BBC's One Block in Harlem

Although it starts off with a questionable introduction about the subject matter: "Harlem: It means ghetto, political activism, impoverished despair" it is worth hearing my former master's thesis advisor, scholarly mentor, the late Manning Marable's analysis of the historic meaning of Harlem in the black imaginary.

"Harlem was a school for civic education"-Manning Marable

Part 1:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/mobile/documentaries/2011/02/110202_one_block_harlem_tx_1.shtml

Part 2:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/mobile/documentaries/2011/02/110208_one_block_in_harlem_tx_2.shtml

"This won't give you back Congo"

If you don't know about the world's deadliest conflict since WWII, let these youths school you"

Interview with "There is No Spoon" blog on Malcolm X with Dumi Lewis, Zaheer Ali, Fouad Perez, Ibrahim Abdul-Matin, and Fatima Ashraf

I was invited by the good people at "There Is No Spoon: Cliff Notes for the World Now" blog to join in on this historic conversation about something that has turned out to be my quarter life's work (podcast is located at the end of this post, or click on the podcast hyperlink to be re-directed to the post on TINS blog):

Podcast Episode 5: Malcolm X and Hero Worship

On this episode of There is No Spoon we discuss the legacy of Malcolm X. X has become an icon of human rights activism, Pan-Africanism and Islam. Panelists Dumi L'Heureux Lewis (City College of New York), Fatima Ashraf (Community Activist), Fouad Pervez (Georgetown University), Ibrahim Abdul-Matin (Author of Green Deen),Mayatha Alhassen (University of Southern California) and Zaheer Ali(Columbia University) discuss the recent publication of Manning Marable's "Malcolm X: A Life of Re-Invention" and its influence on X's legacy.

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My interview with DJ Halal on One Legacy Radio

It's clickable!

Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention

Thanks to DJ Halal for inviting me on and for designing a great set of questions.

The UCLA Rant seen 'round the world

In spite of the fact that UCLA poli-sci student Alexandra Wallace made the decision to remove an ill-conceived youtube "rant" titled "Asians in the Library" and issue an apology, a re-posted copy has already reached close to a million views on youtube and inspired many responses and spoofs. Demonstrating white privilege at its finest, Wallace simplifies Asian students into one monolithic category who's right to be admitted to UCLA and to be considered "American" she resolutely calls into question without the blink of an eyelash. I cannot wait to show my students this tape so we can un-package her rhetorical convictions. Take a look for yourself and let me know what you think:


Here is a response from a non-UCLA student:

MY USC EDUCATION FOR FREE (new series): Race the Power of an Illusion

I first watched this series as an undergrad at UCLA in my African American Politics class. Some years later, the central arguments in the film about the legal and political significance behind the construction of race and whiteness in the US, remain as a part of my lexicon.

If you are even remotely interested in the construction of RACE in the US and have a modicum of knowledge about US legal and political history on citizenship, naturalization, and public policy like the post-WWII GI Bill, you need to watch this film (available online for viewing). My students are watching it as we speak:

http://video.nku.edu/index.php/videos?task=viewvideo&video_id=1180

and please take a look at the producer's recommended resources, and maybe even take the test:
http://www.pbs.org/race/000_General/000_00-Home.htm