“Let it be messy. Be uncertain." And other advice for 2019

As we finish up the first month of 2019 and embark upon the rest of what will no doubt be a tumultuous year, let’s hear some words of wisdom from a couple previous guests on how to be more intersectional in our feminism and what small, radical acts women and men can take to accelerate change. I’m revisiting advice that will give us hope and motivation to make 2019 the year of Radical Solidarity in our march toward our goal of equality, while I work on my next season for you. And when you’re done, come on over to The Inflection Point Society, our Facebook group of everyday activists who seek to make extraordinary change through small, daily actions.

Hear more from Ijeoma Oluo and Sabaah Folayan who are featured in the episode.

Subscribe to the “Inflection Point” podcast to get more stories of how women rise up right in your feed on Apple Podcasts, RadioPublic, Stitcher and NPROne.

Support Inflection Point with a monthly or one-time contribution here.

Ijeoma Oluo, author of “So You Want To Talk About Race”

Sabaah Folayan, director of “Whose Streets"”

The "Algorithms of Oppression" embedded in tech - Dr. Safiya Noble

LISTEN ON: APPLE PODCASTS | STITCHER | PANDORA | SPOTIFY | NPR ONE | MORE

Dr. Safiya Noble was studying Library Science when an academic colleague suggested she google ”black girls.” The top search results were images that perpetuated negative stereotypes, misogyny and exploitation. That discovery was the beginning of an investigation that eventually became Safiya’s book, “Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism”.

Immediate access to powerful search engines is seen as an empowering force in this world, but what if our reliance on search engines is perpetuating oppressive ideas and hateful ideologies--even swaying elections?

And when you’re done, come on over to The Inflection Point Society, our Facebook group of everyday activists who seek to make extraordinary change through small, daily actions.

We rely on listener support, please contribute today to fund the transcript of this episode!

More recommended reading: The Googlization of Everything (and why we should worry), by Jesse Daniels

How Sabaah Folayan Is Changing The Narrative of Ferguson, Director of "Whose Streets"

LISTEN ON: APPLE PODCASTS | STITCHER | PANDORA | SPOTIFY | NPR ONE | MORE

When Michael Brown was shot by a police officer in Ferguson, MO in August, 2014 and the protests began, Sabaah Folayan felt the media’s coverage was overly focused on the looting, rioting and property damage, and not nearly enough on the stories of the people who rose up. So she dropped everything and went to Ferguson to see for herself what was happening on the ground and to talk with the people who live there. The result is her documentary film Whose Streets? She shares what it was like to be there and how she made her film in such extraordinary circumstances. Whose Streets comes out August 11th.

Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures

Allyson Hobbs, "A Chosen Exile. A History of Racial Passing in American Life."

LISTEN ON: APPLE PODCASTS | STITCHER | PANDORA | SPOTIFY | NPR ONE | MORE

Companies are now paying consultants to increase the diversity of their workforce, with an eye on innovation and the bottom line. But is that the only motivation businesses should be considering? Lauren talks with Allyson Hobbs, an Assistant Professor in the Department of History at Stanford University and the author of "A Chosen Exile. A History of Racial Passing in American Life." Hobbs argues that what is missing from our society is a deep understanding of the lives of others.

ALLYSON HOBBS, STANFORD