Gabriel Mahia

W hen the dust settles on an empire's twilight, what rises from its silhouettes are not just nations, but stories. Stories that weave through the fabric of time, stitching together a patchwork of what was, what is, and what could be. In the arena of post-imperial narratives, there's a dance, a delicate ballet of words and wit that pirouettes around the legacy of empires. It's a dance that many African and Black Diaspora writers have mastered, moving gracefully between the lines of raw history and the legacies left behind. Take, for instance, the morning coffee ritual. As the aromatic steam rises, so do the remnants of a colonial past, ingrained in the beans and the lands from which they hail. Yet, each sip is a testament to a story retold, a culture reclaimed, and a legacy redefined. The daily grind becomes less about the coffee and more about the connection to a narrative that stretches across oceans and centuries. It's in this daily habit that the essence of our stori...

When the dust settles on an empire's twilight, what rises from its silhouettes are not just nations, but stories. Stories that weave through the fabric of time, stitching together a patchwork of what was, what is, and what could be. In the arena of post-imperial narratives, there's a dance, a delicate ballet of words and wit that pirouettes around the legacy of empires. It's a dance that many African and Black Diaspora writers have mastered, moving gracefully between the lines of raw history and the legacies left behind. Take, for instance, the morning coffee ritual. As the aromatic steam rises, so do the remnants of a colonial past, ingrained in the beans and the lands from which they hail. Yet, each sip is a testament to a story retold, a culture reclaimed, and a legacy redefined. The daily grind becomes less about the coffee and more about the connection to a narrative that stretches across oceans and centuries. It's in this daily habit that the essence of our storie...

In today's piece, we shall traverse time and place, threading our way through historical epochs and cultures diverse in essence yet universal in human yearnings. As we explore the transformation of private lives in China's Cultural Revolution, we'll find ourselves amidst the tumultuous seas of change that have, time and again, reshaped humanity's most intimate quarters. China's Cultural Revolution is a monumental chapter in the annals of human history, a narrative of social upheaval that rippled through the fabric of private lives. The conundrum of change that challenges our understanding of social norms brings to mind the depths of Du Bois' concept of "double consciousness," a term he coined to describe the psycho-emotional struggle Black Americans faced reconciling their identity in the face of societal division. While seemingly worlds apart, the Cultural Revolution's ramifications on private life echo similar dissonances experienced across the g...

In the rapidly evolving landscape of cybersecurity, there exists a group of professionals often overlooked yet vital to the integrity of our national infrastructure. Today, I'm opening up the vault—figuratively speaking, of course—to share insights from my own journey in a role that might be the most under-credited yet highly impactful in the realm of government contracting. Picture this: a bustling command center filled with state-of-the-art technology, multiple screens flashing real-time data, and a team of experts meticulously monitoring every development. It's a setting that may conjure images of a Hollywood blockbuster, but the reality is far more consequential. This is the epicenter where system administrators in government contracting work tirelessly, often behind the scenes, to fortify our nation's cybersecurity. And while their actions may not make headlines, they are indeed the unsung heroes of cybersecurity in government contracting. You might be wondering, what ...

Two World Wars: Impact on Private Lives Across Hemispheres—an exploration of how the seismic shifts of the 20th century shaped the personal lives of people around the globe. From the bustling streets of Harlem to the rice fields of Vietnam, the war drums reverberated in every home, birthing both sorrow and resilience. In an era punctuated by global conflict, what unfolded on the front lines was mirrored in nuanced ways within the sanctuaries of individual homes. The African American experience of the "double-V" campaign—fighting against fascism abroad and racism at home—resonated in unique frequencies with the Eastern European struggle for national identity under the iron fist of occupation. It's as if W.E.B. Du Bois' idea of "double consciousness" reverberated through the palimpsest of human suffering and dignity, transcending borders and epochs. "Experiences are not determined by a single failure or a solitary success," says an ancient African pr...