55. Who gets to be a hero in the story of America?

Guest Dawn Porter, director of Luther: Never Too Much, joins host Kimberlé Crenshaw to discuss a new Luther Vandross biopic. They explore Luther's unmatched artistry, the intersections of the pop star's lived experience that stopped him from receiving the accolades he rightfully deserved, and his legacy as the soundtrack to so many lives. Hosted by Kimberlé Crenshaw (@sandylocks) Guest Dawn Porter (@dawnporter) Produced by Sr. Producer Nicole Edwards Mixing by Sean Dunnam Support provided by Sana Hashmi, Jocelyn Walker, and the team at the African American Policy Forum Episode art by Ashley Julien Music by Blue Dot Sessions Follow us at @intersectionalitymatters (Twitter), @IMKC_podcast (Instagram), and aapf.org

Guest host Shermena M. Nelson is joined by Huru founder Imani Joye Samuels to discuss the life-saving importance of rest for Black women. They also unpack strategies for creating a sustainable, effective self care practice. Shermena, Imani, and other wellness practitioners will host an evening dedicated to Black women's self care calledYou Carry the Dream: Reclaiming Rest and Resilience on March 28th during this year's Her Dream Deferred week. Join in person in NYC, or host a watch party and livestream the event from your area. Find out more here. Featuring Shermena M Nelson Imani Joye Samuels Executive produced by Kimberlé Crenshaw (@sandylocks) Produced by Sr Producer Nicole Edwards Mixing by Sean Dunnam Associate Production by Sana Hashmi Art by Ashley Julien Support provided by Jocelyn Walker, Kristin Penner and the team at African American Policy Forum Music by Blue Dot Sessions Follow us at @intersectionalitymatters (Twitter), @IMKC_podcast (Instagram)

Join Kimberlé Crenshaw and the African American Policy Forum at Sundance Film Festival on January 19th, 2024 at 8 pm MT for The Story of Us (Part 4), live at The Park in Park City, Utah. Register for your free pass here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-story-of-us-surviving-the-war-on-woke-black-storytelling-tickets-793686827667 In this episode, host Kimberlé Crenshaw and African American Policy Forum present the Story of Us (Part 3) panel, recorded live from the Sundance Film Festival in 2023. As we think about the future of democracy, this instalment of Sundance's "Big Conversation" series builds on the previous two iterations of Kimberlé W. Crenshaw’s The Story of Us, and explores how cinematic storytelling has long been, and continues to be, critical to shaping the contours of democratic inclusion. Who gets to be a hero or a villain in popular depictions of American life? Who gets written out of the story altogether? And how do Hollywood portrayals influence the amount political power that various demographics of Americans hold in real life? Featuring W Kamau Bell, the 2023 Sundance Vanguard Award winner, comic, and television host Holly Cook Macarro, Tribal Advocate & Political Strategist Jason Stanley, author and Jacob Urowsky Professor of Philosophy at Yale University Roger Ross Williams, Academy Award-winning Director, Writer, and Producer Hosted by Kimberlé Crenshaw (@sandylocks) Produced by Sr Producer Nicole Edwards Mixing by Sean Dunnam Support provided by the African American Policy Forum Music by Blue Dot Sessions Follow us at @intersectionalitymatters (X), @IMKC_podcast (Instagram)

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. To learn more about the #SayHerName campaign and to register for the 9th annual ceremony of ritual and remembrance happening live in NYC on Dec 14th, go to https://www.aapf.org/sayhername 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 at @intersectionalitymatters, @IMKC_podcast

To kick off Banned Book Week, host Kimberlé Crenshaw (@sandylocks) is joined by award-winning author George Johnson (@IamGMJohnson). They talk about the book bans that are sweeping the US, and George's new reality as one of the most banned Black authors in America. They also discuss the triumph of George's memoir, All Boys Aren't Blue, and unpack why George's work is needed now more than ever. Join AAPF for the second year of the Books Unbanned Tour, kicking off at the Brooklyn Book Festival on Oct 1st. Register for the panel discussion and free afterparty here: http://bit.ly/BKBF23 Learn more about how you can help preserve our freedom to learn here: www.freedomtolearn.net Produced by Nicole Edwards and the team at the African American Policy Forum. Mixing by Sean Dunnam Music by Blue Dot Sessions Follow us at @intersectionalitymatters, @IMKC_podcast

In this episode, host Kimberlé Crenshaw is joined by Cheryl Harris, Robin D.G. Kelley, and Janai Nelson. They explain what has been happening with the College Board’s proposed AP African American Studies course, share a close reading of what the revisions are and what they mean, and discuss what we can all do about it. Kimberlé also shares exciting news about the launch of the Freedom to Learn Network, including information on the national day of action happening on May 3rd, 2023. With: Cheryl Harris, the Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation Chair in Civil Rights and Civil Liberties at UCLA School of Law Robin D.G. Kelly, the Gary B. Nash Professor of American History at UCLA Janai Nelson, President and Director-Counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund (LDF) Hosted by Kimberlé Crenshaw (@sandylocks) Produced by Nicole Edwards, with support from Kristin Penner, Kevin Minofu, Marjorie Bostwick, and Heather Malveaux. Mixing by Sean Dunnam. Music by Blue Dot Sessions Follow us at @intersectionalitymatters, @IMKC_podcast Resources Go to www.freedomtolearn.net for more information on the campaign, including resources like social media toolkits, and to access Freedom to Learn TV. Register here for the Freedom to Learn Rallies and NYC Reception: https://bit.ly/F2LNYCRally https://bit.ly/F2LDCRally https://bit.ly/F2LNYCReception Find out what people are doing in your area on the Freedom to Learn National Day of Action on May 3rd: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1mlNoKD0xvfy372T6tNcm1qDWMdb3GBrTn9hhhAp05pU/edit?usp=sharing Sign the Open Letter on Fighting “Anti-Woke” Censorship of Intersectionality and Black Feminism: bit.ly/NoErasure

**TRIGGER WARNING -- THIS EPISODE CONTAINS DESCRIPTIONS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND SOUNDS OF GUNFIRE. PLEASE TAKE CARE WHILE LISTENING.** In this episode, the sisters of Atatiana Jefferson, Amber and Ashley Carr, share a portrait of Atatiana’s life. Atatiana was killed by former police officer Aaron Dean in 2019. He is currently on trial. Host Kimberlé Crenshaw reflects on the Mothers Network and the 8th anniversary of the #SayHerName campaign, which supports Amber, Ashley, and other mothers, sisters, aunts, and loved ones of Black women killed by police. She also reflects on the importance of using an intersectional race and gender lens as we demand police reform. Join us at the #SayHerName: Reclaiming Our Legacy event, where along with the #SayHerName Mothers Network we are looking forward to celebrating, reflecting and engaging in ritual to center the lives of women, girls, and femmes that should have been. Link to virtual attendance: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sayhername-8th-anniversary-tickets-470145436657 Read our #SayHerName report: https://www.aapf.org/sayhername This episode features: Amber and Ashley Carr, the sisters of Atatiana Jefferson, and members of the #SayHerName Mothers Network Find out more about The Atatiana Project https://www.atatianaproject.org/ Hosted by Kimberlé Crenshaw (@sandylocks) Produced by Nicole Edwards Mixed by Sean Dunnam Support provided by Rebecca Scheckman, Kevin Minofu, Aniah Francis, Alex Van Biema, and Alisha Grech Music by Blue Dot Sessions Follow us at @intersectionalitymatters, @IMKC_podcast

This episode marks the beginning of a new IMKC series called Author Talks, where host Kimberlé Crenshaw sits down with the authors of books banned by anti-CRT legislation. They break down why the featured author’s work is so crucial to an understanding of America's racial history, and why its opponents have labeled the work’s subject matter as forbidden knowledge. On this episode, Kim is joined by Ibram X. Kendi, founding Director of Boston University Center for Anti-Racist Research, and the youngest winner of the National Book Award for his non-fiction work Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America. They discuss the importance of talking to kids about racism, and unpack the fear-mongering around Kendi’s critically acclaimed books about racism for kids, including Stamped: Racism, Anti-racism, and You, and Stamped (For Kids), both co-authored by Jason Reynolds. These vital books have been challenged or pulled from school libraries across the country. To attend the next Author Talk, sign up for updates about the African American Policy Forum’s new book club, called Books Unbanned: From Freedom Riders to Freedom Readers Book Club. Learn about our Reading Circles for kids and adults, Author Talks, and more by clicking here: bit.ly/3On4miA This episode features: Ibram X. Kendi, National Book Award-winning and #1 New York Times bestselling author of six books for adults, and five books for children. Hosted by Kimberlé Crenshaw (@sandylocks). Produced, mixed and edited by Nicole Edwards. Support provided by Kevin Minofu, and the team at the African American Policy Forum. Music by Blue Dot Sessions Follow us at @intersectionalitymatters, @IMKC_podcast

Host Kimberlé Crenshaw is joined by Cliff Albright, cofounder of Black Voters Matter. Together, Crenshaw and Albright discuss voter suppression, gerrymandering and intimidation tactics -- and the ways they intersect to suppress the voices of Black communities today, and throughout history. They reminisce about their recent cross-country tour, bearing witness to erasure of history at stops along the way -- like the fact that there is not so much as a plaque at the site of a Black newspaper that was burned to the ground during the Wilmington coup in 1898. Listen as Crenshaw and Albright unpack how these moments, when they're erased, separate Black history from American history, and how the struggle for democracy and the struggle against racial suppression are one and the same. To learn more about the Books Unbanned: From Freedom Riders to Freedom Readers Tour, and our new book club, visit www.booksunbanned.org This episode features: Cliff Albright, Cofounder, Black Voters Matter Hosted by Kimberlé Crenshaw (@sandylocks) Produced and edited by Nicole Edwards Mixed by Sean Dunnam Support provided by Kevin Minofu, Rebecca Scheckman, Alex van Biema, Nadia Ncube Music by Blue Dot Sessions Follow us at @intersectionalitymatters, @IMKC_podcast

From October 8th to the 21st, we’re hitting the road with the 10 Million More Black Voters initiative. We call our tour Books Unbanned: From Freedom Riders to Freedom Readers, and we're handing out 6,000 copies of books banned by anti-CRT laws across the country. This effort is to ensure that everyone has access to critical literature — especially stories that teach America's true racial history. Host Kimberlé Crenshaw is joined by friend and collaborator Barbara Arnwine, president and founder of the Transformative Justice Coalition. They unpack the connection between these banned books, voter suppression, and the vital importance of the upcoming midterm elections. To learn more about the Books Unbanned: From Freedom Riders to Freedom Readers tour, visit www.booksunbanned.org This episode features: Barbara Arnwine, Founder/President, Transformative Justice Coalition Hosted by Kimberlé Crenshaw (@sandylocks) Produced and edited by Nicole Edwards Mixed by Sean Dunnam Support provided by Kevin Minofu and Julia Sharpe-Levine Music by Blue Dot Sessions Follow us at @intersectionalitymatters, @IMKC_podcast