TueNight 10: Angela Howze Pitts

By TueNight Crew

Photo courtesy of Angela Howze Pitts

Age: 49

Quick bio: Angela lives in the Fredericksburg, VA, area where she is an armchair social media activist/philosopher on Facebook. She makes a living as an IT Consultant in DC and spends (too) much of her time on the sidelines of basketball courts and soccer fields with her sports-obsessed sons and husband.

Beyond the Bio: “The most memorable years of my career and public life were in my 20s and early 30s working as an English teacher/instructor in a high school and community college, and then as a public librarian. Those experiences sparked an enduring passion in me for public education. It took me a while to reconcile in my mind that my calling would be separate and distinct from my career once I settled into being an IT consultant, but I appreciate the way in which my career doesn’t require an emotional investment and leaves me energy to invest in my family and the causes I really care about. Also, it pays well.”

1. On the nightstand: A stack of The Atlantic, Essence and People En Espanol magazines. I try to read an article before I go to sleep (to reduce blue screen exposure). I fail early and often on all accounts.

2. Can’t stop/won’t stop: Voting. Stuntin’ on those Trumpsters on my timeline. Talking about injustice. 

3. Jam of the minute: My daily soundtrack is dominated by Gregory Porter and Lizzo. I’ll drop anything to talk about Black Mirror or Greenleaf.

4. Thing I miss: Talking to my father who passed away over 25 years ago. He is still my muse whenever I’m arguing with someone about politics or encouraging a child, including my own, to do well in school. 

5. 80s crush: Michael Jordan, Prince, and Oprah

6. Current crush: Idris Elba, Lenny Kravitz, Roxane Gay’s Twitter persona and Oprah… still.

7. Will whine about: Willful ignorance. 

8. Will wine about: Nothing right now (sigh)… I’m not drinking… on a diet… people around me are catching hell… Ask me in a few months.

9. Best thing that happened recently: Seeing the August Wilson play Jitney with my 17- year-old son, watching the Pixar movie Coco with my 13 year-old-son and experiencing the Toyin Ojin Odutula’s gallery exhibit When Legends Die with the whole family.  It’s the little things.

10. Looking forward to: Growing older and wiser in the next half of my century. Oh, yeah—and finally losing my baby weight (it’s only been 14 years).

Originally Published December 3, 2019. Updated April 5, 2021.