Happy September, family, and happy Friday!
Y’all… this week though (deep sigh)!
Check on your strong friends and donate (if you can) to hurricane relief in Louisiana and reproductive justice organizations in Texas (more on that below).
Here’s what we’re watching, listening to, reading, and supporting this week. Get into it!
REMIX REMINDER
Crunk Feminist Mailbag is coming soon! Remember to send your burning feminist questions to us at cfctheremix@gmail.com.
WATCH
Check out the trailer for My Name is Pauli Murray, which features our very own Brittney Cooper. The groundbreaking documentary will be in theatres September 17 and available on Amazon Prime October 1.
For other must-see teevee, Wu-Tang: An American Saga, Season 2 drops on Hulu on September 8. Rachel Raimist directed episode 208 - "Saturday Nite." Binge the first season this weekend to be ready when the new episodes drop, and be sure to show Rachel some love when you see her episode.
In celebration of the 25th anniversary of ATLiens, Outkast has dropped an animated video, Two Dope Boyz (In a Cadillac). [You’re welcome!]
READ
Brittney Cooper wrote a powerful piece for The Cut this week called Critical Race Theory Might Actually Save Us that reminds us how/why/that critical race theory might actually save us. Read it!
A must-read from Dr. Dorothy Roberts on the child welfare system as a powerful state policing apparatus: https://www.dissentmagazine.org/a4rticle/abolish-family-policing-too
Nia DaCosta made history as the first Black woman to direct a film that opened at number one on the North American Box office chart. Cheers to that, to her, to Candyman and to this NYT interview with her.
There was a devastating blow to reproductive justice this week out of Texas, held up by a 5-4 Supreme Court decision. Read the full dissents of the four justices, including especially the one written by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, here.
This quick read offers Answers to Questions About the Texas Abortion Law, including this quote about who will be most affected, “. . .the measure will create nearly insurmountable obstacles for certain vulnerable populations, abortion providers said. Among them: teenagers, who often don’t realize they are pregnant until later in a pregnancy; low-income people, who need to find about $550 to cover the cost of the procedure; and people of color, including undocumented immigrants.”
LISTEN
A beautiful episode of the podcast Throughline about our dear Octavia.
The Codeswitch podcast interviews authors Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray about their book The Personal Librarian, which tells the story of Belle da Costa Greene, one of the most prominent librarians in American history, a Black woman who passed as white.
In this week’s Dynamite Hill podcast, host Terrence Merkerson reflects on the impact of health disparities in the Black community. Check out this episode and others at dynamitehill.com.
LOOK
Bisa Butler’s art honors Black life and the Black family—check out images from her portrait quilts, currently on exhibit in Chicago, here.
Michaela Coel is on the cover of Elle UK giving badass Black goddess vibes. Check out the lewks, read the interview, and order her book, Misfits, A Personal Manifesto, on September 7, from your favorite independent bookstore (or bookshop.org).
SUPPORT
If folks want to support in Texas, this is a great one stop shop—a way to give to 9 abortion and practical support (getting people out of the state, etc.) funds all at once: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/txfunds
New Orleans Worker Center for Racial Justice continues to fundraise, as it may be a while before these workers can access any reliable infrastructure or services. Donate to NOWCRJ now at https://secure.everyaction.com/kdreIDCl7EaeVoxte_GedA2, and visit www.NOWCRJ.org for more information.