What Would It Look Like?

We lost this show 3 times. THREE! Still, we persisted to bring you a conversation that is full of complexities and teeming with love. Ebony & Yonnas are joined by Blake Jackson @_blackson_ for a deep dive into their most recent Black film & community collaboration, "A Love Letter to Black Liberation." The March 2024 red carpet event showcased a night of black indie films, live performance by Yonnas, and the premier of the music video "A Dream Ebony." We discuss what we love, what we're fighting for, what we're avoiding, celebrating and reading on this journey toward liberation.

For more information on Yonnas & Blake's project and to watch the full video for "A Dream Ebony" visit: https://www.alovelettertoblackliberation.com/adreamebony

IG: @alovelettertoblackliberation

Time Stamps:

00:00 Introduction / Overview

10:57 The Coercion of Patriarchal Systems

39:42 Divesting from Capitalism for Black Liberation

56:38 Envisioning an Anti-racist Society

01:08 Speaking of Beyonce...

01:18 The Need for Ruthless Criticism of Existing Systems

01:45 The Pressure on Beyonce: Expectations and Criticisms

02:04 Navigating Complex Issues Nuanced Discussions and Understanding

02:16 Conclusions and Reflections

02:29 What Are You Reading?

Links: Ebony’s Website - https://www.ebonyisisbooth.com/

Ebony’s Instagram - @coachebonysaid

Yonnas’ Website - https://www.mynameisyonnas.com/

Yonnas’ Instagram - @mynameisyonnas

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Real talk. I think we both had vulnerability hangovers after this conversation. We cover the bases of 20 years of friendship by examining what happens when old ghosts show up to defame and intimidate you out of your truth. Remember, nobody can tell your story better than you. This episode sat in the drafts for 3 months but deserves a deep listen. No time stamps this week. Just vibes and saying the quiet parts out loud.

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On this week’s episode, Ebony and Yonnas take a step back from rigor and research to check in with each other. Hear about how “My Little Pony” became a therapeutic tool for rest and reflection and the 9 year anniversary of Ebony’s Twitter dragging. The illusion of social media: followers vs. friends, influencers vs. leaders and why we want The Good Wife to sit down somewhere. In the second half of the show, Yonnas highlights the significance of the political consciousness of black people. Ebony goes straight doomsday. Yonnas offers a solution to afro pessimism and we discuss healing as the pathway to Black autonomy. Overall we agree that we want to be in community with people who are healed and healing and discuss the importance and accessibility of therapy for the folks in the movement. 

***Juliana was technically right about the Jim Crow playbook for Germany but we’re still big mad about literally everything else. Here’s a link for clarity and correctness.

Ebony’s Website - https://www.ebonyisisbooth.com/

Ebony’s Instagram - @coachebonysaid

Yonnas’ Website - https://www.mynameisyonnas.com/

Yonnas’ Instagram - @mynameisyonnas

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Ebony and YONNAS do a deep dive on the history of Reparations stateside and beyond, following with a discussion on their latest readings.

8:20 defining reparations

12:05 Ta’Nehisi tried to tell us 

16:30 Juneteenth and other liberal fantasies

20:10 Imminent domain & massacres

23:00 Men on mics make Ebony uneasy

25:30 The long arc of our ancestor’s work

30:40 It’s still Land Back on mines

45:00 Darity’s plan for reparations

48:30 ADOS: Why is everything Red, white & blue?

61:01 You are a Storm Trooper, Bro!

76:00 Do you love Black People?

93:00 What are you reading? 

114:00 Worst thing / Best thing

123:00 It Ain’t that Deep

Link: narrative lab

How To Go Mad Without Losing Your Mind: Madness and Black Radical Creativity

From Here to Equality: Reparations for black Americans in the Twenty-First Century

Substack: Ebony Imago 

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What is the opposite of an acceptable reparations package and liberation movement? In this episode, Ebony and YONNAS analyze Palestine, Zionism, settler colonialism and Afropessimism

Ebony’s Website - https://www.ebonyisisbooth.com/

Ebony’s Instagram - @coachebonysaid

Yonnas’ Website - https://www.mynameisyonnas.com/

Yonnas’ Instagram - @mynameisyonnas

Poem: “Everything Will Be Returned” by Malkia Cyril https://mediajustice.org/staff/malkia-devich-cyril/

Afropessimism, Frank B.Wilderson, III. https://wwnorton.com/books/9781631496141

Against Our Better Judgement: The hidden history of how he U.S. was used to create Israel, Alison Weir. https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/against-our-better-judgment-the-hidden-history-of-how-the-united-states-was-used-to-create-israel/9252457/#isbn=149591092X

Palestine: A Socialist Introduction. Sumaya Awad & Brian Bean. (Free Download!) https://www.haymarketbooks.org/books/1558-palestine-a-socialist-introduction 

“The Case for Reparations.” The Atlantic. Taneheisi Coates (2014). 

“There are New Suns.” Reparations Narrative Lab Report. https://www.reparationsnarrativelab.org/

Endnote on eminent domain: “A University of Tel Aviv archaeologist named Ze’ev Herzon wrote in the newspaper Ha’aretz in 1999, “The Israelites were never in Egypt, did not wander in the desert, did not conquer the land in a military campaign, and did not pass it on o the twelve tribes of Israel. Furthermore, the united monarchy of David and Solomon, which is described by the Bible as a regional power, was at most a small tribal kingdom.” The Israelites were merely one indigenous culture among many. The idea that they had some sort of preeminent claim to the Holy Land has no basis in historical fact. Zionist archeology thus turns out to subvert Zionism.” https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/one-state-solution/tnamp/

Ebony’s Bio: Ebony is a passionate and engaged transformation coach, catalyst, and speaker whose work values lived experience as expertise. A champion and advocate for Black Women in new and emergent leadership positions; Ebony specializes in bringing joyful collaboration to cultural engagement strategies through inspired leadership development, authentic Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and radical Self-Acceptance that centers historically marginalized perspectives. Ebony brings awareness, alignment, and actionable solutions; inviting audiences to consider the nature of infinite possibility!

Yonnas’ Bio: The son of Samiel and Elsa, Eritrean immigrants who fled war, walked across the Sudanese desert for nine days, conceived him in Rome and birthed him in Denver, Yonnas Abraham is a confluence of miracles. 

Spending twelve of the past twenty years making indie rap in The Pirate Signal and BLKHRTS respectively, and 8 in his bedroom conceiving this: Dream Pop For Black People. Nick Bassett’s (Whirr, Nothing, Deafheaven) guitar and production acumen mix with Yonnas’s skillful sampling, soulful yet spectral singing and hard-ass beats to form a heady stew of Dream Bops. Dreamy Soul For Black Liberation. De-Colonized Rock music. The bright, shiny Black future.

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"In order to build the movements capable of transforming our world, we have to do our best to live with one foot in the world we have not yet created.” - Aurora Levins Morales

Welcome to What Would It Look Like? A podcast that inspires and empowers you to build transformative movements by living with one foot in the world we have not yet created. 

I am your host, Ebony Isis Booth. I am a Life Alchemy Coach, Cultural Strategist, and Fly Auntie. I believe and hold at the center of my work that Healing is Possible. Magic is Real. and Love is the Answer.

It is from this place that I coach and guide cycle breakers through the inevitability of their own growth and transformation. I help people move from unworkable to #unfuckwittable through a Black Womanist lens that prioritizes healing, radical Self love, and liberation.

I am joined by artist, producer, coconspirator, creative accomplice, and friend, YONNAS. Together, we are going to take a coach approach to the work of liberation. 

Ebony’s Website - https://www.ebonyisisbooth.com/

Ebony’s Instagram - @coachebonysaid

Yonnas’ Website - https://www.mynameisyonnas.com/

Yonnas’ Instagram - @mynameisyonnas

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.