SE Strongman

@strongman.bsky.social

6902 Followers 318 Following

Asst. Professor @ UM, Writing a book on literary culture and Black feminist sociality in the 70s and 80s. This account represents just me, not my employer.

Photograph of presentation on screen at today’s more neighbors meeting featuring a summer game code. I’ve blacked the code out though. No free lunch!
I hung a projector screen on my porch all by myself!
Cake one sheet cake with white icing and sprinkles that says “happy birthday” in purple icing and a cake with chocolate icing they says “more neighbors a2” in white icing
White car wedged onto a concrete curb separating a protected bike lane from The street. She’s fully out of the travel lane. The photo is from ND because she posted it to complain that it was somehow not her fault.
Screenshot from ND: “I just read about the "reparations " study voted by city council. I find no value in looking back to injustices which were a part of that time in history. Hopefully we have learned from those injustices and will not repeat them. I resent the mayor invoking the "white supremacy" trope. Historically many white cultures were attacked as they immigrated to our country. It seems that in many ways in that context l am being held responsible for the color of my skin.”
Screenshot of a social media post from the city of Ypsilanti Michigan. It says “when your crush says they’ve never been to a city council meeting” with a photo of Melanie from love island smiling awkwardly .
My laptop, a copy of the 1979 anthology Saturday Black Bridges, an espresso tonic, and a gigantic Stanley full of water on a counter in a cafe, in front of a sunny window.
Screenshot of a tweet: “vegan mortensen @TrinAndTonic”: As I hoisted my own luggage into the trunk, my very Polish cab driver, impressed, shouted, "STRONG GIRL!! FARM??" And this is the only way I wish strange men to speak with me, moving forward
The beds in front of my house, filled with weeds. Looking sad.
Screen shot of part of book contract: RIGHTS OF PUBLICATION The Author, being the owner and proprietor of a work entitled tentatively THE SOCIAL LIFE OF BLACK FEMINISM (hereinafter called "the work") hereby grants and assigns to the Publisher the exclusive right, for the full term of all rights including copyrights, to publish the work and derivatives thereof in all media and all geographic territories, including the sole rights to publish and license translations, selections, expansions, and abridgments thereof.
Screenshot from Facebook: This is such bullshit. Creating a problem where there is none. Feeling welcome will not be impacted one iota by this action. My personal experience is the opposite — I feel when I see the signage— here is a neighborhood who cares and has each others’ back. These people on council who are o ceased with appearances probably think oh, rich people looking to live here should think we have no crime and therefore need no neighborhood watch. Neighborhood? What neighborhood — the high rise condo next door ?
White car stuck on the right side curb of the divider separating the protected bike lane on First St in Ann Arbor. Car is heading North on First, just past the First and Washington intersection.
Little brown dog lying in the grass with a yellow dandelion leaning against her muzzle
Scan of a copy of the 1990 KTP pamphlet version of “Need”
Photo of the cover of a June ‘79 issue of New Womens Times with a photo by Tia cross of women marching holding a banner that reads “3rd world women cannot live without our lives”. Photo credit to Tia Cross
Photo of a flyer advertising the poetry reading. It reads: Two evenings of poetry. The first even says “black womens poetry with Audre Lorde, Kate rushin, and Fatima shariat brown.” The second night featured Lorde and Adrienne Rich
Photo of the inside of the pamphlet
My own photo of a copy of the pamphlet from the archives.
$5 worth of rhubarb and $8 worth of ramps
Photo of two brown cardboard bakery boxes with clear plastic windows in a counter. Both boxes are full of scones.
Photo of my friend unpacking an insane amount of oat milk
A parking kiosk being carried aloft by a group of students outside of the soul cycle on South U
Screenshot of a FB post in response to a local council member’s (who happens to be a black woman) public comments about the importance of ending exclusionary single family zoning: “Cynthia Harrison this has nothing to do about race. YOU are making it about race. Your speech suggests that anyone who desires or chooses to live in a single family home in a singly family neighborhood is racist, elitist and desires to be exclusionary. I'm merely pointing out the fact that you selected a home in a single family neighborhood as many others have to chosen to do, and that does not make them elitist, or racist or desire to exclude others.” I’ve removed the poster’s name from the screenshot out of kindness.
Hummer stopped at a light fully across the line and encroaching on the crosswalk.
Photo of a small brown dog lying in a tan bean bag in front of a fireplace. She looks cozy.
Meme from I think you should leave featuring a man in a hot dog costume saying “we’re all trying to find the guy who did this”
Social media post by the same poster (a landlord) in the screenshot in the quotes skeet: four bedroom house for rent. $700 a room available for august 2026 with a 12 month lease. Looking for University of Michigan students. House located at 432 S. 4th Ave, one block from Main St. and three blocks from the student union. Utilities included in rent, free parking and free laundry.
Screenshot of the linked in profile of the study author. It reads: “Wow - the Ann Arbor article we wrote yesterday struck a chord already. Who knew that voting records of Councilmembers was something people cared about so deeply? I thought I was alone in my love for all things local. Thanks to The Bridge Michigan for picking up our article. And thank you to the former elected official from Ann Arbor who rage-emailed me 5 times in a row about the article. That's the thing about content - if it's good it generates reactions!”
“No more copy-pasting. Forget switching between ChatGPT and your LMS. Einstein reads the assignment, solves it, and submits it directly”
Man with a poorly groomed mustache speaking at a lefter
A man with a mustache is wearing a sign in the shape of a grave stone that says “NO TREE KILLER C.L.U.P.” He appears to be protesting a proposed change to land use policy in Ann Arbor that would end exclusionary single family zoning.
Photograph of a wall in my classroom. There is a white board on the wall and a tube of Aquaphor is balanced on the tippy top of the board wayyyyy up off the ground
A valentines card depicting a storm trooper and some hearts. The text reads “happy Valentine’s Day”
Cover of E Frances White’s book “Dark continent of our bodies: Black feminism and the politics of respectability”
Screenshot of a comment on a ND post by someone who has been arguing that the city needs to keep exclusionary single family zoning: “…multiple family neighborhoods brings because as we all know people in neighborhoods like what all of you who are advocating for brings in individuals who have muscle cars who love to hear the unwanted noise that those cars bring and they also love to ignore the speed limits just to feel inferior to those who don't have muscle cars like theirs.”
“This starts to resemble a problem-reaction-solution dynamic (sometimes loosely referred to as a Hegelian dialectic): allow public spaces to deteriorate, residents understandably grow frustrated, and then present a paid "service team" as the necessary”
My dog Mia sniffing a Christmas tree placed in the curb
Screenshot of the online records for Case # 25-002227-CZ, showing the stipulated order entered earlier this week and the other effects described in the post.
Sticker on the gas pump that says “support your local ice raid.” (They seemed to be in every pump.)
Cookie box featuring seven different types of cookies because I experienced mission creep
Gingerbread sandwich cookies with vanilla buttercream filling
My dog Mia (small and brown) making a funny face while wearing a gray blanket and laying in her dog bed in front of the lit fireplace.
Spotify player playing “All The things she said” by Harrison
Screenshot of chat showing they changed to the same to “Ann Arbor aunties (with inequitable s’mores tarts)” Chat: We have to use our voices The INEQUITY INJUSTICE
Screenshot from chat: Can Andrea and I really say we are friends if no smores tart? Do we need to stage a walkout? This feels political and illegal. Also maybe a petition Change.org. coming soo Soon
Photo of baked good in tart tin on a baking sheet. The top is blowtorched meringue.
Screenshot from Facebook of one of our local character upset about the proposed ending of exclusionary single family zoning: “Dharma Akmon seriously Dharma? It's a photo of Wyche. Do you really think I posted his picture because he's black? I also posted a picture of you, Radina, and Taylor in earlier posts. Get over your righteous self.”
Photo of two of the banner planes circling my neighborhood
Photograph of container of culver duck tendered duck fat
Photograph of a golden brown loaf of sourdough bread. A boule. Nice ear. Decent oven spring. Not the best but enough to stave off shape and despair
Headline from MLive: “Ann Arbor council members use of the n-word sends a chilling message, Black residents say” from January 2022
Dog tax: Photo of Mia, small brown dog with grey and black muzzle, curled up and sleeping in my bed.
Comment in reply to me: “SaraEllen Strongman I am not misusing "block busting." That term became idiomatic long ago. As "get off your high horse" is an idiom for "stop acting superior, arrogant, or self-righteous." I'm "ignorant" because you've failed to intimidate me? Lady, this isn't your classroom.”
The problem we all live with by normal Rockwell. Painting depicts suited US Marshalls escorting a young black girl wearing a white dress and holding a book and a ruler. The background is a wall splattered with tomatoes and racist graffiti.
Photograph of a piece of orange paper tapped against a blue front door. On the orange paper is a drawing of a Jack o lantern.
Photo of a table with a checked red table cloth (vinyl) with dominoes pizzas, a liter each of coke and sprite, and some home baked cookies. Also a handwritten signs that says “Cookies!!! For everyone!”
Photograph of the Essential Poems by Pat Parker on a table display with Archive of Style by Cheryl Clarke and Hothead Paisan by Diane diMassa
“See this for what it is, a massive land rape by disgusting politicians…” (You truly do not need to subject yourself to the rest of his diatribe)
Screenshot from Livingston county post’s website: “I have covered the news in Livingston County for over three decades, and I’ve never seen anything quite like today’s No Kings rally in downtown Howell, part of the nationwide day of protest of President Donald Trump and his policies.”