Representation in Cinema

Hello pod! Entering its 15th year committed to uplifting Palestinian voices and stories is the Witness Palestine Film Festival. The Witness Palestine Film Festival is the primary project of Rochester Witness for Palestine, a nonprofit that seeks justice and liberation for the people of Palestine wherever they may be. Rochester Witness for Palestine 's motto "Come and see, go and tell" applies also to the work of WPFF, which aims to provide a space for reflection and discussion, as well as tools for action and change.

The Witness Palestine Film Festival Committee includes activists involved in interfaith and Palestinian solidarity work. As a member organization of the Rochester Committee to End Apartheid, Rochester Witness for Palestine is dedicated to growing the movement for Palestinian freedom in Rochester and across the globe.

On the podcast, we have two folks on the Witness Palestine Film Festival Organizing Committee: Cole Seidl and Casey Asprooth-Jackson.

Make sure y’all pull up and support the Witness Palestine Film Festival starting November 14. Visit wpff.us to grab your tickets! We better see y’all there!

Listeners, we’ll have information about our guests and the festival in the show notes or the description below if you’re watching on YouTube. Wherever you’re listening from, hit that subscribe button, give us a 5-star rating, share this episode and leave a comment to let us know what you thought of tonight’s episode. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, & Threads.

Visit ourvoicesproject.com and sign up for our newsletter for more information about what we do. We’ll be back with more spoiler specials from the Witness Palestine Film Festival.

Mentioned in this episode:

Our Voices Project - Land Acknowledgement

Joe Bean Roasters

Visit joebeanroasters.com to get fresh roasted specialty coffee either by the bag or with a Perpetual Joy subscription!

Hey pod and Happy Thursday! November is Native American Heritage Month and Dryden Theatre is presenting five films center Indigenous voices of Turtle Island throughout the month. These screenings are free and open to the public. Visit eastman.org/native-american-cinematic-heritage to learn more and to see the full lineup for the month.

This is the 1st spoiler special in the Native American Cinematic Heritage Series discussing the film, Smoke Signals (1998), which screened yesterday. This film was originally promoted as the first feature written, directed, produced, and acted by Native Americans. But first-time director Eyre's handling of Sherman Alexie's witty screenplay transcends such easy labels. This coming-of-age movie is about an unlikely friendship between two young men on a road trip off their reservation. Together, they try to make sense of their haunted pasts. Premiering at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won two awards, the film brings incredible performances by Gary Farmer of Cayuga, Wolf Clan, Adam Beach of Plains Ojibwe & Anishinaabe from Dog Creek First Nation Reserve, Tantoo Cardinal of Cree and Metis, Elaine Miles of Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Irene Bedard of Inupiat and Yup'ik Nations and Evan Adams of Tla’amin Nation to form a multi-generational story of grief and redemption.

I’m joined in studio by co-host and Outreach Facilitator for Our Voices Project, Courtney Fleming. Courtney is also the producer of our short film that we’re turning into a docuseries, This Is My Grandmother, a story about two Indigenous families—one from the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin and one from the Tuscarora Nation—interviewing each other across three generations. You can learn more information on our website at ourvoicesproject.com/thisismygrandmother.

Back on the podcast tonight to discuss the film is Ronald Garrow. Ronald Garrow is Akwesasne Mohawk, Bear Clan, and Executive Director of Indigenous Peoples Center in Rochester, NY.

His commitment to service also includes local environmentalism and neighborhood improvement initiatives. He has participated in community cleanup efforts along the Genesee River Trail, helping promote environmental stewardship, protect local natural resources, and encourage community responsibility for maintaining the beauty and accessibility of public spaces. He believes caring for the environment is an extension of caring for the community and preserving the land for future generations. Over the last several years, Ron has played an important role in advancing Indigenous visibility and cultural understanding, including efforts surrounding the recognition and celebration of Indigenous Peoples' Day in Rochester and Irondequoit where he helped bring greater recognition to Haudenosaunee history, heritage, and contributions through community and educational initiatives.

We have the Curator of Film Exhibitions at The Dryden Theatre, Jared Case. Dryden Theatre, a 500-seat premiere space at George Eastman Museum, is devoted to showing all films in their original formats, thus honoring and reproducing their historical—and aesthetically supreme—modes of exhibition. It is one of the very few theaters in the world equipped for the projection of original nitrate film that also makes nitrate film screenings part of its regular program. Learn more at eastman.org and you can also follow Dryden Theatre on Instagram here.

Wherever you’re listening from, hit that subscribe button, give us a 5-star rating, share this episode and leave a comment to let us know what you thought of tonight’s episode. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, & Threads.

Visit ourvoicesproject.com and sign up for our newsletter for more information about what we do. We’ll be back with more spoiler specials from both the Native American Cinematic Heritage series as well as the Witness Palestine Film Series, both of which have programming at Dryden Theatre.

Mentioned in this episode:

Our Voices Project - Land Acknowledgement

Hey pod and Happy Thursday! This is the 5th and final spoiler special in the ¡Presente! Latin Film Series discussing the film, La Strada (1954).

If you missed any of the other spoiler specials from the ¡Presente! Latin Film Series, be sure to go back and listen to those episodes. As far as where you can watch each film, you can find that info below:

The Long, Long Trailer: You can watch the film for free on Tubi: https://tubitv.com/movies/100019816/the-long-long-trailer?startPos=1

Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925): You can watch the film for free here: https://youtu.be/X1oY4M26TjE?si=3V44Spx2RJdystyF

Zoot Suit: The film is available for rent on Prime, Fandango, Apple TV, or Google Play.

Addams Family Values: The film is available to watch for free on Pluto TV. Otherwise, you can rent on Prime, Fandango, Apple TV, or Google Play.

La Strada: You can watch the film here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvrPIJadNsY

Directed by Federico Fellini, La Strada follows Gelsomina (Giulietta Masina), a naïve young woman, who is purchased from her impoverished mother by brutish circus strongman Zampanò (Anthony Quinn) to be his wife and partner. Throughout the film, she loyally endures her husband’s coldness and abuse as they travel the Italian countryside performing together. Soon Zampanò must deal with his jealousy and conflicted feelings about Gelsomina when she finds a kindred spirit in Il Matto, the carefree circus fool, and contemplates leaving Zampanò.

**Episode Correction: Anthony Quinn was born in Chihuahua, Mexico (so yes he was born in America, NOT the United States).

Back on the podcast tonight is Curator of Film Exhibitions at The Dryden Theatre, Jared Case. Visit eastman.org/dryden-theatre to find out about more series and talks coming up at Dryden Theater in Rochester, NY.

Wherever you’re listening from, hit that subscribe button, give us a 5-star rating, share this episode and leave a comment to let us know what you thought of tonight’s episode. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, & Threads.

Visit ourvoicesproject.com and sign up for our newsletter for more information about what we do. We’ll be back with more episodes every Thursday with old and newly released movies that center Black, Brown, and Indigenous folks, general movie news, and interviews with film festival programmers/curators, film critics, and filmmakers!

Mentioned in this episode:

Joe Bean Roasters

Visit joebeanroasters.com to get fresh roasted specialty coffee either by the bag or with a Perpetual Joy subscription!

Our Voices Project - Land Acknowledgement

Hey pod and Happy Thursday! This is the 4th spoiler special in the ¡Presente! Latin Film Series discussing the film, Addams Family Values (1993).

If you missed any of the other spoiler specials from the ¡Presente! Latin Film Series, be sure to go back and listen to those episodes. As far as where you can watch each film, you can find that info below:

The Long, Long Trailer: You can watch the film for free on Tubi: https://tubitv.com/movies/100019816/the-long-long-trailer?startPos=1

Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925): You can watch the film for free here: https://youtu.be/X1oY4M26TjE?si=3V44Spx2RJdystyF

Zoot Suit: The film is available for rent on Prime, Fandango, Apple TV, or Google Play.

Addams Family Values: The film is available to watch for free on Pluto TV. Otherwise, you can rent on Prime, Fandango, Apple TV, or Google Play.

La Strada: You can watch the film here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvrPIJadNsY

Legendary Puerto Rican actor Raul Julia returns as Gomez, the patriarch of the Addams family. After being reunited with his brother Fester (Christopher Lloyd), Gomez and Morticia (Anjelica Huston) have a third child. They hire a nanny, Debbie (Joan Cusack), to care for the child and to keep his older siblings, Wednesday and Puggsly (Christina Ricci and Jimmy Workman, respectively) from trying to murder him.

Back on the podcast tonight to discuss the film is Cuban American educator and artist, Jason Barber and Curator of Film Exhibitions at The Dryden Theatre, Jared Case.

We recommend watching Raúl Juliá: The World’s a Stage: https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/raul-julia-worlds-stage-documentary/12522/

Wherever you’re listening from, hit that subscribe button, give us a 5-star rating, share this episode and leave a comment to let us know what you thought of tonight’s episode. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, & Threads.

Visit ourvoicesproject.com and sign up for our newsletter for more information about what we do. We’ll be back with more spoiler specials from the ¡Presente! Latin Film Fest with La Strada, which will be screening at The George Eastman Museum on Wednesday, October 21 at 7:30pm. As a reminder, the screenings in this series are free and open to the public.

This has been Jackie McGriff, your host for this episode of Representation in Cinema. As always, thank you again for listening!

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Representation in Cinema

03:57 The Cultural Impact of The Addams Family

06:51 Memorable Moments and Themes in Adam's Family Values

09:51 Character Analysis: Gomez and Morticia

12:51 Joan Cusack's Role and Performance

15:55 The Film's Cinematic Techniques

18:53 The Star-Studded Cast of Adam's Family Values

21:18 Raul Julia's Influence on Latin Representation

21:50 The Legacy of Raul Julia in Cinema

27:19 Cultural Identity and Representation

33:13 Influence of Latino Actors in Film

39:15 The Macabre in Latino Culture

43:05 Fellini and Anthony Quinn: A Cinematic Connection

Mentioned in this episode:

Joe Bean Roasters

Visit joebeanroasters.com to get fresh roasted specialty coffee either by the bag or with a Perpetual Joy subscription!

Our Voices Project - Land Acknowledgement

Hey pod! Welcome to the third spoiler special in the ¡Presente! Latin Cinematic Heritage Series discussing the film, Zoot Suit (1981).

If you missed any of the other spoiler specials from the ¡Presente! Latin Film Series, be sure to go back and listen to those episodes. As far as where you can watch each film, you can find that info below:

The Long, Long Trailer: You can watch the film for free on Tubi: https://tubitv.com/movies/100019816/the-long-long-trailer?startPos=1

Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925): You can watch the film for free here: https://youtu.be/X1oY4M26TjE?si=3V44Spx2RJdystyF

Zoot Suit: The film is available for rent on Prime, Fandango, Apple TV, or Google Play.

Addams Family Values: The film is available to watch for free on Pluto TV. Otherwise, you can rent on Prime, Fandango, Apple TV, or Google Play.

La Strada: You can watch the film here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvrPIJadNsY

Luis Valdez adapts his own stage production (the first Latin-American play on Broadway) into this striking film version. Edward James Olmos reprises his role from the stage as “El Pachuco,” the narrator of the film and the conscience of Henry Reyna (Daniel Valdez, also reprising his role). Alternating between past and present and stage and screen, the film tells the story of Henry, arrested for murder the day before he is to report for duty in World War II. Browbeaten by the police, Henry’s case is forced through the system while El Pachuco shows the events leading up to the fatal confrontation. Inspired by the 1942 Sleepy Lagoon murder trial and the 1943 Zoot Suit riots, Valdez’s work explores the lives of Mexican-Americans in a society that would just as soon discard them.

The film is based on the true story of Henry Leydas and the Sleepy Lagoon Murder Trial. PBS SoCal produced a segment, La River’s Hidden History Revealed. It features a group of artists through a grant in East LA about paying homage to the young people who were wrongly thrown in jail for a murder that has yet to be solved and about the resistance and resilience that resides amongst the people in Sleepy Lagoon: https://youtu.be/5qLvXxyNU7M?si=hD3Mfq-LJrCRn-6u

Back on the podcast tonight is Cuban American educator and artist, Jason Barber and Curator of Film Exhibitions at The Dryden Theatre, Jared Case.

During our episode, we also mentioned American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez. We highly recommend that you watch this film to learn about the incredible director and activist behind the film, Luis Valdez. Many of the terms that we talked about are explained in great detail there and also how Luis got his start. You can watch it via PBS Passport here: https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/american-pachuco-the-legend-of-luis-valdez/37507/

Wherever you’re listening from, hit that subscribe button, give us a 5-star rating, share this episode and leave a comment to let us know what you thought of tonight’s episode. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, & Threads.

Visit ourvoicesproject.com and sign up for our newsletter for more information about what we do. We’ll be back with more spoiler specials from the ¡Presente! Latin Film Fest with The Addams Family: Family Values, which will be screening at The George Eastman Museum on Thursday, October 15 at 7:30pm. As a reminder, the screenings in this series are free and open to the public.

Mentioned in this episode:

Our Voices Project - Land Acknowledgement

Common Thread

Check out Common Thread on Lunchador!

Hey pod and welcome back! Welcome to the second spoiler special in the ¡Presente! Latin Cinematic Heritage Series discussing the film, Ben-Hur: A Tale of The Christ (1925).

If you missed any of the other spoiler specials from the ¡Presente! Latin Film Series, be sure to go back and listen to those episodes. As far as where you can watch each film, you can find that info below:

The Long, Long Trailer: You can watch the film for free on Tubi: https://tubitv.com/movies/100019816/the-long-long-trailer?startPos=1

Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925): You can watch the film for free here: https://youtu.be/X1oY4M26TjE?si=3V44Spx2RJdystyF

Zoot Suit: The film is available for rent on Prime, Fandango, Apple TV, or Google Play.

Addams Family Values: The film is available to watch for free on Pluto TV. Otherwise, you can rent on Prime, Fandango, Apple TV, or Google Play.

La Strada: You can watch the film here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvrPIJadNsY

The most expensive spectacle of its time, this film tells the familiar story of Judah Ben-Hur (played by Ramon Novarro) in the early days of Christianity. His wealthy family is persecuted for their faith by the Romans, including Judah’s childhood friend Messala. Following an accident, Judah is sentenced to life as a galley slave and separated from his family. He seeks to find a way to escape, exact his revenge, and find his sister and mother. The massive sea battle scene and the famous chariot race are the centerpieces of this epic tale that still resonates a hundred years later.

Back on the podcast tonight is Cuban American educator and artist, Jason Barber – welcome back Jason! You can follow him on Instagram.

Joining us briefly is newcomer to Representation in Cinema, Jared Case. Jared Case is Curator of Film Exhibitions at The Dryden Theatre. In 26 years at the George Eastman Museum, he has founded the Nitrate Picture Show, appeared on Turner Classic Movies and Mysteries at the Museum, spoken at film festivals around the country, and interviewed such luminaries as Christopher Nolan, Jodie Foster, and Julia Roberts.

Wherever you’re listening from, hit that subscribe button, give us a 5-star rating, share this episode and leave a comment to let us know what you thought of tonight’s episode. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, & Threads.

Visit ourvoicesproject.com and sign up for our newsletter for more information about what we do. We’ll be back with more spoiler specials from the ¡Presente! Latin Film Fest with Zoot Suit, which will be screening at The George Eastman Museum on Wednesday, October 7 at 7:30pm. As a reminder, the screenings in this series are free and open to the public.

Mentioned in this episode:

Our Voices Project - Land Acknowledgement

Joe Bean Roasters

Visit joebeanroasters.com to get fresh roasted specialty coffee either by the bag or with a Perpetual Joy subscription!

Hey pod and welcome back! Welcome to the first spoiler special in the ¡Presente! Latin Cinematic Heritage Series discussing the film, The Long, Long Trailer.

If you missed any of the other spoiler specials from the ¡Presente! Latin Film Series, be sure to go back and listen to those episodes. As far as where you can watch each film, you can find that info below:

The Long, Long Trailer: You can watch the film for free on Tubi: https://tubitv.com/movies/100019816/the-long-long-trailer?startPos=1

Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925): You can watch the film for free here: https://youtu.be/X1oY4M26TjE?si=3V44Spx2RJdystyF

Zoot Suit: The film is available for rent on Prime, Fandango, Apple TV, or Google Play.

Addams Family Values: The film is available to watch for free on Pluto TV. Otherwise, you can rent on Prime, Fandango, Apple TV, or Google Play.

La Strada: You can watch the film here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvrPIJadNsY

Directed by Vincente Minnelli, newlyweds Daisy and Nicky decide to travel along with their new home: a long, long trailer that makes living extremely difficult and puts them on the verge of divorce. Part National Lampoon’s Vacation and part Lost in America, Minnelli’s style emphasizes physical humor over situation comedy.

Back on the podcast tonight is Jason Barber, Cuban American educator and artist with over a decade of experience in Rochester’s arts and non-for-profit sectors. As an active public artist in Rochester, he has served in many roles for a variety of Rochester’s art institutions– Rochester Brainery, Oxford Gallery, Memorial Art Gallery, Wall\Therapy, and the Yards Art Collective. He currently sits on the development and outreach boards for AC3 arts council, Latinx Art Council, and Catholic Charities of Rochester. Currently, he is the site manager for the international Plaza, which is part of the Public Market. He is also a massive film lover with an encyclopedia’s worth of knowledge in cinema.

Come watch the films for free AND support the Latin-owned businesses and events at the International Plaza during Latin Heritage Month!

Wherever you’re listening from, hit that subscribe button, give us a 5-star rating, share this episode and leave a comment to let us know what you thought of tonight’s episode. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, & Threads.

Visit ourvoicesproject.com and sign up for our newsletter for more information about what we do. We’ll be back with more spoiler specials from the ¡Presente! Latin Film Fest with Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ next week, which will be screening at The George Eastman Museum on Tuesday, September 22 at 7:30pm. It’s free and open to the public.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Representation in Cinema

00:53 Exploring 'The Long Long Trailer'

01:12 Character Dynamics and Gender Roles

06:25 Cinematic Techniques and Historical Context

11:32 Cultural Representation and Identity

16:05 Behind the Scenes: Fun Facts and Legacy

20:44 Challenges for Representation in Today's Industry

33:54 Hollywood's Binary Perspectives

37:03 Cultural Narratives and Representation

40:57 The Impact of Historical Figures in Cinema

44:17 The Evolution of Latino Representation

49:47 The Future of Cinema and Independent Films

Mentioned in this episode:

Our Voices Project - Land Acknowledgement

Behind the Glass

Podcast and gallery focusing on underrepresented artists utilize the space to amplify their work. Curated by @Richardbcolon @qua.jay. Check out the podcast or join them in person first Fridays at 240 E Main St, Rochester, NY!

Tonight we’re happy to have Jason Barber back to talk about the upcoming ¡Presente! Latin Cinematic Heritage Series starting Wednesday, September 16 at the George Eastman Museum. For the second year in a row, the Dryden Theatre is partnering with the ¡Presente! Film Series to highlight the often-overlooked contributions Latin Americans have made to cinema worldwide. Both in front of and behind the camera, Latin-Americans have told us stories of family bliss, biblical epics, the macabre, tragedy, and their own integration into American culture, as reflected in this series. Viewing the films through the lens of the artists who brought them to life — Desi Arnaz, Ramon Novarro, Luis Valdez, Edward James Olmos, Raul Julia, Anthony Quinn, and more — take a brief journey through the last century of cinema in this series of five films, free to everyone.

If you missed any of the spoiler specials from the ¡Presente! Latin Film Series, be sure to go back and listen to those episodes. As far as where you can watch each film, you can find that info below:

The Long, Long Trailer: You can watch the film for free on Tubi: https://tubitv.com/movies/100019816/the-long-long-trailer?startPos=1

Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925): You can watch the film for free here: https://youtu.be/X1oY4M26TjE?si=3V44Spx2RJdystyF

Zoot Suit: The film is available for rent on Prime, Fandango, Apple TV, or Google Play.

Addams Family Values: The film is available to watch for free on Pluto TV. Otherwise, you can rent on Prime, Fandango, Apple TV, or Google Play.

La Strada: You can watch the film here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvrPIJadNsY

Returning to the podcast is Jason Barber, a Cuban American educator and artist with over a decade of experience in Rochester’s arts and non-for-profit sectors. As an active public artist in Rochester, he has served in many roles for a variety of Rochester’s art institutions– Rochester Brainery, Oxford Gallery, Memorial Art Gallery, Wall\Therapy, and the Yards Art Collective. He currently sits on the development and outreach boards for AC3 arts council, Latinx Art Council, and Catholic Charities of Rochester. Currently, he is the site manager for the international Plaza, which is part of the Public Market. He is also a massive film lover with an encyclopedia’s worth of knowledge in cinema.

Come watch the films for free AND support the Latin-owned businesses and events at the International Plaza during Latin Heritage Month!

Mentioned in this episode:

Behind the Glass

Podcast and gallery focusing on underrepresented artists utilize the space to amplify their work. Curated by @Richardbcolon @qua.jay. Check out the podcast or join them in person first Fridays at 240 E Main St, Rochester, NY!

Our Voices Project - Land Acknowledgement

Hey pod and Happy Thursday! This episode is the 5th part of our Black August series, where we talk about the films that highlight Black resistance, freedom fighters, and political prisoners. Tonight, we turn to horror, which is a genre that often lends itself to the brutality that is our history as well as current events.

Candyman is a horror film written and directed by Bernard Rose released in 1992. Skeptical graduate student Helen Lyle (Virginia Madsen) befriends Anne-Marie McCoy (Vanessa Williams) while researching superstitions in a housing project on Chicago's Near North Side. From Anne-Marie, Helen learns about the Candyman (Tony Todd), a knife-wielding figure of urban legend that some of her neighbors believe to be responsible for a recent murder. After a mysterious man matching the Candyman's description begins stalking her, Helen comes to fear that the legend may be all too real. We will also be discussing the remake written by Jordan Peele and directed by Nia DaCosta, released in 2021 starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Teyonah Parris.

We have Luticha Doucette, a returning guest joining us virtually. Luticha is the author of the groundbreaking book: Cultivating An Intersectional Mindset. She also was featured in an anthology, called Our Power- A Solitary Reverie. An inductee into the Susan M. Daniels Disability Mentoring Hall of Fame established by the National Disability Mentoring Coalition and the 2020 – 2021 Distinguished Alumni Awardee from the Rochester Institute of Technology. Luticha’s research and writing has been featured in various publications such as Insect Molecular Biology, Toxicon, The New York Times, and Yes! Magazine. She is the owner of Catalyst Consulting Associates, which helps organizations, leaders, and advocates examine equity across race, gender identity, and disability in policies, practices, procedures, and relationships.

Helpful articles for this episode:

https://ndquarterly.org/2022/01/06/short-take-race-and-urbanism-in-nia-dacostas-candyman

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/aug/25/candyman-review-nia-dacosta-jordan-peele-horror

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/aug/21/candyman-yahya-abdul-mateen-ii

Wherever you’re listening from, hit that subscribe button, give us a 5-star rating, share this episode and leave a comment to let us know what you thought of tonight’s episode. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, & Threads.

Visit ourvoicesproject.com and sign up for our newsletter for more information about what we do. We’ll be back with another episode going into September to finish our Black August series with Attica (which is on YouTube).

Chapters

00:00 Intro

08:35 Cultural Commentary and Social Issues in Candyman

11:45 The Role of Race and Identity in Horror

14:35 Humanization and Resistance in the Sequel

17:36 The Impact of Gentrification and Police Violence

20:34 Conclusion: Lessons from Candyman

33:08 Representation of Black Women in Cinema

40:55 Exploring Black Struggles in Horror Films

45:50 The Role of Animation in Horror Representation

Mentioned in this episode:

Joe Bean Roasters

Visit joebeanroasters.com to get fresh roasted specialty coffee either by the bag or with a Perpetual Joy subscription!

Our Voices Project - Land Acknowledgement

Hey pod and Happy Thursday! Tonight is the 4th part of our Black August series, where we talk about the films that highlight Black resistance, freedom fighters, and political prisoners. Sometimes Black resistance comes not only with physically fighting back, but with speaking against injustice putting pen to paper.

Tonight, we’re diving into Ida B Wells: A Chicago Stories Special, produced and written by Stacy Robinson. Freed from slavery just six months after she was born, Ida B. Wells once described her childhood with her parents and siblings in Holly Springs, Mississippi as “happy.” But a tragedy would alter the course of Wells’ youth. As a young woman and teacher, she refused to give up her seat on a train car that she was told was reserved for white women. That incident launched the young Wells into her first public fight for justice.

Through writing, Ida B. Wells found her “real” self. As she wrote, her words became an important tool to analyze, debate, and persuade readers on the issues of the day, particularly when it came to race and gender. But after the lynching of her close friend in Memphis, Wells found a new kind of power in her pen.

There are a few folks joining us on the podcast tonight to talk about this documentary.

Luticha André Doucette is the author of the groundbreaking book: Cultivating An Intersectional Mindset (Buy on Thriftbooks or Amazon.) She also was featured in an anthology, called Our Power- A Solitary Reverie (Buy on IngramSpark). An inductee into the Susan M. Daniels Disability Mentoring Hall of Fame established by the National Disability Mentoring Coalition and the 2020 – 2021 Distinguished Alumni Awardee from the Rochester Institute of Technology. Luticha’s research and writing has been featured in various publications such as Insect Molecular Biology, Toxicon, The New York Times, and Yes! Magazine. She is the owner of Catalyst Consulting Associates, which helps organizations, leaders, and advocates examine equity across race, gender identity, and disability in policies, practices, procedures, and relationships. You can follow her at https://www.instagram.com/freedomofmovement35.

Brionna Dunn is the author of the upcoming children's photography and emotional literacy workbook Follow The Lens: My World Through My Eyes. She’s also a creative director and the owner of the visual branding and photography agency Follow The Lens (also operating as Alejandra Paris Photos). Her photographic work spans editorial, portrait, fashion, event, and maternity photography, including serving as a featured photographer for the 5th Annual A&B Fashionista Fashion Show. You can follow her at https://www.instagram.com/follwthelens.

Dr. Katrina Overby is an assistant professor in the School of Communication at RIT, a public speaker, DJ, community connector, and recurring guest on the Our Voices podcast. Her work centers Black women’s representation in popular and digital media, sisterhoods in and beyond the academy, and Black feminist approaches to storytelling, pedagogy, and community care—work she continues through her newly launched brand and YouTube channel, SPIN Dr. KO Media. Make sure you go subscribe to her channel! You can also read her dissertation and articles centered on Black culture on Google Scholar. Last, but certainly not least, follow her on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/dr_ko_08.

Brianna Milon is a published author, communications professional and model who blends creativity and connection in everything she does. You can follow her at https://www.instagram.com/yesthatbri.

Wherever you’re listening from, hit that subscribe button, give us a 5-star rating, share this episode and leave a comment to let us know what you thought of tonight’s episode. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, & Threads.

Visit ourvoicesproject.com and sign up for our newsletter for more information about what we do. We’ll be back with more episodes continuing our Black August series, including Attica (which is on YouTube) and Candyman, which you can either rent online or borrow from your local library before tuning into our next episodes.

Chapters:

00:00 - Intro

15:22 - The Power of Women

19:24 - The Impact of Lynching and the Voices of Black Women

29:50 - Exploring Elitism and Community Division

35:32 - The Intersection of Race and Gender: Black Women's Struggles

45:14 - Community and Resistance: A Call to Action

50:57 - The Strength of Black Women and Their Sacrifices

54:46 - The Cost of Strength and Vulnerability

01:05:28 - The Untold Stories of Black Women in History

01:09:41 - Exploring Representation in Cinema

Mentioned in this episode:

Joe Bean Roasters

Visit joebeanroasters.com to get fresh roasted specialty coffee either by the bag or with a Perpetual Joy subscription!