Season one of Black Market Reads was hosted by Erin Sharkey and Junauda Petrus of Free Black Dirt, and other guest hosts as introduced. THEME MUSIC: Sarah White – Through People [M¥K Remix]
Listen to every episode of season one here!
Episode 1 – Roxanne Gay: The Baddest Feminist (October 2015)
Junauda and Erin talk with the baddest feminist in the game, Roxanne Gay, author of The Bad Feminist.
Episode 1 – Roxane Gay: The Baddest Feminist
Junauda and Erin talk with the baddest feminist in the game, Roxane Gay, author of The Bad Feminist. Roxane Gay’s writing has appeared or is forthcoming in Best American Mystery Stories 2014, Best American Short Stories 2012, Best Sex Writing 2012, A Public Space, McSweeney’s, Tin House, Oxford American, American Short Fiction, West Branch, Virginia Quarterly Review, NOON, The New York Times Book Review, Bookforum, Time, The Los Angeles Times, The Nation, The Rumpus, Salon, and many others.
Episode 2 – Dean Moss, Multi-disciplinary artist, discusses johnbrown (October 2015)
BLACK MARKET READS interviews the quixotic and brilliant multidisciplinary artist Dean Moss who is presented his work, johnbrown, at the Walker Art Center. He was also a speaker at Convening: Resistance and Rebellion, a day-long international convening exploring the role of art in revolution presented by the Givens Foundation for African American Literature in partnership with Million Artist Movement.
(Interview begins at 13:04)
Episode 2 – Dean Moss, Multi-disciplinary artist discusses johnbrown
BLACK MARKET READS interviews the quixotic and brilliant multidisciplinary artist Dean Moss who is presented his work, johnbrown, at the Walker Art Center. He was also a speaker at Convening: Resistance and Rebellion, a day-long international convening exploring the role of art in revolution presented by the Givens Foundation for African American Literature in partnership with Million Artist Movement.
Episode 3 – Voices Convening: Resistance & Rebellion (October 2015)
Junauda and Erin go on location to the Givens Convening: Resistance & Rebellion with Adrienne Maree Brown and Walidah Imarisha editors of Octavia’s Brood, Cheyenne Sewell from Yarn Mission, Roger Guenveur Smith, and Eshay Brantley and Namir Fearce.
Episode 3 – Voices Convening: Resistance & Rebellion
Junauda and Erin go on location to the Givens Convening: Resistance & Rebellion with Adrienne Maree Brown and Walidah Imarisha editors of Octavia’s Brood, Cheyenne Sewell from Yarn Mission, Roger Guenveur Smith, and Eshay Brantley and Namir Fearce.
Episode 4 – Book Club: Octavia’s Brood (November 2015)
The inaugural Book Club meeting of Black Market Reads features a lively discussion of Octavia’s Brood: Science Fiction from Social Movements, an anthology of visionary science and speculative fiction written by organizers and activists. inspired by Octavia Butler, edited by Adrienne Maree Brown and Walidah Imarisha. Book Club participants Tish Jones, Senah Sampong, and Chastity Brown in a discussion led by BMR co-hosts Erin Sharkey and Junauda Petrus.
Episode 4 – Book Club: Octavia’s Brood
The inaugural Book Club meeting of Black Market Reads features a lively discussion of Octavia’s Brood: Science Fiction from Social Movements, an anthology of visionary science and speculative fiction written by organizers and activists. inspired by Octavia Butler, edited by Adrienne Maree Brown and Walidah Imarisha.
Episode 5 – Dreamers: the Architects of the Future (November 2015)
With guests Bree Newsome, Andrea Jenkins and Dread Scott – Junauda and Erin return to The Convening: Resistance & Rebellion, sponsored by The Givens Foundation for African American Literature.
Episode 5 – Dreamers: the Architects of the Future
With guests Bree Newsome, Andrea Jenkins and Dread Scott – Junauda and Erin return to The Convening: Resistance & Rebellion, sponsored by The Givens Foundation for African American Literature.
Episode 6 – If You’re Nasty: A Janet Jackson Inspired Literary Salon (December 2015)
With guests Danez Smith, Kamia Watson, Khary Jackson, Sha Cage and Tish Jones.
Episode 6 – If You’re Nasty: A Janet Jackson Inspired Literary Salon
If you’re nasty: A Janet Jackson inspired literary salon. With guests Danez Smith, Kamia Watson, Khary Jackson, Sha Cage and Tish Jones. Recorded in a live performance environment. Producer: Givens Foundation for African American Literature, Production services: iDream.tv BMR Hosts: Junauda Petrus and Erin Sharkey Special thanks to Seven Steakhouse & Sushi in Minneapolis for hosting the inaugural salon.
Episode 7 – Loving Day, Interview with Mat Johnson (December 2015)
On the occasion of his visit to Minneapolis as featured author for Givens Foundation Black Books Talk, Mat Johnson author of Loving Day, took time out to chat with Erin and Junauda.
Episode 7 – Loving Day, Interview with Mat Johnson
On the occasion of his visit to Minneapolis as featured author for Givens Foundation Black Books Talk, Mat Johnson author of Loving Day, took time out to chat with Erin and Junauda. Mat Johnson is the author of the novels Loving Day, Pym, Drop, and Hunting in Harlem, the nonfiction novella The Great Negro Plot, and the comic books Incognegro and Dark Rain.
Episode 8 – Bookclub: Loving Day by Mat Johnson (December 2015)
Join Keegan Xavi, Michael Kleber-Diggs, Erin Sharkey, and Junauda Petrus for an in-depth examination of topics, themes, characters and personal impacts suggested by Loving Day By Mat Johnson.
Episode 8 – Bookclub: Loving Day by Mat Johnson
Join Keegan Xavi, Michael Kleber-Diggs, Erin Sharkey, and Junauda Petrus for an in-depth examination of topics, themes, characters and personal impacts suggested by Loving Day By Mat Johnson. New York Times Book Review
Episode 9 – Black Whimsy and Struggle (December 2015)
Erin and Junauda enlighten in a wide-ranging conversation about Erykah Badu, Abby Fisher and Affirmative Action, The Wiz and the Encampment at the 4th Precinct with special guests Jayanthi Kyle, Felicia Perry, and Irna Landrum. A poem and a song or two.
Episode 9 – Black Whimsy and Struggle
Erin and Junauda enlighten in a wide-ranging conversation about Erykah Badu, Abby Fisher and Affirmative Action, The Wiz and the Encampment at the 4th Precinct with special guests Jayanthi Kyle, Felicia Perry, and Irna Landrum. A poem and a song or two. Listen to Black Market Reads on iTunes, sound Cloud and a variety of other sources.
Episode 10 – Blues Vision Book Club (December 2015)
This edition of BMR features a book club style exploration of Blues Vision with special guests Lisa Brimmer and Valérie Déus. Blues Vision is a stunning anthology of essays co-edited by Alex Pate, Pam Fletcher, and J. Otis Powell ?!, with cover art by Ta-coumba Aiken, and co-published by Minnesota Humanities Center and Minnesota Historical Society Press. Blues Vision features writing by Minnesota luminaries Tish Jones, Rohan Preston, Mary Moore Easter, E.G Bailey, Frank B. Wilderson III, Sha Cage, Andrea Jenkins, Shannon Gibney, Kim Hines, Carolyn Holbrook, Arleta Little, Clarence White, Angela Shannon and more.
Episode 10 – Blues Vision Book Club
This edition of BMR features a book club style exploration of Blues Vision with special guests Lisa Brimmer and Valérie Déus. Blues Vision is a stunning anthology of essays co-edited by Alex Pate, Pam Fletcher, and J. Otis Powell ?!, with cover art by Ta-coumba Aiken, and co-published by Minnesota Humanities Center and Minnesota Historical Society Press.
Episode 11 – 2015 Givens Emerging Writers Showcase (January 2016)
The Givens Emerging Writers’ Mentor Program engages Black writers from diverse genres in a six-month program. Each year 10 emerging Minnesota-based writers work intensively with nationally acclaimed writers and Minnesota based mentors. Black Market Reads went on location to listen to the voices of Romelle Adkins, Maya Beck, Michael Kleber-Digs, Irna Landrum, Erin Sharkey, Bernard James, Stephanie Christen, Cherish Gibson, and Joi Lewis in the culminating showcase.
Episode 11 – 2015 Givens Emerging Writers Showcase
The Givens Emerging Writers’ Mentor Program engages Black writers from diverse genres in a six-month program. Each year 10 emerging Minnesota-based writers work intensively with nationally acclaimed writers and Minnesota based mentors.
Episode 12 – Entrepreneurs, 80s icons, and poets (January 2016)
In this episode Erin and Junauda chat with entrepreneurs Felicia Perry and Mychal Fisher, banter about cultural context of beloved 80’s icons and celebrate the poetic gifts of J. Otis Powell‽ and Namir Fearce. Thank you for listening to Black Market Reads. Let us know that stories matter.
Episode 13 – More Than a Single Storyteller (January 2016)
In this episode, Erin and Junauda discuss Jada Pinkett Smith’s dignified response to another all-white Oscar nominations and the “Black Aunt Viv’s” less dignified one. Stacey Dash gets her first and only mention on this show. They discuss their experiences in the public school system, the highs and lows, and talk with Nothando Zulu and Beverly Cottman about their work as storytellers in the schools as part of Givens K12 program. Erin’s bestie Michael Kleber-Diggs also reads from an essay about Central High School and his role as a parent of a high school student.
Episode 13 – More Than a Single Storyteller
In this episode, Erin and Junauda discuss Jada Pinkett Smith’s dignified response to another all-white Oscar nominations and the “Black Aunt Viv’s” less dignified one. Stacey Dash gets her first and only mention on this show.
Episode 14 – Bookclub: See No Color by Shannon Gibney (January 2016)
On this episode, Erin and Junauda are joined by Namir Fearce and Case Wilson, two youth readers, who got to interview author Shannon Gibney about her debut young adult novel, See No Color. Readers then discuss the novel’s themes, which include transracial adoption, sports, gender, parenting and mixed race identity. We had to talk about Macklemore’s education on white privilege and Chelsea Handler’s exploration of racism, so that happened, too.
Episode 14 – Bookclub: See No Color by Shannon Gibney
On this episode, Erin and Junauda are joined by Namir Fearce and Case Wilson, two youth readers, who got to interview author Shannon Gibney about her debut young adult novel, See No Color. Readers then discuss the novel’s themes, which include transracial adoption, sports, gender, parenting and mixed race identity.
Episode 15 – Book Club with “The Sellout” by Paul Beatty (March 2016)
Special guests Irna Landrum and LaCora Bradford join Erin and Junauda in this week’s episode as we gather in a Book Club edition of Black Market Reads to discuss The Sellout by Paul Beatty. Listen up, the read the book, and the NY Times review.
Episode 15 – Book Club with “The Sellout” by Paul Beatty
Special guests Irna Landrum and LaCora Bradford join Erin and Junauda in this week’s episode as we gather in a Book Club edition of Black Market Reads to discuss The Sellout by Paul Beatty. Listen up, the read the book, and the NY Times review.
Episode 16 – Zetta Elliott with Shannon Gibney (October 2016)
Author, playwright, and essayist Zetta Elliott talks with Shannon Gibney about her experiences with the publishing industry that eventually led to the creation of her own independent imprint Rosetta Press. She has published over 20 books for children and young adults, and her plays have been staged across the country. For more information, visit her website www.zettaelliott.com
Episode 16 – Zetta Elliott with Shannon Gibney
Author, playwright, and essayist Zetta Elliott talks with Shannon Gibney about her experiences with the publishing industry that eventually led to the creation of her own independent imprint Rosetta Press. She has published over 20 books for children and young adults, and her plays have been staged across the country.
Episode 17 – J.California Cooper Remembered with Beverly Cottman (January 2017)
In this episode we honor the work of playwright and author J. California Cooper with a selection of recordings from her appearance at the 2011 Givens Literary Luncheon sponsored by the Delta Sigma Theta sorority. Our host for this episode is Beverly Cottman, storyteller and teaching artist, who was at the event.
Episode 17 – J.California Cooper Remembered with Beverly Cottman
In this episode we honor the work of playwright and author J. California Cooper with a selection of recordings from her appearance at the 2011 Givens Literary Luncheon sponsored by the Delta Sigma Theta sorority. Our host for this episode is Beverly Cottman, storyteller and teaching artist, who was at the event.