discussions on
Don’t Ask Why Not, But How It’s Getting Done
Sometime after I saw the movie Star Trek, my girlfriend and I sat in a diner and chit-chatted about education as usual, when the issue
But I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For
I walked into the Acentos Poetry Workshop at Hostos Community College, weary from a series of events including incurring a nasty virus and having to
Tell Your Fucking Mexican Friends To Get The Fuck Out of Shenandoah
… or you’ll be laying next to him. That’s what Luis Ramirez’ murderers told his friends after killing him. And that’s why this post-racial talk
The Sounds of Quisqueya Call Me Right Back
Today, Raquel Cepeda linked me to a post about Dominican-Haitian relations that she wrote on her blog, and for those of you who know me,
