Mark Anthony Neal's Blog, page 317

Police Abolition Explained

'Nicole Lewis, staff writer at The Marshall Project, explains the case of activists for police abolition and what some of those policies might look like in practice.' -- All Of It
         
        

How We Keep Our Communities Safe

'The question of public safety — what it is, how we can preserve it — is a question that our society has been grappling with for generations. Elizabeth Hinton is a professor of History, African-American Studies and Law at Yale University and author of From the War on Poverty to the War on Crime: The Making of Mass Incarceration in America . In this segment, Hinton talks about how the institution of policing in the United States has shifted over time, how police became the default agency for responding to emergencies, and how we might imagine and fund a different approach to keeping communities safe.' -- On the Media

Earl "Butch" Graves Jr.: "I Am Tired...The Pandemic Of Racism Must End"

Black Enterprise CEO: "I Am Tired...The Pandemic Of Racism Must End" by Earl "Butch" Graves Jr. | @EarlButchGraves | special to NewBlackMan (in Exile)
Over the past few days, civil unrest has gripped our entire nation. This was due to the unwarranted and senseless murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis last week by a police officer who placed his knee on the neck of Mr. Floyd for nine minutes as he begged for his life, while three other officers charged to protect and serve, did little - none of them displaying a shred of decency or humanity. It represents the latest, and perhaps the most disturbing, incident of police brutality against an African American man. As such, I feel compelled to share my personal thoughts because I cannot in all good conscience remain silent while the continuation of unchecked violence results in the loss of black lives without regard or consequence. 
I am a proud African American man who loves this country. I have close friends and family of all races, and I pride myself on being measured and fair. I have always tried to view the circumstances of life as "the glass 3/4 full instead of 1/4 empty," but my patience has truly run thin...and now I am tired! 
I am tired of watching innocent black men being targeted with violence at the hands of law enforcement. 
Tired of ignorant bigots taking the law into their own hands and feeling justified to confront black citizens. 
Tired of the media-driven, negative stereotypes that shape the dangerous narrative surrounding young black men. 
Tired of white people calling the police on black people, and weaponizing the police because they are entitled, scared, or distrusting. 
Tired of overlooking the purposeful or passive suppression of talented black professionals in Corporate America.Tired of watching black-owned businesses struggle without access to capital. 
Tired of Corporate America loving the fruits of black culture, but not nurturing the tree that bears it. 
Tired of the word "Diversity" which has been nothing more than a diversion away from black. 
Tired of systemic and institutionalized corporate racism which is masked by flowery mission statements and codes of conduct that are rarely enforced. 
Tired of the rise of the digital and social media economy without commensurate reinvestment in the very market that has often led to its success. 
Tired of being disrespected in restaurants as if I were invisible. 
Tired of being followed in retail establishments as if I were a threat to rob them. 
Tired of not being afforded the same assumption of competence and associated opportunities as my white high school, college, and business school classmates. 
Tired of explaining why I like to spend time with black people...while white people are never asked to explain why they like spending time with people that look like them. 
Tired of the overall physical and psychological toll that being a black man takes on me every day. 
As the father of two talented, charming, educated, young black men with unlimited potential, it pains me deeply that I needed to have "the conversation" with them while they were innocent teenagers regarding their possible interaction with cops that my Dad had with me almost five decades earlier, and that no doubt his Dad had with him. Every evening before I go to bed I must say a prayer that my boys will not be targeted and killed by law enforcement who mistake them as a threat which is something none of my white friends or classmates ever have to endure much less think about. 
Why are we still facing the same problems, and having the same conversations surrounding racism in 2020 that we've had over the past 50, 100, and 200 years? The reason is we have never truly had any desire to actually address and cure the "Pandemic of Racism." I guarantee you we will soon find a vaccine for Covid-19 just like we have found cures for other health crises that have plagued this country throughout centuries. We are a nation with vast resources of money and intelligence, and this Pandemic of Racism can be cured, but black people alone cannot put an end to this virus. We need the commitment and assistance of consciously aware white people to bring an end to this virulent disease. 
Let me be clear: I do not condone violence and looting as a methodology to fix racism. On the other hand, I fully understand the frustration and outrage at yet another incident where the lives of black people are considered worthless. My heart is warmed to see so many of the protesters across this country and around the world to be a full mix of young white, black, yellow, and brown people. I have great hope for the next generation because they are fed up with the nonsense and determined to do something. 
Corporate America is uniquely positioned to be true leaders in this discussion and to drive lasting change - especially those companies that sincerely are committed to inclusion and equity. As it has done throughout history, American business can offer viable solutions while helping set the tone for our nation and world. It starts with being intentional, accountable, vocal, and fully engaged. I am truly optimistic about the initial response I have seen from fair-minded CEOs and other corporate leaders. I now challenge all of Corporate America to make an effective strategic plan to unlock the greatness that America can become, and to embrace everyone equally with fairness, love, and compassion.
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Earl G. Graves Jr. (Butch) is President & CEO of BLACK ENTERPRISE. He joined the company in 1988 after earning his M.B.A. from Harvard University. During his tenure at BLACK ENTERPRISE he has served in many positions, including VP of Advertising & Marketing, and Chief Operating Officer. In 2006 he was promoted to his current position.

Authors Jason Reynolds & Ibram X. Kendi Discuss Their Book 'Stamped: Racism, Antiracism and You'

'In Stamped: Racism, Antiracism and You, bestselling and award-winning authors Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi deliver a timely, crucial, and ultimately empowering history of racism and antiracism in America. Through a gripping, fast-paced, and energizing narrative that speaks to young people as only Reynolds can, this book shines a light on the many insidious forms of racism—and on ways readers can identify and stamp out racist thoughts in their daily lives.' -- BUILD Series
 

ABWH TV: Black Women, History & State Sanctioned Violence

'On this episode of ABWH-TV,  Talitha LeFlouria, Kali Nicole Gross, LaShawn Harris, Cheryl D. Hicks, Treva Lindsey, and Sowande' Mustakeem discuss the Breonna Taylor case through the lens of Black womanhood and history.' -- Association of Black Women Historians
 

Launch/Listening Party: Guthrie Ramsey and Musiqology—A Spiritual Vibe, Vol.1

'Filmed on Facebook Live, this listening party for  Guthrie Ramsey and Musiqology—A Spiritual Vibe, Vol.1 was hosted by Alisha Lola Jones with commentary by Fredera Hadley and Mark Anthony Neal with special surprise guests.'

Racial Inequality: Black Workers Face 'Devastating Job Loss' During The Pandemic, Study Says

'Black Americans are disproportionately hard hit by the current loss of jobs. We explore why and what can be done to reverse this trend.  On Point's Coronavirus Hours is joined by Valerie Wilson, director of the Economic Policy Institute’s program on race, ethnicity and the economy; Darrick Hamilton, executive director of the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity at Ohio State University; William Darity, professor of public policy, African and African American studies and economics and director of the Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity at Duke University.'

Helga: A Conversation with Elizabeth Alexander

'Poet and Andrew W. Mellon Foundation President, Elizabeth Alexander joins Helga to share her thoughts on what it means to live a life alongside words, how we maintain relationships with one another, and what the world looks like after loss.' -- WNYC Studios

 

Bassey Ikpi Didn’t Enter the World Broken

'Author Bassey Ikpi always struggled with a certain kind of heaviness and worry growing up. In 2004, she was able to put a name to those feelings when she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She joins Rebecca Carroll to talk about the particular stigma black women face when it comes to mental health, how TikTok is actually a form of self-care, and what she’s doing to try to stay healthy in the midst of a pandemic.' -- Come Through with Rebecca Carroll

Staging Black Protest: A Play List by Lisa B. Thompson

Staging Black Protest: A Play Listby Lisa B. Thompson | @DrLisaBThompson | NewBlackMan (in Exile)
Black people are experiencing great turmoil. Millions have taken to the streets for a week to protest in the names of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless others murdered by state sanctioned violence. As a playwright and professor who specializes in African American theatre and cultural studies, I’ve been thinking about the ways I can help us understand this moment. In times of strife scholars often provide a syllabus or reading list to educate the public, but plays are rarely included. Yet Black dramatists have long used theatre as a social weapon. 
Although the stages are dark on and off Broadway and in many of our local communities due to Covid-19, I urge people to turn to Black theatre to contextualize this current moment. While this list is not exhaustive, I’ve included classics as well as more contemporary plays that explore Black resistance from a variety of vantage points. These plays can be read alone or performed virtually with friends and family. In difficult times like these I find great solace and inspiration in the words and magic of Black theatre. Gather your people and share this magic. 
Alice Childress, Wine in the Wilderness (1969)
Brian Freeman, Civil Sex (2000)
Angelina Weld Grimké, Rachel (1916)
Katori Hall, The Mountaintop (2009)

















LeRoi Jones/Amiri Baraka, The Slave (1964)


















Dominique Morisseau, Detroit '67 (2013)


















Robert O’Hara, Insurrection: Holding History (1996)


















Nikkole Salter, Repairing a Nation (2001)
Anna Deavere Smith, Fires in the Mirror (1992)
Anna Deavere Smith, Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 (1993)


















Roger Guenveur Smith, A Huey P. Newton Story (2001)
Jeff Stetson, The Meeting (1987)
Douglas Turner Ward, A Day of Absence (1965)
August Wilson, Two Trains Running (1990)



















Tracy Scott-Wilson, The Good Negro (2009)
*For an excellent exploration of protest theater see Harry J. Elam Jr.’s Taking it to the Streets: The Social Protest Theater of Luis Valdez and Amiri Baraka (University of Michigan Press, 1997).

+++ Lisa B. Thompson is professor of African and African Diaspora Studies at the University of Texas at Austin and the author of the forthcoming play collection, Underground, Monroe, and The Mamalogues: Three Plays.