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
45. Was This the Last Black History Month? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:51
In this episode, Kimberlé is joined by thought leaders Jelani Cobb, Sherrilyn Ifill, and Cornel West, who share their perspectives on the threats to Black history and realization of Black freedom. The conversation is anc…
44. Drag At The Intersection [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:14
In this episode, Kimberlé is joined by Bob the Drag Queen for a conversation full of critique and celebration of all things drag. Having once existed at the margins of legality and social acceptability, drag has now move…
43. The Neverending Insurrection: Legacies of January 6th [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:17:05
In this episode, Kimberlé is joined by an all-star panel to examine not merely the details of the shocking January 6th insurrection, but also the key undercurrents of racial resentment and right-wing authoritarianism tha…
42. Educators Ungagged: Teaching Truth in the Era of Racial Backlash [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:57
For the last year, we have been surrounded by debates on Critical Race Theory spurred by the Right's organized, widespread campaign to stifle anti-racist education. For all of this debate, though, we hardly ever get to h…
41. Believing Her: The Clarence Thomas/Anita Hill Hearings at 30 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:44
Thirty years ago this week, Anita Hill sat across an all-male, all-white Senate Judiciary Committee to testify that her boss, Supreme Court Justice nominee Clarence Thomas, had sexually harassed her. A historic moment th…
39. The Insurgent Origins of Critical Race Theory [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:18:34
Over the past year, Critical Race Theory has been increasingly misrepresented by the Right in an organized, widespread effort to stifle racial justice and gender equity, and weaken our multiracial democracy. In response…
38. Engendering the Politics of the Black Athlete [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:07
When we think about the history of Black athletic resistance, we don't tend to think of Black women athletes like Wyomia Tyus, Rose Robinson, or Wilma Rudolph, who have all taken great risks to speak out against racial i…
37. Black Women's Health Through the Twin Pandemics [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:39
On today’s episode, Kimberlé and a group of leading champions for equitable healthcare take us behind the “white coat” of medical racism, and explore its disproportionate impact on Black women and girls. Guests share the…