Author Archive for Daniel McCloud

The Lion’s Den: ‘New Normal’ or business as usual?

DANIEL MCCLOUD

It is a fancy way of saying that when really, really bad things unexpectedly happen, due to unforeseen circumstances and crises, the need to adapt to handle these challenges positively or negatively will determine how one’s quality of life is influenced. Mass shootings, increased crime and violence, book banning, and historical revisionism — Florida’s 2023 Social Studies curriculum, which will include lessons on how “slaves developed skills” that could be used for “personal benefit.”

The Lion’s Den: Tale between two holidays illustrates our unique celebrations

DANIEL MCCLOUD

Did you know that the states of Alabama and Mississippi are two states that celebrate the birthdays of both Robert E. Lee and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the same day? The level of irony when considering this is almost unimaginable. One holiday celebrates the man who led the Confederate army in a war to maintain the institution of slavery and the Antebellum South. While the other individual is known for his non-violence approach to seeking equal rights for all Americans, particularly Blacks and the disenfranchised, and was ultimately assassinated on April 4, 1968, for his efforts.

The Lion’s Den: Hip-Hop has become CNN of the ghetto

DANIEL MCCLOUD

So explained not only for the genre’s origins but also because it is an art form born of the streets that gave a voice to the voiceless and would let the world know what was happening in forgotten America. … Today Hip-Hop has transformed our world; from commercials to movie soundtracks, the “culture” is thriving.

The Lion’s Den: Cost of being poor can be very expensive

DANIEL MCCLOUD

According to U.S. Census data, the official poverty rate in 2020 was 11.4 percent, resulting in 37.2 million people living in poverty. In addition, Census data indicates that between 2019 and 2020, the poverty rates increased for non-Hispanic Whites and…

The Lion’s Den: Sweet sounds of Jazz stir heart, mind, soul

DANIEL MCCLOUD

  “Jazz is the big brother of Revolution. Revolution follows it around,” — Miles Davis Following the end of the Civil War, as Black music continued to evolve, transitioning from the spirituals, blues, and gospel music, a new, freer, unencumbered…