Mark Anthony Neal's Blog, page 146

Uncle Bobbie's Presents: Derecka Purnell's "Becoming Abolitionists" with Marc Lamont Hill

Uncle Bobbie's Coffee & Books's welcomed Derecka Purnell,  author of Becoming Abolitionists: Police, Protests, and the pursuit of Freedom, who was joined in conversation by Marc Lamont Hill.

Chicago Humanities Festival | Dawn Turner: Three Girls from Bronzeville

'In Three Girls from Bronzeville, Dawn Turner crafts a uniquely American, uniquely Chicago story of race, fate, and sisterhood. Set in the historic South Side neighborhood where the award-winning novelist and former Chicago Tribune reporter grew up, Turner’s memoir explores her childhood in the wake of the civil rights movement. Join Turner and former Chicago Tribune colleague Dahleen Glanton as they discuss the story of three girls from Bronzeville, whose life paths took dramatically different turns. Their story powerfully illuminates both the particular and ubiquitous nature of our city and our country.'

The Schomburg Center 's Joy Bivins on Passing and the Disassociation from One's Past

'Joy Bivins, director of the New York Public Library's Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, talks with CBS Sunday Morning's Michelle Miller about the personal impact of someone of mixed race passing for White (or Black).'

Art21 | John Akomfrah: Conversations with Noise

'Known for his visually stunning, multichannel video installations, artist and filmmaker John Akomfrah shares a lesser acknowledged, but equally vital component of his work: sound. From his London studio, the artist discusses with Art21 the transformative and essential role that sound has played in both his artwork and his experience of the world.'

The State of Black Men: Navigating From Male to Man with Dondré T. Whitfield

'Multiple Emmy-nominated actor Dondré T. Whitfield is committed to addressing the challenges and pressures of masculine identity in the 21st century. The author of Male vs. Man: How to Honor Women, Teach Children, and Elevate Men to Change the World and co-creator of The Manhood Tour joins Black Enterpriseto weigh in on what it will take to raise a generation of Black men able to survive, thrive, and excel for self, family, community and the world.' 

Warren Snipe on Hip-Hop in the Deaf Community

'Warren "Wawa" Snipe, one of the ASL interpreters in American Masters PBS Becoming Helen Keller, raps under a genre he calls "Dip-Hop," or hip-hop through Deaf eyes. With Dip-Hop, Snipe wants to bridge the gap between the Deaf and hearing communities. "Deaf musicians are here. Don't ignore us".'

For Writer-Director Rebecca Hall, 'Passing' was a Deeply Personal Project

The new film Passing looks at an age-old issue in the Black community: lighter-skinned Black people "passing" in society as white. Tessa Thompson plays Irene, or "Reeni," who identifies as Black and lives in Harlem in the 1920s. Reeni runs into an old friend named Claire at a restaurant but doesn't recognize her at first. Clare, who is played by Ruth Negga, is pretending to be white yet dearly wants to start up their friendship again. Passing, which drops on Netflix Wednesday, is the creation of English actor, writer and director Rebecca Hall. She shot the film in black and white and adapted the screenplay from the 1929 novel by Nella Larsen.'

The New Yorker Radio Hour: Will the Office Survive the Pandemic?

'Cal Newport, the author of A World without Email and other books, has been writing about how the shutdown has affected businesses and the culture of work. Remote operation, he says, has raised fundamental questions about the purpose of work, its role in our lives, and how productivity is measured. While most companies are asking employees to return to the office as the pandemic eases, Newport predicts that economic forces will eventually drive an exodus toward permanent remote work. Tech companies that launched as fully remote operations, he thinks, have a head start on the economic advantages of ditching the office for good.'

The Science Fiction Origins of the Metaverse

'When Facebook changed its name to Meta, after the Metaverse, many were quick to identify the term's origin: Neal Stephenson's 1992 cyberpunk classic Snow Crash. But the novel hardly paints an optimistic future—runway inflation, collapsed governments, and a maniacal media magnate who uses the Metaverse to, get this, destroy people's minds. It begs the question: did Zuckerberg misread it?  On the Media speaks with Jill Lepore, Harvard historian and New Yorker staff writer, Annalee Newitz, former Editor-in-Chief of Gizmodo and science fiction author, and Gene Seymour, longtime cultural critic, to unpack the literary world behind the social media giant's new name. They discuss why the tech moguls love science fiction so much, the perils of reading these "world-building" novels too literally, and how new forms of the genre today are already making the Metaverse look obsolete.'

Aging While Queer in Puerto Rico

'After living in Massachusetts to attend university, Wilfred Labiosa returned to his native Puerto Rico, where he established support services for the LGBTQ community similar to those he discovered in Massachusetts. Queer elders in Puerto Rico face isolation, discrimination, and depression. Wilfred joins  The Takeaway to discuss how his organization, Waves Ahead, is working to address these issues.'