Black Agenda Radio 06.21.21

Welcome to the radio magazine that brings you news, commentary andanalysis from a Black Left perspective. I’m Margaret Kimberley, along with my co-hostGlen Ford. Coming up: Joe Biden made his international presidential debut at the G7meeting, proclaiming that “America is Back,” and meeting the Queen of England. Butwhat does that mean for the future of the world? Journalist Richard Medhurst provides apolitical analysis. And, New York State Assemblyman and former Black Panther CharlesBarron has mixed feelings on legalization of marijuana.

But first -- What’s the ultimate cost when Black social movements accept corporatefunding? This month, Dr. Joy James, professor of humanities at Williams College,moderated a summit meeting of activists and organizers on Accountability in Social JusticeMovements. The founders of Black Lives Matter report they amassed $90 million, much of it lastyear from corporate philanthropists following the George Floyd protests. What does the donorclass hope to get in return? Dr. James put the issue in historical perspective.

That was Dr. Joy James, speaking from Williams College.The G7 nations held their annual meeting this month, to much fanfare. A gaggle of Europeannations, plus the US, Canada and Japan, consider themselves to be world leaders. But anotherway of looking at the G7, is a collection of white settler regimes and former and present colonialpowers. We spoke with Richard Medhurst, an independent journalist and political commentatorwho was born in Damascus, Syria. Here’s how he views the G7.

That was Journalist Richard Medhurst, speaking from Vienna, Austria.Charles Barron, the former Black Panther and current New York State Assemblymanfrom the neighborhood of East New York, took part in a webinar on legalization ofmarijuana, organized by the Black Is Back Coalition for Social Justice, Peace andReparations. The session was called “Reefer Madness” – which kind of sums upCharles Barron’s view of the matter.