Mark Anthony Neal's Blog, page 307

Giancarlo Esposito on the Relevance of 'Do the Right Thing' Amid Black Lives Matter Movement

'Giancarlo Esposito reflects on the significance of Do the Right Thing in today's social climate. Esposito, who starred in Spike Lee's 1989 film, says the sight of the Minneapolis uprisings reminded him of a critical burning scene inside Sal's Pizzeria.' -- Variety

#BackChannel: Cancel Culture, Hip-Hop & #MeToo, #BlackInTheAcademy & Trans Representation In Media

'Has cancel culture gone too far? That question has echoed throughout American society for several months.  Host of The State of Things on WUNC Anita Rao examines the origins of cancel culture and how it is applied today with #BackChannel contributors Natalie Bullock Brown and Mark Anthony Neal . They also share their analysis of On The Record , a new HBO documentary about the women who came forward to accuse hip hop mogul Russell Simmons of sexual assault. Music executive Drew Dixon is one of them and one of the first women of color to participate in the #MeToo movement. Plus, Brown and Neal review Disclosure , a Netflix documentary exploring the ways trans people are represented on film and TV; look at how higher education institutions are responding to the racial reckoning in the wake of the police death of George Floyd; and examine a new docuseries from PBS on the historic campaigns of women of color during the 2018 midterm elections.'  

Matter of Fact: How COVID 19 Is Feeding the Hunger Crisis Across the Globe

'Before the coronavirus crisis, immigrants and refugees living the U.S. were a major financial lifeline for their families and the economies they left behind. But now the pandemic is threatening that pipeline. Matter of Fact correspondent Jessica Gomez reports from Lincoln, Nebraska where a large population of resettled refugees are struggling to help their families here and across the globe.'

How One Dad Started a Movement to Celebrate Black Fatherhood

'The Dad Gang began in 2016 as an Instagram account designed to put positive images of Black fatherhood out into the world. Today, the Dad Gang is an entire social community made up of Black dads who support and celebrate each other. The Dad Gang reminds us to love, cherish and protect these men who want nothing more than to be there for their kids.' -- Great Big Story

Chuck D on Dissing John Wayne & Elvis on 'Fight the Power'

'Chuck D speaks about making "Fight the Power" for Spike Lee's iconic film Do the Right Thing. He explained that the original version sounded nothing like the version that everyone knows, and Chuck also addressed calling out Elvis Presley and John Wayne on the song.' -- djvlad

How Black & Indigenous Groups Won the Fight to Stop the Atlantic Coast Pipeline

'Anti-pipeline activists are celebrating after Duke Energy and Dominion Energy announced they are dropping plans to build the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, a 600-mile pipeline that would have carried fracked gas from West Virginia to North Carolina and threatened rural Indigenous, Black and Brown communities. “There was an awful lot of opposition to this,” says Donna Chavis, senior fossil fuel campaigner for Friends of the Earth and an elder of the Lumbee Nation, whose territory the pipeline would have crossed. She says the communities that would have suffered “irreparable harm” from the pipeline “now have that cloud lifted from them”.' -- Democracy Now!
 

Making Nigerian Jollof Rice When Trump Wants You Banned

'What’s life like under President Trump’s travel ban? This Nigerian couple tells us how they’ve been impacted and kept apart from family abroad, all while teaching us how to make their favorite dish, jollof rice, from their home country.⁣' -- AJ+
 

How Pholk Beauty Grew Its Brand By Embracing Authenticity

'For Niambi Cacchioli, Black people have always been green folk. Growing up in Kentucky she was used to being around gardens, but after traveling around the world, she realized there weren’t many skincare companies catering to skin’s needs. She switched careers as an academic and started making skincare products to meet the needs of women like her. Along that journey, she’s discovered how to lean into authenticity to grow her brand and how to navigate sudden challenges.' -- Forbes
 

Meridians: Feminism, Race, Transnationalism—Readings by Tsitsi Jaji and Mecca Sullivan

'The Meridians two-day symposium at the John Hope Franklin Humanities Institute held book readings by Mecca Jamilah Sullivan and Tsitsi Jaji as they each read from their works of fiction and poetry.'

Falling Apart: How NYC Public Housing Failed its Tenants |

'The New York City Housing Authority is huge. It was the childhood home of Jay Z, Mos Def, Nas, Fat Joe, Dave East and countless other rappers. There are 334 developments holding 178,895 apartments in 2,602 buildings situated on an area three times the size of Central Park. One in 15, or over half a million, New Yorkers are served by public housing and Section 8 programs. If NYCHA were a city, it would be larger than Sacramento, Atlanta and Miami. The nation's largest residential landlord has steadily declined. Tenants often go without heat, and have been plagued by rampant and recurring mold, caused by unchecked leaks and moisture that has caused asthma and other respiratory illnesses. In this episode of Complex World, we profile rising singer and Queensbridge alumni ilham, and investigate why NYCHA has continued to falter amid constant budget cuts, leaving its tenants to subsist in inhumane living conditions.' -- Complex News