Hannah L Drake is a blogger, activist, public speaker, poet, and author of 11 books. She writes commentary on politics, feminism, and race and her work has been featured online at Cosmopolitan, The Bitter Southerner, Harper’s Bazaar and Revolt TV. In 2019 during Super Bowl Sunday, Hannah’s poem, "All You Had To Do Was Play The Game, Boy," which addresses the protest by Colin Kaepernick, was shared by film writer, producer and director Ava DuVernay, and then shared by Kaepernick. The poem has been viewed more than two million times.
Hannah’s commentary on life and challenging others to dream bigger have been recognized by First Lady Michelle Obama. Hannah Drake was featured on the Tom Joyner Morning Show with Jacque Reid to discuss her international movement, Do Not Move Off the Sidewalk, which addresses the power of holding your space. Hannah was selected by the Muhammad Ali Center to be a Daughter of Greatness which features prominent women engaged in social philanthropy, activism, and pursuits of justice. Hannah was selected as one of the Best of the Best in Louisville, Kentucky for her poem Spaces and recently was honored as a Kentucky Colonel, the highest title of honor bestowed by the Kentucky Governor recognizing an individual’s noteworthy accomplishments and outstanding service to community, state, and nation. Labeled as a change agent, Hannah’s message is thought-provoking and at times challenging, but Hannah believes that it is in the uncomfortable spaces that change can take place. “My sole purpose in writing and speaking is not that I entertain you. I am trying to shake a nation.”
*****DISCLAIMER This is an extremely personal blog for me. I do not excuse any of XXXtentacion’s behavior. It was behavior that reminded me of a man I knew so I wrote this blog.***** “Come home.” It was two words I never thought I would hear from my Dad. […]
In another episode of Black People Been Knew, it seemed over the weekend America woke up and realized that indeed America is still racist. When I logged onto Twitter, many people in my feed were posting about racism like a child that recognizes Mommy and Daddy are really […]
This blog has been on my mind for several months as I watched the narrative change around saying Black people suddenly turn to People of Color. I, too, got caught up in this phrase and used it in my writing as a way, I believed to be inclusive. […]
This week I had the privilege to teach a workshop on Music/Lyrics & The Movement at the Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools® in Knoxville, Tennessee. It was such a beautiful sight to see hundreds of young Black leaders coming together to study, learn, grow, converse, share, listen and ultimately, […]
As someone that spends their life trying to improve the landscape of our humanity, I am always delighted when someone approaches me and tells me that they are an ally. If we desire for this world to be a better place, we will get there much faster if […]
Social media is still ablaze about Roseanne Barr, being who she has always been- racist and condescending, comparing former Senior Advisor to President Barack Obama, Valerie Jarett to an ape. The backlash for Roseanne’s comments was swift, and within a matter of hours, ABC canceled Roseanne’s show, she […]
Today many across the world celebrated Prince Harry and Meghan Markle declaring their love, devotion, and entering into sacred vows among family, friends and loved ones. We should have known with Meghan getting married on the birthday of civil rights pioneer, Malcolm X, today would be a day […]
Once again, I awake to yet another social media post about a White woman calling the police on a Black person for doing everyday things. This time a White woman was filmed calling the police on a group of Black people that were barbecuing in the park. I […]
In another case of White People Calling The Police On Minorities for Existing, Karen-I-Put-Raisins-In-My-Potato-Salad Jones (I do not know her name but for the sake of this blog let’s call the nosy woman, Karen.) decided that while on a college tour of Colorado State University, she was going […]
There are some things that are so synonymous with and ingrained in Black Culture that as a Black person, you are just supposed to know them, understand them and like them. For instance, I HATE rice. I have tried rice every which way possible-fried, sweet, savory and still, […]
