Defending Our Stories: Inside Black Public Media with Leslie Fields-Cruz (Part 1)

🎙 Episode 4 Show NotesTitle: Defending Our Stories: Inside Black Public Media with Leslie Fields-Cruz (Part 1)Description:In this episode of Our Truth Our History Our Story: Our THS, host Rita Coburn sits down with Leslie Fields-Cruz to explore the critical role of supporting and protecting Black storytelling. This conversation explores the power behind the stories we see on screen and the institutions that make them possible. This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation with Leslie Fields-Cruz. Be sure to return next week for Part 2 as we continue exploring the future of Black storytelling and the work of Black Public Media.Leslie Fields-Cruz serves as Executive Director of Black Public Media, an organization that has spent decades supporting independent filmmakers and ensuring that stories about the Black experience reach audiences through public media. From documentaries about icons like Maya Angelou and Marian Anderson to the upcoming PBS film W.E.B. Du Bois: Rebel With a Cause, Black Public Media has played a vital role behind the scenes in bringing these stories to the screen.Rita and Leslie discuss the importance of documentary storytelling in a time when history is often challenged, censored, or misunderstood. They explore why art can be powerful—and sometimes dangerous—when it tells the truth. The conversation also highlights the growing need for public support to ensure that Black stories, history, and culture continue to be documented and shared.As funding landscapes shift and traditional support for public media faces uncertainty, Leslie shares an ambitious vision: building a community of 1.8 million supporters who believe in preserving and telling the stories that shape our collective understanding of history.This episode is a reminder that storytelling is not just about the past—it is about the present and the future. When we support storytellers, we defend the truth itself.Tune in every week as we explore:Our TruthOur HistoryOur StoriesBecause in our stories, we find our truth.Special Thanks To:Head of ProductionJeannette SantiagoRecording StudioManhattan Neighborhood Network StudiosLinks & Resources:Watch this episode on YouTubehttps://youtu.be/qZn2TcoLlj4 Follow Episodes on Listen and subscribe to the podcast on your favorite platformshttps://www.buzzsprout.com/2598323/follow Read the transcripthttps://www.buzzsprout.com/2598323/episodes/18852069 Learn more about and support Black Public Mediahttps://blackpublicmedia.orgLearn more about Manhattan Neighborhood Networkhttps://www.mnn.orgLearn more about Rita Coburn’s documentary W.E.B. Du Bois: Rebel With a Cause, airing on American Masters on PBS on May 19, 2026Follow updates from Rita Coburn Mediahttps://linktr.ee/ritacoburnmediaSocial / Call to Action:Share your family stories using #OurTHSRecord the elders in your family. Preserve their stories, their memories, and their truth.Learn more about Black Public Media and help support the future of Black storytelling. Join the movement to build 1.8 million voices standing behind our stories.https://blackpublicmedia.org/donateFollow us on social media https://linktr.ee/ritacoburnmedia