Ethnomusicologist Fredara Hadley on Reckoning with the Past
Fredara Hadley is an ethnomusicologist at The Juilliard School whose research focuses on the musical legacies of historically Black colleges and universities. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, Billboard Magazine, the Journal of Popular Music Studies, and elsewhere.In this episode, Hadley reflects on the unique contributions of musicians and music programs at HBCUs, the communal value of sacred spaces, and the need to reckon with culture when appreciating music.
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Novelist Walter Mosley on Family and Forging His Own Path
Acclaimed author Walter Mosley writes about the intricacies of Black livelihood by grounding science fiction and mystery in America’s turbulent social and racial climate. Decorated with the O. Henry Award, the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award, a Grammy, and PEN America’s Lifetime Achievement Award, Mosley is a testament to Black artistry. His works have been translated into 25 languages. In this episode, Mosley discusses the release of his latest novel, “Farewell, Amethystine,” as well as the types of overlooked characters and stories he wants to celebrate in his novels. He also talks about the complicated relationship he had with his father, what it’s like to write about love, and shares the very first lines he wrote that made him realize he could be a writer.
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Modern Love host Anna Martin on the Infinitude of Love
Anna Martin is the host of the New York Times’ immensely popular Modern Love podcast, where guests join to discuss the trials, triumphs, betrayals, and epiphanies of modern relationships. In this episode, she joins Helga to discuss how love is perceived and expressed across cultures; the many different words for love across languages, and what it’s like to help others share their most important, formative, and vulnerable memories.
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Author Letty Cottin Pogrebin on her Decades of Activism
Author and activist Letty Cottin Pogrebin has been immersed for decades in the fight for gender equality and social justice. She co-founded Ms. Magazine, which played a pivotal role in the feminist movement of the 1970s, and served as president of the Authors Guild and as chair of Americans for Peace Now. She’s also authored a dozen books, co-founded the National Women’s Political Caucus and the International Center for Peace in the Middle East, and earned an Emmy for her work on “Free To Be… You and Me,” a landmark early 1970s television special and album that encouraged social equality and acceptance between genders. In this episode, Pogrebin discusses some of the pivotal moments that defined her political thinking, her feminism, and her understanding of Jewish tradition.
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Journalist Jenna Flanagan on Local Politics and Seeking Truth
Journalist Jenna Flanagan has built a career championing the necessary conversations that drive community progress. She’s worked as a producer for the New York City-based AM radio news station 1010 WINS and WNYC’s All Things Considered, and as a co-host for the PBS show MetroFocus. Recently, she hosted the podcast “After Broad and Market,” which revisits the 2003 murder of 15-year-old Sakia Gunn — one of New Jersey’s first prosecuted queer hate crime homicides.Here, Flanagan delves into the vital role of local news, the legacy of Black women in media, and her secrets to eliciting great stories from anyone.
Artist, performer, and host Helga Davis brings a soulful curiosity and love of people to the podcast Helga, where she talks about the intimate lives of creative people as they share the steps they’ve taken along their path. She draws listeners into these discussions with cultural change-makers, whether already famous or rising talents, whose sensibilities expand our imaginations as we explore what we think we know about each other. The new season of Helga is a co-production of WNYC Studios and the Brown Arts Institute at Brown University. WNYC Studios is a listener-supported producer of other leading podcasts including Radiolab, On the Media, and Death, Sex & Money. The Brown Arts Institute at Brown University is a new university-wide research enterprise and catalyst for the arts at Brown that creates new work and supports, amplifies, and adds new dimensions to the creative practices of Brown’s arts departments, faculty, students, and community.
South Africa