LeBron’s ability to choose millions and his voice, and Chappelle’s choice of sanity and independence, are inspiring. But choice is a privilege not afforded most black boys trying to become black men in America. We can’t all dribble a basketball, make people laugh, rap on beat—or write. We don’t all have talents someone, some industry wants to exploit. Most of us have our bodies, our minds if we’re lucky, and a desire to survive against the odds. Choices are a privilege defined by circumstance. In this country, the circumstance is always racism, oftentimes poverty. The two combined strip our
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