A Greenpeace activist was part of the highlight during the confirmation for David Bernhardt to be the Secretary of the Interior Department.
It’s become popular activism to crash hearings dressed as characters to be noticed on video and raise awareness about issues.
On Graphic Policy Radio, we’re talking about the social implications of Black Panther with an expert and highlight some of the many examples of fans using Black Panther for real world activism. Joining the team to talk about activism and entertainment is Alan Jenkins.
Alan Jenkins is President and Co-Founder of The Opportunity Agenda, a social justice communication lab dedicated to the idea that our nation can and should be a place where everyone enjoys full and equal opportunity. Jenkins is a lifelong fan of comics and sci-fi. The Opportunity Agenda released the report “The Power of Pop: Analyzing Portrayals of Immigrants in Popular Television,” which evaluated the portrayal of immigrants in 40 leading TV shows — including The Walking Dead, NCIS, Orange is the New Black, the Big Bang Theory, Parks and Recreation and Scandal.
On Graphic Policy Radio, we’re talking about the social implications of Black Panther with an expert and highlight some of the many examples of fans using Black Panther for real world activism. Joining the team to talk about activism and entertainment is Alan Jenkins.
Listen to the show as it airs LIVE this Monday at 10pm ET.
Alan Jenkins is President and Co-Founder of The Opportunity Agenda, a social justice communication lab dedicated to the idea that our nation can and should be a place where everyone enjoys full and equal opportunity. Jenkins is a lifelong fan of comics and sci-fi. The Opportunity Agenda released the report “The Power of Pop: Analyzing Portrayals of Immigrants in Popular Television,” which evaluated the portrayal of immigrants in 40 leading TV shows — including The Walking Dead, NCIS, Orange is the New Black, the Big Bang Theory, Parks and Recreation and Scandal.
Fans and activists are alike in that we’re all advocates. We promote characters who’ve empowered us and recruit people to join our causes. Sometimes that effort is one and the same.
When a tyrant comes to power by dehumanizing Muslims and Latinx people, telling stories with Muslim and Latinx heroes is essential.
While Ms. Marvel, Kamala Khan, and Ms. America, America Chavez are punching Hitler and stretching the boundaries of whose superpowered stories are told, real life Muslim women, latinas, and other Queer People of Color are leading mass mobilizations in their communities.
What makes this imagery so powerful? How are these stories both real and imagined changing pop culture and politics?
On Wednesday, March 22, we’re inviting twitter users to dive in and discuss, 8:30 EDT to 9:30pm by visiting #PopPoliticsChat on Twitter.
Our first topic is Marvel Comics’ Ms. Marvel series, and the newly released America comic, starring former Young Avenger and leader of The Ultimates, America Chavez. Kamala Khan and America Chavez’s powers make them immune to border walls and bathroom laws. Both characters are explicitly American and heroic in their stories, and useful vehicles for considering what patriotism and heroism means when Muslims, immigrants, and LGBTQ people are being targeted by the government (and when Captain America Steve Rogers is revealed to be a Nazi Hydra Agent).
We’ll also discuss how to engage in Marvel fandom while remaining critical of problematic issues, including Marvel/Disney’s participation in Trump’s Economic Advisory board, and a lack of support for creators of color and women.
Our goals are to bring together pop culture fans, social movement community members, creatives, and more in a fun and inspiring conversation, and to connect them to new ideas and opportunities to take action. We hope you’ll spread the word about the event and participate with us!
Go to Twitter, visit #PopPoliticsChat and join our featured tweeters for the conversation:
And I, @elana_brooklyn will be moderating the conversation, coming to this from the perspective of someone who is a comics fan and critic, but also works for an immigrant-lead community organization whose members and leaders are leading the resistance against immigration raids, over-policing, and other forms of systemic oppression (and have been since long before Trump).
See you then! And if you are Tumblr share it there!
Cultural Pulse (an initiative of the Culture Lab) connects social justice movements to pop culture stories, trends and fan organizing efforts to help them more deeply engage with the stories and people that are changing hearts and minds.
On demand: iTunes ¦ Sound Cloud ¦ Stitcher ¦
Stories of resistance to tyranny are a powerful Force for change (pun intended). Star Wars‘ mythos are more relevant than ever and we’ll be discussing fan communities using Star Wars to fight the Empire with Brian Young.
Brian works on the Imagine Better campaign to form a Rebel Alliance for a better Star Wars fandom.
Young has produced political documentaries for the Disinformation Company and written for Huffington Post about politics since 2007, but he’s also a big Star Wars fan. He writes for StarWars.com and Star Wars Insider Magazine and hosts one of the largest Star Wars podcasts: Full of Sith. He talks regularly about Star Wars and politics, but only occasionally at the same time, but not for lack of wanting to.
He is @swankmotron on twitter.
Stories of resistance to tyranny are a powerful Force for change (pun intended). Star Wars‘ mythos are more relevant than ever and we’ll be discussing fan communities using Star Wars to fight the Empire with Brian Young.
Listen to the latest episode of Graphic Policy tonight at 10pm ET.
Brian works on the Imagine Better campaign to form a Rebel Alliance for a better Star Wars fandom.
Young has produced political documentaries for the Disinformation Company and written for Huffington Post about politics since 2007, but he’s also a big Star Wars fan. He writes for StarWars.com and Star Wars Insider Magazine and hosts one of the largest Star Wars podcasts: Full of Sith. He talks regularly about Star Wars and politics, but only occasionally at the same time, but not for lack of wanting to.
He is @swankmotron on twitter.
At Flame Con 2, I moderated the LGBTQ Activism in Fandom and Beyond Panel talking about how fans are organizing to make fandom more inclusive AND using their love of pop culture to win campaigns in the world beyond! Panelists included Jackson Bird (Chief of Muggle Relations at the Harry Potter Alliance), Nicole Gitaua (Geeks Out), and J. A. Micheline (Writer).
Great panel and great to talk with @Elana_Brooklyn, @cocodevaux, and @jackisnotabird 💪🏽
— ✨J. A. Micheline✨ (@elevenafter) August 21, 2016
Learn more about the Harry Potter Alliance and Geeks OUT!.
