Mark Anthony Neal's Blog, page 196

Meet Oakland's First Poet Laureate: Dr. Ayodele 'WordSlanger' Nzinga

'Oakland, Calif., has named its first Poet Laureate. Dr. Ayodele Nzinga — also known as WordSlanger — will serve a two-year term aimed at making poetry more accessible to Oaklanders.' — Morning Edition

Century of Story & Song: Jalylah Burrell on Redd Foxx – King of the Party Records

'On September 15, 1959, Redd Foxx opened for Nina Simone at Town Hall on a bill that also included the Horace Silver Quintet and J.J. Johnson’s Quintet. This concert was recorded and would become her first live album. According to a New York Herald Tribune review Foxx, then a nightclub comedian, “took a brief turn that would have startled the more typical Town Hall ticket buyer.” Dr. Jalylah Burrell joins TownHallNYC to discuss 1950s nightclub comedy and the pre-Sanford and Son oeuvre of the “King of the Party Records”.'

Creative Conversation: The ‘No’ that Propelled Amber Riley to Find Her Big Girl Energy

'Had it not been for trust falling back into her passion after a devastating rejection, Amber Riley probably would’ve been an exec at Ikea. “Oh, I was devastated. I was devastated. I don’t think that I’ve ever cried so hard in my life,” Riley says on the latest episode of Fast Company’s Creative Conversation podcast with KC Ifeanyi.'

Pollution from the Cane Sugar Harvest in Florida is Making Residents Sick

'Florida harvests more than half of America’s sugar cane, but burning the fields during the 6-month harvest season creates pollution and health problems for the surrounding communities—most of which are Black and Hispanic. The sugar industry is the largest employer in the region and has strong political power, but nonetheless, residents are now challenging sugar companies with a lawsuit in federal court. The Takeaway spoke with with Lulu Ramadan, investigative reporter at The Palm Beach Post, who investigated the sugar industry in a collaboration with ProPublica. Read the full investigation here.'

Afropop Closeup: Miss Pat Chin

'Pat Chin and husband Vincent Chin founded VP Records, one of the world’s biggest and most consequential reggae record labels. At 80, Miss Pat looks back on a legendary life with her book Miss Pat: My Reggae Music Journey. This Afropop Closeup Season 6 premiere is hosted by Banning Eyre.'

Afropop Worldwide · Afropop Closeup: Miss Pat Chin

What Does It Mean To Be Latino? The 'Light-Skinned Privilege' Edition

'Maria Garcia and Maria Hinojosa are both Mexican American, both mestiza, and both relatively light-skinned. But Maria Hinojosa strongly identifies as a woman of color, whereas Maria Garcia has stopped doing so. So in this episode, we're asking: How did they arrive at such different places?' -- Code Switch

Artist Explores History Of Indigo In Exhibit Inspired By Haiti

'WBUR's Cristela Guerra takes us inside the latest work of renowned artist Firelei Báez, who explores the complicated history of the color indigo and pays homage to a majestic ruin in Haiti.'

Dr. Mark Anthony Neal: Raising Revolutionaries Series

Duke University Professor Mark Anthony Neal discusses fatherhood, adoption and raising Black daughters in this clip originally filmed in 2016 by Katina Parker for the Campaign for Black Male Achievement (CBMA).

Dr. Mark Anthony Neal: Raising Revolutionaries Series (CBMA) from Katina Parker on Vimeo.

GZA «Liquid Swords (Amen Break version)» - Louis Vuitton Spring-Summer 2022

'From Louis Vuitton Spring-Summer 2022 Collection by Virgil Abloh “Amen Break” film, released on June 24th, 2021. Directors: Virgil Abloh & The Original Kids.'

In America: Kimberlé Crenshaw on 'Critical Race Theory' and Its Ill-Informed Critics

' Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw explains the origins of Critical Race Theory, and how this backlash mirrors the ugliest parts of America’s racial past on this episode of Into America with Trymaine Lee.'