Glitter & Doom

Activists are using the language of feminism to win support for agendas that have little to do with advancing women's rights. This sneaky new practice is called Embedded Feminism, and on this episode we're unpacking a recent example. Then, with the opening of several high-profile tiki bars in New York and across the country, the tropical kitsch of tiki is once again in vogue. But where does kitsch end and uncomfortable racial appropriation begin? Join us as we Mai Tai one on and discuss...

Steve Bannon gleefully takes credit for inflicting Donald Trump upon the world, and if he has his way, he'll help prop up more populist leaders. A new documentary called "The Brink" brings us closer to the most deplorable of the deplorables. Hear more about the film and the importance of taking a closer look at the Steve Bannons of the world from director Alison Klayman and producer Marie Therese Gurgis.

There’s more to Public Access Television than rabbit puppets, strange psychics and softcore porn. Public Access TV plays a vital role in local governance, democratic participation and providing resources to underserved communities. But a new FCC proposal could put all of that at risk. BRIC’s Tony Riddle tells us what’s at stake for the medium and for BRIC. And then, 20 years after being a Public Access star as a teen, Rainbow Ruthie tries to recapture the magic.  

Kenia, like thousands of other migrant mothers seeking asylum in the U.S., was held in a border detention center before she was called before a judge. After being sentenced to time served for illegally crossing the border, she returned to the detention center to learn that her 9-year-old son had been taken in her absence and sent to a home in Houston. She was told that if she asked any more questions, she would never see him again. Eventually, Kenia and her son were reunited with the help of human rights organizations, and a family in Brooklyn offered them a place to live. Kenia is now in the process of applying for asylum. Hear from Kenia, her lawyer Kate Chaltain, and Kim Chaix, whose family is sheltering Kenia.

If you’d like to help Kenia and her son Michael, you can contribute to their basic necessities here: https://www.gofundme.com/support-for-k-amp-m-asylumseekers-in-brooklyn

We shouldn't abort female fetuses with any more frequency than male fetuses. Seems like a no brainer, right? And that seemingly simple—even seemingly feminist—logic is what anti-abortion lawmakers are relying on when they introduce PRENDA bills. PRENDA stands for Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act, and several states have passed these laws, which criminalize the practice of seeking an abortion based on the sex of the fetus. What could be so bad about that? Lots. To tell us more about why PRENDA laws are particularly insidious and racist, we're joined by two guests from the National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum, Communications and Community Engagement Chair Winnie Ye and NYC organizer  Becca Asaki. Then, a hot-button issue that speaks to the American moral superiority over other counties: In the US, sex-selective abortion is a wedge issue cynically used by anti-choice activists to limit the reproductive rights of women. But in other parts of the world, sex-selective abortion has led to an alarming problems -- a woman shortage to the tune of about 80 million. This has created some devastating consequences for women particularly in Asia, where the shortage is most profound. From Human Rights Watch, we're joined by Liesl Gerntholtz, the Executive Director of their Women's Rights Division.

In 1968, Barbara Ann Teer founded the National Black Theatre Company in Harlem. It was the first revenue-generating black arts institution in the city, and this year, it celebrates its 50th anniversary. Teer's daughter and the company's CEO, Sade Lythcott, join us to talk about the role the National Black Theatre played in the fight for civil rights and its legacy today. Then, female musicians like trombonist Melba Liston, saxophonist Vi Redd, and guitarist Emily Remler didn't get the recognition they deserved in their day. But here to talk about female jazz pioneers and place of women in the genre, and trumpet some of their own work, are saxophonist, educator and bandleader Lakecia Benjamin and flutist and saxophonist Gabrielle Garo, who's participating on The Central Brooklyn Jazz Consortium's panel on women in jazz later this month.

At 12 years old, Chandra Oppenheim was cooler than most adults will ever be. In the 80's, Chandra fronted a post-punk band in downtown New York, gaining rave reviews from the New York Times.  Chandra and her daughter Issa join us to talk about music, New York in the 80's, and their upcoming tour, dates of which can be found on Chandra's Instagram, @getitoutofyoursystem. Then, another generation of Brooklyn youth are putting on a film festival for their peers. Hear from BRIC Youth Media Fellows Taylor Grant and Steeve Hedouville on the work they're doing to celebrate youth media.

Shomari Wills discusses his new book, "Black Fortunes: The Story of the First Six African Americans Who Escaped Slavery and Became Millionaires," and the legacy of these pioneers. Then, the knitting community is experiencing a moment of reckoning around racism. Felicia Eve, owner of the String Thing Studio Park Slope, joins us to talk about creating more inclusive knitting spaces.

After 14 years in Midtown Manhattan, the Center for Fiction has recently moved to the cultural hub of Downtown Brooklyn. To talk about the relocation and the goals of the Center, we’re joined by executive director Noreen Tomassi and Mitchell Jackson, author and former Center fellow. Then, BAM is hosting their fifth annual Caribbean Film Series March 14-17. Co-director Curtis Caesar John and filmmaker Sonteneesh Myers tell us what we can expect this year.

The commercial stretch of Myrtle Avenue near Ft. Greene Park is populated by businesses that seem to be trying to one-up each other with exuberant, punny names. There's the Farmer in the Deli and Gnarly Vines. Buff Patty is not a Crossfit gym for women, but a Jamaican restaurant and bakery. And now, there's a storefront with glittering gold tinsel in the windows and an awning that's hard to miss. It says "Gangstas Making Astronomical Community Changes Inc."—or GMACC. Hear from its founder, Shanduke McPhatter.