“The book was a huge part of wanting to push myself into the art world more. I knew how I felt in my body when I would listen to a Janelle Monáe album or go see some of the early work I was looking at like Titus Kaphar or Hank Willis Thomas and just feeling my entire self. And that feeling was an indication that this is my next assignment, whatever that looks like. Then I just had to figure out, how is that going to live, and how is that going to come together? I felt it in my body before it was a thing I even knew how to talk about.”
– J Wortham,, episode 213 of Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso
Following the recent release of their anthology, Black Futures, curator Kimberly Drew and journalist J Wortham join us this week. We discuss their hopes for 2021 (7:33), interrogating institutions like the HFPA (11:20), their career paths (18:10) and expanding accessibility within their respective industries (8:56). J and Kimberly also reflect on how they’ve grown since creating Black Futures (25:38), navigating the pandemic (28:14), and the refuge they’ve found in the Marvel universe (32:27). Finally, they envision their future selves (39:47) and what a “black future” can look like (43:02).
Resources:
Delain Ashley Yaun Funeral and Family Support
Hyun Jung Grant Family’s Go Fund Me
Yong Ae Yue Go Fund Me
Paul Andre Michels
Asian American Advocacy Fund
Stop Asian Hate or Stop AAPI Hate
Chinatown Community for Equitable Development (CCED)
Asian Mental Health Collective
Korean American Coalition Metro Atlanta
Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence
Show-notes:
- Purchase your copy of Black Futures.
- Follow J & Kimberly on Instagram
- Listen to Still Processing, hosted by J & Wesley Morris for the NYT.
- Listen to Your Attention Please, hosted by Kimberly for Hulu.
- Illustrations by: Krishna Shenoi.