The Woman Writing Black Panther

February 21, 2019 Culture, Race/Identity

Nigerian-American writer Nnedi Okorafor joins us to talk about writing black characters into popular culture – including her recent work on the Marvel “Black Panther” franchise.

The Excuse For Racism In Hollywood? Money

February 20, 2019 Race/Identity

University of Georgia assistant professor of sociology and African American studies Maryann Erigha joins us to discuss how decisions made behind the scenes affect what audiences see on the screen.

‘Everyone Thinks I’m A Girl, Mama – And I’m Not’

February 8, 2019 Race/Identity

Jodie Patterson joins us to talk about what it took for her family to evolve to understand her transgender son’s place in it, which she writes about in “The Bold World: A Memoir of Family and Transformation.”

America Was Built By Black Labor

February 6, 2019 Economics, Race/Identity

Joe William Trotter, Jr., director of the Center for Africanamerican Urban Studies and the Economy at Carnegie Mellon University, joins us to trace the history of black employment, which he writes about in “Workers on Arrival: Black Labor in the Making of America.”

Stereotypes As Keepsakes

February 4, 2019 Current Events, Race/Identity

Chico Colvard joins us to talk about the physical embodiments of racism, the subject of his Independent Lens documentary “Black Memorabilia,” which airs tonight on public television stations.

Fat Shaming Hurts Men, Too

February 1, 2019 Race/Identity

Tommy Tomlinson joins us to talk about his lifelong battle with weight – and about what it’s like to move through the world constantly aware of your size, which he writes about in “The Elephant in the Room: One Fat Man’s Quest to Get Smaller in a Growing America.”

Your Housekeeper Knows Your Secrets

January 31, 2019 Race/Identity

Stephanie Land turned to housekeeping to make ends meet, and she joins us to talk about her relationship to the people she served. Her new memoir is called “Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive.”

Designing For Disability

January 30, 2019 Culture, Race/Identity

Bess Williamson, associate professor of art history, theory and criticism at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, joins us to discuss how design has evolved as it attempts to accommodate all users, which she writes about in “Accessible America: A History of Disability and Design.”

Race/Identity