Dooper's Blog

Welcome to Dooper's Blog. 

My family name is Dooper, I am still unsure what a Dooper is outside of the context of me, but alas, here we are. This is my personal blog, that only folks nosey enough to visit my website will ever see. I only have the goal of blogging a few times a week to allow myself a space to let my feelings be free, because Trump is hell bent on ruining the country and no one is truly safe but at least my website that I pay for can be a safe space. Also, social media sucks more and more each day and the algorithm is plain garbage. 

So, if you are interested in what a 39 year old proud auntie, former revolutionary, current educator and novice volleyball coach has to say... pull up and take a seat! I may also, post clips from a hilarous podcast that will never be released to general public called 2 and a Possible with my bestie!

1/3/2026

One Battle After Another

I just finished watching one battle after another and I think overall it was a pretty good movie. I’ve only seen certain think pieces about it haven’t really paid know there was a lot of conversation around motherhood and Teyana Taylor. I like the movie, but I’m not exactly sure why for starters. There was a huge revolutionary tale of fighting the good fight doing it all in the name of justice for people who can’t speak for themselves, and then we got a true villain, which I mean it was obviously the federal government as a whole, but it was seen as Sergeant Colonel Lieutenant lockjaw which I think there was a heavy dose of irony for everything in this movie. At one point about a fifth of the way through the movie, I stopped to think and wonder what exactly is the story that this movie is trying to tell me and at the end of the movie I still really couldn’t pinpoint a single position that the story was being told from. for starters revolutionaries deserved maternity leave and postpartum depression is real. I understood Teyana Taylor’s character’s purpose in this film although it kind of made me sad that she was absent from so much of it in her child’s life then again that is her right as a human being and it didn’t seem like she was all that concerned with being a mother in the first place it’s also seemed like one of those relationships that later in life Willa will probably not have the healthiest female friendships. Either way I liked that there was an at least decent bow put on everything however, I’m still not 100% sure who was responsible for Sergeant lockjaw in the Marian. I don’t know if that was the Christmas folk or if it was the French 75 which is a very good drink appreciated a lot of of the nods to American history I guess like with the Christmas adventure club being a version of the KKK, it was oddly funny for it to be such a heavy topic of a movie which I appreciated that because often times comedy relies on violence it’s rare that drama I guess no drama often has points of levity. Either way the white people were white people-ing! Goodness gracious, Fitz in this thing I oh my gosh, Olivia would be ashamed of him, but he plays evil white man very well which I mean to expect him that too. It was a long movie 2 1/2 hours, but it did not feel long it felt more like maybe a tight 90 just because of how much was happening in every scene. It felt like watching an Aaron Sorkin film where you get so entranced by the characters on screen that you forget about other characters in the cast so that was really good. The second half of the film felt very weird love triangle I mean I understand white men hate to publicly announce that they love black women in white spaces, but goodness gracious essentially selling your child to the black market or to whatever type of house that they were going to like what exactly I’m glad that everyone that was at that house was murdered. I guess that the other gentleman that brought her there also was killed, but yeah everyone in that house needed to die everyone, everyone, allvreybody! I liked Teyana Taylor’s character speech at the end. It was very much giving Michael Jackson when will you be there appreciated that little head no I don’t know if I would watch it again but I would suggest it to other people. Loved Regina Hall in this movie loved Wood Harris in this movie. Wish there was more of both of them. I would’ve loved more revolutionary actions from the first half of the film.

1/1/2026

Today…

One hour into a brand new year I witnessed a Black Woman get tackled to the ground by no less than 5 NYPD police officers. It was horrendous to witness and yet I froze in place and watched it all play out. A young Black Woman, all of 5’6” maybe 5’7” had tried to pass the police barricade to get closer to the ball after the New Year Celebration had ended. Folks needed to show some sort of credential, most likely a hotel key to get past. For whatever reason she did not have the proper credential and she was being escorted away from the entrance. The police officer that was guiding her grabbed the back of her jacket and was pushing her towards the other side of the street. I could not hear clearly what she initially said that caused the officer to put his hands on her but once they did she tried to turn around and tell the officer that they didn’t need to put their hands on her. When she turned she raised her hands to try and get them to let go of her and the officer immediately grabbed her by the front of her jacket, tripped, yelled and tackled her. Immediately, two other officers jumped on her and attempted to subdue a 5’7 maybe 100 pound woman. Five maybe six more officers huddled around. One officer tapped one of the extra officers on the shoulder, who at this point this point, ran and slid to try and assist in holding her down, to let them know that they needed to chill out. The young lady was picked up, her friend(?) had become hysterical (rightly so) and began pleading with the officers to let her go. When they stood her up she was handcuffed and speaking with a different officer. By this time all of the officers that has been securing the street were now assisting with the apprehension of a small woman so I walked through the barricade. The most disheartening part was that there was nothing anyone could do that wouldn’t have escalated the situation even further. Everyone just stood in shock and fear. I stood in shock and fear. I legit froze. I didn’t know how to help, I was outnumbered and I wasn’t willing to put my life on the line for a stranger. The courage to jump in between 10 police officers and a Black Woman was absent from my DNA. 

12/21

How I felt after watching the new Dave Chappelle special…. It felt like watching your hero try to unsuccessfully lotion their own back… disappointed is the word I’m looking for.

I watched the special with an excitement for old Dave! Funny, guru, wise beyond this lifetime Dave. And instead I got a Dave whose jokes couldn’t land the way they used to, especially not with the same uproarious laughter once reserved for HBO audiences. Now, Dave Chappelle tip toes through trans jokes… phobia… that somehow manages to involve a murderous falcon. He then does a complete 180 and winds up comparing Puff Daffy to Jack Johnson… yes, THAT Jack Johnson… and yes, THAT Puff Daddy. There are a couple funny call backs, a humble brag about doing dope shit with dope people, a wild dick flute solo to the Saudi $6 million and a disconnected one off about Dr. Sebi. In the midst of all of this Chapellian chaos there is a theme of the humanity of Charlie Kirk on the basis of freedom of speech that ends with a rather funny MLK joke! The most redeeming elements were the first 10 minutes and the shoutout to his friend from early in his career. At the very least it’s good to know that Chappelle is Pro-Palestine. This latest Netflix special is a far cry from what I had held hope for, but maybe it would be funnier if I were in Saudi Arabia?

11/1/25

Welcome to November! It is a beautiful month with so many amazing possibilities. I can't wait to see what the month has to bring. Today is Eli's birthday!!! Happy birthday to little E (not the big one!). I think I am going to find some efun stuff to do tghis month in house and in those streets! I want to make sure I take advantage of all of the things related to Autumn! I am going to get back into painting, I want to commit to cooking more. I want more spiked drinks! I need to buy some cute brown boots and make sure my sweater and turtleneck game is still in tact. 

10/28/2025

Today I coached the last game of the season for Holy Trinity Varsity Blue Vollyball game. I am ridiculously exhauasted and I cannot believe I survived the last 8 weeks!! Coaching two different teams of children ages 9-13, basically 13U Volleyball. While simultaneously teaching three different novel studies and guiding Student Council across their first proposal for hosting a glow recess for the entire student body... I just made this.(a).. I am absolutely exhausted! Today I guided 12girls through a final game that they lost, while in a gym that was aggressively irregular to our sense and sensibilities. I wonder if i keep typing will I sound like the Lady Danbury or anyojne else from Bridgerton. I need a taller chair to sit in the kitchen... Anywho... Today I learned that I am going to have Cornel West's Presidential Vice Presidency candidate! (sp). I had no idea who she was and now I am freaking the fuck out! This feels like a pat on the back for past me. Like, take for instance, today the author Jerry Craft zoomed in and spoke to my 6th graders about what is was like becoming a published author. When I tell you the last 10 minutes of the call he was repeating the same thing that I had been telling them all year. To persevere, that you can break abig book down into small chunks, and its possible to read 40 pages in a day! I felt vindicated as an educator! Like, HELL YEA!!!! You done heard me repeat it this entire year, now listen to someone you're actually paying attention to say the same damn thing!!! That felt great! Thankfully, the next two days are a roller coaster I am excited for what's to come! Tomorrow is College Dress Day.... 

10/4/25

5 years ago I created a documentary called Black Men Unfiltered. With the help of my bestie I came up with about 20 questions that broke down the Black male psyche and their relationship to masculinity in the current day. I worked with my boyfriend at the time to gather the confidence to use my iPhone, a tripod and pure audacity to reocord and edit the entire thing. I pooled all of my resources; friends, associates, coworkers, community memebers, etc. to fill out the cast. I gave a lot of credit for my work because I wasn't sure about myself and the work that I did because, c'mon, an iPhone and audacity is a HUGE swing! But, here we are 5 years later and the lives of the men in the documentary has changed in ways I could have never expected.

About 3 years ago, I looked back at some of the men in the documentary and felt a twinge of guilt. I felt like I had captured these men in a moment and cursed them. Out of 29 men in the documentary, 1 passed away from a heart attack, another died under suspicious circumstances, 1 is currently incarcerated, 1 has suffered multiple overdoses due to addiction, 1 lost his mother, 1 is currently facing time in federal prison, and 1 has gotten divorced. 

24% of the men that were featured in my documentary have been affected in ways I could have never imagined (and that doen't include the other 80% who I don't have intimate contact with). That was never the intent, and even though I know that I am not responsible for what happened in their lives I still feel somehow responsible for keeping them protected from the circumstances of being alive. They were so vulnerable and I loved them all in their own special way and you never want anything bad, negative or embarrassing to happen to people you love. 

But as time moved on more things started to happen, one of the men ran for political office, one released an album and now plans events for the city, one continues to make art and poetry, one is still working hard to shine a light on the success of the black community, and another moved away and built his family up even bigger and better.

So, after 5 years, navigating my own personal feelings and subsequently realizing all of this is much bigger than me, I am ready to shine a light again on this time capsule of 29 men from the Midwest. 

It is with pride and joy, the excitement of 34 year old me, and armed with nothing but an iPhone and audacity, I present:

Black Men Unfiltered:

10/3/25

My favorite class to teach is African American Studies. I have a handful of eighth graders who make my week better every time I teach. them! They are curious and keep me on my toes when it comes to explaining really difficult and complex concepts like... what happened if you were on a slave ship and you had your period... why didn't Claudette Colvin have an abortion so she could be a better role model for bus boycotts... what did Trayvon Martin do that upset George Zimmerman... why did that lady lie on Emmitt Till...  when my sister says I'm too dark, is that her being color racists... why didn't slaves just leave the plantation... why is it offensive to say you talk white... 

When I tell you I have spent the last 4 weeks digging through all of my black history archives to be able to explain how the world works, it is absolutely thrilling! We discuss music, and afrofuturism, slavery, the Civil Rights Movement, the Black Lives Matter Movement and just about whatever other question they can think of. It feels really good to know that these kids want to know about their history and they feel comfortable enough to ask questions and I am informed enough to know the answers.

My favorite moments both happened this week. The first moment was after an especially inquisitive class. One of my students asked me if I had studied over the summer to prepare for this class. I almsot laughed in his face but he was being sincere. I explained that my love of Black History was actually the result of Mr. Reed in 10th grade History class ans was further emphasized by Dr. Miller in undergrad and another professor whose name I can't remember for the life of me in Ohio, then I made sure to read books that furthered my interests and made sure to have conversations with people who knew more about the topic than I did. My second favorite moment was today, I had just given a pop quiz on the Civil Rights Movement and explained that they were going to study more, prepare for a second study guide based on the Black Lives Matter movement in preparation for a comparative analysis research paper and told them we had roughly 15 more days left together (becasue of our schedule) there was a collective sigh and they asked why they couldn't stay in my class! 

Their curiosity truly makes every day better. I love teaching English, I have been doing it for 16 years, but baby that AFRAM class is like the cream in my coffee!!!