my love & education on Nina Simone has only grown stronger after seeing her documentary on netflix “What Happened, Miss Simone?”
everyone should see it honestly, such an extraordinary, misunderstood, strong woman so much
“young, gifted, and black”
role model
“In 2002, having spent more than three years in one residence for the first time in my life, I got called for jury duty. I show up on time, ready to serve. When we get to the voir dire, the lawyer says to me, “I see you’re an astrophysicist. What’s that?” I answer, “Astrophysics is the laws of physics, applied to the universe—the Big Bang, black holes, that sort of thing.” Then he asks, “What do you teach at Princeton?” and I say, “I teach a class on the evaluation of evidence and the relative unreliability of eyewitness testimony.” Five minutes later, I’m on the street.
A few years later, jury duty again. The judge states that the defendant is charged with possession of 1,700 milligrams of cocaine. It was found on his body, he was arrested, and he is now on trial. This time, after the Q&A is over, the judge asks us whether there are any questions we’d like to ask the court, and I say, “Yes, Your Honor. Why did you say he was in possession of 1,700 milligrams of cocaine? That equals 1.7 grams. The ‘thousand’ cancels with the ‘milli-’ and you get 1.7 grams, which is less than the weight of a dime.” Again I’m out on the street.”
Note to self, you can be too smart to serve on a jury.
What the actual fuck
Pay attention to the “justice” system.
I had no idea they could even do this.
“This guy’s too smart to give us the verdict we want. Kick him out.”
Yep. It’s fairly routine. If you have “too much” education, or reveal that you think the system is flawed, they will screen you the fuck out.
I want to be like him when I grow up
Janelle Monae seen on the streets of Manhattan on May 3, 2015 in New York City
Gawd.
Queen.
Thus Sayeth The Lorde
Audre Lorde knew. And also theorized what we now know as “intersectionality”–as coined and conceptualized by Kimberlé Crenshaw–before Crenshaw’s prominent paper Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and Violence Against Women of Color, and after earlier theorizations by Combahee River Collective and Sojourner Truth.
There is no generic social class of women who all experience the totality of gender in the same way, even as we all face misogyny and sexism, in general. There is no reason to deny the intersections of race (i.e White/WoC; non-Black/Black), gender (i.e. cis, trans, femme non-binary), sexual orientation (i.e. hetero, lesbian, bisexual, queer, pansexual, asexual), class, ability, complexion (i.e. Whiteness, light skinned privilege), weight, citizenship status etc. and their impact on our womanhood. To suggest women oppressed at multiple axes must ignore this lived reality to play “unity” (usually under the control of cis Whiteness) is erasure and oppression. Why does “unity” require White control? Why is this type of “unity” more important than equity, justice and freedom?
Audre Lorde knew. Her incredible writing, especially gathered in Sister Outsider, are critical. May her words live on.
Nina Simone 🙌#blackconsciousness #blackhistorymonth (Pt.1)
Tell it like it is Sister