Intersectionality Matters!
African American Policy Forum
Intersectionality Matters! is a podcast hosted by Kimberlé Crenshaw, an American civil rights advocate and a leading scholar of critical race theory.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Dec 5, 2025 • 1h 5min
54. #SayHerName - the Art of Bearing Witness on the Page and Stage
It's the 11th anniversary of the #SayHerName Campaign. To commemorate, we're uplifting a favourite #SayHerName episode from our archive.
Please join us on Dec 8 in NYC for a staged reading of #SayHerName - The Lives That Should have been, featuring a star-studded cast of performers, a talkback with the mothers of the #SayHerName Mothers Network, and a post-show party with performances by special guests. Get your tickets here.
This episode highlights a new milestone for the #SayHerName campaign: a new book, entitled #SayHerName: Black Women’s Stories of Police Violence and Public Silence.
Co-authored by podcast host Kimberlé Crenshaw and the team at the African American Policy Forum, this book helps readers better understand Black women's susceptibility to police brutality and state-sanctioned violence. It explains —through Black feminist storytelling and ritual — how we can effectively mobilize various communities and empower them to advocate for racial justice for Black women, girls, and femmes.
In this podcast episode, you'll hear incredible performances from actors at each of our #SayHerName book tour stops in Philadelphia, Washington D.C., and Baltimore. You'll also hear from members from the #SayHerName Mothers Network, a sisterhood of women who have lost other women, girls and femmes in their family to police violence.
You'll also hear from Dr. Kaye Wise Whitehead, Dr. Dorothy Roberts, and Kali Holloway, each of whom served as cohosts at book tour stops in their respective cities. They reflected with Dr. Crenshaw on the power of the tour, the calls to action from the book, and the urgency of the lessons the book contains.
Centering Black women’s experiences in police and gender violence discourses sends the powerful message that, in fact, all #BlackLivesMatter, and that the police cannot kill without consequence. Supporting AAPF ensures that this important research and testimony continues to inspire change.
To purchase your copy, click here.
Hosted by Kimberlé Crenshaw (@sandylocks), with Dorothy Roberts @DorothyERoberts, Kaye Wise Whitehead @kayewhitehead, and Kali Holloway @kalihollowayftw.
Produced by Nicole Edwards and the team at the African American Policy Forum.
Mixing by Sean Dunnam
Music by Blue Dot Sessions
Follow us on Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram.

Dec 2, 2025 • 1h 36min
72. Why Authoritarians Fear Democracy
This episode features Legal Defense Fund President and Director-Counsel Janai Nelson with professors Carol Anderson and Nancy MacLean, in conversation with our host Kimberlé Crenshaw. This riveting and timely conversation shows how anti-Blackness can be weaponized to harm democracy for all through voter suppression, money in politics, and the erosion of democratic safeguards.
Clips in this episode from Democracy Forward - How Louisiana v. Callais Could Change Voting Rights and Anti-Discrimination Protections
Music by Blue Dot Sessions
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Learn more about the African American Policy Forum at aapf.org.
Donate here.

Nov 13, 2025 • 57min
71. Why Authoritarians Fear Education
In this engaging discussion, philosopher Jason Stanley and education advocate Randi Weingarten delve into how authoritarian regimes target education to undermine democracy. They explore the chilling effects of book bans and teacher vilification, linking school closures during COVID to a push for privatization. Using insights from Toni Morrison, they highlight the intertwining of education, citizenship, and critical thought. The duo also discusses the importance of unions and collective action in resisting these threats, offering both an analysis and a call to action.

Oct 15, 2025 • 1h 17min
70. How Anti-Blackness Destroys Democracy
Melanie Campbell, a civic organizer and head of the Black Women's Roundtable, joins Evelynn Hammonds, a historian and former Harvard dean, Lisa Coleman, a DEI expert and Adler University president, and Kaye Wise Whitehead, radio host and public commentator. They dive into how anti-Blackness acts as a foundation for authoritarianism, erasing Black history and jeopardizing health disparities research. The conversation highlights the need for mutual aid and the vital role of Black women's political labor as we approach the 2024 elections.

13 snips
Sep 17, 2025 • 41min
Part 2: United States of Amnesia: The Real Histories of CRT - Weaponizing (White) Parents' Rights
In this thought-provoking discussion, the host debunks the narrative around book bans as mere parental choice, linking them to a larger assault on public education and democracy. The origins of censorship are traced back to influential groups like the Daughters of the Confederacy, highlighting the historical playbook that shaped education. Experts bring insight into how modern parental rights movements, like Moms for Liberty, are manipulating fear to control school curricula. It's a deep dive into the politics of race and education.

May 7, 2025 • 42min
69. The Battle for America's Memory, Part 2
Melanie Campbell, President and CEO of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, joins a dynamic discussion on the urgent need to protect Black American history. The group emphasizes the connection between safeguarding museums and defending democracy. They explore how recent book bans are efforts to erase anti-racist knowledge and the challenges facing institutions that uphold Black histories. Resilient organizers share their strategies for community engagement and activism, urging listeners to join the fight against memory erasure.

May 1, 2025 • 48min
68. The Battle for America's Memory
In a compelling discussion, Bryan Stevenson, founder of the Equal Justice Initiative and author of Just Mercy, joins Kimberlé Crenshaw at the Legacy Museum. They delve into the crucial role of museums in shaping national identity and the alarming political attacks threatening to erase Black narratives. Stevenson emphasizes that defending America’s memory is essential for democracy, while reflecting on the profound historical significance of Montgomery and the importance of truthful storytelling in dismantling racial injustice.

Apr 14, 2025 • 45min
67. Bloody Sunday, 60 Years Later
Host Kimberlé Crenshaw takes listeners to Alabama to learn about the contemporary importance of Bloody Sunday and the march from Selma to Montgomery in 1965.Featuring: Cliff Albright, co-founder, Black Voters MatterLaTosha Brown, co-founder, Black Voters MatterJanai Nelson, President and Director-Counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund (LDF)1965 foot soldiers Denise Jaringan-Holt and Alice MooreClick here to listen an uncut conversation about the Selma Jubilee with Kimberlé Crenshaw on the Laura Flanders and Friends podcast.Podcast co-written and produced by Sr. Producer Nicole EdwardsMixing and sound design by Sean DunnamPodcast art by Ashley Julien Music by Blue Dot SessionsFollow us at @intersectionalitymatters (Twitter), @IMKC_podcast (Instagram + Bluesky)

Mar 12, 2025 • 1h 12min
66. Executive Disorder
Damon Hewitt leads the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, while David Johns heads the National Black Justice Coalition. Russell Robinson specializes in race and sexuality at Berkeley Law, and Nina Turner champions economic and racial justice. Together, they dive into the implications of executive orders undermining civil rights, the need for corporate accountability, and strategies for political engagement among Black communities. They advocate for resilience and collective action to tackle systemic barriers and promote true equity.

7 snips
Jan 29, 2025 • 40min
Part 1: United States of Amnesia: The Real Histories of CRT - The Students Who Protested
This conversation dives into the origins of Critical Race Theory (CRT), tracing its roots to a pivotal protest at Harvard Law in 1983. It examines the ongoing struggle for racial justice and the backlash against CRT following high-profile events. Personal narratives reveal how systemic inequities persist within legal education. Activists reflect on building solidarity and the importance of diverse voices in shaping legal discourse. The discussion also critiques misconceptions surrounding CRT and highlights its role in the fight against oppression.


