Mark Anthony Neal's Blog, page 316

Black Trans Lives Matter

'Imara Jones joins us to talk about creating a truly inclusive Black Lives Matter movement, and getting back to the roots of Pride. Imara Jones is an award-winning journalist, and the creator of TransLash, a multi-episode series about what it is like to be transgender, especially a trans person of color, at a time of social backlash.'  -- Nancy
 

Gatekeepers in Publishing

'Lisa Lucas, Executive Director of the National Book Foundation, discusses the Twitter hashtag #PublishingPaidMe, where writers of color have revealed their book advances as well as the long-standing issues in the publishing industry that it's revealed.' -- All Of It
         
        

KIRBY: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert

'KIRBY's panache here, bolstered by a yellow bodysuit and blonde afro, is infectious and — just like the sunny backdrop of her manager's LA home — her vocal runs radiate a soft power. Accompanied by Tiny Desk alumni guitarist Justus West and flanked by plenty of plant life, KIRBY leans heavy into love songs off her debut album, Sis. But don't let the throwback pop and doo-wop fool you — these tracks come with a dose of millennial spunk. "New hair, new braids / Nina Simone with a touch of 'Yonce," she sings on "Kool Aid" with a confident smirk to camera.'

“Out of Options in Terms of Reform”: Khalil Gibran Muhammad on the Racist History of Police in U.S.

'Democracy Now! speaks with Khalil Gibran Muhammad, a professor of history, race and public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School and the Suzanne Young Murray professor at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, about the significance of this moment and the history of policing in the U.S. “We haven’t seen a moment like this in at least half a century,” Muhammad says. “It’s hard to know for sure where we’re going to go from this moment, but it’s clear that when we look at the history of policing, we have run out of options in terms of reform, in terms of thinking about what the police can do for themselves”.'

Ras Baraka: "What We Want"

Poem and performance from Newark, NJ mayor Ras Baraka.
Lyrics: Ras Baraka @rasjbaraka Music: Jerry Wonda @princewonda Video Directed by: Ayana Stafford-Morris Video Produced by: Udi Aloni 

Protests Aren't What They Look Like on TV

'The killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery have ignited protests around the world. Those protests have dominated news coverage. But when it comes to communicating the protests’ scale, character, and purpose, a lot of that coverage falls short. Part of that is because of the media’s incentive to highlight the most dramatic imagery; it’s why so much protest coverage has been filled with violent and chaotic scenes of fire, looters, and tear gas. But it’s also because of the nature of protest imagery itself. In this video, journalism professor Jason Johnson and Vox editor Kainaz Amaria explain that, while the news can show you what a protest looks like, it’s a lot worse at telling you why it’s happening.'

In Wake of George Floyd’s Death, Black Professionals Talk Race and Work

'The killing of George Floyd on May 25 sparked protests over police brutality and systemic racism. The Wall Street Journal’s Darren Everson spoke with black professionals to discuss their experiences and what changes they’d like to see.'

What Can Poetry Offer Us in Distressing Times?

'Former U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera, poet and author Inez Tan, and Arizona Poet Laureate Alberto Ríos visit Zócalo Public Square to consider how reading and writing poetry can save us when all seems lost. Hosted by Carla Hall.'

The Beautiful Witness We Bear: Jericho Brown, Nikky Finney and Ismail Muhammad:

'Renowned poets Jericho Brown (2020 Pulitzer Prize winner) and Nikky Finney (2011 National Book Award winner), formerly student and teacher, reunite to address the current moment of uprising and solidarity in the face of anti-Black violence, in a visceral conversation about art, identity, and witness. Moderated by Ismail Muhammad.' -- Bay Area Book Festival
 

The Lack of Attention for Violence Against Black Trans People

'Tony McDade was a Black transgender man who was shot and killed by police in Florida two days after Floyd’s death in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Although details about McDade’s death are still developing, according to the police, McDade was a suspect in a stabbing that took place earlier that day. Neighbors however are disputing the police’s story, saying that officers gave no warning before firing on McDade. But unlike other high profile police killings of Black Americans, the McDade case has yet to make national headlines which some transgender activists say is an example of the lack of attention to the violence transgender people face in this country. Here to share their thoughts with The Takeaway is Nala Simone Toussaint, member of the National Black Justice Coalition’s, Black Trans Advisory Council, and Ash Stephens, policy coordinator at the Transgender Law Center.'