Intersectionality in the American South

In this episode of Intersectionality in the American South, host Dr. Katie Acosta talks with Jamil Jude, artistic director of Atlanta’s True Colors Theatre Company, about how a football injury in college unexpectedly led to his lifelong passion for theater. Jude reflects on the power of Black theater spaces that cater to a predominantly Black audience and the possibilities for socially relevant theater to move people toward empathy and action. Jude speaks candidly about the sacrifices the industry requires and the rewards of parenting within it. Above all, he relies on the power of community, rest and stillness to remain grounded in hard times. Follow us on instagram @intersectsouth or visit our website at  https://sites.gsu.edu/intersectsouth/

In this episode of Intersectionality in the American South, host Dr. Katie Acosta chats with Keith Arthur Bolden, an Actor and Associate Professor at Spelman College, about how representation and community shaped his path into theater and film. Hear his thoughts on becoming an actor, balancing family and finding his way.Watch the video version is episode on Youtube. Follow us on instagram @intersectsouth or visit our website at  https://sites.gsu.edu/intersectsouth/

In this episode of Intersectionality in the American South, host Dr. Katie Acosta speaks with Anton Flores-Maisonet, founder of Casa Alterna in Decatur, Georgia, about the organization hospitality and support of asylum seekers and other migrants. Flores-Maisonet shares Casa Alena’s evolution over nearly 20 years—from relationships formed through an immigrant church and cooperative housing, to accompaniment and hospitality near detention sites, to recent daily volunteer presence at Atlanta’s ICE field office. Casa Alterna volunteers provide food, information, risk screening, and referrals to attorneys, while facing increased scrutiny and restricted access. Flores-Maisonet discussed obstacles within the legal immigration system, rising detention numbers and harsh, inconsistent policies, and shares a story from his book Welcome Friends about one asylum seeker’s resilience. 00:00 Show Introduction00:59 Meet Anton Flores-Maisonet01:51 Casa Alterna's Mission03:30 Hospitality And ICE06:04 Work Evolution Framework10:10 Pivots with a New Administration11:28 Faith And Mutual Aid13:12 Day At ICE Field Office18:06 Detention Conditions Deteriorate19:55 Barriers In the Legal Process28:02 Benny 's Story From Welcome, Friends32:05 Avoiding Burnout36:50 Closing And ResourcesLearn more about Casa Alterna's work by visitng their website https://casaalterna.org/Follow us on instagram @intersectsouth or visit our website at  https://sites.gsu.edu/intersectsouth/

Follow us on instagram @intersectsouth or visit our website at  https://sites.gsu.edu/intersectsouth/

In this episode, Dr. Kendra Jason, an Associate Professor of Sociology at UNC Charlotte and Founder of Work for Change, shares her approach to creating inclusive workspaces in higher education and other professional environments. Dr. Jason shares her personal background and research focus on low-wage workers and their opportunities for social mobility. She recounts her University's diversity initiatives following the murder of George Floyd and the challenges faced with the closure of her insitution's diversity, equity and inclusion office in 2024. Dr. Jason also talks about her consultancy, Work for Change, which focuses on helping organizations build inclusive cultures and address systemic work process issues. Throughout the conversation, Dr. Jason invites us to look at challenging times as an opportunity to own our social justice work and carve out opportunities for its continuity with or without institutional supports. Follow us on instagram @intersectsouth or visit our website at  https://sites.gsu.edu/intersectsouth/

In this episode of 'Intersectionality in the American South,' host Dr. Katie Acosta dives into the ways tech is changing how educators and administrators approach their work higher education . Recorded during a symposium in Mainz, Germany, this episode features interviews with Dr. Kameelah Martin and Dr. Karen Jackson Weaver. Dr. Martin talks about her new research project looking at the ways digital platforms connect cultures across the diaspora. Dr. Jackson Weaver shares her views on using AI in education while emphasizing the need for digital ethics and inclusivity. Both guests highlight how tech can both advance learning and pose challenges for BIPOC communities.Follow us on instagram @intersectsouth or visit our website at  https://sites.gsu.edu/intersectsouth/

In this episode, We speak with Sig Giordano who offers a first hand account of their time in the West Bank picking olives alongside Palestinians during the annual olive harvest.  Giordano candidly takes the listener through their learning journey as the granddaughter of Nazi holocaust survivors and advocate for Palestinian liberation. This episode offers a nuanced analysis of what Palestinian resistance looks like a year and a half into the War in Gaza. To learn more about the International Solidarity Movement, the organization that Sig travelled to the West Bank with, visit their website.    Follow us on instagram @intersectsouth or visit our website at  https://sites.gsu.edu/intersectsouth/

In this episode of Intersectionality in the American South, host Dr. Katie Acosta highlights reflections on the Gullah Geechee Immersive Field School taken by students from Georgia State University and the College of Charleston. Students share their thoughts and feelings about visiting historic sites like McLeod Plantation and Sullivan's Island, meeting Gullah Geechee elders, and learning about the harsh realities of slavery. The episode features insights from two students, Tiara Mbonisi and Zaree Ross, as they reflect on their family histories and the personal growth they experienced during the trip.To see pictures and videos taken by the students, visit the Students digital archive on instagram @ fieldschool_gullahgeecheeFollow us on instagram @intersectsouth or visit our website at  https://sites.gsu.edu/intersectsouth/

On this episode of Intersectionality in the American South, guest Dr. Jessica Berry shares a bit on the significance of the Gullah Geechee language for her personally and professionally. She shares experiences about her upbringing, the unspoken rule of code-switching inside and outside the Gullah community, and the challenges she faced in a predominantly white high school.  Dr. Jessica Berry goes on to discuss her professional and community efforts to preserve and promote the Gullah Geechee culture and language, particularly through the Okra Soup Foundation.  Listen now to hear about the transformative impact Dr. Berry's work has had on youth and her vision for preserving Gullah Geechee language and culture in South Carolina schools.Dr. Jessica Berry is an accomplished and highly respected educator and researcher from Huger, South Carolina. With her B.A. and M.A. in speech-language pathology & audiology from Winthrop University and South Carolina State University, respectively, and her doctoral studies at Louisiana State University in communication disorders with a minor in linguistics, she is an expert in her field. Dr. Berry is a nationally certified and state-licensed speech-language pathologist who has dedicated her career to sharing knowledge about the Gullah Geechee language, culture, and history. As a dedicated higher education professional and the owner of Garden City Gymnastics, LLC in Orangeburg, South Carolina, Dr. Berry is a driven and successful entrepreneur, educator, and researcher. She founded The O.K.R.A. Soup Foundation, a 501c3 organization that empowers Gullah Geechee youth through the We Been Ya: Geechee Girls Rock Program, reflecting her passion for creating equitable spaces for children who speak non-mainstream varieties of English to succeed. Dr. Berry is a wife and mother of two girls, and in her spare time, she enjoys leading praise and worship, recording new music, and reading. With her impressive accomplishments and unwavering determination to continue her work as an educator and researcher, Dr. Berry is an inspiration to all who know her.Follow us on instagram @intersectsouth or visit our website at  https://sites.gsu.edu/intersectsouth/

In July 2024, the Intersectionality in the American South Collective had the privilege of visiting the McLeod Plantation in Charleston, South Carolina. In this episode, Dr. Katie Acosta speaks with one of the site's preservationists, Reverend Toby Smith, about McLeod's history, the opening of this historic site to the general public, and the intentional efforts to make McLeod a space where the history of slavery is told from the perspective of the enslaved. Follow us on instagram @intersectsouth or visit our website at  https://sites.gsu.edu/intersectsouth/

Did you know that there are 6 Detention facilities in the state of Georgia used to house undocumented migrants and asylees?  On this episode of Intersectionality in the American South,  we hear from Mr. Amilcar Valencia Executive Director of El Refugio a non profit organization that advocates on the behalf of the detained and their families.  Interested in learning more about this amazing organization? Check out their website at elrefugiostewart.org Learn more about becoming a volunteer with el Refugio here.  Follow us on instagram @intersectsouth or visit our website at  https://sites.gsu.edu/intersectsouth/

After a life threatening crash left a family member disabled, Dr. Raeda Anderson—Research Scientist and the Lead Statistician for the Crawford Research Institute at the Shepherd Center—devoted her life work to seeking change for the disabled community. Too often, conversations about the disabled community are on “fixing” the disabled, which in turn, shifts focus and policy away from this communities primary need: accessibility. In this episode, Dr. Raeda Anderson demonstrates how the social factors of livability and affordability force the disabled to merely negotiate survival. In contrast, she asks what if society and policy makers normalized creating accessible spaces for the disabled to thrive inside and outside the home?Faculty Work at Georgia State University: https://cas.gsu.edu/profile/raeda-k-anderson/Shepherd Center: https://www.shepherd.org/research/acquired-brain-injury/staff/273What inspires Dr. Anderson's work: https://news.shepherd.org/raeda-anderson-shepherd-center-from-all-angles/Follow us on instagram @intersectsouth or visit our website at  https://sites.gsu.edu/intersectsouth/

The systems we have built don’t always work for the people they were built for.  The problem is that we too often have systems being built by people, not for people. In this episode, Stephanie Diaz and Dana Lloyd speak on the failure of society to build a system that works well for people with disabilities and their work in the Georgia Advocacy Office (GAO) to address this trend.  From individual advocacy, individual legal advocacy, to systematic litigation, on any given day they might touch all three levels of advocacy in order to help make change for the disabled. In the process, their advocacy work helps listeners rethink value, visibility, and voice for the disabled in this podcast episode.See their latest court case: GAO Files Lawsuit Seeking to End Institutionalization and Confinement of Children in Georgiahttps://thegao.org/gao-files-lawsuit-seeking-to-end-institutionalization-and-confinement-of-children-in-georgia/Follow us on instagram @intersectsouth or visit our website at  https://sites.gsu.edu/intersectsouth/

Emile YX? is a Hip Hop activist who reclaims the power of Hip Hop to help the next generation rethink their identity, purpose, and place in their respective communities. A pioneer of beat breaking in his South African cultural context, an educator through his Heal the Hood project, and a survivor of apartheid, Emile YX? channels his experiences to rewrite narratives for the marginalized and recenter Africa for uplift. In the process, he helps us rethink Hip Hop culture as a tool of power through this podcast.Follow us on instagram @intersectsouth or visit our website at  https://sites.gsu.edu/intersectsouth/

Emile YX? is a Hip Hop activist who reclaims the power of Hip Hop to help the next generation rethink their identity, purpose, and place in their respective communities. A pioneer of beat breaking in his South African cultural context, an educator through his Heal the Hood project, and a survivor of apartheid, Emile YX? channels his experiences to rewrite narratives for the marginalized and recenter Africa for uplift. In the process, he helps us rethink Hip Hop culture as a tool of power through this podcast. Support Heal the Hood Project's new initiative through Emile YX? Gofund me page: www.gofundme.com/f/preorder-my-book-reconnect-the-stringFollow us on instagram @intersectsouth or visit our website at  https://sites.gsu.edu/intersectsouth/

Akua Naru's love for the African diaspora drives her to disrupt and intervene for good through the channel of her Hip Hop music and archival work of The Keeper’s Project. More specifically, the pantheon of black women writers like Toni Morrison, bell hooks, Zora Neal Hurston have provided Naru with a critical black feminist lens and language by which to read the world and retake spaces that push the contributions of black women to Hip Hop to the margins to the center. Living with the words of black feminists, Naru tells her story, helping us rethink the centrality of blackness for identity construction and the potentialities of love within Hip Hop through this podcast.Listen to Akua Naru's music here. Find out where she is performing next here. Follow us on instagram @intersectsouth or visit our website at  https://sites.gsu.edu/intersectsouth/

The Gullah-Geechee people are the descendants of enslaved West and Central Africans brought in the seventeenth and eighteenth-century to the United States to work on the rice plantations of the Low Country regions on the Southern Atlantic coastline. The term “Gullah” comes from the Central African connection to Angola and comes to represent people of all African descent particularly from South Carolina. In contrast, the term “Geechee” is derived from the Ogeechee River where the first Georgia plantations were formed. Eventually, these terms are fused by Queen Quet, the first elected chieftess and Head of State for the Gullah-Geechee nation, to speak of a unified identity among these communities as they seek to preserve their land and memory in the face of modern developers and coastal shoreline erosion. Ultimately, the Gullah-Geechee communities have a strong sense of identity, a preserved African heritage, and are rooted to the Atlantic coastlines. This episode features three guests:  Dr. Ras Michael Brown who is an Associate Professor in the History department at Georgia State University, Dr. Tiffany Player who is Assistant Professor of History at Georgia State University and their student Ms. Natasha Washington. Dr. Brown and Dr. Player have created on-the-ground learning opportunities for students to visit historical landmarks in South Carolina . They  have joined in collaboration with Gullah-Geechee partners in the effort of preserving memory and Gullah-Geechee historical landmarks. Follow us on instagram @intersectsouth or visit our website at  https://sites.gsu.edu/intersectsouth/

On this episode of Intersectionality in the American South, Dr. Katie Acosta interviews Dr. Ashlyn Strozier about the challenges faced by Black folks who are trying to conceive,  birthing, or experiencing unwanted pregnancy. Listen as we unpack the health risks this population faces and that structural barriers that impede upon our reproductive rights.   Follow us on instagram @intersectsouth or visit our website at  https://sites.gsu.edu/intersectsouth/

Imagine being incarcerated during the height of the pandemic and having limited access to information about the virus. Imagine being unable to socially isolated or visit with your loved ones.  On this episode,  Dr. Katie Acosta interviews civil rights attorney Whitney Knox Lee about her advocacy work with people who are incarcerated in the state of Georgia. Listen to Whitney Knox Lee's new podcast Impostrix here. Follow us on instagram @intersectsouth or visit our website at  https://sites.gsu.edu/intersectsouth/

Poor choices led Patrick Rodriguez—Executive Director of a prison education program at Georgia State University—to extensive time in prison. However, his time in prison demythologized conceptions of the incarcerated as hopelessly depraved individuals as he found a community of “mentors” who wanted better for him and even advocated for him, enabling him to understand his choices and see a potential future beyond them. Consequently, that led to his role in prison education, seeking to end the stigma attached to incarcerated people, create space for collaboration, and reduce the return to prison pipeline through access to higher education. Follow us on instagram @intersectsouth or visit our website at  https://sites.gsu.edu/intersectsouth/

Anthony Downer is an Equity Coordinator for the City Schools of Decatur. In his work, Downer advocates for a curriculum beyond the standards that encourages antiracist, culturally responsive, courageous teaching in the school system that can uplift black students. Recognizing students lack of contact with multicultural narratives and bureaucratic pushback against Critical Race Theory reinforces inequitable educational outcomes, he calls on teachers to not simply wait for systemic change but in an exercise of ingenuity to be and build what they are demanding. In the process, the podcast helps listeners learn how teachers can service black students today while they fight for something better tomorrow.Follow us on instagram @intersectsouth or visit our website at  https://sites.gsu.edu/intersectsouth/

Beacon Hill Black Alliance is an organization of committed Decatur residents challenging the racist structures in Decatur, Ga. As Black history is American history, the white-washed monuments and symbols in Decatur say otherwise as Black and indigenous peoples historical presence are rendered absent while their contemporary presence is continually threatened by Decatur as it stands. However, through Beacon Hill’s Art for the People work, educational initiatives, and advocacy, they attempt to tell the untold and model how everyday ordinary people have power to exercise that can create social change. Follow us on instagram @intersectsouth or visit our website at  https://sites.gsu.edu/intersectsouth/

Charity Woods Barnes—founder of the Reproductive Justice Resilience Project—re-centers women of color as fundamental in building a movement for reproductive justice that champions abortion rights yet goes beyond the abortion legality framework upended by Dobbs v. Jackson. Consequently, reproductive justice and resiliency are shown to go hand in hand among Black women, leading Barnes to call for balancing stories of oppression with stories of Black women’s strength. In this episode, she helps listeners to rethink advocacy for reproductive justice as a wholistic project, demanding one to both have and live out reproductive justice principles for the purpose of communal healing. Follow us on instagram @intersectsouth or visit our website at  https://sites.gsu.edu/intersectsouth/

When Chickenheads Come Home To Roost was published in 1999, Joan Morgan used the vehicle of Hip Hop to birth a vision for Black feminism that would render her a “pioneer.” After 23 years, Morgan celebrates Hip-Hop’s formative role yet pushes beyond its bounds for a larger vision of Black feminist thought while continuing the work of conferring liberatory frameworks for black and brown women. In this episode, Morgan unpacks this by reckoning with her cultural impact, negotiating her whole self within the academy, making space for multiple feminisms within Black feminism, and sharing her work as a scholar-practitioner as she directs NYU’s Center for Black Visual Culture.Check out her work at NYU's Center for Black Visual Culture: https://cbvc.nyu.edu/Follow us on instagram @intersectsouth or visit our website at  https://sites.gsu.edu/intersectsouth/

Welcome to Intersectionality in the American South, where educators, students, activists, and community members come together and unpack current realities for black and indigenous people of color. In each episode, we will discuss the impact of racism, sexism, classism, heterosexism, and anti-immigrant sentiment on the lives of Atlanta residents and BIPOC individuals throughout the south.Today we're sharing part two of the conversation that I had recently with Dr. Tonya Washington Hicks, Elizabeth West, Lakeyta Bonnette-Bailey, and Desmond Goss. If you haven't listened to part one of this conversation, you should really go do that now. I'm really fortunate to work with all of these folks at Georgia State University and on part two of this conversation.We are going to explore joy and self-care, so let's get to it.Follow us on instagram @intersectsouth or visit our website at  https://sites.gsu.edu/intersectsouth/

Welcome to Intersectionality in the American South, where educators, students, activists, and community members come together and unpack current realities for black and indigenous people of color. Each episode, we will discuss the impact of racism, sexism, classism, heterosexism, and anti-immigrant sentiment on the lives of Atlanta residents and BIPOC individuals throughout the south. On today's episode, Dr. Elizabeth West, Lakeyta Bonnette-Bailey, Tanya Washington-Hicks, and Desmond Goss,  all of Georgia State University, are going to share what intersectionality means to them. We talk about the power of intersectionality, how it shapes our politics, and its potential as a tool for activism.We also talk about the importance of self care as a form of radical resistance for black and brown folks. Stay with us. You don't wanna miss this one.Follow us on instagram @intersectsouth or visit our website at  https://sites.gsu.edu/intersectsouth/

Welcome to Intersectionality in the American South. Where educators, students, activists and community members come together to unpack current realities for Black and Indigenous People of Color.Each episode we will discuss the impact of racism, sexism, classism, heterosexism and anti-immigrant sentiment on the lives of Atlanta residents and BIPOC individuals throughout the South. This is  your host Dr. Katie Acosta, inviting you to embark on this journey with us. Intersectionality in the American South is a podcast for anyone whose ready to take a long, hard, look at the ways oppressive systems land in people’s lives. We bring together academics and everyday people in conversations about the intersectional forms of oppression that marginalized people experience. You will hear thought provoking conversations about hard topics that center the often-silenced voices of Women of color, queer, trans and non binary folks and immigrants. Follow us on instagram @intersectsouth or visit our website at  https://sites.gsu.edu/intersectsouth/