1 00:00:04,160 --> 00:00:05,880 Speaker 1: There Are No Girls on the Internet, as a production 2 00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:13,000 Speaker 1: of I Heart Radio and Unbossed Creative. I'm Bridget Todd 3 00:00:13,160 --> 00:00:14,880 Speaker 1: and this is There Are No Girls on the Internet. 4 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:20,320 Speaker 1: Can you think of the future, What does it look like? 5 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:24,880 Speaker 1: In nineteen sixties, six Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry imagined 6 00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:27,760 Speaker 1: a future where the multiracial crew of the U. S. S. 7 00:00:27,880 --> 00:00:32,239 Speaker 1: Enterprise worked together to explore the wonders of space, and 8 00:00:32,280 --> 00:00:35,360 Speaker 1: while they were at it, they also explored race, disability, 9 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:39,000 Speaker 1: and gender. Star Trek has long bit of vessel over 10 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:42,960 Speaker 1: people to imagine themselves in the future. When Nichelle Nichols, 11 00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:45,360 Speaker 1: who played a horror wanted to quit the show to 12 00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:48,240 Speaker 1: pursue a career on Broadway, it was Martin Luther King, 13 00:00:48,680 --> 00:00:51,760 Speaker 1: a Trekky himself, who convinced her to stay on so 14 00:00:51,880 --> 00:00:54,760 Speaker 1: the world could see a black woman as commanding and capable. 15 00:00:55,520 --> 00:00:59,760 Speaker 1: Here's Nichols describing the historic encounter and then looking at 16 00:00:59,800 --> 00:01:06,720 Speaker 1: the Martin Luther King, he said, you can't and I couldn't, 17 00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:12,959 Speaker 1: and I've never regretted it. I didn't leave. I couldn't leave. 18 00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:18,880 Speaker 1: The rest is history. Is it any surprise that MLK 19 00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:21,720 Speaker 1: was a Star Trek fan In order to be an activist, 20 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:24,960 Speaker 1: you have to be able to imagine a future that's 21 00:01:25,040 --> 00:01:28,679 Speaker 1: better than the current reality and believe in the promise 22 00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:32,360 Speaker 1: that the future includes people like you. Bla Ramani is 23 00:01:32,360 --> 00:01:37,000 Speaker 1: an activist, historian, and author. Like MLK before her, she's 24 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 1: a huge Trek e and the show helped her imagine 25 00:01:39,240 --> 00:01:42,360 Speaker 1: a future where people like her aren't just included, but 26 00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:45,600 Speaker 1: where they can also live long and prosper. Last year, 27 00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:48,560 Speaker 1: when I went to Comic Con in California, she cosplayed 28 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:52,560 Speaker 1: as Jordie LaForge, the Enterprises chief engineer played by LaVar Burdon. 29 00:01:53,600 --> 00:01:57,240 Speaker 1: The character was a nod to George LaForge, a quadraplegic 30 00:01:57,320 --> 00:02:00,640 Speaker 1: fan of the show. Jordie is blind and device called 31 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:03,120 Speaker 1: Advisor gives them the ability to see. And if you're 32 00:02:03,160 --> 00:02:05,880 Speaker 1: anything like me, you spent your childhood mimking the device 33 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:09,320 Speaker 1: with a headband on your face. Blair wanted to dress 34 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:12,440 Speaker 1: this Jordy, but also at our own spin to it. 35 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:16,440 Speaker 1: I have always believed that Jordie Laforage of Star Trek 36 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:21,720 Speaker 1: is a Muslim because he's born I think on February 37 00:02:21,760 --> 00:02:25,079 Speaker 1: five not I think I know um in Mogadi Shoe Somalia, 38 00:02:25,160 --> 00:02:28,079 Speaker 1: which is a Muslim majority country, and in three hundred 39 00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:30,400 Speaker 1: years it will probably still be a Muslim majority country. 40 00:02:30,480 --> 00:02:33,160 Speaker 1: So odds are that Jordan LaForge is a black Muslim. 41 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:35,280 Speaker 1: So I thought, oh, how fun and wholesome it will 42 00:02:35,280 --> 00:02:37,799 Speaker 1: be for me to bring my religiosity and myself to 43 00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:41,880 Speaker 1: this space. I did not anticipate gonna go super viral. 44 00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:45,560 Speaker 1: I did not anticipate pissing off islamophobes. Um, I mean 45 00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:47,520 Speaker 1: I kind of always anticipate that, but not in the 46 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:50,680 Speaker 1: Star Trek Bandam. So it kind of turned into like 47 00:02:50,760 --> 00:02:53,080 Speaker 1: some fun thing I could do, and of course, like 48 00:02:53,160 --> 00:02:56,160 Speaker 1: most things, it became a political statement. You can find 49 00:02:56,160 --> 00:02:58,280 Speaker 1: a link to Blair's outfit in the show notes, and 50 00:02:58,320 --> 00:03:02,760 Speaker 1: I definitely suggest checking it out. Her feminized Islamic sized 51 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:06,760 Speaker 1: take on Jordy LaForge with a hajab went viral. Had 52 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:09,760 Speaker 1: this beautiful robe from el Haffer Design, which is based 53 00:03:09,760 --> 00:03:12,480 Speaker 1: in Los Angeles, created by Katie al Haffer, so woman 54 00:03:12,520 --> 00:03:15,440 Speaker 1: owned business love that. I had the Jordy Leforge Visor 55 00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:19,480 Speaker 1: which is his seeing device, because um, Jordy LaForge is 56 00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:22,920 Speaker 1: not cited. He's blind, but he uses this vision device 57 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:24,720 Speaker 1: visor device in order to be able to see. So 58 00:03:24,760 --> 00:03:26,800 Speaker 1: I had that, and then I put a nice blackie 59 00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:29,840 Speaker 1: job on top of it. Blair said only three people 60 00:03:29,880 --> 00:03:32,240 Speaker 1: asked her about cosplaying as a version of Jordy, who 61 00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:34,840 Speaker 1: presents as a woman, but it was the addition of 62 00:03:34,880 --> 00:03:38,400 Speaker 1: the job that really riled people up. Some of the 63 00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:42,040 Speaker 1: responses were really pedantic, like one Twitter user who said 64 00:03:42,080 --> 00:03:45,800 Speaker 1: a hadjob would violate the Starfleet's dress code. So, Blair, 65 00:03:45,840 --> 00:03:48,520 Speaker 1: what was the reaction like online? You would have thought 66 00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:51,760 Speaker 1: that I had, like, I don't know, a little holy 67 00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:54,120 Speaker 1: book on fire the way some people were reacting. So 68 00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:57,480 Speaker 1: you have the one group of folks who, um, well, actually, 69 00:03:57,520 --> 00:03:59,480 Speaker 1: I wouldn't have even photographed it if it wasn't from 70 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:04,559 Speaker 1: my friend Kalin Barowski, who like, he's my photographer, like primarily, 71 00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 1: and he was like, you need to get photographs of this, 72 00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:08,200 Speaker 1: and I was like, okay, fine, let's do it before 73 00:04:08,200 --> 00:04:10,160 Speaker 1: I go to Comic Con. And I just posted it 74 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:13,440 Speaker 1: for Juma, which is you know, Friday, Friday Prayer Day, 75 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:15,840 Speaker 1: and I was like, you know, Juma to all the 76 00:04:15,920 --> 00:04:18,839 Speaker 1: Muslims across the galaxy, and the pictures came out super iconic, 77 00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:22,599 Speaker 1: and so I posted them and it was wild because 78 00:04:22,839 --> 00:04:27,800 Speaker 1: cast of the Star Trek franchise like Will Wheaton and uh, 79 00:04:27,920 --> 00:04:31,360 Speaker 1: you know, LeVar Burton himself and Michael Dorn and Brent 80 00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:34,719 Speaker 1: Spinner saw the post and started sharing it themselves, which 81 00:04:34,760 --> 00:04:36,839 Speaker 1: was like super duper validating. I was like on top 82 00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:38,840 Speaker 1: of the world. Um. And then of course the fans 83 00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:41,119 Speaker 1: started to see it, and then of course star Trek 84 00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:44,160 Speaker 1: dot com itself started to see it. Um. And so 85 00:04:44,240 --> 00:04:45,880 Speaker 1: there was like this outpourt of like, what is this 86 00:04:46,720 --> 00:04:51,120 Speaker 1: the most exciting and kind of like, I guess surprising 87 00:04:51,160 --> 00:04:53,599 Speaker 1: aspect was that people thought I was a new character 88 00:04:53,680 --> 00:04:56,920 Speaker 1: on the show Piccard, and I still get emails from 89 00:04:56,960 --> 00:04:59,239 Speaker 1: people who are like, when is your episode coming out? 90 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:04,000 Speaker 1: I'm so excited. So some people really liked it and 91 00:05:04,080 --> 00:05:07,760 Speaker 1: some people really hated it. But Blair couldn't understand why 92 00:05:07,800 --> 00:05:10,520 Speaker 1: her using star Trek to affirm that the future includes 93 00:05:10,560 --> 00:05:14,000 Speaker 1: black Muslims like her was so shocking, particularly given that 94 00:05:14,080 --> 00:05:15,920 Speaker 1: Star Trek was meant to show a vision of the 95 00:05:15,960 --> 00:05:19,800 Speaker 1: future that includes everybody. It was really polarizing. On the 96 00:05:19,839 --> 00:05:22,760 Speaker 1: one hand, as far as like social media went, it 97 00:05:22,800 --> 00:05:24,920 Speaker 1: was like folks who are really excited or thought that 98 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:27,080 Speaker 1: I was a new character. Then you had folks saying 99 00:05:27,080 --> 00:05:31,320 Speaker 1: things like Gene Roddenberry didn't intend for Muslims to be 100 00:05:31,400 --> 00:05:33,840 Speaker 1: in space. Muslims aren't in Star Trek, and I'm like, 101 00:05:33,880 --> 00:05:36,000 Speaker 1: first of all, Star Trek is fictional. Second of all, 102 00:05:36,080 --> 00:05:39,680 Speaker 1: yeah he did because you know, Gene Roddenberry, he believed 103 00:05:39,680 --> 00:05:43,520 Speaker 1: in infinite diversity and infinite combinations. And Star Trek was 104 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:46,440 Speaker 1: a beloved show of Dr Martin Luther King Jr. Who 105 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:50,599 Speaker 1: actually encourage Um, you know Ahura, you know, the woman 106 00:05:50,600 --> 00:05:53,719 Speaker 1: who plays Uhura to like continue on the show. Um 107 00:05:53,800 --> 00:05:58,120 Speaker 1: and Michelle Nichols and so like, not only is Jean 108 00:05:58,240 --> 00:06:04,080 Speaker 1: Roddenberry not this like you know, like anti diversity, anti 109 00:06:04,120 --> 00:06:06,320 Speaker 1: PC dude, he was the reason there was the first 110 00:06:06,360 --> 00:06:10,400 Speaker 1: interracial kiss on television between Captain Kirk and Lieutenant Uhura. 111 00:06:10,839 --> 00:06:14,000 Speaker 1: And so that's huge. You know. So when people are 112 00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:16,440 Speaker 1: saying there's no Muslims in space and like, actually, I 113 00:06:16,480 --> 00:06:18,560 Speaker 1: have evidence to back it up. But also, this isn't 114 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:20,840 Speaker 1: even a real universe. If you hate Muslims so much, 115 00:06:20,839 --> 00:06:22,760 Speaker 1: maybe you should just say that instead of trying to 116 00:06:22,920 --> 00:06:27,520 Speaker 1: use either you know, your own bandom or something else 117 00:06:27,600 --> 00:06:30,839 Speaker 1: to hide behind that. There's a rich tradition of activists 118 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:34,040 Speaker 1: finding inspiration and being able to see themselves in fictional worlds. 119 00:06:34,640 --> 00:06:37,880 Speaker 1: It's one of the reasons like MLK wanted Michelle Nichols 120 00:06:37,880 --> 00:06:41,880 Speaker 1: to keep showing that kind of representation. Civil rights icon 121 00:06:42,160 --> 00:06:45,599 Speaker 1: John Lewis was one of my heroes, and my favorite 122 00:06:45,640 --> 00:06:48,880 Speaker 1: fact about him is that during Comic Con he cosplayed 123 00:06:48,880 --> 00:06:52,960 Speaker 1: as his own younger self crossing the Edmund Pettis Bridge 124 00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:56,280 Speaker 1: in Selma during the Civil rights movement. At Comic Con, 125 00:06:57,640 --> 00:07:00,040 Speaker 1: he wore the same code and carried the same and 126 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:03,159 Speaker 1: backpack that contained the same things he brought with him 127 00:07:03,200 --> 00:07:07,320 Speaker 1: back on that fateful day in n an Apple, a 128 00:07:07,360 --> 00:07:10,800 Speaker 1: toothbrush and a comic book, all the things you need 129 00:07:10,840 --> 00:07:14,600 Speaker 1: to survive a night in jail. At the convention, dressed 130 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:17,200 Speaker 1: as his own younger self, Lewis led kids on a 131 00:07:17,200 --> 00:07:20,080 Speaker 1: little march around the convention to help them visualize that 132 00:07:20,160 --> 00:07:23,520 Speaker 1: anyone could be a hero, even them. He was there 133 00:07:23,560 --> 00:07:26,680 Speaker 1: to promote his own comic book, a graphic novel retelling 134 00:07:26,800 --> 00:07:30,080 Speaker 1: of the march on Selma called March Here's the Late 135 00:07:30,200 --> 00:07:34,960 Speaker 1: John Lewis at comic advocating for a new generation to 136 00:07:35,120 --> 00:07:55,800 Speaker 1: create good trouble and young people. And it might sound 137 00:07:55,880 --> 00:07:58,480 Speaker 1: strange for a civil rights icon to be talking about 138 00:07:58,480 --> 00:08:01,480 Speaker 1: comics at a convention. But John Lewis says that he 139 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:04,320 Speaker 1: was first inspired to join the civil rights movement from 140 00:08:04,320 --> 00:08:07,679 Speaker 1: reading a comic book about MLK called Dr King Martin 141 00:08:07,760 --> 00:08:14,320 Speaker 1: Luther King in the Montgomery Story. I think it really 142 00:08:14,320 --> 00:08:19,160 Speaker 1: shows that civil rights leaders and activists are real people 143 00:08:19,320 --> 00:08:22,080 Speaker 1: with real interests. They're not just sort of like someone 144 00:08:22,160 --> 00:08:25,160 Speaker 1: that you read about on in February for Black History 145 00:08:25,160 --> 00:08:29,160 Speaker 1: Month and the prefecture in a book. They're real, multifaceted people. 146 00:08:29,760 --> 00:08:33,280 Speaker 1: And I do think there's this connection to science fiction 147 00:08:33,559 --> 00:08:37,199 Speaker 1: and other nerdy interests and the civil rights and activism 148 00:08:37,200 --> 00:08:40,080 Speaker 1: because you have to be able to sort of imagine 149 00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:42,520 Speaker 1: and dream that different worlds are possible to be an 150 00:08:42,520 --> 00:08:44,480 Speaker 1: activist and to fight for, to fight for the kind 151 00:08:44,480 --> 00:08:46,440 Speaker 1: of change that you fight for. I keep making the 152 00:08:46,480 --> 00:08:50,200 Speaker 1: connections between religion and you know, sci fi because it 153 00:08:50,280 --> 00:08:52,400 Speaker 1: is the idea of a different world. Like you know, 154 00:08:52,480 --> 00:08:54,839 Speaker 1: Dr King spoke about the mountain Top, but we can 155 00:08:54,880 --> 00:08:57,480 Speaker 1: also look at that as you know, imagining a afro 156 00:08:57,640 --> 00:09:00,920 Speaker 1: futurism um and imagining ourselves in a different realm, and 157 00:09:01,000 --> 00:09:02,960 Speaker 1: this whole idea that we have to get beyond the 158 00:09:03,040 --> 00:09:06,640 Speaker 1: limitations of our own imagination um. And sometimes for you know, 159 00:09:06,679 --> 00:09:09,320 Speaker 1: religious folks such as byself, it means trusting that you know, 160 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:12,240 Speaker 1: a law or God or Yahweh has the ultimate plan 161 00:09:12,720 --> 00:09:15,120 Speaker 1: um and that is beyond our own understanding because we 162 00:09:15,160 --> 00:09:17,480 Speaker 1: have a finite kept you know, ability to understand in 163 00:09:17,520 --> 00:09:20,720 Speaker 1: our current um system. Or it could be to use 164 00:09:20,960 --> 00:09:24,920 Speaker 1: you know, graphics and art and illustration and comics and 165 00:09:25,000 --> 00:09:28,840 Speaker 1: books and video and film, uh in podcasts to you know, 166 00:09:28,880 --> 00:09:30,920 Speaker 1: imagine what that looks like and transport us to a 167 00:09:30,920 --> 00:09:34,440 Speaker 1: different place as a reprieve from the difficulties of the world. 168 00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:38,520 Speaker 1: But it's also crucial to understand that, you know, these 169 00:09:38,520 --> 00:09:42,240 Speaker 1: are tools used to transport us, but they're still being 170 00:09:42,240 --> 00:09:44,640 Speaker 1: created by people, and because of that, there's going to 171 00:09:44,679 --> 00:09:47,960 Speaker 1: be limitations. I mean, the example I keep giving is that, 172 00:09:48,040 --> 00:09:50,240 Speaker 1: you know, in Star Trek, they have people giving painful 173 00:09:50,640 --> 00:09:54,720 Speaker 1: you know, traditional birth um you know, via the birth canal, 174 00:09:55,200 --> 00:09:57,560 Speaker 1: and I'm like, okay, well, if you can like zap 175 00:09:57,600 --> 00:10:00,640 Speaker 1: somebody healthy with like a laser gun, then why can't 176 00:10:00,679 --> 00:10:02,720 Speaker 1: you just like teleport the baby out of the womb? 177 00:10:02,840 --> 00:10:05,400 Speaker 1: You know, Like there's a limitations, you know, or the 178 00:10:05,440 --> 00:10:08,760 Speaker 1: idea that we haven't surpassed this idea of you know, 179 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:12,760 Speaker 1: pain during childbirth, etcetera, or just you know, is there 180 00:10:12,800 --> 00:10:16,000 Speaker 1: an incubation pod like you know, because Star Trek the 181 00:10:16,000 --> 00:10:18,520 Speaker 1: Next Generation was created at a specific time in history. 182 00:10:18,600 --> 00:10:23,920 Speaker 1: Even the things that they make as a futuristic interpretation 183 00:10:24,040 --> 00:10:26,360 Speaker 1: of a current technology, it's going to be based on 184 00:10:26,360 --> 00:10:28,640 Speaker 1: that current technology. But the other cool thing is that 185 00:10:28,679 --> 00:10:32,680 Speaker 1: so many technologies are then based on UM, you know, 186 00:10:32,720 --> 00:10:36,320 Speaker 1: the imaginings of previous sci fi writers, even like Jules Burne. 187 00:10:36,440 --> 00:10:39,840 Speaker 1: You know, people as they imagine are also limited by 188 00:10:39,880 --> 00:10:43,840 Speaker 1: the imaginings of each other. UM. And so with John Lewis, 189 00:10:44,360 --> 00:10:46,480 Speaker 1: I was actually able to meet him while he was 190 00:10:46,520 --> 00:10:51,040 Speaker 1: on tour UM during UH the first March book UM 191 00:10:51,080 --> 00:10:54,440 Speaker 1: created by himself and Andrew Aiden and Nate Powell, and 192 00:10:54,800 --> 00:10:56,560 Speaker 1: I spoke to him about why he decided to do 193 00:10:56,600 --> 00:10:59,720 Speaker 1: this format, and it was because he wanted to reach 194 00:10:59,760 --> 00:11:03,160 Speaker 1: as the people as possible. And so Andrew Aiden and 195 00:11:03,240 --> 00:11:05,800 Speaker 1: John Lewis, they both love comic books. And that comic 196 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:09,240 Speaker 1: book that you refer to is called Dr King Martin 197 00:11:09,320 --> 00:11:13,559 Speaker 1: Luther King in the Montgomery Story, and it's it's beautiful 198 00:11:13,600 --> 00:11:18,800 Speaker 1: because it shows how much of a superman. Dr King 199 00:11:18,920 --> 00:11:21,920 Speaker 1: was made to be Not only is in an educational tool, 200 00:11:22,200 --> 00:11:25,480 Speaker 1: but these are representational materials of things that are happening 201 00:11:25,520 --> 00:11:28,920 Speaker 1: in the present moment. I think today we get caught 202 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:32,680 Speaker 1: up in conversations about this activism is performative. You know, 203 00:11:32,720 --> 00:11:34,800 Speaker 1: if you have an outfit to show up to a protest, 204 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:38,760 Speaker 1: you're being a shallow activist, completely ignoring the fact that, 205 00:11:38,840 --> 00:11:41,480 Speaker 1: like the Black Panther Party didn't just wake up with 206 00:11:41,520 --> 00:11:46,360 Speaker 1: perfectly symmetrical afros, excellently tailored slacks and turtlenecks and berets. 207 00:11:46,360 --> 00:11:48,480 Speaker 1: They didn't just roll out of bed like that. It 208 00:11:48,559 --> 00:11:53,440 Speaker 1: was all intentional and performance and art and illustration and 209 00:11:53,600 --> 00:11:58,480 Speaker 1: the conveyance of information requires intentionality, and that's going to 210 00:11:58,520 --> 00:12:00,400 Speaker 1: deal with aesthetics. So it's not to say we have 211 00:12:00,440 --> 00:12:03,040 Speaker 1: to choose one, so not to say one should overcome 212 00:12:03,080 --> 00:12:04,959 Speaker 1: the other, but that we can have both of these 213 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:08,080 Speaker 1: things in tandem. And that sometimes we live in ourselves, 214 00:12:08,480 --> 00:12:11,160 Speaker 1: um we being kind of like the broader community or 215 00:12:11,360 --> 00:12:14,559 Speaker 1: you know, people who uh just you know, we as 216 00:12:14,559 --> 00:12:18,720 Speaker 1: a people often limit ourselves in what tools we uh 217 00:12:18,880 --> 00:12:22,800 Speaker 1: grab onto because if you've only seen tweets or TikTok's 218 00:12:22,800 --> 00:12:26,400 Speaker 1: that cover surface level, you know, material If the only 219 00:12:26,400 --> 00:12:28,640 Speaker 1: way you've come into contact with sci fi has been 220 00:12:28,679 --> 00:12:31,160 Speaker 1: at the surface level way, then you're probably not going 221 00:12:31,200 --> 00:12:33,560 Speaker 1: to understand the fact that, you know, during the time 222 00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:37,720 Speaker 1: of a crack epidemic, the Star Trek universe decided to 223 00:12:37,760 --> 00:12:41,240 Speaker 1: tackle addiction. You might not understand that, you know, TikTok 224 00:12:41,280 --> 00:12:44,560 Speaker 1: is being used to educate young people and people across 225 00:12:44,600 --> 00:12:48,400 Speaker 1: literacy and language, um, And so it's all about how 226 00:12:48,480 --> 00:12:50,760 Speaker 1: we use the tools. And that's why I find, you know, 227 00:12:50,840 --> 00:12:56,719 Speaker 1: comics and film and TV so exciting because yeah, it's 228 00:12:56,720 --> 00:12:59,280 Speaker 1: a different world. Yeah it's not real life, but it 229 00:12:59,320 --> 00:13:01,560 Speaker 1: can totally be a proxy for our real life and 230 00:13:01,559 --> 00:13:03,839 Speaker 1: it can be a reprieve from our world. But then 231 00:13:03,840 --> 00:13:06,679 Speaker 1: it's also very important to make sure that we check 232 00:13:06,720 --> 00:13:11,280 Speaker 1: our own biases when creating that work. Fiction, comic books, cartoons, 233 00:13:11,320 --> 00:13:13,880 Speaker 1: TV shows, all of them can be tools to help 234 00:13:13,960 --> 00:13:18,040 Speaker 1: us better understand ourselves and the world around us. Blair 235 00:13:18,080 --> 00:13:21,600 Speaker 1: is also an author. Her books Modern History and Making 236 00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:25,640 Speaker 1: Our Way Home use colorful illustrations to help introduce audiences 237 00:13:26,840 --> 00:13:29,600 Speaker 1: to the concept that marginalized people of the past weren't 238 00:13:29,640 --> 00:13:33,520 Speaker 1: just two dimensional historical figures. They were complex and the 239 00:13:33,559 --> 00:13:35,960 Speaker 1: cover of both of her books kind of look like comics. 240 00:13:36,800 --> 00:13:39,720 Speaker 1: Fun factful circle story is the reason why I'm an 241 00:13:39,720 --> 00:13:43,040 Speaker 1: author is because of LaVar Burton. So one, LaVar Burton 242 00:13:43,080 --> 00:13:46,240 Speaker 1: made me an enthusiastic reader via reading Rainbow, and two 243 00:13:46,440 --> 00:13:49,160 Speaker 1: I thanked him for that. He started following me, and 244 00:13:49,200 --> 00:13:51,199 Speaker 1: when I was trying to get a publisher for the book, 245 00:13:51,440 --> 00:13:54,400 Speaker 1: he shouted me out and literally said, somebody published this 246 00:13:54,440 --> 00:13:57,640 Speaker 1: woman's book and like to two million people who are 247 00:13:57,679 --> 00:14:01,400 Speaker 1: probably in literacy to some extent. And that paved the 248 00:14:01,400 --> 00:14:03,560 Speaker 1: way for me not only getting my first book, deal 249 00:14:03,600 --> 00:14:06,000 Speaker 1: with my second one with the same publishing house. So 250 00:14:06,480 --> 00:14:10,480 Speaker 1: LeVar Burton is amazing. Um and so I, you know, 251 00:14:10,760 --> 00:14:13,600 Speaker 1: couldn't relish the fact that I that you know, imagery 252 00:14:13,840 --> 00:14:16,959 Speaker 1: and things like TV and film shaped my own understanding 253 00:14:17,040 --> 00:14:19,200 Speaker 1: as a reader and as you know, an informed person 254 00:14:19,640 --> 00:14:23,320 Speaker 1: like you might remember Jimmy Neutron, Like they actually snuck 255 00:14:23,320 --> 00:14:26,080 Speaker 1: in a lot of very important scientific and you know, 256 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:30,480 Speaker 1: um engineering information into that show, Like even SpongeBob talks 257 00:14:30,520 --> 00:14:33,560 Speaker 1: about things that like makes sense in real life and 258 00:14:33,600 --> 00:14:37,479 Speaker 1: so and and the fact that Steve Hillenberg, who created SpongeBob, 259 00:14:37,600 --> 00:14:40,400 Speaker 1: was a marine biologist and wanted to convey that education 260 00:14:40,480 --> 00:14:43,600 Speaker 1: to young people through his work, So I was definitely 261 00:14:43,640 --> 00:14:45,440 Speaker 1: informed by that, and I think growing up in like 262 00:14:45,480 --> 00:14:49,240 Speaker 1: the golden era of animation really helped me to kind 263 00:14:49,240 --> 00:14:51,520 Speaker 1: of connect those two things. But I also like the 264 00:14:51,560 --> 00:14:53,760 Speaker 1: idea of somebody picking up my book because it looks 265 00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:55,440 Speaker 1: like a good coffee table book. It looks like a 266 00:14:55,520 --> 00:14:58,000 Speaker 1: light read. And I do make my books accessible at 267 00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:00,040 Speaker 1: a fifth grade level, because most folks read it a 268 00:15:00,080 --> 00:15:02,240 Speaker 1: fifth grade level, and most magazines are written at a 269 00:15:02,240 --> 00:15:04,920 Speaker 1: fifth grade level. But I like the idea of some 270 00:15:04,960 --> 00:15:08,480 Speaker 1: sweet grandma who might have you know, conservative politics, picking 271 00:15:08,560 --> 00:15:10,560 Speaker 1: up the book because it looks friendly on the front cover, 272 00:15:11,040 --> 00:15:15,240 Speaker 1: giving it to her you know, offspring, and surprise, they're 273 00:15:15,240 --> 00:15:19,120 Speaker 1: getting radicalized. They're getting educated about things that are complex 274 00:15:19,160 --> 00:15:21,680 Speaker 1: and intricate in a way that is family friendly and 275 00:15:21,720 --> 00:15:24,280 Speaker 1: you know, age appropriate, but things that might not be 276 00:15:24,320 --> 00:15:26,760 Speaker 1: covered until they get to college because of the limitations 277 00:15:26,760 --> 00:15:30,520 Speaker 1: of the educational system. So especially with my second book, 278 00:15:30,760 --> 00:15:33,040 Speaker 1: Making Our Way Home, even though there's a gay couple 279 00:15:33,040 --> 00:15:34,960 Speaker 1: on the front cover in the form of my uncle 280 00:15:35,040 --> 00:15:38,120 Speaker 1: Lester and a partner we imagined for him, I still 281 00:15:38,160 --> 00:15:40,800 Speaker 1: get emails from people saying I didn't know this book 282 00:15:40,840 --> 00:15:42,960 Speaker 1: was going to be queer affirming. Of course they don't 283 00:15:42,960 --> 00:15:45,520 Speaker 1: say it like that, but I'm like, I didn't hide anything. 284 00:15:45,840 --> 00:15:49,880 Speaker 1: But because it's presented in a certain way, UM, it 285 00:15:49,960 --> 00:15:52,760 Speaker 1: doesn't detract from people who are already seeking that material, 286 00:15:52,960 --> 00:15:55,440 Speaker 1: but it also invites people in who might not have 287 00:15:55,520 --> 00:16:00,600 Speaker 1: otherwise engaged with something like the Great Migration or Black history. 288 00:16:01,040 --> 00:16:04,240 Speaker 1: UM that covers everything from the period of enslavement to 289 00:16:04,280 --> 00:16:06,520 Speaker 1: the creation of hip hop. So I try to use 290 00:16:07,160 --> 00:16:10,960 Speaker 1: imagery to sneak my way in, uh, and it's pretty effective. 291 00:16:11,640 --> 00:16:14,880 Speaker 1: So we know they're black folks, queer folks, and Muslim 292 00:16:14,880 --> 00:16:17,600 Speaker 1: folks in the future. Did Star Trek help you be 293 00:16:17,680 --> 00:16:21,480 Speaker 1: able to visualize that kind of world? Yeah? And it's funny, 294 00:16:21,680 --> 00:16:23,720 Speaker 1: like so much, you know, Star Trek has really helped 295 00:16:23,720 --> 00:16:26,640 Speaker 1: me envision what the future looks like. So often when 296 00:16:26,680 --> 00:16:30,120 Speaker 1: we look at sci fi, UM, it's you know, aliens 297 00:16:30,400 --> 00:16:33,400 Speaker 1: from a different universe who have a completely different molecular structure, 298 00:16:33,440 --> 00:16:36,280 Speaker 1: but for some reason they have a British accent. Like wtf, 299 00:16:36,320 --> 00:16:38,480 Speaker 1: you know, like white supremacy goes hard, I guess, even 300 00:16:38,480 --> 00:16:41,800 Speaker 1: in sci fi. And so I'm definitely not like under 301 00:16:41,840 --> 00:16:45,640 Speaker 1: any delusions about why, you know, certain biases exist. It's 302 00:16:45,640 --> 00:16:48,240 Speaker 1: because it's the limitations of our own imagination as people. 303 00:16:48,600 --> 00:16:51,040 Speaker 1: But it's not only helped me understand diversity. It's helped 304 00:16:51,080 --> 00:16:55,360 Speaker 1: me understand how I discuss religion at large as a historian, 305 00:16:55,560 --> 00:16:58,760 Speaker 1: and so often that means looking back in time. It's 306 00:16:58,800 --> 00:17:01,160 Speaker 1: a really exciting thing to also look at sci fi 307 00:17:01,200 --> 00:17:03,720 Speaker 1: as a step towards the future. Star Trek has been 308 00:17:03,720 --> 00:17:07,400 Speaker 1: fundamental in the identity formation of myself as a black 309 00:17:07,440 --> 00:17:09,439 Speaker 1: woman and as a Muslim woman, And it's helped me 310 00:17:09,640 --> 00:17:13,920 Speaker 1: speak about religion just to see how something as secular 311 00:17:14,560 --> 00:17:17,080 Speaker 1: and something as you know, low stakes. I guess it's 312 00:17:17,119 --> 00:17:19,919 Speaker 1: Star Trek can be imbued with the same type of 313 00:17:20,000 --> 00:17:24,360 Speaker 1: passion and vitriol but also beauty that comes with religious debates. 314 00:17:24,520 --> 00:17:27,879 Speaker 1: And I was actually at the School of Divinity at 315 00:17:27,920 --> 00:17:30,640 Speaker 1: Princeton giving a talk and I was talking about cannon, 316 00:17:31,119 --> 00:17:33,320 Speaker 1: and um, you know, today we talk about canon like 317 00:17:33,359 --> 00:17:36,119 Speaker 1: your fan, your fan, cannon, your headcan and things that 318 00:17:36,160 --> 00:17:38,560 Speaker 1: you know to be true but maybe aren't canonical to 319 00:17:39,080 --> 00:17:42,560 Speaker 1: the actual franchise. You know, say things like maybe you 320 00:17:42,600 --> 00:17:45,000 Speaker 1: believe all Peaka choose are related in Pokemon, but you 321 00:17:45,040 --> 00:17:47,159 Speaker 1: don't actually have a basis for things like that, And 322 00:17:47,240 --> 00:17:49,439 Speaker 1: so I was talking about how, in my head Cannon 323 00:17:49,560 --> 00:17:54,480 Speaker 1: for um Star Trek Jordan Leforge is a black Muslim, 324 00:17:54,560 --> 00:17:56,959 Speaker 1: and of course that's influenced by my own, you know, 325 00:17:57,080 --> 00:17:58,760 Speaker 1: skin in the game. I would also love there to 326 00:17:58,760 --> 00:18:00,879 Speaker 1: be a black Muslim in My Face show and my 327 00:18:00,920 --> 00:18:02,840 Speaker 1: favorite character to be one, So of course I'm going 328 00:18:02,880 --> 00:18:05,199 Speaker 1: to imbue that. But there's also a basis in the 329 00:18:05,200 --> 00:18:07,840 Speaker 1: fact that he's born in Mogadishu, Somalia, which is canonical 330 00:18:07,880 --> 00:18:10,000 Speaker 1: to the text. And I was talking about this in 331 00:18:10,040 --> 00:18:12,520 Speaker 1: the context of religion and how you know, we can 332 00:18:12,560 --> 00:18:17,680 Speaker 1: all read the same religious scripture and come to completely 333 00:18:17,760 --> 00:18:21,720 Speaker 1: different theological interpretations, and people tend to grasp that. But 334 00:18:21,760 --> 00:18:24,760 Speaker 1: I was talking about how, of course that happens, like 335 00:18:24,920 --> 00:18:27,000 Speaker 1: I think some people get confused, like how can we 336 00:18:27,040 --> 00:18:31,240 Speaker 1: all read the same story of Genesis And you know, well, 337 00:18:31,280 --> 00:18:33,960 Speaker 1: we're not even reading the same story. We're reading different interpretations, 338 00:18:33,960 --> 00:18:39,440 Speaker 1: different translations, centuries old differences. We're reading people imbuing their 339 00:18:39,440 --> 00:18:43,040 Speaker 1: own biases while they translate all these different things. And 340 00:18:43,119 --> 00:18:44,679 Speaker 1: it was so great because I was talking to this 341 00:18:44,720 --> 00:18:47,760 Speaker 1: group at this very you know, like fancy institution, uh 342 00:18:47,760 --> 00:18:51,120 Speaker 1: at Princeton talking about how Star Trek is a case 343 00:18:51,160 --> 00:18:54,800 Speaker 1: study into why there's so much religious turmoil because if 344 00:18:55,160 --> 00:18:57,400 Speaker 1: something is like I said, low sakes of Star Trek 345 00:18:57,480 --> 00:19:02,240 Speaker 1: can start a virtual flame war over what religion is 346 00:19:02,359 --> 00:19:05,200 Speaker 1: or is not in Star Trek, then of course something 347 00:19:05,240 --> 00:19:07,960 Speaker 1: as high stakes as our eternal souls is going to 348 00:19:08,280 --> 00:19:10,800 Speaker 1: you know, spark a bunch of debate. And I tell 349 00:19:10,840 --> 00:19:13,120 Speaker 1: people this, and I think it helps them understand everything 350 00:19:13,160 --> 00:19:15,879 Speaker 1: from why you know, I feel comfortable being a queer 351 00:19:15,960 --> 00:19:19,359 Speaker 1: Muslim um and owning that and owning God's love, to 352 00:19:19,880 --> 00:19:23,760 Speaker 1: things like white fandoms can be so fraught and disconnected 353 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:28,320 Speaker 1: and um, you know, uh, just chaotic. But the really 354 00:19:28,320 --> 00:19:31,159 Speaker 1: cool thing to see is how people will use the 355 00:19:31,280 --> 00:19:34,159 Speaker 1: scripture or in this case, the fandom or you know, 356 00:19:34,200 --> 00:19:36,960 Speaker 1: the original source material from the creator in this case 357 00:19:37,040 --> 00:19:40,920 Speaker 1: Gene Roddenberry and not God. Um well you know, uh, 358 00:19:41,200 --> 00:19:45,800 Speaker 1: to use that to protect and preserve other people. Because 359 00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:49,240 Speaker 1: it was so cool seeing like you know, trek Eas 360 00:19:49,320 --> 00:19:52,119 Speaker 1: and Trekkers which are also Trekkys, but they use their 361 00:19:52,119 --> 00:19:55,720 Speaker 1: own terminology which we respect. Um kind of defending me 362 00:19:56,280 --> 00:19:59,360 Speaker 1: basing this in like not only Star Trek the next generation, 363 00:19:59,400 --> 00:20:02,640 Speaker 1: but Deep Space nine, the movies, the animated series, all 364 00:20:02,640 --> 00:20:05,600 Speaker 1: showing a basis for religion in Star Trek, from episodes 365 00:20:05,840 --> 00:20:08,560 Speaker 1: in the original series where there's a Christmas tree, two 366 00:20:08,560 --> 00:20:11,680 Speaker 1: episodes in Deep Space nine where they totally get into religion, 367 00:20:11,680 --> 00:20:14,240 Speaker 1: to episodes in the Next Generation itself. And I just 368 00:20:14,320 --> 00:20:17,000 Speaker 1: felt so warm in that, like it was like a 369 00:20:17,080 --> 00:20:19,800 Speaker 1: virtual hug from all these different strangers who were like, 370 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:22,560 Speaker 1: we're not only going to protect her as a Muslim woman, 371 00:20:22,960 --> 00:20:26,000 Speaker 1: but her ability to belong in this fandom. And that's 372 00:20:26,040 --> 00:20:28,480 Speaker 1: the thing about being a girl or a woman on 373 00:20:28,520 --> 00:20:32,320 Speaker 1: the internet is that you constantly have to defend yourself 374 00:20:32,359 --> 00:20:34,199 Speaker 1: and it's a relief when other people step into do 375 00:20:34,240 --> 00:20:38,240 Speaker 1: it on your behalf. Definitely, that's something that I love. 376 00:20:38,320 --> 00:20:40,159 Speaker 1: Like one thing I love about being somebody who was 377 00:20:40,200 --> 00:20:43,040 Speaker 1: like a woman online is people will ride for you, 378 00:20:43,080 --> 00:20:45,159 Speaker 1: people will fight for you, they'll speak up for you, 379 00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:47,520 Speaker 1: they'll they'll shake tables for you, they'll make sure that 380 00:20:47,600 --> 00:20:51,040 Speaker 1: your voice is included and amplified. And and those moments 381 00:20:51,080 --> 00:20:54,840 Speaker 1: just saying yes to that trust, falling into your community 382 00:20:54,880 --> 00:20:57,600 Speaker 1: that has your back, those have been my favorite times online, 383 00:20:58,160 --> 00:21:01,560 Speaker 1: oh a hundred percent. Like I think that when you 384 00:21:01,600 --> 00:21:03,560 Speaker 1: go to comic connor. You go to a convention or 385 00:21:03,600 --> 00:21:07,040 Speaker 1: any space where you're taking virtual connections and putting it 386 00:21:07,040 --> 00:21:09,679 Speaker 1: into the physical realm, there's always that concern of am 387 00:21:09,680 --> 00:21:12,120 Speaker 1: I going to be rejected? And that really goes with anything, 388 00:21:12,400 --> 00:21:14,119 Speaker 1: you know, just like the first day at school, your 389 00:21:14,160 --> 00:21:16,440 Speaker 1: first day on the job, Am I going to be rejected? 390 00:21:16,800 --> 00:21:19,119 Speaker 1: And then also being in a fandom space and a 391 00:21:19,119 --> 00:21:21,960 Speaker 1: geek or a nerd space, it's that constant feeling of 392 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:25,120 Speaker 1: do you even know the material well enough? Like oh, oh, 393 00:21:25,240 --> 00:21:30,000 Speaker 1: you like like you know, you like Beyonce, name all 394 00:21:30,040 --> 00:21:32,240 Speaker 1: of her freckles, that type of thing, you know, and 395 00:21:32,240 --> 00:21:34,960 Speaker 1: it's like, come on now, Like we can all enjoy 396 00:21:35,040 --> 00:21:37,920 Speaker 1: things at are different levels, but just the whole feeling 397 00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:40,520 Speaker 1: that we don't know our our stuff enough as women. 398 00:21:40,840 --> 00:21:42,719 Speaker 1: And that's not just like I said, it's not just 399 00:21:42,800 --> 00:21:44,679 Speaker 1: with Star Trek, like, you know, the assumption that I 400 00:21:44,720 --> 00:21:46,720 Speaker 1: don't know every character off the top of my head, 401 00:21:46,760 --> 00:21:51,080 Speaker 1: even though I totally bombed at Star Trek Trivia recently. Um, 402 00:21:51,119 --> 00:21:54,680 Speaker 1: but it's also the implication that we as professionals, as 403 00:21:54,760 --> 00:21:56,960 Speaker 1: women in the world, don't know what we're talking about. 404 00:21:57,160 --> 00:21:59,359 Speaker 1: So that could be anything that you do, like I 405 00:21:59,440 --> 00:22:01,480 Speaker 1: was in the communy communications field when we worked at 406 00:22:01,480 --> 00:22:05,359 Speaker 1: Planned Parenthood, and yeah, I would constantly have people telling 407 00:22:05,400 --> 00:22:07,840 Speaker 1: me not their like, you know, thank goodness, but I'd 408 00:22:07,840 --> 00:22:10,359 Speaker 1: have reporters constantly questioning how I was so young and 409 00:22:10,480 --> 00:22:12,159 Speaker 1: doing what I was doing, how I was doing this 410 00:22:12,240 --> 00:22:14,560 Speaker 1: and doing what I was doing. And so it's exhausting 411 00:22:14,600 --> 00:22:16,639 Speaker 1: to then deal with that in a leisurely space, a 412 00:22:16,720 --> 00:22:20,000 Speaker 1: recreational space. But it is that beautiful thing where people 413 00:22:20,040 --> 00:22:22,080 Speaker 1: will just go for you. Like even when you're making 414 00:22:22,119 --> 00:22:24,480 Speaker 1: an inside joke amongst friends and you're ragging on each 415 00:22:24,520 --> 00:22:27,040 Speaker 1: other on the Internet and somebody who doesn't know that 416 00:22:27,080 --> 00:22:29,840 Speaker 1: your friends are like, hey, leave Blair alone. It's like, hey, 417 00:22:30,080 --> 00:22:33,800 Speaker 1: actually we're cool, but thanks for having my back. Let's 418 00:22:33,840 --> 00:22:46,160 Speaker 1: take a quick break center back. The future will be intersectional. 419 00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:49,720 Speaker 1: There will be black people, queer people, and Muslim people 420 00:22:50,440 --> 00:22:53,560 Speaker 1: and people like Blair who exist at these intersections. But 421 00:22:53,640 --> 00:22:56,679 Speaker 1: on social media, people tell Blair there's no such thing 422 00:22:56,680 --> 00:23:00,400 Speaker 1: as a queer Muslim, so she can't possibly exist. Yet 423 00:23:00,480 --> 00:23:04,040 Speaker 1: here she is existing. What's it like to have so 424 00:23:04,080 --> 00:23:06,959 Speaker 1: many people online essentially saying that because you're a queer Muslim, 425 00:23:07,160 --> 00:23:11,800 Speaker 1: you can't possibly exist it's funny to me, And honestly, 426 00:23:12,119 --> 00:23:14,520 Speaker 1: you know, I'm so grateful that I've gotten to a 427 00:23:14,560 --> 00:23:17,399 Speaker 1: place in my heart and in my own personal journey 428 00:23:17,480 --> 00:23:20,040 Speaker 1: where i can laugh at it, because, like in my family, 429 00:23:20,080 --> 00:23:21,960 Speaker 1: if we can laugh at it, no matter how messed 430 00:23:22,000 --> 00:23:24,159 Speaker 1: up it is, we've moved on, or at least we 431 00:23:24,160 --> 00:23:26,560 Speaker 1: were able to like view it in a way that's healthy. 432 00:23:26,960 --> 00:23:29,119 Speaker 1: You know, in a Islam, at least, we don't believe 433 00:23:29,160 --> 00:23:32,440 Speaker 1: that of human being can then tell another human being 434 00:23:32,440 --> 00:23:34,560 Speaker 1: what their salvation is going to look like, not even 435 00:23:34,600 --> 00:23:37,359 Speaker 1: the profit. Peace be upon him. It's this idea that 436 00:23:37,400 --> 00:23:39,680 Speaker 1: you know, a law is a law. You know, deities 437 00:23:39,680 --> 00:23:43,040 Speaker 1: are deities and humans are humans, And so I can 438 00:23:43,080 --> 00:23:45,080 Speaker 1: be very comfortable in saying when somebody says you can't 439 00:23:45,080 --> 00:23:47,119 Speaker 1: be Muslim, I'm like, oh my goodness, I did not 440 00:23:47,240 --> 00:23:49,640 Speaker 1: know that a law used Instagram. How are you doing? 441 00:23:49,720 --> 00:23:52,399 Speaker 1: You know? Or I have people who say things like 442 00:23:52,440 --> 00:23:54,320 Speaker 1: the devil called They're waiting for you in hell, and 443 00:23:54,320 --> 00:23:56,879 Speaker 1: I'm just like, oh my goodness, you have the devil's 444 00:23:56,920 --> 00:23:59,520 Speaker 1: direct line. That sounds like a problem, you know. So 445 00:23:59,600 --> 00:24:01,159 Speaker 1: I can really have fun with it, but at the 446 00:24:01,160 --> 00:24:03,560 Speaker 1: same time, it's really breaking down the fact that in 447 00:24:03,600 --> 00:24:07,440 Speaker 1: my belief, you know, Islam faith, you know, regardless of 448 00:24:07,440 --> 00:24:11,080 Speaker 1: the faith that you come from, those things are so 449 00:24:11,200 --> 00:24:14,679 Speaker 1: deeply personal. And yes they have, you know, accompaniments like 450 00:24:14,720 --> 00:24:18,119 Speaker 1: religious texts, the Koran, you have hadiths, which are you know, 451 00:24:18,240 --> 00:24:21,280 Speaker 1: stories passed down from the prophet's time and from other leaders. 452 00:24:21,720 --> 00:24:25,080 Speaker 1: And it is up to you how you walk into that. 453 00:24:25,520 --> 00:24:28,399 Speaker 1: And so for myself, I will never let another human 454 00:24:28,440 --> 00:24:32,160 Speaker 1: being tell me what a law believes about myself because 455 00:24:32,960 --> 00:24:35,920 Speaker 1: as human beings, yes we can communicate to God through prayer, 456 00:24:35,960 --> 00:24:38,800 Speaker 1: but it is again through the limitations of our own 457 00:24:39,280 --> 00:24:42,680 Speaker 1: understandings and our own biases. So I own up to that, 458 00:24:42,840 --> 00:24:46,040 Speaker 1: but then I also encourage others to to think of 459 00:24:46,080 --> 00:24:47,879 Speaker 1: that as well. Not to say this is how you 460 00:24:47,880 --> 00:24:50,120 Speaker 1: should do Islam, this is how you should not do Islam, 461 00:24:50,400 --> 00:24:53,760 Speaker 1: but to say what speaks to you. And so it 462 00:24:53,920 --> 00:24:55,800 Speaker 1: used to really bother me. I think also what used 463 00:24:55,800 --> 00:24:57,520 Speaker 1: to bother me was being told that I wasn't a 464 00:24:57,560 --> 00:25:00,560 Speaker 1: black woman because I, you know, am lighter skin And 465 00:25:00,600 --> 00:25:02,960 Speaker 1: what's so frustrating to me is that I so often 466 00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:05,760 Speaker 1: see lighter skinned black women using that as a reason 467 00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:09,080 Speaker 1: to perpetuate and continue being colorists. Instead of grasping the 468 00:25:09,160 --> 00:25:13,120 Speaker 1: fact that colorism isn't the same as getting made fun 469 00:25:13,160 --> 00:25:15,479 Speaker 1: of for being lighter skinned. It's not the same as 470 00:25:15,480 --> 00:25:18,159 Speaker 1: getting made fun of for having a sunburn. It means 471 00:25:18,200 --> 00:25:21,080 Speaker 1: that as a lighter skinned black woman, I have enjoyed 472 00:25:21,800 --> 00:25:24,359 Speaker 1: the benefits and the privilege that are unearned of living 473 00:25:24,359 --> 00:25:27,280 Speaker 1: in a society that calls me beautiful at the peril 474 00:25:27,920 --> 00:25:33,280 Speaker 1: of my darker skinned siblings. And you know, then, understanding 475 00:25:33,320 --> 00:25:35,159 Speaker 1: that you're feeling shouldn't get in the way of you 476 00:25:35,280 --> 00:25:38,479 Speaker 1: dismantling that your feelings, Yeah, those are valid, but they 477 00:25:38,480 --> 00:25:41,160 Speaker 1: should not get in the way or step on the 478 00:25:41,200 --> 00:25:43,280 Speaker 1: necks of the people who are already being harmed by 479 00:25:43,280 --> 00:25:46,600 Speaker 1: those systems. So I'm constantly thinking about systems of oppression 480 00:25:46,600 --> 00:25:50,840 Speaker 1: and systems of privilege and making sure that i'm you know, 481 00:25:51,040 --> 00:25:54,840 Speaker 1: quickly and easily discerning when something is from the self 482 00:25:54,880 --> 00:25:59,080 Speaker 1: serving interest or input of an individual who wants to 483 00:25:59,119 --> 00:26:01,800 Speaker 1: do me harm versus when it's something that's worth listening 484 00:26:01,840 --> 00:26:04,320 Speaker 1: to and being called in things like my religion, those 485 00:26:04,320 --> 00:26:08,280 Speaker 1: are not negotiable. But of course I'm going to be um. 486 00:26:08,320 --> 00:26:11,080 Speaker 1: You know, I'm always going to understand things like privilege, 487 00:26:11,080 --> 00:26:15,800 Speaker 1: class privilege, abled privilege, Um, and be receptive to those conversations. 488 00:26:15,800 --> 00:26:17,960 Speaker 1: But it is a line to walk between when people 489 00:26:18,000 --> 00:26:21,960 Speaker 1: are trying to hurt you and when people are calling 490 00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:26,480 Speaker 1: you on your bs in. Blair went on Tucker Carlson's 491 00:26:26,520 --> 00:26:29,399 Speaker 1: Fox News show to discuss the surveillance of Muslim communities. 492 00:26:30,119 --> 00:26:33,320 Speaker 1: Carlson clumsily tries to call her out for trying to 493 00:26:33,320 --> 00:26:37,560 Speaker 1: speak on behalf of the Muslim and LGBTQ community. Again, 494 00:26:38,160 --> 00:26:41,560 Speaker 1: the underlying assumption being that Blair couldn't possibly be both 495 00:26:41,640 --> 00:26:44,520 Speaker 1: Muslim and queer, and that's how she ended up coming 496 00:26:44,520 --> 00:26:46,760 Speaker 1: out and put of millions of people on Fox News. 497 00:26:47,800 --> 00:26:50,400 Speaker 1: If you noticed that all identity politics kind of converges 498 00:26:50,440 --> 00:26:53,400 Speaker 1: in the end about Muslims. It's about the LBGT community 499 00:26:53,640 --> 00:26:56,439 Speaker 1: about It's like, you know, at some point, well, some 500 00:26:56,560 --> 00:27:00,280 Speaker 1: of us, like myself, exists in all of those communities. Oay, 501 00:27:00,480 --> 00:27:05,040 Speaker 1: it's your life, so okay, fun story. UM, I was 502 00:27:05,080 --> 00:27:07,480 Speaker 1: just feeling really coffee because I had spent the previous 503 00:27:07,520 --> 00:27:11,280 Speaker 1: year working at Planned Parenthood. Uh, you know, educating folks 504 00:27:11,680 --> 00:27:14,160 Speaker 1: in all parts of the country about abortion and abortion 505 00:27:14,240 --> 00:27:16,639 Speaker 1: stigma and doing it to like solid effect where I 506 00:27:16,640 --> 00:27:18,920 Speaker 1: would have conversations with people where they would come at 507 00:27:18,960 --> 00:27:20,840 Speaker 1: me and say things like y'all are the devil, and 508 00:27:20,880 --> 00:27:22,400 Speaker 1: at the end they'd be like, oh, maybe I can 509 00:27:22,400 --> 00:27:24,639 Speaker 1: take my daughter to Planned Parenthood for sex. Said. So 510 00:27:24,680 --> 00:27:26,320 Speaker 1: I was feeling on top of the world, my talking 511 00:27:26,359 --> 00:27:29,200 Speaker 1: points where working, messaging was working. I get an inquiry 512 00:27:29,400 --> 00:27:31,920 Speaker 1: from this guy. It's my last month working at Planned 513 00:27:31,920 --> 00:27:34,760 Speaker 1: Parenthood because my grant was over um and so I 514 00:27:34,800 --> 00:27:36,439 Speaker 1: was like, yeah, I can do this. Who who is 515 00:27:36,480 --> 00:27:38,640 Speaker 1: this guy? I was not thinking about, like, oh, maybe 516 00:27:38,640 --> 00:27:40,680 Speaker 1: I should do some counter intel, figure out who he is. 517 00:27:41,119 --> 00:27:43,440 Speaker 1: I'm going to plan to come out on national TV, 518 00:27:43,600 --> 00:27:46,080 Speaker 1: not thinking about that. I still have friends who are 519 00:27:46,119 --> 00:27:48,160 Speaker 1: in the comms and like pr Field who just think 520 00:27:48,200 --> 00:27:50,720 Speaker 1: I'm a genius who orchestrated the whole thing. Not true. 521 00:27:51,000 --> 00:27:52,840 Speaker 1: I would like to claim that, but no, I was 522 00:27:52,880 --> 00:27:55,080 Speaker 1: just correcting him. I forgot that we were on stage. 523 00:27:55,080 --> 00:27:57,359 Speaker 1: It got to this point where I was so fed 524 00:27:57,440 --> 00:28:00,240 Speaker 1: up with him dancing around it and and really trying 525 00:28:00,240 --> 00:28:02,720 Speaker 1: to erase me and pull it poke and product me. 526 00:28:03,000 --> 00:28:05,120 Speaker 1: Then I just snapped back in a very eloquent way 527 00:28:05,200 --> 00:28:07,639 Speaker 1: and I said, well, actually, in addition to being a 528 00:28:07,720 --> 00:28:11,080 Speaker 1: Muslim woman, I'm a black queer person. And uh, then 529 00:28:11,119 --> 00:28:14,320 Speaker 1: I immediately realized I came out on TV and I 530 00:28:14,359 --> 00:28:17,720 Speaker 1: could feel my phone vibrating in my pocket and I 531 00:28:17,760 --> 00:28:20,240 Speaker 1: could you know my partner was actually on set with me, 532 00:28:20,280 --> 00:28:22,399 Speaker 1: because um it was remote. So I've never breathed the 533 00:28:22,400 --> 00:28:26,880 Speaker 1: same aristoker Carlson Alhamdula praise God. Um, but my partners 534 00:28:26,920 --> 00:28:29,560 Speaker 1: like standing there looking at me, and I can't totally 535 00:28:29,560 --> 00:28:31,800 Speaker 1: look off camera because you know, you got to hold 536 00:28:31,800 --> 00:28:33,640 Speaker 1: a face, and I have a pretty good poker face. 537 00:28:33,720 --> 00:28:36,040 Speaker 1: But if you watch it with that knowledge, then it 538 00:28:36,119 --> 00:28:38,320 Speaker 1: kind of becomes a parent that. Like then when I 539 00:28:38,360 --> 00:28:40,320 Speaker 1: stumbled over my words, it was because I had just 540 00:28:40,360 --> 00:28:44,720 Speaker 1: come out on national TV and so everything changed. Um, immediately, 541 00:28:44,840 --> 00:28:47,640 Speaker 1: people who were homophobic but in my life and then 542 00:28:47,640 --> 00:28:51,280 Speaker 1: found out who I was or you know, am removed themselves, 543 00:28:51,360 --> 00:28:53,120 Speaker 1: which I considered to be a blessing, but it still 544 00:28:53,200 --> 00:28:56,959 Speaker 1: was hard. Um. Sarah kay Ellis, the president and CEO 545 00:28:57,000 --> 00:29:00,680 Speaker 1: of GLAD, reached out, and uh that was awesome because 546 00:29:00,960 --> 00:29:03,360 Speaker 1: GLAD basically scooped me up. And they will do this 547 00:29:03,440 --> 00:29:06,360 Speaker 1: anytime somebody comes out publicly. They make themselves a resource. 548 00:29:06,720 --> 00:29:08,760 Speaker 1: They help you tell your story if you want to 549 00:29:08,760 --> 00:29:11,520 Speaker 1: do press, They'll make sure that you get connected. Um 550 00:29:11,560 --> 00:29:13,440 Speaker 1: And I really just felt scooped up and embraced by 551 00:29:13,480 --> 00:29:16,680 Speaker 1: the community, and it was just like a really beautiful thing. 552 00:29:16,800 --> 00:29:18,400 Speaker 1: For a year after that, I felt like I was 553 00:29:18,400 --> 00:29:20,120 Speaker 1: like the bell of the queer ball in the same 554 00:29:20,120 --> 00:29:21,760 Speaker 1: way that I felt like that about Star Trek. I 555 00:29:21,760 --> 00:29:24,000 Speaker 1: was like, oh, look at this, you know, I feel popular. 556 00:29:24,320 --> 00:29:26,200 Speaker 1: Um And I felt like that after I converted to 557 00:29:26,280 --> 00:29:28,160 Speaker 1: Islam as well. It was kind of this feeling of 558 00:29:28,200 --> 00:29:32,400 Speaker 1: being new in a community and being exciting. Um. And 559 00:29:32,840 --> 00:29:35,560 Speaker 1: I also learned as I was dealing the you know, 560 00:29:35,840 --> 00:29:39,920 Speaker 1: experiencing those beautiful euphorice things, that privilege was showing up 561 00:29:40,200 --> 00:29:42,520 Speaker 1: because I had the privilege of growing up in a 562 00:29:42,600 --> 00:29:46,320 Speaker 1: context where I can be myself. Now, it's not to 563 00:29:46,320 --> 00:29:48,240 Speaker 1: say that these things should be a privilege. You should 564 00:29:48,280 --> 00:29:52,120 Speaker 1: be able to be yourself and your sexual orientation, gender identity, 565 00:29:52,160 --> 00:29:55,280 Speaker 1: gender expression, regardless of the religious or cultural context you 566 00:29:55,360 --> 00:29:58,000 Speaker 1: come from, but that is not the case. Blair didn't 567 00:29:58,000 --> 00:30:01,120 Speaker 1: want to be the black clear Muslim. She didn't want 568 00:30:01,120 --> 00:30:03,880 Speaker 1: her story to obsteer the stories of other marginalized people 569 00:30:04,040 --> 00:30:06,040 Speaker 1: who didn't have the ability to cut out like she did, 570 00:30:06,040 --> 00:30:10,680 Speaker 1: and so I wasn't realizing that, you know, people were 571 00:30:10,680 --> 00:30:13,800 Speaker 1: calling me be queer Muslim, that people were looking at 572 00:30:13,840 --> 00:30:16,160 Speaker 1: me as the queer Muslim. You know, I was becoming 573 00:30:16,240 --> 00:30:19,000 Speaker 1: very token ized. And so once I became awake to that, 574 00:30:19,040 --> 00:30:22,000 Speaker 1: then I started to really immerse myself within other queer 575 00:30:22,560 --> 00:30:26,360 Speaker 1: Muslim context and start to use my profile or increasingly 576 00:30:26,440 --> 00:30:30,480 Speaker 1: large profile UM to help fundraise for organizations like Kdaiah 577 00:30:30,640 --> 00:30:34,040 Speaker 1: lgbt Q, both in the UK and the US Muslims 578 00:30:34,080 --> 00:30:37,000 Speaker 1: for progressive values, and start to feel that this wasn't 579 00:30:37,040 --> 00:30:39,080 Speaker 1: just me on you know, like the Blair Show, but 580 00:30:39,240 --> 00:30:44,040 Speaker 1: a responsibility that I had to use UM, this newly 581 00:30:44,080 --> 00:30:48,040 Speaker 1: found visibility for the upliftment of others. Because as I 582 00:30:48,080 --> 00:30:50,240 Speaker 1: was telling stories that are authentic to myself and that's 583 00:30:50,280 --> 00:30:52,960 Speaker 1: important to do, I wasn't realizing how it was harming 584 00:30:52,960 --> 00:30:55,760 Speaker 1: other people. Like, you know, I was talking about how 585 00:30:56,040 --> 00:30:59,200 Speaker 1: I've never second guest myself for being queer in my 586 00:30:59,240 --> 00:31:02,360 Speaker 1: whole life. But I'm not trying to tell that story 587 00:31:02,400 --> 00:31:05,360 Speaker 1: in a way that makes others feel bad for going 588 00:31:05,440 --> 00:31:09,840 Speaker 1: through a homophobic, you know, queer phobic existence. That's not 589 00:31:09,920 --> 00:31:11,720 Speaker 1: what I'm called to do. That's not what my role 590 00:31:11,760 --> 00:31:15,360 Speaker 1: should be and so now um, and I don't think 591 00:31:15,360 --> 00:31:17,720 Speaker 1: it's completely shifted. I've always tried to be very responsible 592 00:31:17,720 --> 00:31:20,440 Speaker 1: and how I tell my story, but it's this increased responsibility. 593 00:31:20,840 --> 00:31:22,520 Speaker 1: So when I have young people reach out to me 594 00:31:22,520 --> 00:31:24,480 Speaker 1: and they're like, Blair, how can I be out like you? 595 00:31:25,040 --> 00:31:27,600 Speaker 1: I first explained to them and remind them of the 596 00:31:27,640 --> 00:31:30,360 Speaker 1: context of the world that we live in, and that 597 00:31:30,360 --> 00:31:32,600 Speaker 1: that's something you have to decide for yourself, and that 598 00:31:32,680 --> 00:31:36,320 Speaker 1: whether you're out or whether you're not, you're valid. Um, 599 00:31:36,360 --> 00:31:39,080 Speaker 1: your queerness is valid, and you're not lying to anyone 600 00:31:39,320 --> 00:31:42,000 Speaker 1: just because you're unable to share your truth with people, 601 00:31:42,480 --> 00:31:44,800 Speaker 1: because it is incumbent on our society and on the 602 00:31:44,840 --> 00:31:47,080 Speaker 1: people that love you to be able to make space 603 00:31:47,120 --> 00:31:48,800 Speaker 1: for you. And if they don't do that, that's not 604 00:31:48,840 --> 00:31:52,200 Speaker 1: your fault. And so I've really shifted from this idea 605 00:31:52,240 --> 00:31:54,560 Speaker 1: of you know, come out, have a rainbow flag, all 606 00:31:54,600 --> 00:31:57,160 Speaker 1: types of beautiful things. Those are important, but that's not 607 00:31:57,240 --> 00:31:59,920 Speaker 1: all queerness is. The people who are living closeted, the 608 00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:03,360 Speaker 1: people who can't come out. Those stories are important and 609 00:32:03,400 --> 00:32:05,680 Speaker 1: if I can help to shed light on those or 610 00:32:05,680 --> 00:32:08,960 Speaker 1: ease the lives of those people, that I'm absolutely going 611 00:32:09,000 --> 00:32:11,720 Speaker 1: to do that. So you know, your your books are 612 00:32:11,760 --> 00:32:15,360 Speaker 1: really about archiving and preserving all of the ways that 613 00:32:15,400 --> 00:32:18,320 Speaker 1: women and non binary people and black women in particular, 614 00:32:18,680 --> 00:32:21,120 Speaker 1: you know, the contributions that we really have made to 615 00:32:21,440 --> 00:32:24,680 Speaker 1: history and society into culture. Why is preserving that so 616 00:32:24,720 --> 00:32:26,440 Speaker 1: important to you? And what can we do to make 617 00:32:26,480 --> 00:32:29,760 Speaker 1: sure that these voices and these stories don't get overlooked 618 00:32:29,800 --> 00:32:34,040 Speaker 1: or erased or lost. That is the biggest, most terrifying 619 00:32:34,080 --> 00:32:37,200 Speaker 1: thing for me, the idea that we will only remember 620 00:32:37,240 --> 00:32:40,080 Speaker 1: people through the lens of those who remember them, because 621 00:32:40,280 --> 00:32:45,080 Speaker 1: you know, we see it happen often unfortunately, where we'll 622 00:32:45,080 --> 00:32:48,280 Speaker 1: have someone who was being critical and calling you know, 623 00:32:48,600 --> 00:32:52,719 Speaker 1: representative John Lewis, all types of you know, besmirching names 624 00:32:52,920 --> 00:32:56,600 Speaker 1: then post uh, you know, a beautiful eulogy, or you 625 00:32:56,640 --> 00:32:59,720 Speaker 1: have you know, idiots like Marco Rubio posting the incorrect 626 00:32:59,760 --> 00:33:02,920 Speaker 1: black person with him while also claiming to honor his memory. 627 00:33:03,000 --> 00:33:05,840 Speaker 1: If you can't even tell us apart, then no, I'm 628 00:33:05,880 --> 00:33:07,920 Speaker 1: not going to trust that you remember us for the 629 00:33:07,920 --> 00:33:10,480 Speaker 1: work that we did. Um and we saw it when 630 00:33:10,480 --> 00:33:13,160 Speaker 1: Alijah comings passed and people thought that John Lewis. It's 631 00:33:13,200 --> 00:33:16,640 Speaker 1: just so frustrating that we are constantly collapsed. So no, 632 00:33:16,840 --> 00:33:20,400 Speaker 1: I do not trust the institutions that collapse us into 633 00:33:20,440 --> 00:33:24,080 Speaker 1: one monolith or you know, sanitize our legacies, like what 634 00:33:24,120 --> 00:33:27,320 Speaker 1: we see with Dr King. I do not trust institutions 635 00:33:27,320 --> 00:33:29,920 Speaker 1: to do us justice. So, you know, I had made 636 00:33:29,920 --> 00:33:31,880 Speaker 1: a joke, I think, probably a couple of years ago, 637 00:33:31,960 --> 00:33:33,880 Speaker 1: that I was going to write my own eulogy. But 638 00:33:33,960 --> 00:33:36,240 Speaker 1: I also started to think about how that opportunity is 639 00:33:36,240 --> 00:33:39,040 Speaker 1: denied to so many people, and that's constantly happening to 640 00:33:39,120 --> 00:33:41,920 Speaker 1: us as black people, as black women, as you know, 641 00:33:42,000 --> 00:33:45,640 Speaker 1: black non men, non binary folks, et cetera. UM. And 642 00:33:45,680 --> 00:33:48,960 Speaker 1: so it's fighting against all of that and really trying 643 00:33:48,960 --> 00:33:51,360 Speaker 1: to go back to the original text. You know, like 644 00:33:51,560 --> 00:33:54,760 Speaker 1: I was able to pour over some of the um, 645 00:33:54,800 --> 00:34:00,000 Speaker 1: you know, handwritten letters that my partner's grandmother had, UM 646 00:34:00,040 --> 00:34:04,520 Speaker 1: that she corresponded with her husband, and finding those firsthand accounts. 647 00:34:04,520 --> 00:34:08,480 Speaker 1: There's all types of things. There's pop culture references, there's mentions, 648 00:34:08,600 --> 00:34:13,480 Speaker 1: UM of just so many minute, yet infinitely important things 649 00:34:13,520 --> 00:34:17,240 Speaker 1: that might get glazed over UM because you know, whatever 650 00:34:17,280 --> 00:34:20,080 Speaker 1: white historian didn't give a ship or whatever, you know, 651 00:34:20,160 --> 00:34:25,360 Speaker 1: academic historian UM couldn't be bothered with because they you know, 652 00:34:25,440 --> 00:34:28,400 Speaker 1: viewed it as not important, and because they didn't view 653 00:34:28,400 --> 00:34:32,040 Speaker 1: it was important, it gets erased, which is terrifying because 654 00:34:33,040 --> 00:34:35,680 Speaker 1: you know, it is so we have so little power 655 00:34:35,760 --> 00:34:38,080 Speaker 1: as a people, as black people in this country because 656 00:34:38,120 --> 00:34:42,000 Speaker 1: of things like enslavement, reconstruction, the New Deal being a 657 00:34:42,360 --> 00:34:44,640 Speaker 1: you know, same old, same old deal that you know, 658 00:34:44,760 --> 00:34:47,600 Speaker 1: really shafted black folks. Just I could go on and on, 659 00:34:47,640 --> 00:34:49,960 Speaker 1: but just all of this equal inequality in the country, 660 00:34:50,360 --> 00:34:53,400 Speaker 1: and not only do we not learn about those things, 661 00:34:53,480 --> 00:34:56,160 Speaker 1: but that just makes our condition worse because we are 662 00:34:56,200 --> 00:34:59,239 Speaker 1: blamed for what we have endured instead of praised for 663 00:34:59,280 --> 00:35:02,440 Speaker 1: getting through it while also being held down by centuries 664 00:35:02,440 --> 00:35:07,080 Speaker 1: and centuries of weight. But we then, you know, have 665 00:35:07,200 --> 00:35:10,799 Speaker 1: to do this whole mind mental gymnastics of figuring out 666 00:35:10,800 --> 00:35:14,680 Speaker 1: why our continents are so poor while we also see 667 00:35:15,040 --> 00:35:18,120 Speaker 1: you know, model minorities and white folks uplifted as evidence 668 00:35:18,200 --> 00:35:20,719 Speaker 1: that the system works. But we're just not trying hard 669 00:35:20,840 --> 00:35:23,719 Speaker 1: enough instead of actually learning the context. So it's it's 670 00:35:23,719 --> 00:35:26,839 Speaker 1: one of those things where it's a cycle, and the 671 00:35:26,880 --> 00:35:28,680 Speaker 1: only way we can break it is by elevating the 672 00:35:28,719 --> 00:35:34,240 Speaker 1: truth and by changing who is telling that truth, because 673 00:35:34,280 --> 00:35:36,640 Speaker 1: people are going to tell the truth that's important to them, 674 00:35:36,680 --> 00:35:39,680 Speaker 1: and it's going to fall along bias lines, especially if 675 00:35:39,680 --> 00:35:42,840 Speaker 1: the people who are telling those historical truths are faceless 676 00:35:42,840 --> 00:35:54,920 Speaker 1: and nameless. More after this quick rate, let's get right 677 00:35:54,960 --> 00:35:58,279 Speaker 1: back to it. If Blair has anything to say about it, 678 00:35:58,800 --> 00:36:02,239 Speaker 1: the future of history won't be nameless or faceless. She's 679 00:36:02,280 --> 00:36:06,680 Speaker 1: building a future where our stories aren't told carelessly. One 680 00:36:06,680 --> 00:36:09,480 Speaker 1: of your life mottos is to boldly go, you know, 681 00:36:09,520 --> 00:36:13,279 Speaker 1: from Star Trek, what is your vision for a bold, queer, 682 00:36:13,280 --> 00:36:17,000 Speaker 1: black Muslim future look like? Man? I mean, it would 683 00:36:17,000 --> 00:36:19,800 Speaker 1: be great if we didn't have to get surveiled. Uh, 684 00:36:20,120 --> 00:36:22,880 Speaker 1: you know, just basic things like I think, you know, 685 00:36:23,160 --> 00:36:26,879 Speaker 1: one of the most basic things of you know, being 686 00:36:27,080 --> 00:36:32,200 Speaker 1: a marginalized person or historically marginalized person, uh, is the 687 00:36:32,239 --> 00:36:34,480 Speaker 1: ability to direct your own future and to have the 688 00:36:34,560 --> 00:36:37,400 Speaker 1: resources and abilities to do that. Just basic things like 689 00:36:37,480 --> 00:36:40,080 Speaker 1: having you know, Gil Scott hair and says like, you know, 690 00:36:40,200 --> 00:36:41,840 Speaker 1: I just want a family and a wife and a 691 00:36:41,880 --> 00:36:44,120 Speaker 1: food and the children and you know, to food, some 692 00:36:44,120 --> 00:36:47,319 Speaker 1: food to feed them every night. And it's just those 693 00:36:47,320 --> 00:36:50,560 Speaker 1: basic things. The fact that there's premiums on water and healthcare, 694 00:36:50,640 --> 00:36:54,400 Speaker 1: and you know the fact that black maternal mortality is egregious, 695 00:36:54,480 --> 00:36:56,800 Speaker 1: and it's not just because black women can't give birth. 696 00:36:56,880 --> 00:36:59,880 Speaker 1: It's because of the medical system and medical racism. The 697 00:37:00,120 --> 00:37:03,280 Speaker 1: fact that the Tuskegee syphilis experiments went on well beyond 698 00:37:03,320 --> 00:37:05,200 Speaker 1: there was a cure for syphilis, and these people went 699 00:37:05,280 --> 00:37:07,719 Speaker 1: untreated until they were called out in the New York 700 00:37:07,719 --> 00:37:11,759 Speaker 1: Times in ninety two. It's it's so many of those things, 701 00:37:12,200 --> 00:37:15,960 Speaker 1: and you know, it's nothing's going to you know, let 702 00:37:16,000 --> 00:37:18,680 Speaker 1: me not live myself in my own imaginations. There could 703 00:37:18,719 --> 00:37:21,200 Speaker 1: be something that changes everything overnight, but there's going to 704 00:37:21,280 --> 00:37:23,040 Speaker 1: be so many things that need to change, and that 705 00:37:23,560 --> 00:37:25,880 Speaker 1: the whole goal, I think, is that we can determine 706 00:37:25,880 --> 00:37:28,160 Speaker 1: our own futures. Not that we have to, you know, 707 00:37:28,320 --> 00:37:31,880 Speaker 1: endure racelessness or lose our identities, but that our identities 708 00:37:31,880 --> 00:37:34,839 Speaker 1: and who we are doesn't because of the systems we 709 00:37:34,880 --> 00:37:37,560 Speaker 1: live in inhibit us from living our full futures. It 710 00:37:37,600 --> 00:37:39,520 Speaker 1: doesn't mean that I want to suddenly live my life 711 00:37:39,520 --> 00:37:42,040 Speaker 1: as a white Christian woman. No, I like being who 712 00:37:42,080 --> 00:37:43,680 Speaker 1: I am. I would just like to be able to 713 00:37:43,760 --> 00:37:47,080 Speaker 1: be who I am without the consequences of oppressive systems 714 00:37:47,120 --> 00:37:49,960 Speaker 1: and what those systems put onto me. What do you 715 00:37:50,000 --> 00:37:52,560 Speaker 1: think of when you think of the future, Who does 716 00:37:52,560 --> 00:37:57,399 Speaker 1: it include? Who feels safe there? Who supported there? Star 717 00:37:57,440 --> 00:37:59,880 Speaker 1: Trek help the generation of activists like m Okay and 718 00:38:00,040 --> 00:38:04,360 Speaker 1: Blair imagine a future that included them, and imagine a 719 00:38:04,440 --> 00:38:06,920 Speaker 1: future where they could break out of the oppressive systems 720 00:38:07,000 --> 00:38:09,840 Speaker 1: that keep us all from being free. And that is 721 00:38:09,880 --> 00:38:14,880 Speaker 1: a future worth fighting for. Got a story about an 722 00:38:14,920 --> 00:38:16,799 Speaker 1: interesting thing in tech, or just want to say hi. 723 00:38:17,280 --> 00:38:19,560 Speaker 1: You can reach us at Hello at tang godi dot com. 724 00:38:19,600 --> 00:38:21,960 Speaker 1: You can also find transcripts for today's episode at tangdi 725 00:38:22,040 --> 00:38:24,120 Speaker 1: dot com. There Are No Girls on the Internet was 726 00:38:24,120 --> 00:38:26,720 Speaker 1: created by me bridget Tod. It's a production of iHeart 727 00:38:26,800 --> 00:38:30,160 Speaker 1: Radio and Unboss creative Jonathan Strickland as our executive producer. 728 00:38:30,520 --> 00:38:33,720 Speaker 1: Terry Harrison is our producer and sound engineer. Michael Amato 729 00:38:33,800 --> 00:38:37,319 Speaker 1: is our contributing producer. I'm your host, bridget Toad. If 730 00:38:37,360 --> 00:38:39,080 Speaker 1: you want to help us grow, rate and review us 731 00:38:39,080 --> 00:38:42,279 Speaker 1: on Apple Podcasts. For more podcasts from I heart Radio, 732 00:38:42,400 --> 00:38:44,680 Speaker 1: check out the iHeart Radio app, Apple podcast or wherever 733 00:38:44,680 --> 00:38:45,680 Speaker 1: you get your podcasts.