Playing for Team Human today: activist, professor, podcast producer, journalist, and musician Chenjerai Kumanyika. Chenjerai joins Douglas in the basement Media Squat at CUNY Queens College for a conversation about why studying history matters more than ever as we fight for a just future. Chenjerai also shares a bit of his own unique personal history; how he went from working in an emergency room to a touring as an international hip hop artist, to his most recent work as an activist/journalist and now, college professor at Rutgers University. Drawing from these diverse contexts, Chenjerai helps us understand media and activism in a time of renewed racism and repression. A spirit of deep conviction and empathy animates Chenjerai’s work and shines through in this conversation with Douglas.

Check out Chenjerai’s Peabody Award winning podcast, Uncivil, from Gimlet

Listen to Things I've Seen featured in today’s show, from Chenjerai’s group The Spooks.

"You won't believe the things I've seen

Far beyond your wildest dreams

I've seen chaos and order reign supreme

I've seen the beauty of the universe so peaceful and serene

In seconds turn to violence and screams"

A clip from Chenjerai's recent lecture at Penn State is featured in this episode. Find this and more here: https://www.soc119.org/2018/10/25/class-18-being-an-activist-w-dr-chenjerai-kumanyika/

This week's TH Music Credits: Mike Watt: beak-holding-letter-man in the intro and outro, segue music by R.U. Sirius: President Mussolini Makes The Planes Run On Time, and Herkimer Diamonds in the Midroll.

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Versions of Douglas's monologues as well as streams of this podcast can be found on Medium

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