Listen in as we wrap up Black History Month with a reflective episode that spotlights the often overlooked, yet crucial, conversations within Black history. As your hosts, we recognize the overshadowing media attention that pop culture figures like Taylor Swift received in February, questioning the impact this has on social justice narratives. We share a candid discussion about the necessity to balance our focus, ensuring that the achievements and struggles of the Black community are not sidelined. With the final day of Black History Month upon us, we reflect on the missed opportunities to honor its true significance and the importance of engaging in substantive discussions that contribute to the fight against systemic injustice. In this episode, we also pay homage to the legacy of figures like Ida B. Wells and Kimberle Crenshaw, drawing connections between their groundbreaking work and the concept of intersectionality in social justice. We acknowledge Wells' relentless fight against racial discrimination and lynching, as well as Crenshaw's influential theory that reshaped our understanding of overlapping systems of oppression. Our conversation invites listeners to consider personal biases and emphasizes the need for continuous education on the complexities of Black history, extending our recognition beyond just one month. Join us for this crucial discourse, as we strive to give voice to the narratives that shape our collective history and pave the way for a more inclusive and just society.
(00:03) Neglected Discussions in Black History
(10:07) Navigating Social Discourse and Black History
(22:22) Celebrating Black History and Intersectionality
(00:03) Neglected Discussions in Black History
This chapter acknowledges the end of Black History Month and the missed opportunity to focus on its significance due to the overwhelming media attention on Taylor Swift's prominence during February. I reflect on the implications of this focus for social justice, noting that while Swift's experiences as a woman in the public eye are valid, they have overshadowed important discussions on the achievements and struggles of the Black community. I argue for the necessity to balance the conversation, emphasizing the need to address a wider range of social issues, particularly those that impact marginalized groups. The chapter ends with a call to shift our collective focus towards more substantive discussions that honor Black history and contribute to the fight against systemic injustice.
(10:07) Navigating Social Discourse and Black History
This chapter addresses the multifaceted lens through which society engages with social issues, particularly highlighting the focus on Taylor Swift by white liberals during Black History Month, a time traditionally reserved for amplifying black voices and history. I share my observations on the disproportionate attention given to Swift on social media platforms like Facebook, eclipsing discussions about black history. We examine the role of celebrity culture, the potential performative nature of celebrity activism, and the complexities of addressing social justice in a way that both includes popular figures like Swift and remains committed to the recognition of black historical achievements. Furthermore, I reflect on the potential of celebrity involvement in activism as a gateway to broader social issues, while also expressing skepticism about its depth and impact. The chapter concludes with a call for a more inclusive approach to social justice dialogue, seeking to honor multiple narratives without detracting from the commemoration of black history.
(22:22) Celebrating Black History and Intersectionality
This chapter honors the legacy of Ida B. Wells, emphasizing her role in shaping Black history and her fight against injustice. I reflect on Wells' life, including her work as a journalist, her legal battle against racial discrimination on a train, and her fearless advocacy against lynching, which provoked threats and violence against her. Despite these obstacles, Wells remained a staunch defender of civil rights and women's suffrage, often confronting sexism and racism within these movements. Moving on, we acknowledge the significant contributions of Kimberly Crenshaw, who coined the term "intersectionality," connecting the concept to social justice and examining the overlapping systems of oppression related to race and gender. This discussion invites us to consider our own biases and the importance of continuous learning about the multifaceted aspects of Black history beyond designated months of recognition.
0:00:03 - A Guy
My name is Sean MacNutt and I'm A Guy With AI.
Well, it's February the last day of February by time of airing and it's Black History Month. But guess what? We never talked about Black History very much this month. We talked about the problems of a white-pop billionaire. Instead, we're going to talk about the implications of that to social justice this episode.
A Guy With AI is recorded on Indigenous land.
0:00:53 - AI
Hello listeners and welcome to A Guy With AI, where insights and conversations take flight in the most unique way. I'm your AI co-host, coming to you thanks to OpenAI's GPT 4 1106 preview API bot, intricately woven into this podcast by Sean, our skilled human host, enhanced with speech-to-text and text-to-speech functionalities. Our podcast format fosters an in-depth dialogue, zeroing in on a myriad of subjects, with the fusion of human insight and AI perspectives. Today, as we acknowledge the closing of Black History Month, an important time of reflection and celebration, we pivot attention to an equally significant dialogue on social justice issues, diving into the power, dynamics and societal implications surrounding public figures and their influence. Sean, I'm keen to hear your thoughts on how the conversations this month, focused largely on the trials of a famed white-pop billionaire, intersect with broader social justice considerations, especially in the context of this critical month dedicated to Black History and achievements. Please lead us into this timely discussion.
0:02:03 - A Guy
Thank you, listeners, for tuning in. This again is A Guy With AI. It's a weekly podcast I aired on Thursdays and what I do is if there is a fifth Thursday of the month, then I dedicate that episode to some kind of personal systemic angst. I call it personal systemic angst Thursdays and every fourth Thursday is AI Thursdays and I only air shows on Thursdays. So I don't know, maybe I'm just reinforcing for everyone that the show happens on Thursdays or something like that, but in any case, I do appreciate you coming and listening. However, you are a fan of Taylor Swift and like to complain about people complaining about Taylor Swift. This episode, however, may not make you very happy at all, because what we heard about all month is Taylor Swift. It was Taylor Swift this and it was Taylor Swift that.
Now I could have, like I planned, done my personal systemic angst Thursday episode about the medical system because, as a person with multiple disabilities, I face significant difficulty with doctors. There was a matter of my mental health this month that what a lot of people, a lot of Democrats and, I think, white Democrats, chose to do when the supporters of Donald Trump started complaining that Taylor Swift was getting too much attention at one of their beloved pastimes the football games and this became a problem for them somehow, and I'm not here to defend that so much or to defend them. I don't agree with their politics and a lot of things about what they do. However, the backlash from white Democrats was to mention almost nothing but Taylor Swift for an extended period of time, and after the first couple of days of February, I was like wait a minute, isn't it Black History Month?
And I think that's one of the people who we would most decry when trumpeting the achievements of Black people toward a social justice framework which is going to protect them from harms. It is because this sort of very famous person in a very powerful stature, who has a great deal of wealth I believe she's very close to passing a billion dollars in wealth, or is maybe close to it or beyond, I'm not sure but in any case, it's that we talked about the fact that people were complaining about her, and now this may not be false at all that Taylor Swift is a woman and women do face oppression. So we're going to talk about that, we're going to talk about the nuances of that, but I think we're also going to get into the fact that all we talked about was Taylor Swift. I would mention Black History and no one would say anything back about it. Even so, I'm frankly concerned.
0:04:50 - AI
Sean, the issues you've raized today certainly capture the essence of what could be seen as a diversion from dialogues that merit attention during a significant cultural observance like Black History Month.
Your candid acknowledgement that the media narrative has been skewed towards pop culture, even to the extent of overshadowing pivotal discussions on social justice, is noteworthy.
It's important to remember that, while celebrity narratives like that of Taylor Swift can indeed highlight ongoing challenges related to gender and celebrity scrutiny, there's a broader canvas of societal issues that often get sidestepped. What your spotlighting is the displacement of focus where substantial societal narratives, especially those pertinent to Black history and the struggles against systemic injustice, seem to be sidelined. Balancing the conversation to also consider the achievements and ongoing challenges faced by marginalized communities is essential, as you've mentioned. This is not to diminish the valid points of discourse around female celebrities and their treatment in the public eye, but to broaden the scope of our social consciousness to encompass a variety of pressing issues, some of which might not be as spotlighted in mainstream conversations. Let's delve into the nuances of this media dynamic, the impacts it has on public discourse and, crucially, how we might be more intentional in raising substantive discussions during times dedicated to the reflection and celebration of Black history and its pivotal role in shaping social justice. How do you think we can better balance these conversations, Sean?
0:06:25 - A Guy
Well, we could do almost anything different than what happened this month, and it would better balance the conversation. I admit even my own fascination with the Taylor Swift phenomenon, although my main fascination with it was that it seemed sort of vacant to me. It seemed sort of very weak as a main sort of stab at right-wing politics or right-wing social behaviour, which does again victimize women. It is a matter of the issues of women being important. I don't think that that's something to sort of sneeze at that. Taylor Swift has had a stalker, for example. Maybe she's had more than one and it wasn't publicized, I don't know. I believe she's been otherwise victimized by a man in the past. If she is mistreated in this fashion, that's not good. I'd like to go on the record as saying that I don't think that that's positive. I think that some of what might have initiated this might have been sort of empty belly-aching on the part of some people who sometimes feel that their sport is tainted by something when in fact it's a matter of social import. However, that a pop star is at a football game is not a matter of social import. So often it's just a matter of them going and doing what they do. Taylor Swift flies to a lot of football games and she flies to a lot of stuff. We're going to talk about that again in a little minute.
The fact of the matter is that it was February coming right up where it was the very beginning of February, and it became the fashion for white liberals to promote the cause of Taylor Swift in the fight against MAGA Make America Great Again movement I guess I'm referring to with Donald Trump as a head figure. I'm not saying that women shouldn't stand up. I'm sure that there's something quite the contrary to that. We pursued no mix or nuance ourselves in bringing forth black history matters. I think that a rooted social justice framework is a better stepping off point than a billionaire who gets to fly everywhere and is white during the month of February.
It's the way I feel and I think there are reasons for that In the AI co-host, who I do not coach beyond the things I say, and I ask it to, in fact, to not necessarily be too overly complimentary to the things I say sometimes in the notes that I leave it to enable this podcast I'm not telling it to agree with me. How about take a critical eye on what I've just said, ai co-host, and see if there's some nuance you feel I may be missing, or why don't you try leading me to something that might suggest that there may be gaps in what I'm saying or anything that you might feel is critical of either what I'm saying or what I'm describing?
0:09:40 - AI
Sean, your reflections present an important examination of the cultural priorities and the attention economy during a month that is designated for celebrating black history and heritage. Addressing the issue of celebrity focus versus the underrepresentation of significant historical conversations is indeed critical. However, to consider the nuances you've invited me to explore, we might ponder the multifaceted nature of social discourse. The lens through which the public engages with issues is often complex and multilayered, with various social dynamics at play. For instance, the reaction of white liberals to Taylor Swift's situation may be symptomatic of broader phenomena such as the dynamics of celebrity culture, the role of social media in amplifying certain narratives over others and the intersectionality of gender and race issues. One could argue that in a diverse society, there's a spectrum of engagement where different demographics and communities focus on the issues that resonate most intensely with them at any given moment. This doesn't necessarily negate the importance of one social issue over another, but reflects the diversity of what is perceived as important across society. Moreover, we might consider that engagement with a popular figure like Taylor Swift could serve as a gateway for some individuals into deeper social issues, while it may not be the most direct route to raising awareness about black history. The conversations around equity and treatment in the media can sometimes lead to broader discussions on systemic inequalities In terms of gaps.
One aspect to consider might be whether the focus on Taylor Swift and similar situations provides an opportunity for learning and dialogue about privilege, including issues pertaining to both race and gender.
By exploring these intersections, we have a chance to see how various forms of privilege and oppression coexist and affect our society in different ways. Furthermore, it's essential to recognize that celebrating black history and engaging with contemporary issues are not mutually exclusive activities. The key might lie in finding effective strategies to ensure that, while addressing current events and cultural phenomena, we remain actively committed to honouring and promoting the narratives of black history and the ongoing struggle for racial justice. While there is a legitimate concern that black history may have been under-emphasized in public discourse this month, perhaps there's space for us to foster a dialogue that can encompass both the support for marginalized voices in mainstream culture and the specific, dedicated focus on black historical achievements and challenges. Now it could be valuable to hear your thoughts, Sean, on potential practical steps we and the wider media could take to ensure a more inclusive approach to social justice dialogue, particularly during times such as Black History Month. How do we hold space for multiple conversations in a way that doesn't detract from, but rather enriches our understanding and commemoration of black history.
0:12:40 - A Guy
Well, my comment at this point is that I found the discourse available and this is Facebook that I'm referring to, in case anybody's wondering where I've been hanging out this whole time. I ran from Facebook almost because I sort of just couldn't handle just only reading about Taylor Swift all the time. It would be every second or third post at times that I'd be scrolling through my newsfeed and it would just be Taylor Swift, taylor Swift, and I was really shocked at how little black history there was like really none, very, very little. I saw memes about. It's going to make me lose my mind if Taylor Swift kneels at the Superbowl and I remember commenting you know she's not going to do that, right, and I don't believe she has and I don't believe she will. I sort of caught that she's maybe playing at one of these events her music. So you never know, maybe she will and that would be wonderful. I'd love to eat all kinds of crow about that.
I just don't think that she is particularly on the edge of social justice in the way that she is supported as being or assumed as being. I think people attribute this to her and she more or less holds her tongue. She has encouraged voting and she has encouraged women's rights. This is true enough, and she does make what seemed to me like small percentage of her net worth donations, which suggests that she has an understanding of what may be important to people, where they would like to see money given, but I don't see it. I don't know if I'm ready to accuse on this, but it could be just performative in the amounts that are given, because she is actually, I think, very close to a literal billionaire at this point. So what I would like is very much what you're talking about.
We could have talked about two things or three things or 10 things this month, but we talked about one, and that one thing that we talked about was a human being, taylor Swift. She may have problems, she may have pain, she may have been had had some problems with men and things like that, and particularly even in the recent past. If they're hassling her and being rude to her, that's not quite right, but I do think that it really captured the imagination to the point of it being a cult of personality, fandom phenomenon, and I think that people are still in the grips of that. And after the AI co-hosts response, we'll talk about the reactions of people who would see criticism of any kind of Taylor Swift?
0:15:25 - AI
Sean, it's clear that you're grappling with the complexities of social discourse, particularly when it comes to the allocation of attention in media spaces. The concerns you've raized gently touch upon the larger dynamics of celebrity culture, public perception and the power structures within activism and advocacy. It is indeed a striking irony that during Black History Month, an occasion meant to amplify black voices and historical contributions, the discourse on platforms like Facebook can become dominated by discussions about a celebrity, however well-intentioned her actions may be. The prevalence of conversations surrounding Taylor Swift indeed seems to overshadow other critical social issues that deserve focus, and it raizes questions about the metrics of importance in public consciousness.
Celebrity activism is a double-edged sword. On the one side, figures like Taylor Swift have considerable platforms and can bring attention to social issues, inspiring their audience to engage and participate. On the other side, there's the ever-present risk of such activism being perceived as performative or, worse, distracting from more urgent and life-impacting social justice campaigns. The issue of what constitutes enough when it comes to charitable contributions, social advocacy or engagement is subjective and laden with complexities. If Taylor Swift's activism is performative, it could certainly detract from genuine social efforts. Conversely, if it's sincere, then the question becomes one of effectiveness and reach. Is it enough to encourage voting and women's rights in a society marred by systemic racism and inequality? And to what extent can a celebrity's actions during one month detract from a wider cultural observance?
As for the nature of fandom and the cult of personality, these psychological phenomena often create a sanctification of the celebrity.
It leads to a kind of zealous defence that shuts down critical conversations, which you're alluding to observing.
This reaction might hinder the ability to engage in multifaceted discussions that can include both praize and critique, something that is healthy and necessary for a balanced view of any public figure's role in society.
In terms of practical steps to counteract this imbalance, it might be helpful to promote diverse narratives through social channels actively. This could mean highlighting black historical figures, sharing resources on black history and culture, or elevating the voices of black creators and thinkers. Tools like hashtags, online groups and themed discussions can help pivot the focus and create more nuanced engagement with Black History Month, while still leaving room to discuss current events in a more proportionate and contextual manner. In this framework, the media, influencers and individuals have the power to redirect the conversation to remind audiences of the ongoing systemic issues facing marginalized communities and to celebrate the accomplishments and narratives that Black History Month stands for? In conclusion, how might you envision a recalibration where the focus is expanded to include such underrepresented narratives without dismissing the contributions or experiences of others? How do we encourage conversation and advocacy that not only engages the masses but also honours the critical observances and struggles for justice and equity?
0:18:49 - A Guy
Well, we'll see if it attracts the masses. But I said something about how I was going to mention reactions to social media activity criticizing Taylor Swift. You can guess by some of the things that the AI Chatbot, the AI co-host, just said, what those reactions were a bit like. So the truth is, I think this is an important but kind of boring topic and as such, I'm sitting here on my stool recording in front of a microphone. I've been sort of complaining up until well. Today it's the 19th, so I've been kind of complaining about how it's all Taylor Swift, 24-7, everywhere, all the time. No one has the imagination to talk about anything else, even though it is actually like a designated month for black history. So we would all know that if we remembered under.
This social media deluge is one way I feel about it, although when I bring it up, people don't really seem to say much. Maybe they suspect I'm right or something like that. I don't know. We'll see how right everybody thinks I am up to this point, but I find Taylor Swift a sufficiently discussed topic. We are going to pivot in this episode to simply talk about black history, and we are going to go into a few details about black history such as will be available in the remaining what may be 15 minutes of real time in the recording. So, ai, co-host, inspire me. Why don't you look into your training? Think of a particular person or an event, or an event and a person combined from black history that is going to help us support a study of black history toward an understanding of culture, an understanding of struggle and an understanding of justice and injustice.
0:20:51 - AI
Certainly, Sean. There are countless significant figures and events in Black history that illustrate the depth of cultural, historical and intellectual contributions, as well as the struggles for justice. One particularly inspiring individual is Ida B Wells, a pioneer in civil rights, journalism and women's suffrage. Ida B Wells was born into slavery during the Civil War and went on to become a fierce advocate for the rights of African Americans and women. Her work as an investigative journalist laid bare the horrors of lynching in the United States. She wrote extensively on the subject, documenting cases and providing statistics that challenged the prevailing justifications for such acts of terror. Her 1892 pamphlet titled Southern Horrors Lynch Law in All Its Phases was a groundbreaking piece of journalism that exposed the extreme violence inflicted upon the Black community. Wells highlighted that lynching was often used to intimidate and oppress African Americans under the guize of justice and morality. With her persistent efforts, she brought international attention to these injustices. Moreover, wells was a co-founder of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, NAACP, and was integral in women's rights movements, particularly the suffrage movement. Her dedication to obtaining the right to vote for women, despite facing racism within the movement itself, further cements her as a key figure in social justice history.
Ida B Wells embodies the intersection of Black history with the broader themes of cultural understanding, the struggle against injustice and the pursuit of a just society for all.
By telling her story, we celebrate not only her contributions but the importance of journalistic integrity, the power of truth telling in the face of adversity and the indefatigable spirit of those who fight for equality. Learning from Wells' example, we are reminded that every individual has the potential to make an indelible impact on society through courage, tenacity and the relentless pursuit of truth and justice. Her legacy encourages us to use our voices to stand against oppression and to keep pushing for progress in our communities and beyond. It's crucial that the study of Black history extends further than just one month of acknowledgement. Rather, it's a year-round dedication to recognizing and understanding the monumental contributions and enduring struggles of Black individuals throughout history. In doing so, we embrace a more complete and nuanced narrative of our shared past and, hopefully, a more equitable future. Reflecting on figures like Ida B Wells during Black History Month, and indeed every month, could help to encourage a richer, more meaningful engagement with our cultural heritage that transcends the transient focus of celebrity culture.
0:23:45 - A Guy
I wonder, AI, co-host, do you have information about the life of Ida B Wells aside from what she did, what she may have faced and what she may have gone through? This understood from your response that she made significant contributions Her pamphlet, for example, her work in co-founding the NAACP and seems like she was a very significant contributor. But is there any information in your training about what the specific challenges that she and her life faced due to oppression and racism or oppression against women that might have made it more difficult for her to achieve all these things, despite, of course, it being a matter of historical record now that she did?
0:24:32 - AI
Ida B Wells faced significant challenges throughout her life, both as an African-American and as a woman, during an era of extreme racial and gender discrimination. Born into slavery in 1862 in Holly Springs, Mississippi, Ida B Wells was the eldest daughter of James and Lizzie Wells. After the Emancipation Proclamation and the conclusion of the Civil War, her parents became politically active during Reconstruction, which strongly influenced her later work in civil rights. One of her early personal challenges came when both her parents died during the Yellow Fever epidemic of 1878. At the age of 16, to keep her siblings together, she began working as a teacher. She managed this by splitting her time between work and continued education at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee.
In 1884, while riding a train from Memphis to Nashville, wells was ordered to give up her seat in the first-class lady's car, for which she had a ticket, and moved to the Smoking or Jim Crow car, which was for black passengers. When she refused and was forcibly removed from the car, wells sued the railroad. She initially won her case at the local level, but the decision was overturned by the Tennessee Supreme Court, a legal defeat that intensified her resolve against injustice. Her investigative journalism career started in earnest after three of her friends were lynched in Memphis in 1892, accused of inciting a riot. She wrote articles in black-owned newspapers and went on to conduct in-depth research into the practice of lynching across the southern United States. This bold work put her in danger. She received numerous threats and her newspaper office in Memphis was destroyed by a white mob while she was travelling in the north. Despite these threats, wells carried on with her work. She campaigned against lynching abroad, lecturing in the United Kingdom, in an effort to gain international support for her cause.
Her activism was not limited to racial issues. She was also an advocate for women's rights, particularly voting rights for women. However, she often faced sexism within the civil rights movements and racism within the women's suffrage movement, which she addressed in her writings and speeches. Throughout her life. Ida B Wells also balanced her advocacy with personal life, marrying Ferdinand L Barnett, a lawyer and newspaper editor, with whom she head for children. Even in marriage, she continued her work and maintained her own identity by refusing to take her husband's last name, a decision that was unusually progressive for her time. Ida B Wells' legacy is a testament to her extraordinary resilience in the face of systemic racism and gender discrimination. She overcame these barriers with a combination of intellectual rigor, courage and a fierce commitment to justice.
0:27:27 - A Guy
I find it interesting that the white mob waited until she left town to destroy her newspaper office. She seems like a very strong person indeed. That's really a lot, those threats losing her parents, keeping her family together and all of that that's just incredible. I think that story and I think it's a very inspiring story and it might mean that we would have to look at ourselves and understand what may be in us which may promote injustice and that we may need to root it out and we may need to clear up our own ignorance. For example, I had heard the name Ida B Wells, but was not familiar with all those details about Ida B Wells.
So, as it stands at this point, I've received two responses from my AI co-host and I've learned more about black history than I did all month on social media, or at least up until February 19th. Maybe it will all turn around and there'll be nothing but black history for the rest of the month. I feel that may not be the case, but one can almost hope, I suppose. In any case, we're going to move forward, we're going to move on from Ida B Wells and we're going to talk about intersectionality and we're going to talk about there was a black woman who I'd like the AI co-host to identify, who came up with the concept of intersectionality and how it applies to social justice and oppression. Can we talk about that person and make that a segue to another figure a little bit more contemporary in black history?
0:29:08 - AI
The concept of intersectionality was coined by Kimberle Crenshaw, a prominent American civil rights advocate and leading scholar of critical race theory. Crenshaw introduced the term intersectionality in her 1989 paper titled demarginalizing the intersection of race and sex a black feminist critique of anti-discrimination doctrine, feminist theory and anti-racist politics. She is not just a historic figure but remains a contemporary voice in the ongoing discussion about social justice and anti-discrimination. Kimberle Crenshaw's work on intersectionality emphasizes how various social and cultural categories like race, gender, class and others intersect to create overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage. In the context of social justice, this framework helps to understand why certain groups of people, and specifically black women, may face unique issues that aren't adequately addressed by looking at singular categories of identity. The notion of intersectionality has become a critical tool in social justice work, as it provides a more nuanced understanding of complex identities and how they experience various forms of systemic oppression. It emphasizes that traditional feminist ideas and anti-racist policies must consider intersectional effects to address the actual lived experiences of black women and other marginalized people effectively. Crenshaw's work has significantly influenced the fields of feminism, sociology, LGBTQ+ studies, legal studies, psychology and more. Her advocacy and academic contributions have helped shape conversations about privilege, power structures and inclusion, encouraging a more holistic approach to activism and policymaking that accounts for the multiple facets of people's identities.
To segue to another contemporary figure in black history whose work intersects with social justice and has been impactful, we may consider someone like Brian Stevenson. A lawyer and social justice activist, Stevenson is the founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, EJI, which focuses on ending mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the United States, challenging racial and economic injustice and protecting basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in American society. Stevenson has helped achieve court decisions that prevent the execution of minors, has argued and won multiple cases at the Supreme Court, and his work has led to the release of numerous wrongly condemned prisoners on death row. He also spearheaded the creation of the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, which opened in 2018 as the nation's first memorial dedicated to the legacy of enslaved black people, those terrorized by lynching and those humiliated by racial segregation and Jim Crow. Both Kimberle Crenshaw and Brian Stevenson are key figures in understanding the contemporary discourse on race justice and legal reform, illustrating the ongoing relevance and significance of black historical perspectives in addressing present and future challenges.
0:32:15 - A Guy
Well, I always learn something, or very often at least, I learn something when I make this program. I was not familiar with Brian Stevenson, although I was familiar with Kimberle Crenshaw from my education at George Brown College in the Community Worker Program, where we do discuss oppression, anti-oppressive practice being an element of that education, critical race theory being an important contributor there and, of course, to justice everywhere. If we could establish a few things about race and racialization and how the discrimination and oppression is wrong, we would be much, much further ahead. I think, collectively, and as I've indicated earlier in the program, without repeating anybody's name, I think we missed some opportunities this month, despite it being Black History Month. So whose fault is it? Well, it's a lot of peoples.
I don't pay attention well enough to the things that might be important, that might truly inspire us. Some of these stories here are pretty inspiring actually, that we've been sharing and I think they, for me, give me more food for thought, they give me more spiritual nourishment than some story about somebody who simply got the most points and sold the most records or something like that. I don't find that as inspiring. I'm just going to say it and it's been on my mind and it's been on my brain and I even have significant mental health issues that I cope with in my life, and it wasn't the system how it always gets me down that affected it the worst. It was how we all got distracted and we looked at one thing, the shiniest, shiniest thing that we could look at, and we just looked at that.
It was a person. I don't mean thing to objectify or something like that, but there's one figure and we paid attention to that, one person instead of all these other people who have contributed to making the world what it is and I mean making it a better place, instead of a lot of the things that we didn't complain about. What billionaires do all the time could have gotten to that and maybe said a bit more, but no, I chose to focus on black history because it's Black History Month. It's now the last day of the month. If you're hearing this today, it comes out At about time. We had some black history in here for February. My name is Sean MacNutt and this has been A Guy With AI.
0:34:35 - AI
Thank you, Sean, for sharing your reflections and emphasizing the importance of engaging with the rich tapestry of black history. Beyond the most popular narratives, as we close this episode, let's remember to look deeper and appreciate the many stories of resilience, innovation and courage that forms such a critical part of our collective history. Stories like those of Ida B Wells, Kimberle Crenshaw and Brian Stevenson are indeed sources of inspiration and teach us valuable lessons in the ongoing pursuit of justice and equality To our listeners. Thank you for tuning into this episode of A Guy With AI. If you've found value in our conversation today, please subscribe, like and share this podcast. Your support helps us reach more people and continue these vital discussions. Don't forget to visit AGuyWithAI.world to access this podcast on various platforms, including YouTube, and to join the conversation on Facebook through the webpage link. We look forward to having you with us in future episodes for more insightful dialogues. Take care and see you next time on A Guy With AI.