The novel follows the Price family, led by the fervent Baptist minister Nathan Price, as they move from suburban Georgia to a remote village in the Belgian Congo in 1959. The story is narrated by Nathan's wife, Orleanna, and their four daughters: Rachel, Leah, Adah, and Ruth May. As they navigate the challenges of their new environment, the family faces cultural dislocation, personal struggles, and the dramatic political changes in the Congo during its fight for independence. The novel delves into themes of moral risk, personal responsibility, and the complexities of colonialism, highlighting the different perspectives and transformations of each family member over three decades.
The Fire Next Time is a deeply personal and provocative document that consists of two letters. The first letter is to Baldwin's 14-year-old nephew, warning him about the harsh realities of being Black in America and advising him to affirm his own worth and dignity. The second letter is a broader critique of American society, particularly targeting the failure of the Christian church to provide moral leadership and the societal tendency to perpetuate racial myths. Baldwin argues that white Americans maintain these myths to avoid facing their own inadequacies and moral wrongdoings. He emphasizes the need for love and acceptance to overcome these barriers and warns of a violent reckoning if racial inequality is not addressed.
PART TWO of our hosts Tiffany Cross, Angela Rye, and Andrew Gillum’s a cross-generational discussion with three politically active Gen Z’ers.
After responding to Roland Martin’s criticism of younger generations, the discussion turns to ‘rest is resistance,’ mentorship, and fostering mutual understanding between age groups.
OUR GUESTS:
Victoria Pannell is an activist, organizer, and social impact strategist. In 2012- 2016, Victoria served as Northeast Regional Director of Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network Youth Movement. Victoria helped organize the March 14, 2018 National School Walkout, a call to action for gun reform, and in 2022, Victoria created Blue Shelter, a nonprofit dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of survivors of human trafficking. She currently serves as Senior Social Impact Advisor and Director of Social Media Management at Inspire Justice.
Ty Hobson-Powell led the “51 For 51” Washington D.C. statehood campaign and founded Concerned Citizens Demanding Change. In 2024, he managed the Mail-In Ballot Processing Division for D.C.’s Board of Elections. He’s been appointed State Political Program Director in Mississippi, supporting a major voter engagement initiative with Mississippi Votes. His upcoming book, The Fire Right Now—a nod to James Baldwin—is slated for release this summer.
Marley Dias is a celebrated changemaker and one of the youngest people to appear on Forbes 30 Under 30. She launched #1000BlackGirlBooks, collecting over 15,000 books featuring Black girl protagonists. A junior at Harvard, Marley is also the host and executive producer of Netflix’s Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices.
And of course we’ll hear from you! If you’d like to submit a question, check out our tutorial video: http://www.instagram.com/reel/C5j_oBXLIg0/ and send to @nativelandpod.
We are 565 days away from the midterm elections. Welcome home y’all!
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We want to hear from you! Send us a video @nativelandpod and we may feature you on the podcast.
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Watch full episodes of Native Land Pod here on YouTube.
Native Land Pod is brought to you by Reasoned Choice Media.
Thank you to the Native Land Pod team:
Angela Rye as host, executive producer and cofounder of Reasoned Choice Media; Tiffany Cross as host and producer, Andrew Gillum as host and producer, and Lauren Hansen as executive producer; Loren Mychael is our research producer, and Nikolas Harter is our editor and producer. Special thanks to Chris Morrow and Lenard McKelvey, co-founders of Reasoned Choice Media.
Theme music created by Daniel Laurent.
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