70. How Anti-Blackness Destroys Democracy

70. How Anti-Blackness Destroys Democracy

Author: African American Policy Forum October 15, 2025 Duration: 1:16:37
As we slide into autocracy, disparities impacting Black Americans are being ignored while Black excellence is actively erased from our workplaces, museums, and history books. These attacks are no longer cloaked with dog whistles. They're happening in plain sight, and endangering our health, eliminating our jobs, and gutting our civil rights infrastructure. Despite the scale of this attack, the response remains muted—even within our own communities. What must we do to sound the alarm and ensure that others hear it? Where do we go from here? Featuring: Kimberlé Crenshaw, African American Policy Forum Melanie Campbell, Convener of Black Women's Roundtable Evelynn Hammonds, Barbara Gutmann Rosenkrantz Professor of the History of Science and Professor of African and African American Studies Lisa Coleman, President of Adler University Kaye Wise Whitehead, President & CEO National Coalition on Black Civic Participation (NCBCP)

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
55. Who gets to be a hero in the story of America? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:29
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:…
54. #SayHerName: the Art of Bearing Witness on the Page and Stage [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:24
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 t…
53. All My Heroes Were Stolen From Me [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:15
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…
52. Democracy at Stake - Fighting for the Freedom to Learn [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:40
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…
51. #SayHerName: I Am My Sister's Keeper [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:17
**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, shar…
50. Freedom Readers: Why Kids Should Learn About Racism [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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 i…
49. We Won't Black Down: Why Black Voters Matter [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:00
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 s…
48. Books Unbanned: From Freedom Riders to Freedom Readers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:20
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…
47. Freedom Summer 2022: Teaching Truth to Power [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:01
Drawing on the history of Freedom Summer, the African American Policy Forum launched its Critical Race Theory Summer School in 2020 as a response to the state-sanctioned murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and countl…
46. Yes, We Still Need To Talk About Cosby [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:22
In this episode, Kimberlé is joined by W. Kamau Bell, director of the four-part documentary series We Need to Talk About Cosby. Together, the two use an intersectional lens to explore Bill Cosby's descent from his seemin…