Our lives, our cultures, are composed of many overlapping stories. Novelist Chimamanda Adichie tells the story of how she found her authentic cultural voice ...

COVID-19 was a global pandemic that altered many aspects of American life. From January 2020 to August 2024, over 1,100,000 Americans died from the disease. Quarantine measures, enacted to avoid the spread of COVID-19, altered the way Americans worked and lived. Many social activities—including school and faith-based gatherings—moved online. Even at this writing, COVID-19 continues to impact many Americans’ everyday experiences.

JSTOR releases the first books in Path to Open, a program to support the open access publication of new books in the humanities and social sciences.

We asked some of our regular book critics what soon-to-be-published titles they are most looking forward to reading this summer. Here's what they said.

This week, protests were held across the United States against right-wing efforts to ban books and antiracism education in schools. Fourteen protesters with Florida’s Dream Defenders were arrested Wednesday for staging a peaceful sit-in inside the office of Florida’s Republican Governor Ron DeSantis at the end of the state’s legislative session, in which he backed efforts to ban abortion after six weeks, deny gender-affirming care for youth, roll back rent control, censor discussions of LGBTQ issues and Black history in schools, and crack down on immigrants and unions in his political crusade against “wokeness.” We speak with one of the arrested protesters, Nailah Summers-Polite, co-director of Dream Defenders, and Kimberlé Crenshaw, the legal scholar well known for her work in the field of critical race theory, about the Freedom to Learn protests and the push to preserve the integrity of the AP African American studies course attacked by DeSantis and other far-right activists.

A daily independent global news hour with Amy Goodman & Juan González. “Sing Your Song”: Remembering Harry Belafonte, Who Used His Stardom to Help MLK & Civil Rights Movement; Harry Belafonte in His Own Words on Opposing Iraq War & Calling George W. Bush a “Terrorist”; “Get Down to Business”: Harry Belafonte in 2016 on Trump, Socialism & Fighting for Justice

Check out our 2021 Year in Review Video as we reflect back on the work that was made possible by our supporters, allies and partners this year! Amid an evolving philanthropic landscape, continuing pandemic, and rising threats to human rights around the world, frontline communities and their allies are facing extraordinary uncertainty and instability. We are so grateful to our supporters who allow us to sustain, deepen, and expand the support that we are providing to frontline communities around the world.

"Video for Change is packed with real-life stories from the fray, how-to guidance, and easy-to-use exercises. Clear and accessible, it provides a crash course in the basics of social justice video documentation and advocacy. The authors cover every aspect of filmmaking from technical guidance to strategic and ethical issues, making it indispensable for both amateur and professional filmmakers.;Readers are shown how to plan, film, edit and distribute; they are shown how to adopt an effective strategy so that their video makes a difference. The book is unique in that it also covers the practical ethics and responsibilities of social justice video-work and offers a global range of real-life stories to learn from."--Pub. desc.

Political acts are encoded in medial forms -- feet marching on a street, punch holes on a card, images on live stream, tweets -- that have force, shaping people as subjects and constituting the contours of what is sensible, legible, visible. Thus, these events define the terms of political possibility and create terrain for political actions. Sensible Politics: The Visual Culture of Nongovernmental Activism considers the constitutive role played by aesthetic and performative techniques in the staging of claims by nongovernmental activists. Attending to political aesthetics means focusing not on a disembodied image that travels under the concept of art or visual culture, nor on a preformed domain of the political that seeks subsequent expression in media form. Instead, it requires bringing the two realms together into the same analytic frame. Drawing on the work of a diverse group of contributors, from art historians, anthropologists, and political theorists to artists, filmmakers, and architects, Sensible Politics situates aesthetic forms within broader activist contexts and networks of circulation and in so doing offers critical insight into the practices of mediation whereby the political becomes manifest. Contributors include: Barbara Abrash, Negar Azimi, Ariella Azoulay, Amahl Bishara, Judith Butler, Eduardo Cadava, Jonathan Crary, Ann Cvetkovich, Faye Ginsburg, Sam Gregory, Zeynep Devrim Gürsel, Roger Hallas, Andrew Herscher, Sandi Hilal, Kirsten Johnson, Liza Johnson, Thomas Keenan, Carrie Lambert-Beatty, Jaleh Mansoor, Yates McKee, Meg McLagan, Alessandro Petti, Hugh Raffles, Felicity D. Scott, Kendall Thomas, Leshu Torchin, Eyal Weizman, Benjamin J. Young, Huma Yusuf, and Charles Zerner.

If you’re taking to the streets to demand justice for the victims of police brutality and homicide, you may want to leave your phone at home. No matter how peaceful your behavior, you are at risk of getting arrested or assaulted by police. Cops might confiscate your phone and search it regardless of whether or not they’re legally allowed to, or they might try to break it, especially if it contains photos or video of their violent or illegal actions. At the same time, it’s a good idea to bring a phone to a protest so you can record what’s happening and get the message out on social media. Filming police is completely legal and within your rights, and it’s one of the few tools we have against police brutality. It’s also important to be able to communicate with others in real-time or to find your friends in case you get separated. To reconcile this tension — between wanting to protect your privacy and wanting to digitally document protests and police misdeeds — the safest option is to leave your primary phone, which contains a massive amount of private information about you, at home and instead bring a specially-prepared burner phone to protests. The Intercept's Micah Lee discusses how to do this at length in the video above. Read the article at theintercept.com

2018 is the 50th anniversary of civil rights activist Stokely Carmichael's election as chair of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and his founding of the Black Power movement. In this program from the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, panelists talked about how education and poverty affect black Americans in modern society. Speakers included Newark, New Jersey Mayor Ras Baraka and [New York Times] Magazine contributor Nikole Hannah-Jones.

As part of the "National Media Forum on Poverty, Inequality and Race: 40 Years after the Kerner Commission," journalists and others talked about topics such as lack of media coverage of race and class; coverage of poverty, inequality, and race by reporters with no real-life experience of these; urban violence; diversity in media news rooms; and coverage of the Hurricane Katrina aftermath. After their presentations the participants questioned each other and responded to audience members' questions. The Milton Eisenhower Foundation is the private sector continuation of the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders (the Kerner Riot Commission) and the National Commission on the Causes and Prevention of Violence (the National Violence Commission).

Civil rights leaders talked about race and poverty in the United States. They focused many of their remarks on Dr. Martin Luther King's beliefs and teaching regarding poverty. Other topics included economic literacy, perceptions of the poor, and unemployment. The panel discussion was part of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) 55th annual convention.

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Coronavirus disease, or COVID-19, has traveled across the world, and its numbers—of new infections and deaths—are quite distressing.

The Brookings Institution reports that the difference in life expectancy between the rich and the poor and between whites and minorities has more than doubled since the 1920s.  In Georgia, access to quality healthcare may come down to how much you earn, the color of your skin, and where you live. Jemea Dorsey, CEO of the Center for Black Women's Wellness joins "Issue @ Hand" to discuss how her organization is working to overcome healthcare disparities. *****Purchase this program and many others here: https://www.aibtv.com/shopaib/ ********* ****** Be sure to follow AIB on social media! ******* FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/watchaibtv/ INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/watchaibtv/ TWITTER: https://twitter.com/watchaibtv

Native communities have been hit hard by COVID-19 -- and fear for their survival

Ibram X. Kendi says early media coverage of COVID-19 as "the great equalizer" missed the racial impact of the disease. But it soon became clear "that it was Latino Americans and African Americans and Native Americans in particular who were disproportionately being infected and dying." The award-winning author and founding director of the Antiracist Research and Policy Center at American University joins us to discuss why he started the COVID Racial Data Tracker. #DemocracyNow Democracy Now! is an independent global news hour that airs on nearly 1,400 TV and radio stations Monday through Friday. Watch our livestream 8-9AM ET: https://democracynow.org Please consider supporting independent media by making a donation to Democracy Now! today: https://democracynow.org/donate FOLLOW DEMOCRACY NOW! ONLINE: YouTube: http://youtube.com/democracynow Facebook: http://facebook.com/democracynow Twitter: https://twitter.com/democracynow Instagram: http://instagram.com/democracynow SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/democracynow iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/democracy-now!-audio/id73802554 Daily Email Digest: https://democracynow.org/subscribe

New America CA is committed to ensuring that the perspectives of Latinx communities are heard and incorporated as California develops innovative solutions to pressing public problems. As we grapple with the enormous repercussions of the global pandemic, we are dedicated to shining a light on the impacts on all Californians. While it is true that the COVID-19 outbreak impacts all Americans, it has, quite simply, impacted the Latinx community disproportionately. The coronavirus has highlighted disparities in the workplace and in society, which have long gone unaddressed. The more we understand these challenges as we rebuild from this crisis, the greater the likelihood that we will emerge as a more inclusive and just place. Join New America CA on Tuesday, July 7th at 2:30 PM PDT for Latinx Economic Resilience in the Time of COVID. This live streamed conversation will feature local and national experts who will provide insights and resources, as well as move attendees toward action-oriented solutions. The conversation will focus on understanding the challenges facing Latinx workers and families, especially those experiencing increased economic precarity during the COVID-19 crisis. We'll focus on solutions, exploring ways to meet families' immediate income needs, as well as their employment needs via access to more recession-resilient jobs and skills in the future. Economic equity leaders will share the needs they are seeing, along with resources and ideas that can help Latinx communities thrive during and after the pandemic. GUESTS: Jacqueline Martinez Garcel, @JMGarcel Chief Executive Officer, Latino Community Foundation Irma Olguin Jr., @irms CEO & Co-founder, Bitwise Industries José A. Quiñonez, @MAFCEO CEO, Mission Asset Fund MacArthur "Genius" Fellow Amanda Renteria, @AmandaRenteria Chief Executive Officer, Code for America MODERATORS: Lili Gangas, @LilsG31 Chief Technology Community Officer, Kapor Center Cecilia Muñoz, @cecmunoz Vice President, Local Initiatives, New America Former Director - Domestic Policy Council, Obama White House Made possible by the generosity of the Kapor Center. ==================================== We are dedicated to renewing the promise of America by continuing the quest to realize our nation's highest ideals, honestly confronting the challenges caused by rapid technological and social change, and seizing the opportunities those changes create. Subscribe to our channel for new videos on a wide range of policy issues: http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=newamericafoundation Subscribe to The New America Weekly and other newsletters: http://www.newamerica.org/subscribe/# Visit newamerica.org

What is intersectionality? The term intersectionality was coined by legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw in her 1989 essay “Demarginalizing the Intersection of Race and Sex”. Intersectionality is defined as the way different forms of discrimination overlap, combine, and intersect, especially as it applies to marginalized groups. It generally refers to sexism, racism, and classism, but the meaning has evolved since it was introduced, encompassing sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, and even region (Western vs. non-Western, for example). As this topic continues to gain momentum, it’s imperative that libraries provide the necessary resources to empower researchers, professors and students to fully explore this timely topic and analyze the myriad of viewpoints and angles that are having a significant impact on our society today. We hope you will join us for this Choice webinar as we grapple with the topic from the researcher and instructor perspective and understand the indispensable role the library has to play. Event page: https://www.choice360.org/webinars/exploring-intersectionality-and-lgbtq-issues-with-primary-sources-and-ebooks/

ColorLines' Jamilah King interviews the Freedom Center for Social Justice's Bishop Tonyia Rawls. Full article: https://www.colorlines.com/articles/lgbt-rights-and-communities-color-south-video ColorLines is a daily news site where race matters, featuring award-winning in-depth reporting, news analysis, opinion, and curation. ColorLines is published by Race Forward, a national organization that advances racial justice through research, media, and practice. https://twitter.com/colorlines https://facebook.com/colorlines http://colorlines.com ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Founded in 1981, Race Forward brings systemic analysis and an innovative approach to complex race issues to help people take effective action toward racial equity. Founded in 2002, CSI catalyzes community, government, and other institutions to dismantle structural racial inequity and create equitable outcomes for all. The new Race Forward is home to the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE), a national network of government working to achieve racial equity and advance opportunities for all. Race Forward publishes the daily news site Colorlines and presents Facing Race, the country’s largest multiracial conference on racial justice. https://raceforward.org https://twitter.com/RaceForward https://facebook.com/RaceForward

LIVE NOW: Join us for our LGBTQ #BlackLivesMatter town hall with Human Rights Campaign President Alphonso David, Equality Florida Executive Director Nadine Smith, Civil Rights Attorney Michele K. Rayner-Goolsby, Minneapolis City Council Vice President Andrea Jenkins for Ward 8, and The National Center for Lesbian Rights Executive Director Imani Rupert-Gordon.

AFI DOCS 2016 Filmmaker Forum: "What's Gender (Race, Ethnicity, Class) Got to Do with It?" The visibility of women filmmakers in recent years has reached unprecedented levels. A steady stream of articles in the New York Times, Hollywood Reporter, Variety, IndieWire and others have detailed the struggles women face behind the camera. Multiple research centers across the country confirm that women continue to face barriers in employment and funding opportunities. This fight to raise awareness around gender discrimination in the industry has culminated in the federal government launching investigations into Hollywood's hiring practices. But is the revolution reaching every woman in equal measure? Is filmmaking possible for the working class or working mother? Are the experiences of women of color meaningfully included in this debate? Is producing a "woman's film" a barrier to financing and distribution? Emerging and established filmmakers share their perspectives on what it takes to sustain a career on this panel moderated by Women Make Movies founder, Debra Zimmerman. Moderator Debra Zimmerman (Executive Director, Women Make Movies) Panelists Tracy Droz Tragos (ABORTION: STORIES WOMEN TELL, RICH HILL) Steph Ching (AFTER SPRING) Ellen Martinez (AFTER SPRING) Farihah Zaman (Field of Vision, Brown Girls Doc Mafia) Sponsored by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation in partnership with the National Education Association and the American Counseling Association present Time To THRIVE, the annual national conference to promote safety, inclusion and well-being for LGBTQ youth...everywhere! We are making progress on the road to legal equality, yet young LGBTQ people in America still face dramatically heightened rates of discrimination in school, at home and within their community. The impact of family rejection, bullying and the messages they hear about being LGBTQ weigh heavily on our youth. By engaging a broad audience of youth-serving professionals, including K-12 educators, mental health providers, pediatricians, religious leaders, recreational athletic coaches and youth development staff (Boys and Girls Club, YMCAs, scout leaders, etc.), we can create spaces in which LGBTQ youth are affirmed, supported and have the ability to thrive. The HRC Foundation creates impact through 11 programs and initiatives, working with individuals and organizations to make transformational change in the everyday lives of LGBTQ+ people. The Human Rights Campaign envisions a world where every member of the LGBTQ+ family has the freedom to live their truth without fear, and with equality under the law. We empower our 3 million members and supporters to mobilize against attacks on the most marginalized people in our community. Follow us! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/humanrightscampaign Twitter: https://twitter.com/hrc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/humanrightscampaign TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@humanrightscampaign Visit our website: https://www.hrc.org #HRC #HRCFoundation #TimeToThrive

Intersectionality is a concept often used in critical theories to describe the ways in which oppressive institutions (racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, xenophobia, classism, etc.) are interconnected and cannot be examined separately from one another. Intersectionality considers different systems of oppression, and specifically how they overlap and are compounded. This episode will examine intersectionality in the LGBT movement and how even within minority groups, there exists a hierarchy of privilege (Gender, gender expression, class etc.) In this episode, Arit Okpo sits down with Buky Williams, Executive Director of Education as a Vaccine (EVA).

Women's and Gender studies major Sara Hayet ’18 interviews Kimberlé Crenshaw about "Intersectional Feminism." Crenshaw served as the keynote speaker on Sept. 17, 2015, for the 30th anniversary of Women’s and Gender Studies at Lafayette.

Now more than ever, it's important to look boldly at the reality of race and gender bias -- and understand how the two can combine to create even more harm. Kimberlé Crenshaw uses the term "intersectionality" to describe this phenomenon; as she says, if you're standing in the path of multiple forms of exclusion, you're likely to get hit by both. In this moving talk, she calls on us to bear witness to this reality and speak up for victims of prejudice.

The Joint Center is working closely with several other Black organizations to ensure that the challenges facing Black communities are considered and adequately addressed in COVID-19 policy decisions.

The Working Group is an Oakland-based nonprofit that combines documentary and multimedia with outreach and organizing. Our efforts have started dialogue and sparked civic engagement in hundreds of communities nationwide, starting with the 1995 public television broadcast of Not In Our Town. This documentary followed the story of the citizens of Billings, Montana who joined forces to resist anti-Semitic and racist bigotry in their town. After an unprecedented national outreach campaign, communities around the country began to use the story as a model for anti-hate work. Today, NIOT is one of the country's leading resources for community organizing to prevent and respond to hate crimes. Please note that comments that include profanity or personal attacks, disrespectful language, hate speech, or other inappropriate material will be removed. Learn more: niot.org Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/notinourtown twitter.com/notinourtown

In these captivating books about immigration, authors recount deeply personal stories of migration, starting over, and learning to adjust to life in a foreign world.