We have some big news stories, and some fun pop culture items for this week!
We’ve covered the Bill Cosby story pretty extensively here at Persephone. However, people are struggling to separate the artist from his art as The Cosby Show remains immensely important in TV history.
There has been a flood of news regarding police brutality and generally shady police tactics and behaviors, as we anxiously await the final verdict in Darren Wilson’s trial:
- Activists go to the UN to protest police brutality.
- The LAPD uses new technology to keep tabs on ex-cons.
- Ferguson activist and journalist Shaun King draws some parallels between lynchings and police brutality.
- A Bronx man was imprisoned for 18 years despite 13 alibi witnesses.
- A rapper is being sent to jail for an album cover that supposedly tie him to gang-related activities.
- Milwaukee officer fired for shooting unarmed sleeping man.
On top of some sexist and homophobic remarks, incoming Nevada Speaker said Democrats have “master-slave” relationship with “simple-minded darkies.”
New documentary Death Metal Angola claims musical roots in Africa.
St. Louis area high school seniors wore blackface for a football game, which somehow was not stopped by any school official.
A high school assistant principal in Virginia tweets racist joke and is caught by her students. It’s OK, though, her daughters dated black guys.
Did you catch President Obama’s speech on immigration reform? Watch it here!
Speaking of immigration reform, NYU will now offer scholarships to undocumented students.
Orange is the New Black actress Diane Guerrero shared her story about coming home from school and finding out that her family had been deported.
Remember that catcalling video? Here’s a sociological breakdown of why it’s a terrible video and social experiment.
Native American protestors were arrested after Keystone XL Pipeline vote.
November is Sikh Awareness and Appreciation month in California.
Daniel Handler (better known as Lemony Snicket) made offensive comments and then apologized and donated money. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to look at A Series of Unfortunate Events the same, but at least he highlighted an important cause.
BandAid30 released a re-recording of “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” and some of the lyric changes got some attention.
MTV has put the second season of their documentary series Rebel Music on Facebook. The series focuses on youth protestors and activists around the world, with the first episode focusing on Native musicians and activists.
Podcast phenomenon Serial is on break this upcoming week, so while you take the chance to get caught up and slip down the internet rabbithole of theories, you can also head over to The Awl for a piece on white reporter privilege.
Selfie isn’t completely dead!
Unofficially? All remaining episodes of #SelfieABC will soon be on Hulu, Hulu Plus & http://t.co/gnNYZlYFqw Hugs to Peter Roth @warnerbrostv
— emily kapnek (@EmilyKapnek) November 20, 2014
Bollywood’s relationship with Western fashion is a relatively new one but as markets and social media expand, so do actresses’ opportunities in becoming style icons.
Toni Morrison was on The Colbert Report. Bask in her glory!
Steve McQueen has announced two projects that have people excited: 1) A Paul Robeson biopic, and 2) A remake of the British miniseries Widows, where three widows find their husbands’ plans for a robbery following their husbands’ deaths.
Hey, Teens React to Malala Yousafzai is pretty great in talking about Malala as an inspiration, and about the misinformation about Islam and the tensions in the Middle East.
NBC has attempted to update and eliminate the racist moments in their Peter Pan musical by working with a Native composer/consultant on the show. We’ll see how that pans out when the musical airs next month.
Beyoncé dropped a new video for “7/11” and it’s perfect.
Share your thoughts and McQueen’s Widows dream cast ideas in the comments!
3 replies on “PoC News in America”
Beyoncé got me confused but damn if it isn’t super danceable once more.
Not only am I pissed that this man got away with murder (his life was arguably enriched by shooting a teenager to death, that fucker), now I’m going to have to somehow keep my sanity around racist relatives who will talk shit about “he robbed a convenience store, you know,” and “justice was really served. they need to stop blaming the police for their problems.” These are things they said about Trayvon Martin too, so I know it’ll be repeated. Also my *immigrant* relatives posted a picture on facebook with the Confederate flag on their house. Explain THAT.
… on typing all that, maybe I’ll skip seeing my family over the long weekend and spend some time with my cats.
Since Darren Wilson was not indicted tonight, I thought I’d share some feelings about Prosecutor McCullough’s statements. As flawed as social media may be, the past 100 days have proven the power of grassroots organizing and of the slow unpacking and deprivileging of journalism. Mainstream media focused on this tragedy when the story best served their ultimate goal of increasing tv viewership and getting page views. The journalist-activists who have undertaken the courageous work of spreading news and aiding the Ferguson community during a time of injustice and grief have used the most open access means available to them: social media. For every racially-coded piece released by cable news and the Ferguson local government, there were ground-level activists documenting and celebrating community organizing, medical and first aid training, political activism and general solidarity. We have seen how activists of color have reached across international borders as part of this solidarity. I believe in the power of these protests and in social media particularly for marginalized activists of color. My heart goes out to every protestor in America and to every black person in this country, who live in a country that is so hostile to their very existence. Rest in power, Big Mike.