Intersectionality Matters!

Join musician and historian Jake Blount, banjo player Amythyst Kiah, luthier Amanda Ewing, and racial justice educator Tim Wise as they explore the hidden contributions of Black artists to country and folk music. They delve into the African roots of the banjo and share personal stories of erasure in the music industry. The guests advocate for creating inclusive spaces for Black instrument makers and discuss how systemic exclusion often undermines rich musical traditions. Afrofuturism, collective action, and reclaiming narratives ignite a vibrant dialogue on heritage and visibility.

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.

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 Follow us on Instagram, Facecbook, and Bluesky) Learn more about the African American Policy Forum at aapf.org. Donate here.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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)

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.