I am an unabashed 1980s baby. My childhood was blessed with He-Man, Transformers, G.I. Joe, and the then-wrestlers from the National Wrestling Alliance, American Wrestling Alliance and the World Wrestling Federation. I grew up memorizing movie lines and moves by…
Tony and Lauren Dungy know something about influence, on the field and at home
The first Black coach to win a Super Bowl title remains a family man as well as a legendary coach. Tony Dungy and his wife, Lauren, are the parents of 11 children — some their biological children and some adopted…
The rest of the story: Standing in someone’s winter
Last year, I wrote a column about a high school teacher who had made a substantive difference. It was the story of a woman who changed the trajectory of my life. I could not have foreseen the positive response I…
‘Leave that boy alone; he’s at Grandaddy’s house!’
At 3 a.m. in the dark of the morning of June 14, 1954, William Emmitt Newell, my grandfather, stirred from his usual sound sleep. “Is it time to go to church, Momma?” he asked his wife, Lela Kittrell Newell, mother…
Family and friends do have influence in vaccination decision
Americans’ attitudes about COVID-19 vaccination remain largely unchanged since January, but about one-fifth of those who said they would not get vaccinated have changed their minds and taken the jab. A common reason for changing their minds is seeing family…
3 ways money poisons politics and 3 ways to address the problem
Money has poisoned the well of democracy in the United States. How, you might ask? In several ways. First, as the Scripture tells us, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager…
For such a time as this
In the Old Testament Book of Esther, we are told a story about how the very existence of a certain group of people was threatened because of the anger of one man towards them. This man made threats to wipe…