With Georgia amid a razor-thin recount and the incumbent POTUS spewing baseless untruths in a desperate attempt to trick his supporters out of more money, the News Beat podcast crew yet again takes to the airwaves and livestream cyber-strata in the second installment of the extraordinary 'This Week in Social Justice.'
As always, the team is joined by amazing guests who share incredible insights into a number of topics you simply won't hear anywhere else. This week's dynamic episode features Dr. Craig McClain, executive director of the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium, and Marcus Ferrell, host of Clickbaity: Political ThirstTrap podcast, former African American outreach director for Sen. Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential campaign, and former deputy campaign manager for Democratic Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams.
Dr. McClain, a marine biologist and evolutionary ecologist, discusses his 2012 piece "How presidential elections are impacted by a 100 million year old coastline," which chronicles the fascinating history of the 'Black Belt' of the American South, and the modern-day influence it still has on deciding national political contests, especially this year.
Ferrell joins the News Beat team as Georgia is called for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, and among other topics, explains the many racist obstacles and voter suppression tactics African Americans ultimately overcame to secure this win, as well as providing a firsthand account of the voter organizing efforts that made it possible.
Among other points of discussion, viewers were asked whether they were afraid the presidential election would be overturned, and host and producer Manny Faces, as always, provided some much-welcomed humor for these oft- trepidatious times.
Livestreamed every Friday at 1 p.m. ET via News Beat podcast's Facebook, YouTube and Twitch pages, 'This Week in Social Justice' melds social justice news, guests, viewers' thoughts and hip-hop to illuminate and inspire.
Among other issues we discussed:
- Troubling spikes in novel coronavirus (COVID-19) infections in jails and prisons, as reported by nonprofit (and News Beat podcast collaborator) The Marshall Project
- Photographer/artist Amber N. Ford's recent series "Mistaken Identity," an intimate and moving exhibit featuring everyday items—a candy bar, hair brush and wallet, among others—that led to the police killings of African Americans
- The recent purchase of Emmett and Mamie Till's former Chicago home by nonprofit Blacks in Green and progress toward achieving landmark status and becoming an international heritage pilgrimage site
Please be sure to subscribe, rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts—Apple, Spotify, Stitcher—and visit USNewsBeat.com for all our previous episodes and unique blend of social justice journalism and independent hip hop.
