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In season two of Queen Sugar, which kicked off two-episode opener last week on OWN with its highest ratings ever, we catch up with our beloved Bordelons after an indiscriminate amount of time following the events of the season one finale.

Charley is continuing in the creation of a sugar mill dedicated to the needs of black farmers. Queen Sugar Mill provides an alternative choice to the areas largest sugar cane production company. It also grants these farmers some independence from the exploitation of white capitalism that overcharges them for their products while simultaneously devaluing their labor. The bank is impressed with Charleys business plan and will provide her with the necessary investment money, as long as she goes in on the loan with her estranged husband Davis West. Without his involvement the bank is skittish, despite the fact that more than 2/3 of the areas black farmers have already agreed to mill Queen Sugar, enough to ensure the company will turn a profit within its first year.

Weve seen a lot of think pieces in the last few months about what happens when the steadfast intelligence of a woman is overlooked in favor the flashy brand of her less qualified male counterpart. I wont add to that applicable commentary here, except to highlight that Queen Sugar starts the season off by exploring the ways that particular dynamic plays out for women of color who often find themselves at the intersections of their race and gender. Charley is spearheading a project that will uplift the black entrepreneurs and workers in her area, but she is unable to accomplish these goals without a male co-signature. She gets out of this quagmire by signing Davis name on the banks contract without his consent, which is obviously all kinds of illegal. Im sure its coming back to bite her soon.

Nova is helping to organize a rally and fundraiser for the NOLA Community Bail Fund. These types of bail funds are a genius grassroots response to the reality that approximately 450,000 poor people (often people of color) are being detained simply because they cant afford bail thats sometimes as little as $100. Its a prime example of the ways that the government thrives on poor, black, and brown bodies. There are large and small Community Bail Funds across the country from Louisville to Brooklyn, the Bronx, the Pacific Northwest, and Chicago, among others. Please consider looking one up near you and gifting them a small donation if you are so moved.

We learned last season that the NOLA Community Bail Fund was a project started by Novas ex-girlfriend Chantal. I was hopeful this detail meant we would see Chantal this week, but alas not yet. Come back Chantal! We miss you!

No worries though, because Nova still goes on a Queer Girl Adventure of sorts. Early in the premiere she attends a friends baby shower and recommends that her college circle consider expanding their expectations of love, sex, and family (Nova has clearly been reading Erins ongoing investigative report, Are Straight Women Okay?). Shes having that moment every queer woman experiences at some point. They look around at the straight women in their lives and wonder: Why on earth do all these women who are otherwise strong, smart, and freaking amazing come to plummeting halt over a guy? OVER A GUY? REALLY? Come join us on #TeamGay. We have better orgasms.

Nova shouldnt hold herself too high on her horse, however. The premiere has her sleeping with two different, lackluster unnamed white men. Nova, do better! We are rooting for you! Though, it is interesting that the show has decided to highlight Novas downward personal spiral as booze and a parade of unsatisfying straight sex.

Aunt Violet (who judging from the comments in my season one recap is a fan favorite, and I agree!) holds strong as the heartbeat of the family. She hosts the annual Bordelon Juneteenth Family Dinner, which is a tradition that that I plan on adapting in my personal life ASAP. Its such a good way to honor the anniversary of slaverys end in America. Vis also doing well in her promotion as the manager of the local diner, but she misses Hollywood like crazy.

Nova suggests that she, Vi, and Charley have Girls Night Out to get out of their respective funks. I have to say, Drunk Aunt Violet comes second only to season ones High Aunt Violet in my book. This woman is pure joy. She has a life or death scare about Hollywood while hes working on the oil-rig. It finally brings them back together, just as it should be.

Ralph Angel is still trying to make things work with his own little family unit. Hes working hard on the farm and has some new ideas for its expansion. He starts the two-part opener struggling with Darla, his girlfriend and childs mother. Bianca Lawson, by the way, plays Darla. Yes, Maya from Pretty Little Liars and Kendra from Buffy, the root of many a queer girls heart going aflutter. While in circle at Narcotics Anonymous, Darla gives a shattering speech about the lasting relationship consequences that stem from her addiction. I have been watching Lawson act since the 90s and feel confident in saying that she is delivering the performance of her career in this role.

Ralph Angel gets his act together with Darla by the episodes close. He also defends his young son Blue against an asshole waiter who polices his gender during a family outing; the waiter suggests that the child get a Transformer toy instead of his beloved Barbie and best friend Kenya. Because apparently God forbid THE BOY PLAY WITH A FUCKING DOLL. There are a lot of reasons to love Ralph Angel, but his insistence on protecting the parts of his son that could that could be considered soft or feminine or non-conforming has to be high on the list.

Speaking of policing the bodies and habits of young black boys, we have to talk about Micah.

About midway through the first episode we see the police stop Micah as he is cruising down a Louisiana state road in the convertible that his father bought him. I safely assume we all saw where this was going the minute the cop cars lights flashed for Micah to pull over and Im not the only one whose adrenaline rushed. I screamed like a horror movie when the cop pulled his gun on Micah, because in some ways isnt that what black confrontation with police has become? A horror show? A spectacle? Every show seems to want to do a Black Lives Matter Special Episode these days, and I am becoming jilted at the most important civil rights discussion of this generation being sanitized and stifled into a television trend.

Ive also been writing Orange is the New Black recaps this summer, and I couldnt help but think about how Queen Sugars approach works exactly because it doesnt resort to excessive violence or torture porn to make its point. Instead, we experience Micahs fear. We watch slowly, subtly as his light get snuffed out. I held myself when the camera panned to his getting out of jail and we realize that he urinated on himself. Nova goes to him and offers her sweater to cover the stain on his pants, telling her nephew that there aint nothing to be ashamed of. But its too late.

Micah has lost a piece of himself. This is the day he becomes an adult; ironic since the car was something of a sweet sixteen milestone gift from his father. And its one of the most realistic, nearly universal, and devastating coming of age stories about black young people that the show could provide. Its one that I know all too well. I have a nephew who is right now pure sunshine. He is my greatest joy. Sometimes when I watch him, I cant help but start to wonder what happens when he is 13 or 16 or 21 and the state comes to steal some of his soul as well. Sometimes it feels as if the tax on being black in America is giving up a part of what made us bright in order to keep ourselves safe.

Queen Sugar effectively demonstrates that there are all types of way for the police to steal black humanity; some are too subtle for twitter trends and social media shares. But, they are no less suffocating or brutal.

Of course Davis, Micahs father, almost completely misses the point. He confronts Charley at the end of their divorce proceedings that Micah needs a strong male role model to deal with the aftereffects of his arrest. If so, thats news to Micah he goes to his Aunt Nova for help in the episodes heartbreaking final shot.

Before I close out this weeks review, I would be amiss not to mention that the second hour of this season premiere was directed by Cheryl Dunye. Dunye is a black lesbian indie filmmaker that LGBT+ film aficionados might best recognize for her role in the 1990s queer new wave and her 1996 groundbreaking work The Watermelon Woman. If you enjoyed Dee Rees work in Pariah (2011) or Bessie (2015), please know that Dunye opened up the doors for her and so many other black queer directors. Lets all raise a metaphorical glass to honor her contribution and her work.

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Queen Sugar Does Black Lives Matter Storytelling Right - Autostraddle

A Black Lives Matter Die-In at the Twin Cities Pride Festival in Minneapolis (@susanelizabethl via Twitter)

Black Lives Matter demonstrators briefly halted the 2017 Twin Cities Pride Festival this past weekend in downtown Minneapolis, upset over the inclusion of police officers in the parade in the wake of the acquittal of a Minnesota police officer in the shooting death of Philando Castile.

Thousands of people were gathered along the parade route on Hennepin Avenue on Sunday morning when the parade came to a halt as Black Lives Matter demonstrators jumped in front of the lead vehicle, which happened to be a police car, according to a local CBS affiliate.

Marchers stopped at every intersection and delayed the parade for an hour, speaking into a mobile microphone and speaker, demanding that police officers be removed from the parade. They followed with a staged die-in, as well as a moment of silence for people who have been affected by police violence, as the crowd looked on.

The demonstrators were upset that organizers decided to include police officers in the parade so soon after St. Anthony, Minn., Police Officer Jeronimo Yanez was acquitted for the July 2016 killing of Castile, a black motorist.

After an hour of delays, the parade proceeded as planned, and Dot Belstler, executive director of Twin Cities Pride, told CBS that she didnt see anything wrong with the protest disrupting the parade.

People are allowed to protest; its great, and I think people were really respectful of that, and now its time for a parade, Beltsler said.

Read more at CBS.

Read more here:
Black Lives Matter Demonstrators Briefly Halt 2017 Twin Cities Pride Festival in Minnesota - The Root

Where: Falcon Heights, Minnesota

What happened: St. Anthony police Officer Jeronimo Yanez pulled Castile over during a traffic stop. Castile told the officer he had a firearm on him, which he was permitted to carry. Castile reached for something and Yanez shot him five times. During the Facebook Live video, Castile's girlfriend said he was reaching for his license; the officer later said he thought Castile was reaching for his gun.

The outcomes: Yanez was acquitted of second-degree manslaughter, but the city of St. Anthony settled with Castile's mother for $3 million.

"The settlement will be paid through the City's coverage with the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust. No taxpayer monies from the City of St. Anthony Village will be used to fund this settlement," a joint statement from the city and the Castile family said.

By reaching a settlement, the Castile family and St. Anthony avoid "a federal civil rights lawsuit which may have taken years to work its way through the courts exacerbating the suffering of the family and of the community," the statement said.

Date of death: April 29, 2017

Where: Balch Springs, Texas

What happened: Officers responded to a house party after reports of underage drinking. Police spotted a car leaving with five people inside.

Officer Roy Oliver fired into the car with a rifle, fatally shooting Jordan, who was sitting in the front passenger seat.

Police Chief Jonathan Haber initially said the car had been moving "aggressively" toward officers. Later, Haber corrected himself and said body camera footage showed the car was driving forward -- away from the officers.

Date of death: July 5, 2016

Where: Baton Rouge, Louisiana

What happened: Sterling was selling CDs outside a convenience store when police received a call of a man with a gun. Cellphone video showed police tackling Sterling and pinning him to the ground before Sterling was shot. Police said Sterling was reaching for a gun.

But Sterling's death has sparked change in the city. Baton Rouge Mayor Sharon Weston Broome said $2 million will be spent securing body cameras for the entire police force. On top of that, the city's police training manual will be revised, and officers will receive training in implicit bias, the mayor said.

Date of death: April 4, 2015

Where: North Charleston, South Carolina

As Scott ran away from the officer, a witness captured video of Slager shooting Scott several times in the back.

In exchange for his guilty plea on one of the federal counts -- punishable by up to life in prison -- two other federal charges and state charges were dropped.

Scott's death also led to a statewide change: the South Carolina Legislature passed a bill mandating the use of police body cameras.

Date of death: February 26, 2012

Where: Sanford, Florida

What happened: Martin was walking from a convenience store back to the home of his father's fiance. Neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman spotted him from his car and called 911, reporting "a real suspicious guy."

A scuffle broke out, but there were no direct witnesses. Zimmerman claimed Martin attacked him, hitting him in the nose and knocking him onto the pavement. Zimmerman said he then took out his gun and shot Martin in self defense.

But critics said Zimmerman was unjustified in confronting the unarmed teen, especially since Zimmerman didn't heed a police dispatcher's advice to stop following him.

Date of death: July 17, 2014

Where: New York City

The New York Police Department prohibits the use of chokeholds.

Garner, who had asthma, repeatedly said, "I can't breathe! I can't breathe!" while several officers restrained him on the ground. Police said he suffered a heart attack and died en route to a hospital.

The outcomes: A grand jury declined to indict Pantaleo, sparking protests and "die-ins."

Garner's death also spurred a new protest slogan: "I can't breathe," some of the last words Garner said before he died. Several professional athletes wore shirts saying "I can't breathe" in silent protest.

Date of death: August 9, 2014

Where: Ferguson, Missouri

What happened: Brown was walking with a friend in the middle of a street when Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson approached them and told them to walk on the sidewalk.

After that, the narratives split. Authorities said Brown attacked the officer in his car and tried to take his gun. Other witnesses said the teenager was surrendering, his hands in the air to show he was unarmed, when the officer opened fire.

Documents showed that Wilson fired his gun 12 times.

The outcomes: A grand jury decided not to indict Wilson -- leading to heated and sometimes violent protests in Ferguson and across the country.

The Justice Department found that "many officers" apparently viewed some of the city's black residents "less as constituents to be protected than as potential offenders and sources of revenue."

Date of death: April 19, 2015, seven days after he was injured

Where: Baltimore

Officers handcuffed Gray and put him in a police van. At some point, Gray suffered a fatal spinal cord injury. He died seven days later.

The outcomes: Six Baltimore police officers, including three black and three white officers, were charged in connection with Gray's death.

The settlement did not "represent any judgment" on whether the officers were guilty or innocent, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said.

"This settlement represents an opportunity to bring closure to the Gray family, the community and the city."

CNN's Jennifer Henderson contributed to this report.

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'Black Lives Matter' cases: What happened after controversial police killings - CNN

People from the Black Lives Matter movement march during the Pride parade in Toronto, Sunday, June 25, 2017. ( Mark Blinch / THE CANADIAN PRESS )

They came. They saw. They disrupted.

Black Lives Matter, whose inspired protest against police in uniform last year brought Toronto Pride to a crashing halt and anti-Black racism among police to the forefront, found their message amplified across North America this year.

Other chapters of the Black Lives Matter group protested Pride in various cities: in New York City where about 100 of Torontos finest had made their way in a huff; in Seattle, where they staged a 30-minute protest one minute for every year in the life of Charleena Lyles, recently killed by police; in Minneapolis, where they protested the death of Philando Castile, chanting no justice no pride; in Vancouver, where they staged a separate march altogether to honour queer-trans people of colour. Here, protesters also staged a die-in, in which five people lay down on the hot pavement and others drew chalk figures around them.

In Toronto, where Pride comes during an inquest into the death of Andrew Loku, the mentally ill Black man killed by a police officer in 2015, the young activists showed up on Sunday after the parade had passed, not to put themselves front and centre, but to remind people they are still challenging anti-Black racism within Pride, within queer-trans communities.

Pride is actually ours. Queer and trans people of colour actually started this, said BLM co-founder Rodney Diverlus. We dont need to register for a deadline, we dont need to tell you were coming, we dont need to pay money for a float. Were just going to take up space.

Perhaps Diverlus should have said reclaiming our space, the space created by queer and trans people of colour, who played a major role in the Stonewall Riots 50 years ago this week. The series of riots, named after Stonewall Inn, a New York bar patronized by queer and trans people that was frequently and violently raided by police, were seen as the first major protests against police on behalf of LGBTQ people.

Key among protesters were transgender community organizers such as the Latina Sylvia Rivera and Black transwomen Marsha P. Johnson and Miss Major Griffin-Gracy, but those roles have been erased over time as the movement has been whitewashed.

No doubt, Toronto is one of the most gay-friendly cities in the world. No doubt, Toronto police are heroes to many people, including gay people of colour. No doubt, BLM doesnt speak for all Black people no group ever speaks for all.

Yet, liberation of some is not liberation of all. Thats not so difficult to grasp, is it? There are disparities in how we experience the police. You dont have to hate the police to agree with BLM its not a zero-sum game. However, theres a reluctance to understand the unique cruelty of anti-blackness.

Black Lives Matter was reviled as a hate group last year for protesting that lack of equal treatment, and making demands for more inclusivity. That demand already made an impact; Anu Radha Verma, a curator of brOWN/out, a Pride event focused on the South Asian gay community, publicly thanked BLM on CBC for making her Saturday event possible.

Do you know who is a hate group? The KKK, about a dozen members of which turned up in full regalia to crash an LGBTQ parade in Florence, Ala., earlier this month.

Which would you call hateful? Protesting against those who are the instruments of your oppression? Or stomping on the oppressed, when they rise to resist?

What that resistance has made clear to some of us straight folks looking from the outside in, and perceiving the LGBTQ communities as a unified force of good, is that anti-Black racism exists everywhere, and the rainbow just covered up the streaks of racism within. Disagreeing with BLM does not make you racist, but being able to place how Black people experience police in your blind spot makes you privileged.

For some gay people, their history or experience of discrimination doesnt seem to have exempted them from discriminating against others.

There was Darryl DePiano, the owner of iCandy, the Philadelphia gay bar whose audio recording calling Black queer men ni-ni-ni-ni-n-word was broadcast on loud speakers in April. There was the other gay bar in N.Y.C. where multiple complaints surfaced about people of colour being discriminated against and not being allowed in. (Rebar, the bar in question has denied that.) These are not isolated incidents.

Pride is not about race, say those who have never been excluded or targeted on the basis of their skin colour. Its about celebrating gay successes, they say. Except that acceptance and protection have not been extended to all people.

How equal is equality, when its only for a few?

Shree Paradkar tackles issues of race and gender. You can follow her @shreeparadkar

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You don't have to hate police to agree with BLM: Paradkar - Toronto Star

A New Jersey adjunct professor was fired after defending a Black Lives Matter event while on Fox NewsTucker Carlson Tonight.

Lisa Durden got into a heated exchange on June 6 with the host as she spoke about an all-black Memorial Day celebration, and said, you white people are angry because you couldnt use your white privilege card. Shortly after Durdens television appearance, Essex County College President Anthony Munroe released a statement condemning Durdens comments, and insisting her beliefs are not reflective of the schools.

READ Halle Berry Comments On Black Lives Matter Supporters Who Only Talk The Talk

The college was immediately inundated with feedback from students, faculty and prospective students and their families expressing frustration, concern and even fear that the views expressed by a college employee (with influence over students) would negatively impact their experience on the campus, Munroe said in a statement, according to NJ.com. I fully believe that institutions of higher learning must provide a safe space for students The character of this institution mandates that we embrace diversity, inclusion, and unity. Racism cannot be fought with more racism.

Munroe said Durden, who taught pop culture and communications for the Newark school, was suspended for six days with pay and then terminated after a public meeting with the school board on Jun. 20.

The college affirms its right to select employees who represent the institution appropriately and are aligned with our mission, Munroe said, while stating it supports and affirms the right of free speech and independent views and expressions of those views for our faculty and staff.

READ Stevie Wonder: You Cannot Say Black Lives Matter And Then Kill Yourselves

Durden said the schools decision to fire her was meant to send a message. They did this to humiliate me, she said. Essex County College publicly lynched me in front of my students.

During an interview with NJ.com, the Newark resident said she assumed because she taught at a predominately black school her opinions would be supported. It should be a safe place for me, she said. I thought when I came home from war, I would be safe. Instead, I was fired.

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A New Jersey Professor Was Fired For Defending BLM While On Fox News - Vibe