What Will Your Seat at the Table Cost You? william cordova on Trauma Healing Beyond Art Career

This episode rewinds twenty years to RMB’s Yale days, when she tried to find her voice as a campus leader under constant threat. We revisit the documentary Still Black at Yale (2004, Dir: Monique Walton, Andia Winslow), featuring RMB, Nikki Giovanni, and others reflecting on how little had changed since the ’70s. Just as the film released, RMB’s world was shaken by the loss of her brother, Marques. In a retro phone call with longtime friend and artist william cordova, we discover art can save lives as healing, though our seat at the table in elite universities can come with a mental health cost. Dedicated to Marques Hammond (1983–2004) and Ikponmwosa Ekunwe (1984–2011).Credits/ Video Editing: Maya Zaton / Audio Editing: Ashley Tribble / Camera: RMB, Achille Masson, Maya Zaton / Still Black at Yale Footage courtesy of Andia Winslow and Monique Walton