In the third episode of this four-part series, author of Performing Female Blackness Dr. Naila Keleta-Mae describes the modes of engagement she employs in her book, research, and creative works. A multidisciplinary artist and Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Arts at the University of Waterloo, Naila combines academic prose with artistic mediums—poetry, play excerpts, song compositions—to demonstrate their unique uses and strengths. As she explains, academic text allows for extensive citations, connections to fellow researchers, and the opportunity to flesh out theory; song, on the other hand, grants an efficiency in language and power in refrain or melody. In addition, Naila shares her hopes for how readers will interpret and relate to Performing Female Blackness. This episode also features a clip of Naila’s song “Free,” which is off her album Fire Woman and included in the book.

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