Vulgar Geniuses

Khalisa Rae brings us to the intersection of race, gender, and sexuality in her poetry collection 𝑮𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒊𝒏 𝑨 𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝑮𝒊𝒓𝒍’𝒔 𝑻𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒂𝒕.  Rae’s work dissects her journey from the Midwest to the south as she is confronted with the collective pain inflicted upon those who preyed upon Black bodies. 

We talk with Rae about the power of language within poetry, her criticism of black girl magic and its ties to the strong black woman archetype, how she came to accept her queerness, and the lessons she learned from the women in her family and connections to the south. 

For the Vulgar Geniuses Podcast, you should know that we will always choose the blackest option, and in this episode, we're joined by the authority of Black culture and Queerness. Storyteller and filmmaker Amber J. Phillips sits down with us to talk about her debut short film 𝑨𝒃𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆. 𝑨𝒃𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 is a three-part short film exploring the limitations and radical possibilities of identity from the perspective of a jaded politico, Black storyteller, and pop culture enthusiast with Black, queer, feminist intentions. 𝑨𝒃𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 is a love letter to dark-skinned Black, fat, and Queer women all over the world. Stay with us as we explore this space with Amber J. Phillips. 

Gabriela Garcia’s debut novel 𝑶𝒇 𝑾𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑺𝒂𝒍𝒕 chronicles the lives of a Cuban matriarchal family line that spans over five generations bringing their story to present-day Miami, Florida. Garcia masterfully examines the mother/daughter relationship through Carmen and her daughter Jeanette, a recovering drug addict. Jeanette takes in a neighbor’s child after witnessing the child’s mother being taken away by ICE.

Gabriela Garcia joins us on the Vulgar Geniuses Podcast to talk about how this novel’s origin story found its way through a series of short stories to become one of 2021’s most celebrated works.

Months before its release, 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑶𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝑮𝒊𝒓𝒍 was on the tips of everyone's tongues. The thriller debut novel from Zakiya Dalila Harris gripped readers this year and snatched all of our edges.

Set in the white-dominated world of publishing, we are introduced to editorial assistant Nella Rogers. Everything changes when Nella meets Hazel-May McCall, the newest employee at Wagner Books. What appears to be a great addition to the workspace becomes a suspenseful trek in microaggressions and gaslighting.

Zakiya Dalila Harris talks to us about her book, her hair journey, and how her time in publishing served as the inspiration for this year's most talked-about book.

Gina Yashare is the reincarnation of her grandmother Patience, sent to fulfill all of her dreams to live an authentically free life unfettered by men or children. She dreams of making a name for herself in America as a comic, but it will take having to endure the insidious racism of the UK and her loving but strict Nigerian mother to make it all happen. In this episode, Yashere joins us on the show to talk about her debut memoir 𝑪𝒂𝒄𝒌-𝑯𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒅.

𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕'𝒔 𝑴𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔 is a multilayered novel that explores the impact of racism and gentrification within the lives of two families in North Carolina. Tensions rise when a new integration program brings more Black students into a predominantly white high school.

On this episode of the Vulgar Geniuses Podcast, we interview New York Times Bestselling author Naima Coster about how difficult childhoods form us and her time spent living in North Carolina, which served as part of the inspiration behind the novel.

Dust off your passports everybody because on this episode of the Vulgar Geniuses podcast, we board a flight to India in the YA novel 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑴𝒂𝒓𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝑴𝒊𝒓𝒛𝒂 𝑮𝒊𝒓𝒍𝒔 from author Sheba Karim. Karim’s book dives into the heavy topics of grieving for a loved one and the fear of moving on. Readers will get locked in watching the romance blossom between the protagonist Noreen and her very handsome tour guide Kabir. 

We’re joined by the talented, Sheba Karim. She discusses her new release, how the Gilmore Girls help to inspire the mother/daughter dynamic, and her must-go-to places when she visits India.

To donate and help with the Covid crisis in India, please donate to the UNICEF US INDIA COVID RELIEF FUND by clicking here.

In the debut memoir, 𝑷𝒖𝒏𝒄𝒉 𝑴𝒆 𝑼𝒑 𝑻𝒐 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑮𝒐𝒅𝒔, by author Brian Broome, comes a series of stories in which he shares his experiences of growing up gay and black in Ohio. In this novel, Brian allows the reader to sit with him as he sorts through and wrestles with the memories from his childhood of racism and toxic masculinity. In this episode, we sit down with Brian to dig deeper into these raw, vulnerable, and beautifully written narratives.