Fantastic Negrito and The Last Days of Oakland
In the last three years, Fantastic Negrito, an Oakland-based black roots revivalist has gone from busking at bus stops to winning a Grammy and touring internationally. He’s done this by creating a unique sound — melodic hooks, primal blues-rock chords, clever lyricism, a killer falsetto, and in-your-face social consciousness. On this week’s Making Contact, we learn about Fantastic Negrito’s journey, his creative process, and how...
At the Intersection of Faith and Reproductive Justice
Faith and reproductive justice: we rarely hear these words in the same sentence. Instead, we associate faith with the belligerent protester outside an abortion clinic or sex ed curriculums that shame young women for their sexuality. But what if faith could fuel a movement that supports women and families in having real choices over their lives and their bodies? On this week’s Making Contact, we head to the crossroads of faith and...
I Am Not Your Negro
Master filmmaker Raoul Peck envisions the book James Baldwin never finished, Remember This House. The result is a radical, up-to-the-minute examination of race in America, using Baldwin’s original words and flood of rich archival material. I Am Not Your Negro is a journey into black history that connects the past of the Civil Rights movement to the present of #BlackLivesMatter. It is a film that questions black representation in...
The Poetic Address to the Nation (Encore)
November 8 marks one year since Donald Trump won the US presidency. One year later, Gallup puts the President’s approval rating at 33%, an all-time low. We at Making Contact reflect on his solid win in the electoral college, his resounding loss of the popular vote, and the year that is drawing to a close. The Poetic Address to the Nation was an event that brought together poets to speak out and against the current administration. The...
Sacrifice Zones – Part 2
Since 2003 a rash of proposals have surfaced in communities throughout the Northwest to export vast amounts of fossil fuels to Asian markets via Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. If these plans go through the Northwest would become home to the largest oil terminal in North America, the largest coal export facility in North America, and the largest methanol refinery in the world. As the fossil fuel industry turns up its...
Sacrifice Zones – Part 1
Since 2003 a rash of proposals have surfaced in communities throughout the Northwest to export vast amounts of fossil fuels to Asian markets via Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. If these plans go through the Northwest would become home to the largest oil terminal in North America, the largest coal export facility in North America, and the largest methanol refinery in the world. This week we present Part One of Sacrifice Zones...
