Published in The Root: My First Freelance Article

Well, we’re just pleased as proverbial punch down here in the e.politics bunker, because this weekend I got published in The Root, a sister site to Slate.com. My first actual real-live (i.e., I get paid in money) article for a legitimate (don’t ask about the past) publication. And only 12.5 years after I left Texas planning to freelance write for a living — good thing the internet came along, or I’d have been sleeping in a ditch for a damn while by now.

Thanks to my mom for the opportunity for amateur anthropology, and also for editing the piece before I submitted it — she fixed some factual and tonal errors and also generally helped to tighten the whole thing up. See, that grad degree came in handy eventually. She would also like to note that the woman in the photo they chose to illustrate the article doesn’t look like her at all — she’s much more hip and not at all dowdy. Also, as I can now lay legitimate claim to being a commentator on Race In America (at least as much as I can claim to be a legitimate commentator on Politics In America), someone owes me a beer. Hi Life will do just fine, seeing as champagne is in order.

– cpd