UCI Podcast: The role of women in the Black Lives Matter movement

March is Women’s History Month, an opportunity to celebrate the numerous contributions that women have made to American society. In this episode of the UCI Podcast, we’ll shine a spotlight on women who have worked tirelessly to bring attention to injustice via the Black Lives Matter movement and others like it. Begun in 2013 after the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, BLM encompasses yearslong campaigns across several anti-carceral organizations striving to end state violence against African Americans. Jordie Davies, UCI assistant professor of political science, pays special attention to BLM as she examines the foundations of social movements that have emerged in response to anti-Blackness for a new book. She’ll teach us the history behind BLM and anti-carceral groups catalyzed by women, forecast what may be on the horizon, and discuss her recent publication on the process of building solidarity and sharing power in multiracial coalitions. The music for this episode, titled “Awake,” was provided by Emmit Fenn via the audio library in YouTube Studio.