Our New South

On this special bonus episode of Our New South, Charlotte City Councilwoman Dimple Ajmera joins hosts Kevin Blackistone and Dr. Robert Greene II to discuss her journey from an immigrant to becoming the first Asian-American woman elected to the Charlotte City Council, how Southern cities can balance artificial intelligence growth with environmental commitments, and what it means to choose the South as home."

Born in Surat, India, Dimple Ajmera immigrated to Durham, North Carolina at age 16 unable to speak English. After graduating with an accounting degree from the University of Southern California, she earned her Certified Public Accountant license and built a successful corporate finance career managing multi-million dollar projects for major firms including Deloitte and TIAA. A sudden personal tragedy in 2013 led her to leave the corporate sector to dedicate her life to public service. Now serving as an At-Large Representative and a working mother of two, Councilwoman Ajmera continues to champion affordable housing, public safety, and environmental sustainability—most notably leading the adoption of Charlotte's historic Strategic Energy Action Plan."

Learn more about City Councilwoman Dimple Ajmera:
https://www.dimpleajmera.com/

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Scholar, author, and Princeton University professor Dr. Eddie Glaude, Jr. joins Kevin Blackistone and Robert Greene II on this episode of Our New South to explore the region as a moral metaphor for the United States. Glaude shares stories of his hardworking parents, the pivotal role Morehouse College played in his intellectual journey, and how writing about James Baldwin forced him to finally reckon with his own complex relationship to the South.

Glaude is the James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor at Princeton University and a familiar face as a regular contributor on MSNBC's Morning Joe. He is the bestselling author of several essential texts, including Begin Again: James Baldwin's America and his latest call to action, We Are the Leaders We Have Been Looking For. He also serves on the board of Deep South Today, a non-profit network of local newsrooms dedicated to preserving investigative journalism in his home state and beyond.

Links:

Read Dr. Glaude's book We Are the Leaders We Have Been Looking For: https://www.hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674737600

Read Dr. Glaude's book Begin Again: James Baldwin's America: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/575725/begin-again-by-eddie-s-glaude-jr/

Learn more about Deep South Today: https://deepsouthtoday.org/

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Former Senator Doug Jones joins Kevin Blackistone and Robert Greene II for a special live event hosted by Levine Museum of the New South, where he reflects on prosecuting the 16th Street Baptist Church bombers, his historic 2017 Senate victory, and his vision for an Alabama that resembles a "crowded table" where everyone belongs.

Recorded in front of a live audience at the historic Carolina Theatre in Charlotte, North Carolina, this conversation explores how the experience of growing up in a segregated steel town near Birmingham shaped Doug Jones, his political ambitions and eventual pursuit of justice. He also discusses the importance of bipartisanship and why he defines the "New South" not by its skyscrapers, but by the courageous, post-Jim Crow leaders who reached across racial lines.

Currently running for governor of Alabama, Jones is the author of Bending Toward Justice, a book about his time as a lawyer and prosecutor. As U.S. Attorney, he famously prosecuted Eric Rudolph, the Centennial Olympic bomber, as well as the two Ku Klux Klan members responsible for the tragic 1963 16th Street Baptist Church bombing. He also served as a U.S. Senator and remains the last Democrat to win a statewide office in Alabama. In that role, he demonstrated a profound commitment to bipartisanship by successfully passing over two dozen pieces of legislation into law with Republican co-sponsors. Sharing his ongoing fight for equality and voting rights, he urges younger generations to get out of their political corners.

Links

Learn more about Doug Jones: https://www.dougjones.com/

Purchase Doug Jones' Memoir "Bending Toward Justice": https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250316462/bendingtowardjustice/

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Learn more about Levine Museum of the New South: https://www.museumofthenewsouth.org/

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Chef Sara Bradley joins Kevin Blackistone and Robert Greene II to discuss how her upbringing in Paducah, Kentucky, a cultural crossroads at the confluence of the Tennessee and Ohio rivers, shaped her unique approach to Southern cuisine. Bradley shares stories of growing up in a fusion of cultures, blending her mother's Eastern European Jewish heritage with her father's Appalachian roots, as well as her choice to return to "small-town" Paducah to invest in her local community.

Bradley is the owner and head chef of Freight House, a seasonal restaurant in Paducah, and a James Beard Award semi-finalist. Widely recognized for her television appearances, she represented Kentucky on Bravo's Top Chef and won the Food Network's Chopped: Legends tournament. Beyond the kitchen, Bradley is deeply involved in community service and ecosystem ethics, partnering with local farmers to create sustainable supply chains, fighting food insecurity alongside organizations like the Lee Initiative, and utilizing invasive species like silver carp to protect local waterways.

Links:

Learn more about Sara Bradley: https://chefsarabradley.com/

Visit Frieght House in Paducah, Kentucky: https://freighthousefood.com/

Donate to support this podcast! https://museumofthenewsouth.kindful.com/

Learn more about Levine Museum of the New South: https://www.museumofthenewsouth.org/

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Gina Chavez joins Kevin Blackistone and Robert Greene II to discuss how growing up in the eclectic musical hub of Austin, Texas, shaped her genre-bending sound and her perspective on the "New South." Chavez reflects on her journey as a Latin American who connected deeply with her roots through music and instrumentation. She also shares her experiences reconciling her queer identity with her Catholic upbringing, arguing that true belonging comes from embracing all parts of oneself.

Gina is a Latin Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter whose music intentionally blends English and Spanish with influences ranging from folk to Nueva Trova. She co-founded the Niñas Arriba College Fund, an organization that provides full college scholarships, housing, and paid internships to young women in El Salvador.

Learn more about Gina Chavez: https://www.ginachavez.com/

Donate to the Niñas Arriba College Fund: https://www.ninasarriba.org/

Donate to support this podcast! https://museumofthenewsouth.kindful.com/

Learn more about Levine Museum of the New South: https://www.museumofthenewsouth.org/

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Michael Twitty joins Kevin Blackistone and Robert Greene II to dismantle binary definitions of Southern identity. Twitty explores the intersection of his African American and Jewish heritage, describing how he blends Seder plates with soul food in what he calls "Kosher Soul". He also discusses the impact of the Great Migration on American culture, and shares why he views recipes as a blueprint for cultural sovereignty.

Twitty is a renowned culinary historian, living history interpreter, and the James Beard Award-winning author of The Cooking Gene. His other works include Rice, Kosher Soul, and his latest release, Recipes from the American South. A creator of the blog Afroculinaria, Twitty is dedicated to preserving African American foodways and currently collaborates with Colonial Williamsburg on the Sankofa Heritage Garden to restore ancestral agricultural practices.

Links:

Learn more about Michael Twitty and Afroculinaria: https://afroculinaria.com/

Check out Michael Twitty's latest book, Recipes from the American South: https://www.phaidon.com/en-us/products/recipes-from-the-american-south

Donate to support this podcast! https://museumofthenewsouth.kindful.com/

Learn more about Levine Museum of the New South: https://www.museumofthenewsouth.org/

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Renowned vocalist and composer Lizz Wright joins Kevin Blackistone and Robert Greene II on this episode of Our New South to discuss how the spiritual and sonic landscapes of the region define her music. Wright reflects on the deep connection between storytelling, the church, and the resilience of Black American culture, describing the New South as a place of adaptation and survival.

Wright first gained national attention with her critically acclaimed debut album, Salt, in 2003. In 2022, she launched her own independent label, Blues & Greens Records. Beyond music, she is a culinary artist and co-founder of Carver 47 Food & Wellness Market in Chicago, a space inspired by the legacy of Dr. George Washington Carver that blends art, food, and community wellness.

Learn more about Lizz Wright and Blues & Greens Records: https://www.lizzwright.net/

Learn more about Carver 47 Food & Wellness Market: https://www.carver47.com/

Donate to support this podcast! https://museumofthenewsouth.kindful.com/

Learn more about Levine Museum of the New South: https://www.museumofthenewsouth.org/

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Daniel Suárez joins Kevin Blackistone and Robert Greene II to discuss his unlikely rise from a working-class family in Monterrey, México to the pinnacle of American stock car racing. Suárez details the culture shock of moving to the U.S. without speaking English, his rivalry and camaraderie with Bubba Wallace, and why he views the "New South" as a place defined by inclusion rather than the "Old South" past.

Suárez is the driver of the No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet and serves as Mexico's ambassador in the NASCAR Cup Series. He made history in 2016 as the first driver born outside the United States to win a major NASCAR championship and later became the first Mexican-born driver to win a Cup Series race. Recently sworn in as a U.S. citizen, he is actively involved in community outreach, visiting schools to inspire Latino youth to define their own path to the American Dream.

Learn more about Daniel Suárez: https://danielsuarezracing.com/

Donate to support this podcast! https://museumofthenewsouth.kindful.com/

Learn more about Levine Museum of the New South: https://www.museumofthenewsouth.org/

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Scholar, author, and co-founder of the Crunk Feminist Collective Dr. Brittney Cooper joins Kevin Blackistone and Robert Greene II on this episode of Our New South to discuss how growing up in Ruston, Lousiana shaped her bold approach to feminism and politics. Cooper challenges the idea that only big cities produce big ideas, arguing that the rural South is a place of deep intellect and resistance. She also discusses the legacy of historic "Race Women" addresses urgent modern battles, from fighting book bans to facing the reality of climate change in the region.

Cooper is a Professor of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Rutgers University. She is the New York Times bestselling author of Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower and Beyond Respectability: The Intellectual History of Race Women. A frequent contributor to outlets like MSNBC and NPR, she is also currently working on a children’s book series to continue the tradition of educating Black youth.

For all things Brittney Cooper go to | https://linktr.ee/BrittneyCooper?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=c7d2d194-0f53-4a9b-a90e-dcbfceb2c234

Brittney's New York Times bestseller Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower | https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33574165-eloquent-rage

Brittney's first book Beyond Respectability: The Intellectual Thought of Race Women | https://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/?id=p082481

Donate to support this podcast! https://museumofthenewsouth.kindful.com/

Learn more about Levine Museum of the New South. https://www.museumofthenewsouth.org/

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Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost joins the hosts to discuss how a decade of grassroots organizing and a commitment to progressive ideals paved the way for his historic election, arguing that his victory is a reflection of a resilient legacy of youth-led resistance unique to the broader South. Frost connects his success not just to his generation, but to the region's history of civil rights activism, suggesting that the South remains a critical battleground worth fighting for.

Before entering Congress, Frost served as a National Organizer with the ACLU and was a prominent leader in the March for Our Lives movement, activism sparked by his early volunteer work with the Newtown Action Alliance. His current legislative agenda focuses on combating the climate crisis and ending predatory junk fees through the introduction of the EPIIC Act. Additionally, he continues to drive civic engagement and youth voter turnout through creative cultural initiatives like his annual MadSoul Music and Arts Festival.

Learn more about Representative Maxwell Frost: https://frost.house.gov/

Donate to support this podcast! https://museumofthenewsouth.kindful.com/

Learn more about Levine Museum of the New South here. https://www.museumofthenewsouth.org/

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