A Word … with Jason Johnson

Black farmers scored a major victory in the Covid relief package, winning billions of dollars in aid. The farmers call it fairness. Some Republicans call it reparations. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by John Boyd Jr. to talk about what this relief means for Black farmers across the country. Boyd is the founder and president of the National Black Farmers Association, and says the time is now for the Biden administration to make up for decades of government discrimination.

Guest: John Boyd Jr., founder, and president of the National Black Farmers Association

Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis

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Editor's Note: This episode misstated former US Rep. John Conyers' role in Congress. He was a member of the US House of Representatives, not a Senator.

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After historic Black turnout flipped Georgia, Republican Gov. Brian Kemp signed a new law that could hit Black and other voters of color hard. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by LaTosha Brown. She is the co-founder of Black Voters Matter, one of the groups that helped Democrats win Georgia at the Senate and presidential level. They discuss how activists are fighting back against this new controversial law.

Guest: LaTosha Brown, co-founder of Black Voters Matter

Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis

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The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is the latest example of Black characters taking on the mantle of comic book superheroes. On this week’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by professor and award-winning comic book artist John Jennings. Jennings is also the curator of the ABRAMS Megascope line of graphic novels. They discuss the importance of Black characters winning more power in comic books, and why Black superheroes still have to deal with microaggressions and overt racism.

Guest: John Jennings, a professor of Media and Culture Studies at the University of California Riverside and an award-winning comic book artist. He is also the curator of the ABRAMS Megascope line of graphic novels.

Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis

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On today’s episode of A Word, host Jason Johnson discusses how the recent water crisis that struck Jackson, Mississippi has become an everyday consequence of inequality in many rural Black communities. His guest is MacArthur “Genius” Catherine Coleman Flowers. She is the author of “Waste: One Woman’s Fight Against America’s Dirty Secret.” They talk about environmental justice and how access to safe drinking water is an issue throughout the nation.

Guest: Catherine Coleman Flowers, author of “Waste: One Woman’s Fight Against America’s Dirty Secret,” and a winner of a 2020 MacArthur Genius Grant. She’s currently helping to lead a project to survey problems with the nation’s water system.

Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis

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On today’s episode of A Word, host Jason Johnson discusses the death of Breonna Taylor, one year later, with Kentucky State Representative Attica Scott. She’s the author of Breonna’s Law, which would ban no-knock warrants, like the one used by the police who killed Taylor. 

Guest: Representative Attica Scott, a state lawmaker for Kentucky’s 41st District and author of Breonna’s law. 

Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis

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On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson discusses cancel culture with Professor Loretta Ross. Professor Ross teaches a course titled White Supremacy, Human Rights and Calling In the Calling Out Culture as a visiting associate professor at Smith College. They talk about the role cancel culture plays in society and politics, and if there’s a better way to hold powerful people accountable.  

Guest: Loretta Ross, associate visiting professor at Smith College.

Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis

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On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by national security analyst Malcolm Nance to discuss how the Capitol insurrection illuminated ties between violent white nationalists and US law enforcement. They address why white supremacists groups find some willing recruits in the military service and the police, and what officials are doing to stop it. 

Guest: Malcolm Nance, national security and counterterrorism analyst for MSNBC and the author of The Plot to Betray America: How Team Trump Embraced Our Enemies, Compromised Our Security, and How We Can Fix It.

Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis

You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now for just $1 for your first month. Click here for more info.

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From Slate Podcasts, A Word with Jason Johnson shines a light on the facts, the history, and the reality of how race plays out in our politics and society.

Every Friday, veteran political commentator Jason Johnson will bring his sharp analysis to discussions with policy-makers, journalists, entertainers, and other experts about America’s challenges around race, and ideas on the way forward.

Episodes available starting Friday, February 26th.

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