50. Freedom Readers: Why Kids Should Learn About Racism

50. Freedom Readers: Why Kids Should Learn About Racism

Author: African American Policy Forum November 28, 2022 Duration: 50:10
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

Hosted by Kimberlé Crenshaw, who coined the term itself, Intersectionality Matters! brings the framework of intersectionality from academic theory into the heart of contemporary conversation. This podcast, presented by the African American Policy Forum, examines how overlapping social identities-such as race, gender, class, and sexuality-shape individual experiences of discrimination and privilege. Crenshaw, a foundational scholar of critical race theory, guides listeners through nuanced discussions that connect legal analysis, current events, and cultural critique. Each episode tackles pressing issues in the news, from voting rights and economic justice to political movements and pop culture, demonstrating how a single-axis view of inequality often falls short. The dialogue here is rigorous yet accessible, featuring conversations with activists, thinkers, and community organizers who are on the front lines. Listening to this podcast provides the analytical tools to understand the complex, interconnected nature of power in our society. It’s a space where the personal, the political, and the structural collide, offering clarity on why seeing problems through an intersectional lens is not just an intellectual exercise but a necessity for meaningful advocacy and change. You’ll hear deep dives into policy, law, and the stories that define our moment, all grounded in the reality that our struggles and liberations are deeply linked.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Intersectionality Matters!
Podcast Episodes
82. Linked, Not Ranked: Remembering Gloria Steinem [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:40
Honouring the life and legacy of Gloria Steinem, host Kimberlé Crenshaw is joined by scholars Beverly Guy-Sheftall and Salamishah Tillet for an intimate conversation about the ways Steinem touched their lives, and affect…
81. Backtalking with Jamilah Lemieux [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:42
Host Kimberlé Crenshaw and author Jamilah Lemieux reflect on how it feels to release their first memoirs. On the heeels of the release of Backtalker: An American Memoir, author Kimberlé Crenshaw embarks on a series of co…
80. Whose America? Whose Story? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:09
America turns 250—the momentous milestone comes to us cloaked in surreality. Anniversaries usually ask us to remember. This one asks whether we are willing to remember everything. This episode explores why, after two and…
79. Introducing Backtalker: an American Memoir [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:12
Host Kimberlé Crenshaw and celebrated legal professor Cheryl Harris discuss the creative process and anticipated release of Crenshaw's latest book, Backtalker: An American Memoir. Crenshaw’s memoir traces the way her liv…
78. Misogynoir, Basketball, and the Art of Accountability [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:54
Host Kimberlé Crenshaw is joined by award-winning radio host Dr. Kaye Wise Whitehead and playwright and feminist activist V (formerly Eve Ensler), author of The Apology. Together they discuss the 2026 NCAA Women's Final…
76. The Story of Us 2026, Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:06
This episode is an act of recovery, uplifting the artistic careers that McCarthyism upended through an immersive blend of conversation and artivism performances. This is part two. Click here for part one. Host Kimberlé C…
75. Unfinished Business: Racial Justice After Jesse Jackson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:01
This episode explores the life and legacy of Jesse Jackson—from organizing alongside Martin Luther King Jr. to building the Rainbow PUSH Coalition and reshaping the American electorate through his historic presidential c…
74. The Story of Us 2026, Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:17
This episode is an act of recovery, uplifting the artistic careers that McCarthyism upended through an immersive blend of conversation and artivism performances. Host Kimberlé Crenshaw is joined by award-winning filmmake…
73.  The Sounds of Us [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:35
Music has long been central to the fight for freedom—the rhythmic heartbeat of the struggle for justice. From Beyoncé to Shaboozey to L’il Nas X and Ryan Coogler’s Sinners, Black artists have sparked a much-needed conver…