Hurricane Melissa Aftermath Update: In Jamaica, No Life lost

Hurricane Melissa Aftermath Update:  My family and friends in Jamaica are reporting that they are doing okay, those in Portmore, Hellshire, Kingston and St. Andrew, but that’s the central and eastern part that was not intensely impacted by the hurricane. Houses are intact but sone do not have water, light or internet… others do.On the western side (tourist areas and […]

Hurricane Melissa In Jamaica As Of October 27, 2025

The Neoliberal is not predicting or reporting devastation as many American journalists are reporting. More than ever before, Jamaicans seem very prepared and are just waiting for the storm/hurricane to pass. As as today, there are flooding but no major impact. Many still have electricity and many business and some shops are open while essential services are still in operation. […]

Abria Jackson: Acting in Faith, Storytelling in Truth By Rev. Renaldo C. McKenzie

When Abria Jackson walked into a London theater this summer to see Night of Violence—the opening film of the UK’s FrightFest—she wasn’t alone. Sitting next to her was her mother, beaming with pride. “It was very emotional,” Jackson recalled. “My father passed away a couple of years ago, and he was so supportive of my dream. Knowing that my mom […]

A Great America is Destroyed from Within Not Without

Dear Mr. President, Five years ago I blogged: A Great Civilization Is Not Conquered From Without Until It Has Destroyed Itself From Within (W. Durant). This was while watching Apocalypto. If Trump the GOP, and MAGA want “America to be Great Again”, 1st stop the bleeding within… https://renaldocmckenzie.blogspot.com/2020/09/a-great-civilization-is-not-conquered.html “A great civilization is not conquered from without until it has destroyed […]

Is Militarizing U.S. Cities Effective in Reducing Crime?

Is Militarizing U.S. Cities Effective in Reducing Crime? By Rev. Renaldo C. McKenzie, Author of Neoliberalism; Creator & Host, The Neoliberal Round Dek Trump talks troops and National Guard. Some cheer the optics. But crime lives where inequality and deprivation do—and soldiers can’t arrest a socioeconomic crisis. This is The Neoliberal Round Podcast in print. I’m Renaldo McKenzie, and I […]

Straight Talk in Philadelphia: Section 8, Gentrification, and the Politics of Belonging

Journal Article: Straight Talk in Philadelphia: Section 8, Gentrification, and the Politics of Belonging By Renaldo C. McKenzie, Author of Neoliberalism, Creator and Host of The Neoliberal RoundGuests: Keeana Centy and Randolph Travis Subheading From housing assistance to voter turnout, our unscripted conversation traces how policy, culture, and power collide on the block—and why “apolitical” still means politics happens to […]

Street Vibes with Phil Butler: Walking the Talk in Philadelphia’s Urban Pulse By Renaldo McKenzie, The Neoliberal Journal

“This Philadelphia city got character, but it’s breaking people.” — Phil Butler In this electrifying street-side dialogue, author and professor Renaldo McKenzie meets Phil Butler—Philadelphia’s own voice of the people—at the corner of grit and grace. Recorded in the heart of the city, this conversation is more than an interview; it’s a window into lives shadowed by systems, yet radiant […]

Unrelenting Texas Floods Leave Trail of Tragedy and Questions: The Deadliest Inland Rain Disaster in Nearly Half a Century

A State Underwater In early July 2025, parts of Central Texas, especially Kerr County and surrounding Hill Country communities, were ravaged by historic flooding that left entire towns submerged, families shattered, and infrastructure devastated. What began as a holiday weekend quickly turned into a full-blown catastrophe, as remnants of Tropical Storm Barry collided with a persistent low-pressure system, dumping unprecedented […]