Aca-Media is back to ring in 2019! Join our hosts Michael Kackman and guest host Stephanie Brown as they explore what it means to build and nurture communities inside and outside academia. We first talk with scholar/filmmaker/activist/all-around legend B. Ruby Rich from UC-Santa Cruz about her illustrious career, representation and diversity in academia and industry, Film Quarterly and cross-cultural exchange, and the “dignity of the image” in a global context. We then hear from Derek Kompare on his experience as chair of the SMU Meadows Film and Media Arts department. We delve into the administrative, social, and even emotional aspects of this rewarding and critical role, providing some guidance on how to make it a success.