Make It Plain MIP with Rev. Mark Thompson

Dr. Tony Allen is the President of HBCU Delaware State University, as well as Chair of President Biden’s Board of Advisors on HBCUs. 65 HBCU Presidents have sent a letter to the Senate demanding action on President Biden’s historic funding to those universities, and Dr. Allen describes how beneficial that investment is and what needs to be done to make it all happen.

Executive Producer: Adell Coleman

Producer: Brittany Temple

Distributor: DCP Entertainment

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Do you consider education a human right? Kailee Scales is the CEO of Pencils of Promise and she explains in today’s episode that, as human beings, access to education is our birthright. And with Pencils of Promise, she’s leading an organization that is doing the hard work to expand that access, currently working in Laos, Guatemala and Ghana to build more than 500 schools and serve more than 1,000 students. In addition to that, Pencils of Promise seeks to improve and expand education on hygiene programming, clean water and ending menstrual poverty, as these factors all play a part in preventing children from focusing on learning and growing.

Executive Producer: Adell Coleman

Producer: Brittany Temple

Distributor: DCP Entertainment

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Ever since Kyle Rittenhouse was acquitted on charges of murdering two people and injuring another, hostility towards protestors is increasing. Scott Roberts is the Senior Director of Criminal Justice for Color of Change, and in today’s episode he explains that more than 100 bills have popped up in states across the country that seek to strip rights from protestors, and even give more freedom to those who wish to hurt protestors. This response is setting a dangerous precedent, and highlights what we’re already painfully aware of: our legal system has a double-standard problem, and systemic change is overdue.

Executive Producer: Adell Coleman

Producer: Brittany Temple

Distributor: DCP Entertainment

For additional content: makeitplain.com

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Eric Boehlert of Pressrun.media says the media coverage of Vice President Kamala Harris is completely out of hand. In fact, their coverage of Democrats and their alleged troubles with “messaging” is an overall disaster, with seemingly no self-reflection of what role the reporters themselves play in demolishing the aforementioned Democratic messaging. There also wasn’t any reporting on the White House easing the supply chain jam--but at least we’re getting the most important news, which is the hot takes from America’s least favorite governor, the wishy-washy-Trump-lover-hater-maybe-supporter, Chris Christie.

Executive Producer: Adell Coleman

Producer: Brittany Temple

Distributor: DCP Entertainment

For additional content: makeitplain.com

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Mwalim, also known as Dr. Morgan James Peters or even ‘DaPhunkee Professor,’ is a professor of English and Black Studies at UMass Dartmouth and a Mashpee Wampanoag. Wampanoag was the tribe that met with Pilgrims in the story of the “first Thanksgiving,” but that’s about all that traditional American history got right about that first “holiday.” Mwalim gives us the history lesson we should have had in school, starting with the ways colonizers changed tribal affiliations and leading all the way up to capitalism and commerce shaping the way we celebrate Thanksgiving. Come for the amazing storytelling, and stay to find out which celebrity his research leads him to believe is an Apache Indian.

Executive Producer: Adell Coleman

Producer: Brittany Temple

Distributor: DCP Entertainment

For additional content: makeitplain.com

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Jean-Luc Pierite, Director of the North American Indian Center in Boston and member of the United American Indians of New England, shares with us in today’s episode about the National Day of Mourning, which is an annual celebration that seeks to educate people on the myths of Thanksgiving and raise awareness of the ongoing struggles that Native Americans are still facing today. In addition to the day’s details, Jean-Luc talks about fighting back against historicizing Native Americans, because it’s not just about the injustices that have already taken place--it’s about those that are still happening. And are you unsure if you should say Indian, American Indian, Native American, or Indigenous? Well Jean-Luc helps us understand what the most proper and respectful form of reference can be.

Executive Producer: Adell Coleman

Producer: Brittany Temple

Distributor: DCP Entertainment

For additional content: makeitplain.com

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Protecting yourself and your loved ones from COVID-19 this holiday season goes way beyond good handwashing skills and masking up. Dr. C Debra Furr-Holden, Epidemiologist and Associate Dean for Public Health at Michigan State University and Dr. Shanina Knighton, R.N., Infection Preventionist, Clinical Research Scholar at Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University, are here to provide the MOST helpful travel tips that you’ve likely never considered, complete with some mind-blowing airport facts (spoiler alert: their research groups have swabbed those bins you put your luggage in, and it ain’t pretty!). This episode has everything you need to know before you head home for the holidays.

Executive Producer: Adell Coleman

Producer: Brittany Temple

Distributor: DCP Entertainment

For additional content: makeitplain.com

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Closing arguments are happening today in Ahmaud Arbery’s murder trial, as the prosecution seeks justice through the conviction of father-and-son duo Travis and Gregory McMichael, as well as their neighbor William Bryan Jr.. Attorney Barbara Arnwine, who is also the Founder and President of the Transformative Justice Coalition, has been working with Ahmaud’s family and their community since the beginning, and she reports to us about a trial that has been rife with misconduct and failures of the criminal justice system. Just yesterday, the defense made multiple requests to have the Transformative Justice Coalition removed from the courtroom--this is after he asked for Black pastors to be excluded last week. And that’s just a piece of the misconduct pie, and Barbara breaks it down for us and lets us know what we can expect today.

Executive Producer: Adell Coleman

Producer: Brittany Temple

Distributor: DCP Entertainment

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In 2002, Julius Jones was wrongfully convicted of murdering Paul Howell. Last week, on the day of his scheduled execution for a crime he did not commit, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt commuted the death sentence just four hours before he was set to die. It is a victory that Julius’s life has been saved, but now the work continues to free him from prison. Pastor Mike McBride, Founder of Live Free USA and the Black Church PAC, played a large part in fighting for Julius’s life alongside other faith leaders, and he walks us back through the racism that led to Julius's incarceration, the racism of the death penalty itself, and the juxtaposition of faith leaders assisting in Julius's commutation while simultaneously being scrutinized in the trial of the men who murdered Ahmaud Arbery.

Executive Producer: Adell Coleman

Producer: Brittany Temple

Distributor: DCP Entertainment

For additional content: makeitplain.com

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Led by the League of Women Voters and People for the American Way, Mark joined forces with protestors in Washington D.C. to demand President Biden FIX OR NIX THE FILIBUSTER. You’ll hear one-on-one conversations with: April Albright, Legal Director and Chief of Staff at Black Voters Matter Fund; Judith Brown Dianis, Executive Director of the Advancement Project; Rev. Tim McDonald, Chair of the Board for People for the American Way; Senator Lena Taylor of Wisconsin; Cliff Albright, Co-Founder of Black Voters Matter, and Wes Bellamy, Co-Chair of Our Black Party; and a closing word from Rev. Dr. WIlliam Barber II.

Executive Producer: Adell Coleman

Producer: Brittany Temple

Distributor: DCP Entertainment

For additional content: makeitplain.com

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