Race Capitol

Liberation is a long, intergenerational movement. This week on Race Capitol we discuss the radical struggle for freedom by looking to the past, at the failed Reconstruction Era , to the present, at the looming danger of mass incarceration for Black Youth in the city, and to the future, for advice from the freedom fighters who will inherit our new society. Co-host Naomi Isaac is joined by the voices of Dr. Biko Agozino, counter colonial criminologist and author of “Black Women and the Criminal Justice System”, and Art Burton, Executive Director of Kinfolk Community Empowerment Center, accompanied by the sounds of BYP 100 Choir.

July 1, 2020 Race Capitol takes back pride for all Black Lives during the month of Pride. Host Chelsea Higgs Wise connects to organizers in Seattle to further connect parallels to our fight here in the Capital of the Confederacy.

This episode Chelsea shares voices from Aurora Higgs (she/ they)a performer and Queer Health advocate, Natasha Crosby (she/ her) a Black Pride RVA Board Member, a Seattle LGBTQ Activist Jake Pack (he/ him) and Virginia Organizer for Southerners On New Ground, Rebecca Keel (they/ them).

Hear more about the guests:

Aurora Higgs:

https://evolve-productions.com/aurorahiggs

IG: AuroraWhoIsShe

Twitter: AuroraWhoIsShe

TikTok: AuroraWhoIsShe

YOUTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPJGpBdyINrG_NP4b5KowaA/

CashApp: $Otterhausen

Venmo: @Aurora-Higgs

Natasha Crosby:

@natashadcrosby

@Blackpriderva

Jake Pack:

@itsjakepack

Rebecca Keel:

@campiagn_mama

@ignitekindred

UPDATED REBECCA KEEL INTERVIEW WITH EXCERPTS ON JULY 2*

On June 22, 2020, Black youth organizers announced it was time to #ReclaimRVA by renaming the space known as Richmond City Hall as Reclamation Square . Youth and allies held the space for over 7 hours until the Richmond Police Department and Virginia State Police approached the sit-in where a movie was about to begin in riot gear. The police then started tear gassing and shooting rubber bullets directly at the protestors.

This week some of the youth organizers who are comrades of hosts Kalia Harris and Naomi Isaac join Race Capitol to talk about why that space was chosen, what happened that evening from their perspectives and what could come next for the #RichmondProtests

More from June 22 and our Hosts in the press:

-https://vpm.org/news/articles/14328/how-defunding-the-police-is-translating-into-policy-in-richmond

-https://www.vice.com/en_ca/article/935kp5/police-turned-richmond-virginia-into-a-war-zone-last-night

All sample rights from the episode reserved from original source:

-https://youtu.be/eZmBy7C9gHQ

-https://youtu.be/dFFWTsUqEaY

-https://soundcloud.com/onraewatkins/middle-finger-to-the-law-ft-fresco-steez-byp100-choir-onrae-lateal-mix

Content Warning: This episode contains mentions of police violence, state sponsored terrorism, and white supremacy. Listener discretion is advised.

This week across the country, at least 5 Black people have been found hanging from a tree. As officials claim suicides, the Black community has a memory of such violence in times of progress and per history, those resisting wore a hood or a badge.

One June 7, 2020 a KKK leader in Henrico, Virginia drove his car through a group of protestors with no major injuries. Then on June 13th in Richmond, protestors were shocked to see a RPD SUV drive up on a medium, making contact with protestors but luckily with no injuries.

Both assaulted by vehicles, one by the KKK and one by the RPD but both very similar situations.

We hear from a protestor at each event and the show hosts provide commentary at the end to round out the last couple weeks.

This week we re-center the narrative.

This week all three co-hosts Chelsea Higgs Wise, Kalia Harris and Naomi Isaac, join the mic to talk about the fight for Black lives in Richmond, Virginia. We talk history, context, black youth organizing and whats next.

This week on Race Capitol we are talking about public education! Its budget season in RVA, so we will talk to 3rd district school board member Kenya Gibson, education organizer with Legal Aid Justice Center Brionna Nomi, VCU professor and RFA co-founder Kristin Reed, and director of Virginia Student Power Network, Ibby Han about people-first budgets and public ed.

On May 9, 2020 Me Leonor from the Richmond Times Dispatch reported on the Virginia data was missing the mark (link below). Within the reporting, we learned that John Hopkins Expert Nuzzo said she is troubled by states like Virginia that are lumping together antibody tests with more closely regulated diagnostic tests. She said the mixing of the two types of tests yields a murkier picture of the spread of COVID-19. Mel joins the show to talk more.

On May 14, 20120 the nation heard this reporting that was amplified by The Atlantic (link below) and the next morning a Virginia Coalition to Oppose the Reopening held a press conference. This episode includes the statements from the advocates and workers.

Finally, Dr. Julian Hayter, Associate Professor at University of Richmond and author of The Dream Is Lost: Voting Rights and the Politics of Race in Richmond, Virginia, joins the show to add a historical context on the continuance of political choices that do NOT center the most vulnerable in COVID in the city.

Articles from the episode and to continue the convo:

Leonor RTD: https://www.richmond.com/special-report/coronavirus/virginia-misses-key-marks-on-virus-testing-as-leaders-eye-reopening/article_021e12c6-6d20-5030-9068-4caaeda495f7.html

The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/05/covid-19-tests-combine-virginia/611620/

VA Coalition Press Conference: https://conta.cc/3fQNi2A

Virginia Legislative Black Caucus Opposition: https://www.virginiamercury.com/blog-va/black-caucus-says-it-opposes-gov-northams-plan-to-reopen-virginia-friday/

Michael Paul Williams RTD: VLBC: https://www.virginiamercury.com/blog-va/black-caucus-says-it-opposes-gov-northams-plan-to-reopen-virginia-friday/

Presser: https://conta.cc/3fQNi2A

RTD: https://www.richmond.com/special-report/coronavirus/virginia-misses-key-marks-on-virus-testing-as-leaders-eye-reopening/article_021e12c6-6d20-5030-9068-4caaeda495f7.html

The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/05/covid-19-tests-combine-virginia/611620/

MPW RTD: https://www.richmond.com/news/local/central-virginia/williams-virginia-is-divided-about-reopening-this-pandemic-is-exploiting-our-divisions/article_70282672-dcf1-56b9-8ab4-8dde5edfe007.html

This week, we learn from the black advocates who are working to free our food, communities, and people from oppressive systems. We are joined with Juniper Battle (@wetland_maroon), educator and earthworker from Richmond, VA  about Black farmwork, food justice, and land reparations. Then we hear from Andrea Miller, Co-Executive Director of People Demanding Action, from Caroline County, Virginia, to talk about Virginia’s legacy on environmental racism, as well as the truth about the Rappahannock Electric Cooperative (REC)--one the largest rural cooperatives in the nation. Next, United Parents Against Lead (UNPAL) Founder, Queen Zakia Shabazz, discusses the lead poisoning problem in Richmond, VA, and we reflect on our past governors attempts at correcting racial disparities. We continue our conversation with water organizer, Amaris Mitchell, from the Newark Water Coalition (@cleanwater4newark), to talk about water justice and the unique danger of Black Capitalists. Lastly, we end with remarks from Danville Nati

Race Capitol reflects on one of Richmond, Virginia's greatest tragedy due to police violence but also sparked the start of this platform. Creating people-first reporting started with MDP and we have re-mixed the first episode of Race Capitol from July 2018 to bring you the story and the demands straight from the organizers of Justice and Reformation.