Featured Articles

AN INCLUSIVE TABLE | Restoring Foster Theatre Is A Step In The Right Direction
When the Foster Theatre opened in 1938, it was the second movie theater on Youngstown’s South Side. Its arrival made headlines in Hollywood, with studio heads like the Warner Brothers even writing to congratulate the theater’s president, Joseph Shagrin Sr....
AN INCLUSIVE TABLE: What Festivals Taught Me About The Value Of Diversity
Festival season in the Mahoning Valley has always been one of my favorite times to create memories with my family. Youngstown’s multitude of neighborhood and cultural festivals allow us to reinforce our unique community by allowing us to share our...
AN INCLUSIVE TABLE | It’s time to recenter the historical focus on Thanksgiving
As we continue to push for a more honest accounting of the history of the United States, many have found it increasingly difficult to engage in traditions that boil down to a celebration of the colonization that ultimately had such a profound impact on people of color.
AN INCLUSIVE TABLE | The psychological impact of racism
I am unable to watch the video of the murder of George Floyd. I cannot stomach seeing it and have asked my family, friends, and acquaintances to not send me videos or images like it.
AN INCLUSIVE TABLE | Professional diversity hinges on authentic mentorship
In partnership with digital publication Mahoning Matters, The Literary House is elevating the conversation and amplifying discourse around race, diversity and inclusion in the Mahoning Valley. Follow us weekly as we boldly tackle issues head on about the greater community. ...
AN INCLUSIVE TABLE | History matters: The other side of the story

I learned about the wide spectrum of culture, traditions, wars and victories of the world from the tender, yet brutally honest approach of my mother who earned a bachelor’s degree in African-American studies from Youngstown State University.

 

AN INCLUSIVE TABLE | When meritocracy goes wrong
Just as it would take time to develop and support a young player to compete in the professional football arena, the same approach is necessary for the business arena.
AN INCLUSIVE TABLE | Systemic racism: What my grandmother knew that I didn’t
I am named after my late grandmother — an outspoken woman who shared stories growing up Black in York, Ala. during the 1940s. Her chilling tales of the whispers of lynchings and discrimination serve as a guiding principle on how I move in this world as a Black woman.
AN INCLUSIVE TABLE | How 10 miles can be worlds apart
There are vastly different experiences faced by Youngstown’s inner-city residents compared to residents in surrounding townships. We are disconnected by misconceptions, lack of understanding, perspective and socioeconomic status. 
These 7 Black Influencers and Bloggers Are Challenging Fatphobia
To say that fatphobia is not connected to anti-Blackism is to not understand the deep-rooted history between the two. 
A deep dive into addiction following the death of Keyshia Cole’s mother, Frankie Lons
After a years-long , very public battle with addiction, Lon's death is a somber reminder of the lasting effects the disease can have on families
How pseudo-love guru Kevin Samuels exploits the vulnerability of Black women

OPINION: In a racist, white supremacist environment, Samuels’ assertions only affirm an Anglo-Saxon ideology using Black women as an easy scapegoat