Dear Dean Magazine: October 2022

A Talk with Premio 

by Steven Evangelista 

Lost in Translation 

by Katya Juliet Lerner 

"The Squeaky Wheel Shouldn’t Be 

The Only One To Get The Grease"

THE GOODS 

3 

8 

10 

20 

22 

29 

Hello from Myron 

Featured Essay 

"The Squeaky Wheel 

Shouldn’t Be The Only One 

To Get The Grease" 

by Eliann Rodriguez 

Dear Dean Featured Blog: 

"Rappers & Republicans 

Sittin' in a Tree" 

by Myron J. Clifton 

Myron's HIT or MISS 

Featured Spotlight 

Lost in Translation 


Featured Spotlight 


by Steven Evangelista 

33 

TOTM 

by Candidly Tiff 

37 

My Favorite Things 

Streaming Right Now

HELLO! 

FROM MYRON J. CLIFTON 

Happy October, Dear Readers! I don’t know if 

your weather has changed, but if it has or hasn’t, 

it is good to be entering a new season that 

promises so much as we head to elections, new 

weather, new focus, and plenty of opportunities 

for growth, reflection, and changing energies. 

Speaking about voter confusion, our Twitter Thread of the 

Month talks about different roles of the DNC, DSCC, and 

DCCC and how they fundraise, who they can help and 

cannot help, and what roles they play or don’t in State and 

Federal elections and fundraising. 

Democrats look to win races in Florida, Ohio, Arizona, 

Georgia, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and 

elsewhere so knowing who is fundraising and what/who 

for will help you direct your support and donations 

appropriately. 

Dear Dean Magazine continues to grow, and with our 

growth comes exciting opportunities for novice writers 

just starting out, people with something to say, and 

professional writers who want to expand their 

audience and perhaps write something different than 

what they normally write. 

In politics, we are ever closer to critical midterm 

elections in many states, and both Senate, House, and 

Governor seats are up for grabs. 

With elections comes ads, emails, text messages, and 

story after story about the candidates, their policy 

positions and, unfortunately, bad-faith actors who 

work to suppress votes, confuse voters, and to muddle 

up the process for known and unknown reasons. 

As always, the issue includes a personal essay, this one by 

Eliann Rodriquez, that tackles the need to extend our 

support beyond the “Squeaky Wheels” in our lives. Eliann 

writes about checking on your strong friends and family 

who always seem to have it all together. A quick and 

important read you shouldn’t miss. 

All your other favorites are here – Hit/Miss, What’s 

Streaming, and Book and podcast recommendations and 

more. 

We will continue to publish articles written by 

contributors from a wide spectrum voices, and cover 

domestic politics, entertainment, sports, family, travel, 

and other topics contributors want to share. 

If you want to contribute, please do! 

Our feature article addresses the issue of Black male 

rappers working to suppress democratic voters and 

how the tactics deployed by Steve Bannon to siphon 

Black male voters away from democrats and to vote 

for republicans or not vote is still in effect with famous 

rappers. 

We require: 

500 – 1k words 

Fully edited 

Include 1–2-line bio, photo of yourself/headshot, email 

address and/or social media handle 

Any photos appropriate to your article 

DEAR DEAN MAGAZINE | p.3

W E L C O M E F R O M M Y R O N 

Send via WORD or Goggle Doc to: 

myronclifton@gmail.com 

No “not safe for work” articles will be accepted 

In addition, if you wish to place an ad – also free – for 

my ad page, please send to the same email above. 

Advertise your new book, podcast, or your business. 

We appreciate you as a reader and we thank you for 

sharing the magazine to your social media network, 

friends, and family. 

And we look forward to seeing YOUR contribution 

soon. Happy Halloween! 

Myron

M Y R O N J . C L I F T O N 

Myron J. Clifton is slightly older than fifty, lives in Sacramento, 

California, and is an avid Bay Area sports fan. He likes comic 

books, telling stories about his late mom to his beloved 

daughter Leah, and talking to his friends. 

W E B S I T E | B O O K S H O P | T W I T T E R 

I N T E R E S T E D I N A D V E R T I S I N G ? 

Send an email to 

words@deardeanpublishing.com 

D E A R D E A N M A G A Z I N E , W E B S I T E , 

B L O G S A N D B O O K S A R E D E S I G N E D B Y 

K A T Y A J U L I E T L E R N E R 

Loving Myron J. Clifton's Content? 

S H O W Y O U R S U P P O R T W I T H 

A C O N T R I B U T I O N T O D E A R D E A N ! 


You’ll discover: 

How to have difficult conversations 

about white supremacy, racism, and 

white privilege 

How to listen to criticism without 

defensiveness 

Why it’s harmful to ignore race or 

claim to be colorblind 

How to expand your racial justice 

circle by joining groups led by Black 

women and cultivating a group of 

like-minded allies 

Racism can only be defeated if white 

people educate themselves and actively 

engage in antiracism work, especially in 

their inner circles. 

With this book, you’ll learn how to 

change from someone who defends and 

protects racism to someone who fights 

against it. And you’ll become an example 

to others that true allies are made, not 

born. 

LECIA MICHELLE 

Lecia Michelle has been a librarian for over 15 years, working in both universities and 

public libraries. She is also the founder and leader of “Real Talk: WOC and Allies for 

Racial Justice and Anti-Oppression.” Lecia is a writer w, an avid reader, and pursuer of all 

things related to anti-racist work and activism. 


F E A T U R E D E S S A Y B Y E L I A N N R O D R I G U E Z 

“fine” is we’re also appointing ourselves standardbearers 

of what that constitutes. Who are we to 

decide what ‘being fine’ means to another person? 

They’re the ones always smiling, laughing, and telling 

jokes. They’ve always been able to weather tough 

times in their lives without seeming to break a sweat 

(or at the very least, they come out unscathed). 

They’re the kids the teacher never has to keep their 

eye on; the ones who are consistently under the 

radar. The “good” one a parent doesn’t have to worry 

about. The friend who always seems…OK. 

We all know them. I suspect many of us ARE them. 

The people who we often call the “strong” friends. In 

the daily maelstrom of our lives, they are the friends 

we don’t worry about - as much. It’s not that we don’t 

love our “strong” friends. It’s that we feel confident 

they’re always going to be okay. When it comes to 

our limited time, our “strong” friends aren’t the ones 

that get our immediate attention. 

How do we judge the way another person exhibits 

signs of ‘being fine’ or of ‘going through something’? 

Our strong friends may be doing well, or they may 

not. We don’t know - and that’s why we’ve got to 

check our assumptions. 

Another problem with the assumption our strong 

friends are doing well is that we often miss the times 

they’re struggling. People who are able to handle 

struggles or challenges (in our perception) tend to 

become accustomed to doing things on their own. 

They rarely ask for help. They’re usually the ones 

greasing squeaky wheels. 

There’s an old saying - the squeaky wheel gets the 

grease. In our increasingly hectic lives (work, family, 

possibility of losing our voting and reproductive 

rights, a global pandemic!), it’s easy to have our 

attention focused on those who are the squeakiest 

wheels in our lives. It only makes sense. If you have 

ten free minutes today, are you going to check in on 

someone who always has it together, or someone 

who seems to always be in crisis? Now, I’m not 

coming from a place of judgment - I myself have been 

guilty of doing the same. 

One problem with assuming our strong friends are 


E L I A N N R O D R I G U E Z 

Our “strong” friends are so accustomed to being the 

second, third, fourth on the list of friends we offer 

support to, that they’ve learned to stop asking for 

help. They attempt to handle the pressures and 

challenges of life on their own. That would eventually 

take a toll on them - and too often the outward signs 

of their struggle would go undetected. We know all 

too well the effects of neglect on mental health. 

Unless we’re mind-reading superheroes, we don't 

know what people are going through, or how they’re 

dealing with it. But we shouldn’t assume some people 

need more (or less!) support than others. We have to 

check in on our “strong” friends, too. They do a great 

job of handling everything on their own, but should 

they always have to? We all need support, at different 

times, and in different ways. So let’s do a better job of 

spreading the love more evenly. Because the squeaky 

wheels aren’t the only ones that need grease. 

It's Like This 

Rodwarton Productions 

Follow Eliann Rodriguez 

Welcome to It's Like This, we're glad you stopped in. 

Grab a beverage and make yourself at home (This is a 

shoes off household, by the way), because we're 

talking pop culture this week... And every week. Join 

Eliann, Brandon, and Greg as they dive deep into all 

things pop... Culture that is! Follow us on Twitter, 

Instagram, and TikTok at @itslikethispod1 to see 

behind the scenes of recording and to get our takes 

on pop culture news that doesn't make this show! 


DEAR DEAN 

featured 

B L O G

F E A T U R E D B L O G 

There is a reason it is said “Vote like Black women” but 

there isn’t a similar saying about voting like Black men. 

Black women are the most loyal democratic voting 

bloc. The group doesn’t fall for GOP tricks or 

shenanigans, and who will wait for hours to vote, drive 

seniors, family, and friends to vote, and will volunteer 

to text, phone bank, and write letters/postcards for 

candidates. 

And when Black women candidates do, those events 

are not broadcast to the nation as they are when 

candidates meet with other voters. 

Black women will vote in local and State and Federal 

elections without having to be begged, pleaded with, 

or constantly reminded of what is at stake. 

When the media does decide to cover Black women 

running for office, they do so awkwardly, ignorantly, 

and with so much racism and misogynoir, the shows 

Black women vote the most but get the least return 

from the political process. What benefits them is 

and news segments are often offensive, focused 

mostly on crime, and are mostly unwatchable. 

seldom specific to them, but usually part of a larger 

benefit to many communities. 

Recall then candidate Kamala Harris’ many 

celebratory events with her sorority sisters that 

Black women will help their kids register to vote when 

their kids turn eighteen and will call/text or drive their 

young adult to vote. 

showed her marching and singing as she entered and 

spoke at events, and the news anchors and online 

media mocking her while showing their ignorance of 

Black sororities customs and rituals. Not granting her 

Black women vote for harm reduction for everyone, 

though virtually no other voting bloc votes for harm 

reduction that is exclusively designed to benefit Black 

audience the same respect as other common campaign 

setups such as soccer moms or truck drivers in coffee 

shops. 

women. 

There is a reason traitorous blowhard Steve Bannon 

Candidates target suburban white women with 

specifically targeted Black men and not Black women 

massive advertising campaigns, talk about their issues 

on every morning talk show and every cable news 

network every day during campaign season, while 

they may spend one brief segment on issues that 

impact Black women — and then they will only focus on 

Black women who live in cities. Major media almost 

never highlight rural or suburban Black women and 

to hurt democrats and help the republicans: Black 

women didn’t and don’t have time for his or the GOP’s 

bullshit and they can’t be swayed by candidates or 

their “strategists” who’s lies are not only easy to 

detect, but even easier to ignore. That is why the 

constant complaint about “Democratic messaging” is 

squarely directed at white voters and Black men 

their voting habits and what they want from 

voters. Black women never have issues understanding 

candidates. And with the exception of Black 

what the issues are, what the needs are, and what the 

candidates, especially Black women running for office, 

assignment is. 

candidates rarely visit Black women to hold town halls 

or listening sessions. 

Bannon and his cohorts knew not to fuck with Black 

women, so they set their eyes on Black men. 



And they made inroads and continue to do so. 

Especially with Black men. 

How did they and how are they doing it? By appealing 

to the worst natures of the Black men they are 

targeting: Those who want to stand side by side with 

white supremacy as long as they too are allowed to 

control women. 

prominent Black men who told us all to “Calm down and 

They started with popular and wealthy Black men 

give Trump a chance.” 

who were already comfortable among wealthy white 

people. Those Black men who could easily proclaim 

And they found inroads by using Black men’s own brand 

their disdain of democrats because of the issue 

of toxic masculinity as they spread anti-Hillary news 

easiest for wealthy people of any race or ethnicity to 

stories across social media that focused on her race, 

bond over: taxes. 

gender, and looks, and the same toxic hatred to Kamala by 

twisting her exemplary record as District Attorney and 

Just taxes, Bannon knew, because he correctly 

Attorney General to be anti-Black man because it was 

determined how wealthy Black men would find it 

decidedly pro-Black woman and girls, and pro-woman. 

easier to identify with wealthy white people over 

And apologist radio host Lenard Larry McKelvey, who 

money issues versus people issues. The focus on 

absurdly calls himself “Charlamagne the God” constantly 

taxes also helped wealthy republican benefactors 

pushes lies and anti-Kamala Harris stories, while giving 

accept certain wealthy Black men into their folds. 

airtime to anti-Black woman clowns like Killer Mike and 

others. 

We saw the strategy take hold during Trump’s first 

campaign as certain famous Black men flocked to his 

Lenard has no real convictions or original thoughts, 

side, loving his bluster, tough-guy image, open 

preferring to parrot whichever lackluster, conspiracy 

misogyny, and proclamations of being above and 

spouting guest he has on his radio show. But whenever 

outside the law. 

he’s confronted by an intelligent person with facts, he 

backs down and tries to quickly change subjects or crack 

That approached reeled in Black men who love to 

passive-aggressive and award jokes because he cannot 

bluster, promote their tough-guy images and open 

speak as an equal with anyone who has facts, science, 

misogyny, and who loudly proclaim themselves above 

data, or firsthand experience. 

and outside the law: Wealthy rappers, athletes, 

entertainers, and Black conservative preachers. 

And all the while Lenard will push republican talking 

points to his broad audience without providing analysis, 

Trump snagged Kanye, Killer Mike, Tiger Woods, Ice 

facts, or counter opinions. He is a cancer on Black political 

Cube, Luther Campbell, “Pastor” Eugene Scott, and 

thought and famous people who support him know 

others who either supported him loudly, like Kanye 

exactly what they and he are doing — working to harm 

did, or took the route of vote suppression as Ice Cube 

Black politicians, especially Black women. 

did. He got Dave Chappelle, Steve Harvey, and others 



dating history, her parents, her family, and her 

audacity to think she could.. do anything. 

In addition to rappers, entertainers, and misogynistic 

radio hosts, Bannon and company reeled in “soft” 

support from far-left Black men by focusing on many 

of the same topics — men such as The Daily Show’s 

Trevor Noah and Saturday Night Live’s Weekend 

Update anchor Michael Che who even now continue 

to direct their particular brand of toxic “humor” at 

both women. 

The other tactic Bannon’s company utilized was to pay 

his Russian ops to target Black voters online via 

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok. It has been 

reported that Facebook was the number one platform 

used to spread anti-Black hatred, racists memes that 

sought to exploit America’s real racism, and with 

campaigns promoting fake and negative news about 

Hillary and VP Harris. 

The list of Black men who earned their attack Black 

women honors badges is too long to list. But you’ll 

know them when you encounter them online because 

they always show up when Black women are receiving 

praise. 

The most vocal attacks are now being directed at 

Georgia Gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, 

saying she “Hates” Black men. The hate is being led 

Michael Santiago Render, stage name “Killer Mike” 

who has relentlessly attacked Stacey Abrams while 

simultaneously constantly slathering praise to her 

opponent, Governor Brian Kemp. It is worth noting 

Michael Render was anti-Kamala Harris, saying Stacey 

Abrams should be vice president. But now he’s against 

Stacey in favor of a governor who has worked to 

prevent Black people from voting. 

They also distributed memes to Black churches from 

fake accounts posing as Black people who spread lies 

and encouraged Black voters not to vote. 

The result is still evident as we now have a small vocal 

group of Black men online who continue to attack 

Black women who are running for office. 

We saw them attack then candidate Kamala Harris so 

much, so it has been determined she was the most 

attacked person in the world on social media. Not a 

president, dictator, athlete, or entertainer. It was the 

candidate for president who was then running to be 

the first Black woman vice president. 

Along with the national media, republicans, and every 

day racists, Black men were right there on the front 

lines attacking Harris about everything she is, what 

she had accomplished, and what she wanted to do. 

They attacked her laugh, smile, hair, skin color, her 

choice not to have children, her Jewish husband, his 

kids, her shopping choices, her cooking style, her 



Let’s be clear: It wasn’t about VP Kamala, and it isn’t 

about Gubernatorial candidate Abrams – it is about 

Michael Santiago Render’s hatred of Black women. 

And Michael Render isn’t actively helping Rev. Ralph 

Warnock in his Georgia Senate race against Herschel 

Walker. 

So Killer Mike is actively working to harm not only 

Black Georgia citizens but Black folk across the nation, 

especially Black women since the GOP will unleash 

hell on women should they regain control of the 

Senate. 

Though the Bannon-backed tactics failed to deter 

Black women in the last two presidential elections, 

they saw progress increasing the percentage of Black 

men who voted for the republican candidate in both 

2016 and 2020. The numbers are small, 6% in 2016 

and 8% in 2020, but they are significant because 

Democrats need a broad coalition to gain and maintain 

seats and cannot afford to lose additional small 

percentages of Black male voters. 

It is important to note that Black men continue to be 

the second most loyal democratic voter and that those 

who run for office, support candidates, and help 

others to register are instrumental to the party’s 

short- and long-term successes. 

And it is equally important to note that the democratic 

party needs more white voters and Hispanic voters if 

it is to remain viable and wants to grow and preserve 

democracy. 

But we must acknowledge there is a strategy to target 

Black men voters and to try to understand why, when, 

how effective their tactics are, and what they may be 

planning even now. 

Understanding helps democratic voters develop 

counter strategies that will only make the party 

stronger. So it is not about blaming but about working 

to strengthen the party by attending to the base. 

And we can interrogate the whys without resorting to 

stereotypes or racial tropes like the GOP uses toward 

Black people. 

The battle being waged isn’t about substance because 

if it were, democrats would not only keep Black voters 

but would grow its share of Hispanic and white voters 

as well. 

Democratic policies create jobs, grow the economy, 

expand healthcare, clean the environment, build 

wealth, equalize taxing, reduce nation and personal 

debt, make food safer, reduce the cost of schooling, 

and provide for improved infrastructure for everyone. 

The GOP? Their policies start and stop at: reduce 

taxes for the wealthy and make living in America 

harder for everyone else. 

And the “in-between” of their policies seek to close the 

borders, control women, allow child marriage, force 

their religion on society, defund public schools, and 

maintain minority rule by preventing access to voting 

for Black and Hispanic voters. 

But to the few but vocal Black men who are pushing 

the GOP agenda, none of that matters. All that 

matters is they want to be equal to white men in how 

they control and dominate everyone else. They don’t 

want equality or equity for anyone but themselves. 

Black voters, women, and men, continue to vote for 

democrats at a higher percentage than other 

They want next. 

demographics and that fact should not be overlooked 

when looking at tactics deployed by the GOP to 

siphon away Black voters. 

Next to control women’s and girls’ bodies. 

Next to be above and outside the law. 

Next to be exempt from being held accountable for 



their actions. 

Next to ignore #metoo, cancel culture . 

And the needed pushback against vile homophobic 

and misogynistic words and phrases. 

They want to be begged, catered to, and believed no 

matter how wrong they are about any conspiracy they 

are sharing. Whether flat earth nonsense, their desire 

to confirm their daughter’s virginity, or siding with 

covid conspiracies, those men want to live free of 

social norms and social contracts that govern public 

and private behaviors for the rest of us. 

They want to dictate the terms of reparations to 

exclude who they decide to exclude, and they want to 

hold democratic officials accountable for not only 

their own work, but the work – or lack thereof – of 

republicans. You’ll notice them on the news and on 

social media because they will demand answers and 

solutions from democrats while remaining silent about 

republican policies and actions that are actively 

harming people. 

They side with republicans on xenophobia, 

transphobia, homophobia, and antisemitism. And they 

will loudly criticize Black women in media, sports and 

entertainment – you’ll see them spew hatred about 

Lizzo, Brittney Griner, VP Harris, Meghan Markle, 

Justice Ketanji Brown-Jackson, Stacey Abrams, Karen 

Bass, and just about every Black woman creator who 

are creating and minding their own business. 

Black women understand the assignment, work in the 

system to change it for the better for themselves and 

everyone else, and work to make the nation a better 

place for us all. They march when Black kids are 

murdered by police, and they work to hold police and 

politicians accountable. They do substantive and 

symbolic work with equal energy, force, and flair. 



They are not a monolith by any means, as we saw 

during the past few presidential elections going back 

to President Obama who had to earn Black women’s 

vote. But once he earned their trust, his campaign 

took off. 

Black women did not automatically transfer their 

loyalty to Senator Hillary Clinton or to VP Kamala 

Harris. But each of the women did more than visit a 

church or a barbershop, though they did those actions 

as well — substantive and symbolic, remember? 

Senator Clinton and Senator Harris created specific 

plans that addressed the issues most important to 

Black women that went beyond crime and justice. 

They championed wages, student debt, access to small 

business and homeownership loans, climate justice, 

medical equality, daycare and preschool, 

infrastructure, and childcare. 

In short, the two expert politicians treated women the 

way other politicians treat men. 

And Black women rewarded both with recordbreaking 

numbers of votes. 

The policies also benefited Black men, of course, and 

each women won significant shares of their vote. But 

there were and are the same loud minority of Black 

men who refuse to follow women and who decidedly 

went against both exemplary candidates. 

You will know them by their republican talking points. 

Those points always lack substance and data from 

reputable sources. Siding with them isn’t just harmless 

contrarianism because those policies will have real life 

consequences. 

Folk who tell you not to vote as a form of protest are 

actively working to harm you and others so that they 

can prove a point – the point being to harm Democrats 

and democratic voters. 

We are seeing vicious and sustained attacks spreading 

They surface right before elections and work hand in 

beyond VP Kamala and Stacy Abrams, they are now 

hand with republicans to convince you that Democrats 

going after candidates Val Demings and Cheri Beasley, 

will not help you. What will they not do? Is tell you what 

joining with right-wing media being aided and abetted 

republicans will do for you. They won’t tell you 

by a cadre of Black men who will just as quickly slink 

republicans will harm you and the nation because they 

away once the midterms are over. 

believe they will be taken care of and/or because they 

are already wealthy, believe they are exempt from 

The key then is to know them when you encounter 

“everyday politics.” 

them in real life or online. 



We have gotten to the point that is it republicans 

pushing rappers as representatives of Black and 

brown people’s political wants and needs. 

Where it used to be republicans were all over media 

saying: 

Rappers are thugs, druggies, absent fathers, and anti- 

Americans who are destroying Black families and 

communities. 

Now republicans are loudly proclaiming you should: 

Listen to Rappers who “they” support. 

Counterpoint: Don’t listen to anyone, rapper, 

entertainer, radio host, or podcaster who tells you 

republicans are good for Black voters. 

The data is empirical, historical, and easy to find via 

your search engine of choice. 

The saying “Vote like Black women” isn’t about being a 

monolith or not questioning party policies and actions. 

It is about voting like the majority of Black women 

because that demographic has proven to be the most 

reliable democratic voting bloc over decades of voting 

and they more than anyone else consistently vote to 

help everyone and not harm anyone. 

And in America in 2022, 2024 and beyond, harm 

reduction might be the most important voting 

differentiator we have that will save the democracy. 

Featured Blog written by 

Myron J. Clifton 

Blogs published on www.deardean.com 

every Wednesday 


CLICK TO MEET 

THE HOSTS! 

MYRON 

JENN 

Two longtime friends have informative, yet 

brief discussions about multitudinous topics. 

NEW EPISODES ON FRIDAYS! 


MYRON J. CLIFTON & JENNIFER VANLAANEN'S PODCAST 

VOICE MEMOS REVIEWS 

Listen Now! 

Stay 

Shallow! 

Like listening to your BFFs 

June 2, 2022 

kjlerner

MISSlist 

MYRON'S 

HIT OR 

HIT 

Rhianna announced as the half-time entertainer at the 

Super Bowl. No better choice, no better mystery, and no 

better entertainer needed to entertain the global 

audience and share her global brands. 

MISS 

The Justice Department continues to beg, cajole, and 

politely ask that former president Donald trump return 

stolen documents. 

HIT 

DEAR DEAN MAGAZINE | p.20 

President Biden and VP Kamala Harris make Federal 

weed laws go up in smoke. They dynamic duo 

expunges Federal weed convictions, takes marijuana 

off schedule 1 offence so it is no longer worse than 

cocaine, as crazy as that sounds. The sound you hear 

are smokers lighting up and celebrating the President 

and VP following through on her campaign promise.

HIT 

The President extends his tour of areas hit by 

hurricane Ian by visiting Puerto Rico and pledging 

millions in relief for Island people who are still 

struggling to recover from prior hurricanes. 

MISS 

Gas prices are up again as Saudi Arabia aligns with 

Russia to decrease oil production and drive-up 

prices for oil, gas, and goods – just in time for the 

midterm elections. The move leaves people 

wondering why the US sells military weapons to 

the Saudi regime. 

MISS 

The NFL again for botching the response to 

concussions. Again, because the league knows what 

to do, but they work very hard to do the least. This 

time, Miami Dolphin QB Tua Tagovailoa took a blow 

to the head on Sunday, came back in the game, and 

then on Thursday he was hit again and his brain, 

spine, and back short-circuited and the quarterback 

went into finger locked spams on national television 

before being carted off. 

MISS 

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis inept handling of the 

latest hurricane in Florida lead to 125 deaths (and 

counting). The deplorable governor momentarily lost 

his faux bluster and antagonistic approach to the 

President who visited and showed the governor, 

Florida residents, and the nation how a real leader 

acts during times of natural disaster. 


LOST IN TRANSLATION: OUR HUMAN 

TOUCH IN TODAY’S DIGITAL WORLD 


In a sea of digital technology and mobile apps, are we 

missing vital opportunities to communicate with others in 

more meaningful ways? 

Have you ever had an amazing connection with someone 

through a dating app and then met them face-to-face and 

feel totally turned off? Or love spending time with 

someone but talking on the phone just doesn't ever flow 

right? How about sending a funny text to someone and 

having it be completely misunderstood? 

Social media, text, email, dating apps and smart watches — 

they keep us connected — with access to data we want 

and need 24/7. But when it comes to more meaningful 

relationships, digital forms of communication still lack the 

ability to convey critical aspects, such as tone, expression 

and other non-verbal qualities including basic body 

language, energy and chemistry. 

But what about Emojis? Bitmojis, Gifs and Memes!? Yes, 

we have bridged some of the issue by implementing 

digital icons that represent feelings with emotional 

expressions, but we are still light-years away from being 

able to replicate the art of human communication and its 

subtleties in digital form. 

Advances in technology are becoming more and more 

integrated at work and at home, and this is having an 

impact on how people interact and connect with each 

other. It is also having an impact on how people feel 

about themselves. 

I recently read an article that said “there are around 7.62 

billion humans on our planet…and by the year 2022 with an 

increasing graph of IoT devices, there may be around 20 

billion IoT smart devices up and running with an increase in 

the demand of 5g network." 


The article continued to explain that the typical 

person in North America now averages 10 smart 

devices. Devices such as smartphones, tablets and 

laptops, smart watches, Ring doorbells, smart 

thermostats and security systems, digital assistants, 

cloud storage and more - and that these devices are 

now significantly out-numbering our human 

population. These numbers are even more staggering 

when you consider that just 75 years ago in 1947, the 

idea of Dick Tracy having a 2-way wrist radio was 

considered pure science fiction. 

Technology today is woven so deeply into our lives 

that it is affecting our physical health and behaviors. 

We know that "radiation from wireless technology 

affects the autonomic nervous system and increases 

anxiety and stress." [Source] But it is more than just 

our physical health - it has crossed over into 

negatively impacting our mental health and the pace 

at which we can thoroughly study and support people 

through this shift in behaviors and communication as a 

result of rapid technological advances is too slow. 

This is important to realize as the majority of our daily 

interactions now happen using digital technology and 

smart devices as middleware and we are just now 

starting to scratch the surface of how this immediategratification 

-- mostly emotionless and electrified 

form of communication -- impacts different people 

physically, emotionally and over time. 

Digital technology gives us the ability to communicate 

around the world with the tap of a finger, but with 

such advances, we are losing out on the meaningful 

bonds and relationships our DNA craves. We want to 

feel understood, seen, loved and whole. We want to 

feel our human connection. But with the exponential 

increase in "smart" technology around us, those 

natural cravings remain unfulfilled, and over time, it 

will change us. With our mindset and expectations, our 

self-talk and self-esteem, will we start to lose our... 

human-ness? How will we begin to cope and what 

impact will that bring to our lives in the future? 

often unconsciously -- when they spend too much time 

behind a screen. Such loneliness creeps up slowly and 

many fail to realize the signs - or misinterpret them - 

pouring a glass of wine when they are really craving live 

company, or starting a fight with their partner when 

they really just want more love and attention. 

Our most meaningful bonds are witness to our 

sensations and that sensational energy builds a sense of 

interconnectedness and deep understanding with 

others. In person, we receive each other in space and 

sound and energetic wavelengths, which is what gives 

us the ability to “vibe” off one another and experience 

butterflies in our stomachs. Alternatively, when we 

communicate online with those sensory aspects amiss, 

we are forced to use our logical mind to fill in the "gaps" 

and this results in confusion, miscommunication and 

reduction in patience and listening skills since our twoway 

communication model becomes disrupted. This can 

be detrimental for your relationships and friendships, 

professionalism, and overall mental and physical health. 

More and more studies are now showing that spending 

too much time online and social media use is linked to 

higher percentages of depression and suicide among 

young adults. Further, it disrupts a healthy life 

perspective, and lowers self-esteem. Too much time 

online also runs the risk of people forgetting decent 

manners and empathy, forgetting that behind the fancy 

banner, profile and username is in fact a living, 

breathing human being with an entire life, family, 

friends and raw emotion. 

So while we should surely embrace the exceptional 

innovation of our digital world and what possibilities it 

brings, we must consciously seek a strong balance of inperson 

interactions with others. 

Because communication is more than just words, 

people can feel such a strong sense of loneliness -- 


Being human and our ability to 

connect and communicate is our gift! 

Phone calls, hand-shakes, fist-bumps, big hugs — all of 

this physical contact is essential in order for us to 

remain effective communicators with healthy mindsets. 

Especially now, post Covid-19. We saw the damage 

physical isolation did to families and communities 

during the 2020 pandemic, yet with lock-downs lifted, 

we continue to barricade ourselves behind networks of 

screens and devices: Couples text each other from the 

other room in the same house instead of visiting with 

one another. Parents go days and weeks at a time 

without hearing their grown children’s voices as text 

becomes the #1 preferred method of communication. 

Babies watch coco melon instead of listening to the 

sound of their mother’s voice talking or singing. Kids 

watch other kids play games in YouTube instead of 

playing together themselves. It doesn’t feel weird when 

life is moving fast, it’s just the new normal. But pause a 

moment to consider how much has truly changed in a 

short amount of time. 

Because our society has not prioritized how to 

effectively balance and support our human emotional 

needs simultaneously as technology advances soar, we 

face a delicate and potentially dangerous future. A 

future where people feel less remorse or no guilt at all 

after disparaging someone online, for example, because 

being accountable for how you behave online is still 

mostly optional, unregulated and not taught in schools. 

Escaping the responsibility of "cyber bullying" is as easy 

as turning off your device or switching apps. Playing a 

few rounds of Candy Crush and acting like nothing 

happened. The truly unfortunate thing to note here is 

that online forms of communication do not yet 

positively support people the way they need to be 

supported emotionally, but it does still hurt people 

emotionally all the same, and often without witness. 

So what's the bottom line? Don’t get lost in cyberspace 

and seek balance. Enjoy and appreciate the abundant 

ways digital technology has enabled us to do more great 

things than ever imagined. But also, proactively find 

more ways to form meaningful bonds in the flesh and 

seek daily human interaction. Even for only a few 

minutes extra every day. Schedule it if you must. Don’t 

wait for weeks or months to meet someone you’re 

interested in online, learn who they truly are as a 

person in real life sooner than later. Don't settle for 

some extra heart emojis in a text when what you 

actually need that day is a real hug. Don’t just email or 

text your family to keep in touch — pick up the phone 

and hear each other’s voices. Share stories and laugh 

together. Learn how to use the voice tools that your cell 

phone offers so people can hear the sound of your voice 

at the very least. And even if you consider yourself a 

more introverted person, that’s okay! It’s not about 

how busy your "social life" is or what functions you 

attend, but rather, the hard-coded fact that your 

physical body craves physical human connection as a 

part of its survival mechanism regardless of your social 

tendencies. Feed that craving! Be a giver and a receiver 

of energy and vibration in this world. 

Being human and our ability to synchronize, connect 

and communicate is our gift! Let us never forget how 

important a gift that is and always continue to use it 

with great impact and intention. Technology shines a 

bright light on our collective future but it can never 

outshine the nature of our human spirit. 

Katya Juliet Lerner 

Website 

This widening gap between the saturation of 

technology in our lives and absence of face-to-face 

interactions and bonds formed will have long-term 

consequences. 


BLM-PD 

BLM-PD 

BLM-PD 

BLM-PD. BLM-PD. BLM-PD. BLM-PD 

BLM-PD 

In the not too distant future, the US has been taken over by white nationalists, and 

the institutionalized racism that has underscored the country’s entire history has 

once again been codified. California has seceded from the US, and a band of strong 

women plan to start the next civil war following the death of their friend at the hands 

of the police. This is BLM-PD.

Jamaal's Incredible Adventures in the 

Black Church by Myron J. Clifton 

Before Jamaal's seventeenth birthday, he’s appointed as his preacher uncle’s 

designated driver and unwilling personal confidant. Behind the fine outfits and 

hats, behind the delicious cooking, Jamaal is exposed to crazy aunties, sexy church 

sisters, corrupt pastors, and predator deacons. A good kid who just wants time to 

finish his homework and kiss a girl his own age, Jamaal is dragged through the 

strange world of the Black church. You best pray for him. 

NEW RELEASE! 


LIFE, LIBERTY, 

& SOMETHING 

LIKE HAPPINESS 

Rory Dexter looks for love in all 

the wrong places, will working on 

a Presidential campaign change 

his luck or is all fair in love and 

politics? 

GREG HOWARD JR 

Comedian, podcast presenter, author, actor, entrepreneur, and political commentator, 

Greg Howard Jr, is best known as the host and creator of the hit podcasts DON'T MAKE 

THIS WEIRD, THIS IS NOTANENDORSEMENT, 30 Questions With..., and Your Life the 

Mixtape. Greg's forays into the world of writing include the best-selling memoirs HI, I'M 

THE UGLY FRIEND and DON'T MAKE THIS WEIRD: A YEAR IN THE LIFE, and the 

recently released work of fiction: LIFE, LIBERTY, & SOMETHING LIKE HAPPINESS. 


FOOD + POLITICS 

BY CLAUDIA RENEE WALTERS 

This recipe journal is a short collection of dishes that helped Claudia cope with unbearable 

grief, American politics, and personal radical change during an unexpected pandemic. Each 

chapter features one recipe and personal story designed to warm the heart, provoke 

thought, and invite the reader to recall their special memories with food. 

Claudia Renee Walters is an independent consultant living in California. Before becoming selfemployed, 

she worked as an administrator within some of the nation's largest institutions. She 

holds a Bachelor's Degree in Theatre and a Master's Degree from NYU in Education & 

Theatre. 

Follow 

Renee 

Order Online

G U E S T S P O T L I G H T 


By Steven Evangelista 

A lifelong New Yorker, I traveled to the South to 

campaign this fall. I could only process this experience by 

writing a fictionalized account. In this story, I encounter 

an all too familiar character—all of whose words came 

from my real experiences talking to other white people on 

this trip. 

It had been a long day of conversations, between voter 

registration appeals at the community college and 

knocking on doors for the local Democratic candidate. 

Some people didn’t even know there was a Senate race 

going on, never mind that they were living in a swing 

state in one of the most polarized times in American 

history. 

I was eager to slake my thirst and noticed the sign for 

Farm Town: “Butcher and Beer Garden.” I had stopped 

in just wanting a drink before heading back to my 

family; I wasn’t expecting more conversation. 

But my Yankees hat gave me away as a northerner, and 

so it was that another New Yorker, this one recently 

moved down South instead of visiting like me, slid over 

one stool to make conversation. 

I felt an immediate affinity for him, even a sense of 

fatherly care. 

I looked this stranger in the eyes and said, “Hello. Yes, 

I’m just visiting family. They just moved down here.” 

His handshake was mild, more timid than the New 

York I knew. “Premio. Just came from Staten Island 

myself, a year ago. Isn’t it better down here? The air is 

fresh, no mask mandates. A person can live their life.” 

Indeed, I noticed that for a “butcher and beer garden,” 

Farm Town was bright and clean, smelling almost 

antiseptic. We were sitting at the bar, an impossibly 

shiny wooden platform separating us from at least 

two dozen taps. And the familiar strains of home were 

in the air; instead of country music, we were 

entertained with “How Deep Is Your Love?” on the 

speakers. I had noticed as I walked in, despite the 

interesting racial diversity in the area I experienced 

over the past few days, Farm Town was stocked with 

only white customers and workers. 

“Ho! You from New York? Welcome to the South.” My 

new acquaintance had something of an inscrutable grin. 

I had the sense from his Staten Island accent that I was 

in for nostalgia…and judgment. He couldn’t have been 

older than 25, and there was an air of innocence and 

even confusion about him. Maybe it was the accent, but 


S T E V E N E V A N G E L I S T A 

I introduced myself to Premio and thought, ‘This is 

the work. Here’s a potential voter. New to the area. If 

I can grab this one’s vote, it will all be worth it.’ My 

training came to mind—the aim was to Get Out The 

Vote, with little attention paid to those who weren’t 

already in support of the Democratic candidates and 

issues. But here I was, a familiar face of sorts, with a 

chance to do what I had been longing to do: engage 

the reluctant or the non-voter, and swing. 

I knew it would not be easy, if my assumptions about 

Premio and his thoughtless conservative leanings 

were right. Those assumptions were based on years 

of experience not only in Staten Island but dealing 

with the Trump People down South online, and 

reinforced over the last few days visiting this Possibly 

Purple, but Mostly Red, State. Could I convince this 

Premio to vote Democratic? 

“I’ve been registering voters and campaigning down 

here for the last few days,” I said, an opening salvo 

purposely not revealing my partisan slant. 

“That’s great,” replied Premio, a mild condescension in 

his voice. “We need people to do that kind of stuff.” 

“Oh? Are you politically active?” I replied. 

“No,” he laughed, nearly spitting out his beer. “That’s 

not for me. I’m still searching for my purpose in life.” 

My civics alarm went off. Score one for the 

assumptions. “Not for you. So what do you do for a 

living, that you’re searching for a purpose?” 

“Well, I’m between jobs right now. Have been for a 

long time. Not sure what I’m going to do next. I keep 

putting in applications–UPS Store, Amazon 

warehouse, Publix. But no one is calling me back. 

“Not that I’m complaining,” he continued, leaning in 

conspiratorially. “I don’t exactly need to work right now. 

I mean, I’m not as bad as my little brother, who says 

work is for suckers. But I have everything I need for 

now, at home.” 

I hoped my look of derision wasn’t evident on my face. I 

quickly picked up my smartphone to avoid eye contact, 

mindlessly checking email and Twitter. Here was a 

young man in the prime of his life—what should be 

productive and creative years—and he was throwing 

away the main life lesson I took away from my years on 

Staten Island: the value of hard work. 

I realized that instead of being judged for my views, here 

I was doing the judging. I composed myself. 



“What do you want to do?” I asked, plaintively. “With 

your time? I mean, right now do you just spend the 

day playing video games or what? How long do you 

think you can do that for? I mean, how do you even 

get money for beer, for food, for living?” 

“My mom takes care of everything I need,” he replied 

with a sardonic smile. “And I take care of her. There’s 

a man around the house in case she needs something. 

My brother’s no good. My dad is still in New York. 

“But I have something to offer. I research things. Like, 

did you know that there is a secret code in the English 

language where a lot of the words we use every day 

have ulterior meanings?” 

“No,” I said with a straight face. “Tell me more.” 

“Well, take the weekend,” Premio began. “Do you 

realize it sounds the same as ‘weakened,’ meaning we 

are weaker when we are supposed to have time off 

from work? And why is it ‘good morning’? Mourning is 

something we do when someone dies. People don’t 

think about these things. I do. I research them all the 

time. 

“That’s how I knew about the vaccine, and I protected 

my family from the jab.” Premio glared at me, unless the 

look was my imagination. 

He continued: “I want to bring forth these skills and my 

curiosity to make the world a better place, I just don’t 

know what that career is yet.” 

I began my appeal. “It’s great that you have the 

opportunity to think this through. Not everyone is so 

lucky.” I was careful not to use the word privilege, since 

I knew that would be an immediate trigger to turn off 

the conversation and keep from learning more about 

the target. “Some people need advocacy at all levels of 

government just to be able to survive. Which is why I’m 

so passionate about voting.” 

Premio was silent. I went in for the kill. 

“I mean, take abortion,” I said, nearly sneering. “The 

Republicans have already banned it in a bunch of states, 

kids who were raped can’t even get an abortion, and 

now they’re going after contraception.” I raised my 

eyebrows in urgent disdain. “If they get the majority, 

they want to ban abortion all across the country.” 

Premio did not look impressed. “Really? I thought it was 

the Democrats who were against abortion.” 

Just then, as the song was ending and George Michael 

came on the speakers, the bartender presented a plate, 

heaping with food, to Premio. 

“Are you going to try a burger? It’s Farm to Table.” 

I had to tread carefully, calling-in requiring the target to 

direct the pace of the conversation. I dropped the 

issues for now. 

“Really?” I said. “I usually don’t eat meat out because of 

factory farming but if it’s local, hey. But usually they 

advertise that on the sign or on the menu. And no, it’s 

Republicans who are against abortion. Definitely.” 



I flagged down the bartender and asked, “Where does 

the beef come from for the burgers? Is it a local farm?” 

She hesitated. “Uhh, I guess so. I just started here. I 

know we make our own sausage.” She smiled a Southern 

“bless your heart” smile and moved back to presumably 

less discerning drinkers. 

“Yeah, I don’t think so,” I told Premio. “If they don’t tell 

you, how do you know it’s ‘farm to table’?” 

“How do you know it’s not?” he spat and took a huge 

bite of his burger. 

“It’s probably shipped in from a factory farm. That’s meat 

today in America. And this”—I gestured past the 

entrance to the strip malls around us and the gated 

communities and mega-exurb housing developments 

rapidly going up beyond—“is America.” 

“It’s fresh food,” responded Premio. 

“I don’t know,” I said. “I suppose I just can’t take anything 

for granted. Like I was saying, some people aren’t able to 

go through life just enjoying themselves.” 

We sat in silence for a moment, me nursing my beer and 

wondering whether I could penetrate Premio’s cheerful 

ignorance without further attacking his character, and 

Premio enjoying his fresh food. 

“My parents came here from Italy,” I started, assuming 

this tale might ring a bell with my new acquaintance. 

“Came here with nothing, from the farms near Napoli, 

and they made it. But they didn’t have to deal with racial 

discrimination. They were able to get a mortgage where 

they wanted, open a business, and on and on. I mean, 

hard work, but without the obstacles like racism that so 

many people face. That’s also why I’m engaged 

politically. It isn’t fair.” 

And with Premio’s response, I knew I had lost my 

target. He rolled his eyes, gestured at the television on 

the wall where Van Jones was being interviewed by 

Sean Hannity, and said through a mouthful, “Give me a 

break. Those people are taking over. They’re on TV 

constantly.” He swallowed his fresh food and 

continued. “It used to be we were the majority. Now 

they are everywhere. I think the Blacks want to take 

over the whole country. And it isn’t safe anymore. Look 

at New York with all the crime. I’m glad my mom moved 

us down here just in time.” 

For the second time, I was speechless. I drank the rest 

of my beer quickly and listened to the music. 

People 

You can never change the way they feel 

Better let them do just what they will… 

My target had slipped away. I was not going to get this 

vote for the Dems, and it felt hopeless to confront his 

casual racism. 

I finished the rest of my beer, aware of my own 

privilege in letting those comments go, and settled the 

tab. Get Out The Vote training returned to my 

thoughts. ‘This is no way to govern, but they say only 

way to win is with turnout. And not to waste my time 

with this guy.’ 

“See you later, Premio. Good luck with your career 

search.” 

Premio flashed a smile and batted his juvenile eyes. 

“Good luck? You know I’ve got it.” 

Steven Evangelista is an educator who, with his wife, 

co-founded and co-led Harlem Link Charter School in 

New York City, serving as co-director and principal 

from 2005 and 2022. He is the son of immigrants, a 

nerdy little brother, a girl dad twice over, a sometimes 

runner and a lifelong learner. 


Dear Dean Magazine TOTM 

TWEET OF THE MONTH 

TOTM 

@tify330 

What do National 

Democratic 

Committees do? 

There seems to be some confusion as to what our 3 main 

National Democratic Committees do. Jaime Harrison, 

DNC Chair breaks it down perfectly in this tweet what 

the DNC does to help campaigns. 

The DSCC helps Democratic Senate Campaigns ONLY 

and is run by Gary Peters. He helps raise money for 

candidates, can fund candidate committees and assists 

with ads and my provide organizational assistance. 

The DNC like he said does not give money directly to 

candidates so anyone saying “why doesn’t the DNC 

give money to candidate XYZ” you are misinformed. 

There are also laws he has to follow. 



TOTM 

The DCCC helps Democratic House Campaigns ONLY 

and is run by Sean Patrick Maloney. He helps raise 

money for candidates, can fund candidate, assists with 

ads and can provide staffing to candidates. 



TOTM 

The DNC, DSCC and DCCC all have different roles to 

play. The DNC may help more in specific states (swing 

states) to provide more resources, but the DSCC and 

DCCC are the two arms that help get federal candidate 

elected. 


Her Legend Lives In You: 

The Untold Creation Story Honoring The 

Goddess And Our Daughters. 

by Myron J. Clifton 

Available on

MY FAVORITE THINGS 

streaming right 

now...

S T R E A M I N G R I G H T N O W 

HULU | Hellraiser 

Pinhead and the Cenobites are back, and they are as 

creepy, violent, and full of pain for themselves and 

their helpless victims. The young cast are swept up in 

the mystery of the artifact puzzle that entices holders 

to solve it so that it can extract blood and thereby 

attract one or more of the vicious Cenobites. 

Hellraiser isn’t so much scary as it is creepy and full of 

painful – pun fully intended – scenes that viewers 

know are coming and that is part of its appeal to 

longtime fans. This version expands on the Cenobite 

lore, and it is a welcome addition that promises to give 

viewers access to “the other side” in future sequels. 

HBO/Max / Amazon Prime 

Texas Chainsaw Massacre – The 1974 

Original & Sequel 

A re-look at the classic horror movie that set off a genre 

that desperately tried to meet the standards of this low 

budget nightmare, but never quite made it. A weird start 

shows a van of teenagers pick up a hitchhiker who turns 

out to be crazy and in love with blood. Soon thereafter 

the teens, looking for gas, find a lonely mansion and 

decide that is the place to seek help. One by one they 

meet Leatherface and his hungry family. The pace is quick, 

the acts of Leatherface are swift, brutal, and best of all, 

not played up for the camera. Though it was perhaps due 

to budget constraints, it makes for worse horror because 

the viewer is left to imagine what happened to the person 

Leatherface struck down. There are other scenes that are 

beyond awful and horrible, making it understandable that 

people were running out of theaters when it first came 

out. The sequel is the opposite and, like its predecessor, 

set the stage for how awful sequels to horror movies 

would be. It is that bad, and remarkably, stars Dennis 

Hopper. Watch it to laugh at how bad it is, not to be 

scared. It ends, is the best that can be said. 


What are you 

watching? 

Let me know! 

Netflix – Old People 

(German/Dubbed/Subtitled) 

Don’t let the dubbing or subtitles scare you away from 

this excellent horror movie that sees old people violently 

turn on their families, nursing home caregivers, and 

other folk. It is creepy, gory, and there are frightening 

scenes that are both jump scares and slow and tense 

horror. There is a central family and extended family 

that we follow as they attempt to retrieve their 

father/grandfather. Bad move because pawpaw ain’t 

what he used to be. 

DISNEY+ 

Werewolf By Night 

Disney+ again mined the Marvel Comics Universe – 

MCU for material and once again they deliver in a 

creative, fun, and kid-appropriate monster movie made 

in the styles of classic 1950’s creature-feature. 

Shot in black and white with very little CGI – even for 

the title character and other monsters, the series 

follows a gathering of renown but secret monster 

hunters as they seek a powerful artifact left behind by 

the leader of their order who recently passed away. 

Once the hunt begins, the hunters are each open game 

for one another, in addition to a secret monster that 

will delight Marvel fans. The movie is brief, fun, and 

appropriate for kids ages ten and up. It is certain 

destined to be a Halloween sleepover mainstay 

because Disney+ knows who their audience and their 

parents are. 


We Couldn't Be Heroes 

Short Story Collection: We Couldn't Be Heroes And Other Stories What if a Black 

man could control the weather, God called 911, or aliens took our souls? Would 

we notice? Would we care?... Enjoy the entire collection, seven stories in all, on 

earth and in space and in any order. 


Robin Martin, Editorial 

The Joyful Warrior 

Podcast Network 

sayeYO App 

Buzzword Consulting 

Katya Juliet's Jewel Box 

Great Start Initiative

Happy 

Halloween! 

 

 

 

 

GO VOTE!

Dear Dean Magazine: October 2022

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template ?