Mark Anthony Neal's Blog, page 179

'The Love Songs Of W.E.B. Du Bois,' Is Poet Honoree Fanonne Jeffers' First Novel

'Morning Edition's Noel King talks to author Honoree Fanonne Jeffers about her new novel which explores centuries of racism and multigenerational loss. It's called: The Love Songs of W.E.B Du Bois.'

Great Grief with Nnenna Freelon: A Stitch In Time

 

Inspired by a visit with her dear friend and master quilter Marjorie Diggs Freeman, on this episode of Great Grief , Nnenna Freelon reflects on the significance of family, finding rest, and telling stories while wrestling with grief.'

The New Wave in Jazz, at 60: Jazz United Considers the Legacy of Impulse Records

 

'Sixty years ago, Impulse Records set a benchmark in jazz with a conscious, fervent sound that has endured, revealing subsequent generations of outstanding artists. Join Jazz United as they shine a light on the self-proclaimed label home for "The New Wave in Jazz" — describing its impact on us as listeners, its enduring significance on the musical landscape, and its cultural legacy of Black excellence and liberation.'

These Older Workers Hadn't Planned To Retire So Soon. The Pandemic Sped Things

'Millions more people than expected joined the ranks of the retired in the pandemic. While some did so joyfully, others were reluctant or had no choice.' -- Morning Edition

Unscripted: Conversations w/ Christian John Wikane: Lisa Fischer on Dionne Warwick

In this clip from Unscripted: Conversations w/ Christian John Wikane, vocalist Lisa Fischer discusses Dionne Warwick.

Candis Watts Smith: 3 Myths About Racism that Keep the US from Progress

'Racism morphs, spreading and hiding behind numerous half-truths and full-blown falsities about where it lives and who embodies it. In this actionable TED talk, political scientist Candis Watts Smith debunks three widely accepted myths about racism in the US and calls for a nuanced, more expansive definition to support this new era of anti-racist action.'

A Black Gaze — Tina M. Campt In Conversation with Kimberly Drew

'In A Black Gaze, Tina Campt examines Black contemporary artists who are shifting the very nature of our interactions with the visual through their creation and curation of a distinctively Black gaze. Their work—from Deana Lawson's disarmingly intimate portraits to Arthur Jafa's videos of the everyday beauty and grit of the Black experience, from Khalil Joseph's films and Dawoud Bey's photographs to the embodied and multimedia artistic practice of Okwui Okpakwasili, Simone Leigh, and Luke Willis Thompson—requires viewers to do more than simply look; it solicits visceral responses to the visualization of Black precarity. Campt will be in conversation with Kimberly Drew, a writer, curator, and arts advocate. Inspired by Toni Morrison’s The Black Book, Drew is the editor of an anthology with Jenna Wortham titled Black Futures, which examines how creativity relates to black cultural identity in the age of social media. Additionally, she is the author of This Is What I Know About Art, part of the Pocket Change Collective series.' -- Politics and Prose

John Forté Uses Art to Fight Racial Injustice in Cannabis

'Hip-hop star John Forté spent nearly 8 years in prison for drug trafficking — now he’s on a mission to destigmatize cannabis and use his art to fight for racial justice.' -- NowThis News

How Urban Farms Are Changing the Landscape of Food Deserts

'More than 23 million Americans have to trek more than ten miles to get their nearest supermarket. They live in what’s known as food deserts, where finding affordable, healthy food options can be a struggle. That’s the case for 11 percent of Washington, D.C., especially in low-income areas. But community organizers are trying to change that by growing the urban farm movement.' -- Matter of Fact

These Black Midwives are Building a Community of Support for South L.A. Mothers

'Midwives Kimberly Durdin and Allegra Hill moved into an empty building in South L.A. that would become their birth center. Kindred Space is one of relatively few Black-owned birthing centers in the nation — even though decades of research and troves of statistics document the ways that conventional maternity care can shortchange or even endanger Black women.' -- Los Angeles Times