Black mermaids?! Say what?! That's just the hook! Join my guest for a deep dive (get it?) into Rivers Solomon's The Deep—a novel that makes a new myth from an American atrocity.

Jasmyne Gilbert (she/her/hers) studies the beliefs and stories that shape society. She believes stories are sources of power and tools for critique and transformation, and amplifies those that imagine deliciously, irresistibly free futures, especially for Black folks. Merging myth, depth psychology, speculative imagination (what-if thinking), and cultural analysis, her research examines the hidden potential of stories to inspire community-building and systemic change. She holds a degree in English from Tuskegee University and is currently pursuing a PhD in Mythological Studies from Pacifica Graduate Institute. You can follow her public research at jasmynegilbert.com https://substack.com/@jasmynegilbert | https://www.instagram.com/jasmynegilbert/ Our musical inspiration this month comes from the two audioscapes that spawned The Deep's mythology. Drexciya's Afrofuturist techno album Journey of the Deep Sea Dweller, and clipping's song The Deep. And as always, you can find more about the podcast at our Instagram, or contact us directly at [email protected]