Mark Anthony Neal's Blog, page 406

What Kind of Weight? Love Poems to Black Women Imprisoned in America.

'Writer DaMaris Hill traces a history, and present, of Black women imprisoned in America - under a parallel regime of sexual violence and exploitation in the Jim Crow era and beyond, subject to the edges of a legal and economic system built on repression, risking freedom and safety in the simple acts of navigating daily life in a racist country. Hill is author of the book A Bound Woman is a Dangerous Thing: The Incarceration of African American Women from Harriet Tubman to Sandra Bland from Bloomsbury.' -- This is Hell!  

Aja Monet and phillip agnew: A Love Story About the Power of Art As Organizing

'In a lyrical talk full of radical imagination, poet Aja Monet and community organizer phillip agnew share the story of how they fell in love and what they've learned about the powerful connection between great social movements and meaningful art. Journey to Smoke Signals Studio in Miami, their home and community art space where they're creating a refuge for neighbors and creators -- and imagining a new answer to distraction, anger and anxiety.'

Black. Queer. Southern. Women.

'Scholar and author E. Patrick Johnson knew from experience what it was to be “othered.” As a Black, gay man who grew up in the South, he belonged to multiple communities that were marginalized and attacked. He documented oral histories of men with similar identities in his 2008 book Sweet Tea: Black Gay Men of the South. Then, he waited for someone to write the companion piece about women. A decade later, Johnson realized he was the scholar to tell the rest of the story. He collected 79 oral histories from black, queer, Southern women and culled 4,000 pages of interview notes into a book. Black. Queer. Southern. Women. (UNC Press/2018) reveals how these women and their communities perceive their desires and identities.'

Comedian Roy Wood Jr. On The Pros Of Bad Service And Confederate Flags

'Comedian and Daily Show correspondent Roy Wood Jr. is known for his thoughtful and pointed takes on race. He joins The Sporkful to discuss McRib conspiracy theories, the dangers of touring the south as a black comic, and the advantages of bad service and Confederate flags. Plus, Roy talks about what he learned about food from his father over the course of their conflicted relationship.'
         
        

'High Flying Bird' is a Sports Movie That Wants to Disrupt the System

'Classic sports movies, like "The Natural" or "White Men Can't Jump," are typically focused on the action happening on the field or the court.  “High Flying Bird,” a new movie on Netflix, takes a slightly different approach to the sports world. Set during an NBA lockout with no end in sight, the film centers around the behind-the-scenes hustle of an agent, played by André Holland, who represents the league’s number one draft pick.  As the lockout drags on, it becomes clear that the stakes don’t look the same for the two parties at the negotiating table: the team owners, who are white, and the players, who are mainly people of color. The Takeaway  sat down with the film’s screenwriter, Tarell Alvin McCraney , alongside star André Holland, to discuss "High Flying Bird" and the connections they see between their new film and their previous collaboration, 2017 Best Picture winner, "Moonlight".'

An Ode To Black Women In Bondage

'The number of incarcerated women increased by more than 700 percent between 1980 and 2016, according to data from The Sentencing Project. Poet DaMaris Hill cites this statistic at the beginning of her new book, A Bound Woman Is A Dangerous Thing: The Incarceration of African American Women from Harriet Tubman to Sandra Bland. (Bloomsbury Publishing/2019).' -- The State of Things

Left of Black S9:E11: Michael Ralph on the Forensics of Capital

'Left of Black host Mark Anthony Neal is joined in the studio by professor, Michael Ralph, author of Forensics of Capital (University of Chicago Press, 2015). Ralph is an Associate Professor in the Department of Social and Cultural Analysis at New York University where he is also the Director of the Metropolitan Studies Program. In Forensics of Capital he illustrates how Senegal’s diplomatic standing was strategically forged in the colonial and postcolonial eras at key periods of its history and is today entirely contingent on the consensus of wealthy and influential nations as well as international lending agencies.'

Celeste Headlee Speaks On Her Book, 'We Need to Talk'

'In We Need to Talk, Celeste Headlee outlines the strategies that have made her a better conversationalist - and offers simple tools that can improve anyone’s communication. Whether you’re struggling to communicate with your friends, kid’s teachers at school, an employee at work, or the people you love the most - Headlee offers smart strategies that can help us all have conversations that matter.' -- BUILD Series 

Machine Yearning: On the Future of Human Sex with Robots

'Computer scientist Kate Devlin explores the human questions raised by sex with robots - as an industry on the bleeding edge of AI and robotics tech, and an endeavor that will challenge and redefine society's values around pleasure, intimacy, and ultimately, our relationship with machines. Devlin is author of the book Turned On: Science, Sex and Robots from Bloomsbury.' -- This is Hell! 

'Beale Street' And 'Vice' Composer Nicholas Britell Isn't Afraid To Play The 'Wrong' Notes

'Oscar-nominated film composer Nicholas Britell seeks out sounds that capture a movie's essence. His process involves many discussions with directors — and a lot of experimenting.' --  Fresh Air