Episode 121 Kimberly Jones, author, filmmaker, activist

My guest today is Kimberly Latrice Jones. Kimberly is an activist, writer, and director. It was Kimberly's recent impassioned video that powerfully moved me and inspired me to reach out to her. Both Trevor Noah and John Oliver highlighted Kim's video, where she provides a poignant history lesson (all too often left out of our formal education), outlines the broken social contracts between whites and blacks in this country, and pleads for people to not superficially focus on the WHAT (looting and rioting), but dig into the WHY. Kim challenges us to look at the causes of the issues, the conditions that create outrage, desperation and violence. Kim shares the context in how this viral video came to be and why the world needs to hear her message now. Kim acknowledges that the root of the problem is economics so in order to make this movement sustainable, we need to invest in black communities. Or simply said: "white allies have black receipts". Kimberly is a published Young Adult author, director of film and web series, but her primary focus now is being 'boots on the ground' for all that is happening in the racial equality movement. I'm grateful that while keeping boots on the ground, Kim's inspiring, empowering, truth-speaking voice is rising! Check out the show notes for links to Kim's viral speech as well as her website, kimjoneswrites.com. Please follow and support the initiatives she rolls out, buy her book "I'm Not Dying With You Tonight" (co-authored with Gilly Segal), and purchase her great merch. I love her tee shirts: "Equality Not Revenge" & "Hood Girls Can Be Heroes, Too".  Enjoy the podcast! Links: www.kimjoneswrites.com Kim's Video Kim's Book IG: @kimberlylatricejones IG: @really.gilly (Gilly Segal) Trevor Noah/The Daily Show John Oliver/Last Week Tonight