there was no walker, there was no toni morrison. she was like many black folks who just had to suck it up and keep going. y'all with me and being raised in this environment and literally what she was taught was passed on to me, y'all with me. and it wasn't until i got to college and started going to therapy at the end of my college years because i had to that i began to unpack. wait a minute you've been damaged your entire by this system of oppression. just call it what it is, you know. bell always taught us me, including in peace bell hooks, you know you have to name the oppression. so we can't just say healing if we're not willing to name what has happened to us. why don't black folks want to talk about mississippi or south carolina? you know what i mean? why do we say that? you know, that's that's in past. let's just get over it. why do we black families or any family, jewish families, families. y'all know, i'm talking about? well, one minute they cursed each other out. the next minute, which i want to eat. y'all with me. and so

and and so the legacy is for me, how she really know toni morrison made this quote she was talking how you know, she mentioned toni, who's a good friend as a writer who really in her works. she's she is literally cultivating and engaging a black culture and black people everyday people are so different levels and it's her first collection a short stories where she's interrogating you know conversation interactions with elder in youth or are young girls with other girls and black women and black men? and you know how we how do we become whole? and it begins the self, right? she talked about with the self, the self. and then from there those relationships with others in the community and in nation building. right. and so it's so how, you know, found myself over these years in even writing this it really impacted me as to how i father how i was, you know, a partner, my wife and raising our children and, you know, really a model for what does it mean and how i the question here is like, how do we go forward? i mean, i think bombas work is really important in, that kind of way. and she's an

toni morrison famously opined that the lives of black people explored in literature with reviewed bynstream as havingea no value and not censod pure gates. so how do each of you in your own work repositioned the vision to reflect the black gaze and what does it mean too? you? >> that's interesting because as a novelist i'm known as the black novelist. as a historical fiction writer i'm just known as a historical fiction writer because with the majority, the mainstream, mainstream has a difficult time to accept reading or believing they can get anything out of our novels when we write because it doesn't have anything to do with them and they don't want to know and they don't want to learn and they can't learn from fiction. i guess that's what they believe as i am writing historical fiction i'm no longer a black writer and i see the mainstream has totally accepted and are embracing me now and i think it's because they can relate to black people in history better than they can relate to black people today. i have not figured that out yet or why but do you know what's? i'm using it becau

. >> you know, as nina was speaking and eddie said it was a distraction, i went to the toni morrison coast. he once said, the function, of racism is distraction. it keeps you from doing your work and keeps you explaining over and over again your reason for being and somebody says you have no language and you spent 20 years think that you do. if your head is not shaped properly you have people working on the fact that his peers someone says you have no heart print up no kingdom so you dredge that up none of this is necessary. there will always be one more thing. which is why i think the campaign is not going to resign. -- respond. but much was made about his appearance at the conference and we could have a conversation of how that came to be. but this was some of the most serious questioning that donald trump has endured frankly on the record live in the last year, i would argue. this was -- rachel squat -- rachel's got it's important voters see and hear donald trump in his own words. yes, he is back in the news and everyone was like he's trying to reclaim the narrative and did it on

tony morrison said write what you want to see. i think that for me when i write i think about am i going to tell the same old stories over and over again. i published 16 books. it has not been easy but what i did, i'm in the point of studying hughes and how did they navigate this and how i remix for my time. sometimes i have gotten published and sometimes i haven't gotten published. no one can takeaway from you that you are a writer, you know what i mean. no. sometimes you have to go to other spaces. i have my first film coming out later this year about black fathers, one of the things i realize you oftenen see black mn as athletes, entertainers or someone from the streets, right. i'm going to create a documented film while asking questions and how we engage with ourselves. we have to create what we want to see and don't let anyone stop you from saying that you're not a writer, you are a writer. >> thank you, thank you so much for the question. hi, hello. [applause]hi >> hi, everyone. thank you so much for being here. thank you fo

women, men and men, men and women, youth and elders and so the legacy is for me how -- she really, tony morrison made this quote that she was talking about how, you know,, she mentioned tony who s our good friend as a writer who really in her work, she literally cultivating and engaging black culture and black people, everyday people on so many different levels and whether it's her first a collection of short stories where she's interrogating, you know, interactions with elder and youth or young girls with other going girls and how do we become whole and it begins with the self, with the self and then from there, those relationships with others in community andng nation building, right, and so -- i found myself over the years in either writing this it really impacted me as to how i fathered, how i was a partner with my wife and raising our children and really a model for what does it mean and how, the question here is how do we go forward. i think bombard's work is really important in that kind of way as she's -- really shapes the entire tenure of all of what you see her doing from her first two

informed by their individual and collective sense of self law, self respect and what corning -- toni morrison called self regard. targeted people's testimony to provide a counter narrative to the stories we've been told about reconstruction. speaking with one voice, white southerners are waging war on reconstruction, by attacking those making the most of freedom. in naming their attackers, detailing their injuries, crying out for justice and do what they could to keep the record of what happened to them alive, survivors said black people's lives, freedom and futures matter. reporting a testifying about the war on freedom, a survivor's best defense against its erasure these testimonies drive the federal investigation that eventually drove the clan underground but not before they seriously undercut freedom and black people's participation in american democracy. after confederates overthrew reconstruction and boarded-up the temple of liberty, they attract the big lie of the 19th century, that the experiment in american democracy had failed. they claimed white northerners had unfairly punished wh

testify was informed by their individual and collective sense of, self love, self-respect and what toni morrison called regard. targeted people's testimonies provide, a counter-narrative to the we've been told about reconstruction. suppose that failure speaking with one voice, they said white southerners were waging war on reconstruction by attacking the people who are making the most of freedom and naming their attackers, detailing their injuries, saying the names of their slain crying out for justice and doing what they could to keep the record of what happened to them alive. survivors said black people's lives, freedoms and mattered. reporting and testifying about the war on freedom or. survivors best defense against erasure. these testimonies did help to drive the federal. that eventually drove the klan underground, but not before they seriously undercut freedom and black people's participation in american. after confederate overthrew reconstruction and boarded the temple of liberty, they crafted i call the big lie of the 19th century that the experience in american democracy had failed they

and what tony morrison called self-regard, targeted at people's testimonies provide a counter-narrative to the stories we've been told about. reconsider actions. suppose that failure. speaking with one voice, they said white southerners were waging war on reconstruction by attacking the people who are making the most of freedom and naming their attackers, detailing their injuries, saying the names of their slain kin crying out for justice and doing what they could to keep the record of what happened to them alive. survivor said black people's lives, freedoms and futures mattered. reporting and testifying about the war on freedom or survivors. best defense against its erasure. these testimonies did help to drive the federal investigation that eventually drove the klan underground, but not before they seriously freedom and black people's participation in american democracy. after confederate overthrew reconstruction and boarded up the temple of liberty. they crafted what i call the big lie of the 19th century that experiment in american democracy had failed. they falsely claim that white

and what tony morrison called self-regard, targeted at people's testimonies provide a counter-narrative to the stories we've been told about. reconsider actions. suppose that failure. speaking with one voice, they said white southerners were waging war on reconstruction by attacking the people who are making the most of freedom and naming their attackers, detailing their injuries, saying the names of their slain kin crying out for justice and doing what they could to keep the record of what happened to them alive. survivor said black people's lives, freedoms and futures mattered. reporting and testifying about the war on freedom or survivors. best defense against its erasure. these testimonies did help to drive the federal investigation that eventually drove the klan underground, but not before they seriously freedom and black people's participation in american democracy. after confederate overthrew reconstruction and boarded up the temple of liberty. they crafted what i call the big lie of the 19th century that experiment in american democracy had failed. they falsely claim that white

great point, resonates with me so listen in this context, many people had been quoting writer toni morrisono's talked about sort of the function of racism being a distraction. >> i'll quote here, it keeps you from doing your work keeps you explaining over and over again. you're reasons for being and then now on cue in the wake of trump's comments, questioning her blackness, we see all of this reporting now going out and spending time fact checking, trump's claim and quote, proving that she's black. and it also keeps the spotlight away from her and on donald trump and we've been pulled into a vortex online, everywhere people are talking about identity and the problem with this is when biden stepped down and harris step up, that trump administration, i'm the trump campaign was not ready to pivot and focus on her. >> so all they had left with was last elections material real. we already had this full conversation in 2019 2020 and common-law one. and now here we are in 2024 and we're hearing it again. what if she wins and run for reelection in 2028? are we still going to be talking about a comm

my looking back has everything to do with picking up the pieces that i am to use the title of toni morrison's wonderful documentary. and it has something to do with trying to figure out how to find my feet, post all of the death of covid, trying to find my feet in the morass of this political moment. and so i think it's really an effort on my part to write myself into some kind of stability, as it were, some kind of orientation to now. and so that's just the personal side of it. the political side of it, i think, is that we've outsourced our responsibility for democracy for too long. you know, democracy requires particular kinds of people to work, not folks who are, you know, struggling every single day to make ends meet and keeping their noses above head, above the water, so that they can so so they don't have time to attend to their civic responsibilities, you know? so i'm thinking what i what i'm trying to insist upon in this moment is that politicians aren't going to save us and so that the traditional leaders aren't going to save us. we're going to have to save this. how? i really apprec

be able to read books on my angelou and not being banned kids should be able to read books on toni morrison and not being banned. so i think there are some parents who agree that when a kid goes into a school, they shouldn't have moms for liberty attacking the school were attached, attacking teachers, and librarians they're really, i believe hinders young people learn of all backgrounds a real jobs because it's a real town. and vice president harris actually is the one who she brought that issue up there campaigning offensively on that. i haven't heard that much from republicans say, oh, yes, j. d. vance has talked about it, but the fact is july 15, kamala harris address the american federation of teachers and join them in opposing banning of books. and here's the book we talk favor of banning books. >> now, yes, i am. i'm talking about a book that was mentioned on the biden. this is the particular book. it's not about banning books. it's about what young killed during are taught the book in question i am a gay wizard. it pictures. >> have you read it? >> seems too small giving each other o

some of them like the bluest eye and beloved from toni morrison, who's one of truly the most prolific black authors of our time. how do you see this playing into this? and was this a thought process when you decided that this school needed to exist in the cal state system what was certainly a thought process because obviously across the united states, you're seeing a push against diversity and inclusion. you're seeing the banning of books, the elimination or banning of critical race theory of african american studies of dei i offices of anything related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. and at the same time in the same states, they'll put the students who are black on the front of their brochures for the colleges and universities. and so what we want to do is be the north star of the west. so if you're in a state like florida or alabama, or texas, or other states that are moving in away from diversity inclusion we say come on over the sacramento state where you won't just be a name on a sheet, right? you'll be a person, a community and a future that we're invested in. >> dr. lockwo

and there is especially in western societies, you know, maya angelou was talked and toni morrison has talked about it how white supremacist culture is need to feel superior and they need to feel that they're saving us in order for us to feel any benefit. so i think that trap always exists. but at the same time, i see a lot of south diasporic people, people who are immigrants or people who have been raised here trying to imagine judging what their culture is. a western consumption or western. so we see a lot of information. -- dockery. is and i agree it's about yoga about defending culture, defending hinduism in terms that it has nothing to do with caste or trying to negate and ideas just to in order to instill a sense of pride in the culture. one goes so far that you become fastest. and this is something that we are seeing more and more whether it is with holistic spirituality, whether is with you know a lot of people have now and fairly so we see a lot of white women posing as yogis so why shouldn't you know indian do that and i think that's fair and that is a valid argument and crit

i'm just reminded of a quote by tony morrison, the function of racism is distraction.air used to be black and then turned white, given what trump said yesterday. you're just inviting fodder. >>> people are getting to know kamala harris. she was a senator, an attorney general, been the vice president, but in truths this is the truth that people are regularly hearing from her with cadence and velocity. tell me what you make of it. >> you know, look, the numbers here are important. swing voters think about politics four minute as week with an average of 2 1/2 jobs. >> wow. they're waiting to see what this new candidate is. i agree with cornel, i have not seen movement like this in the poll numbers. part of it is just her enthusiasm, her hope, how excited she is. just kind of taking it right to the american voters, saying, hey, we can do this together. in contrast to trump, that's what americans, and especially democrats want so badly. they just want somebody to talk about the future. the campaign will get harder in these next 96 days, we won't have the honeymoon beefed, b

last night - why i guess part of the essence as you get older you're titled to and people like tony morrisonght? and maybe that came with their age and being elder so i sho that are story tellers their l and connect with them and you know, models. >> (multiple voices.) >> and when w approach as elders they sort of us as (laughter). >> that's true someone is sitting there and- >> (multiple voices). >> coming up to take. >> you're much more opento. >> my mother was like i saided and 4 but a withys said she may with north beach person an open authoritative because she was curious modeling for myself and i feel like just have a we're able to 0 anyone and hey how are you? and they're op to take with my challenge and career me to be a more public person and away from work i became more quiet engaged. so this pierson of doing what i needed to do and saying what to do and after a speech people will come up and start to engagement and that work into my life i became willing to talk to folks because me. and when i was doing health work and - b a group of groups of people i needed engage with them. >>

, this book is gay, the perks of being a wallflower, flamer and of course the blue west eye by tony morrisonography which just saying that is pornography. >> it's so ridiculous. i read "the bluest eye." that book has been around forever. its an amazing book and it's raw and real and reflects how we were as a society and they don't want people to read these stories. they want to suppress the information and pretend it didn't happen but if you love our country, like i do, we want it to be the best it can be and what better way than to read about what has happened in our society and we learn from our mistakes and move forward. but they don't want anyone to hear these stories. >> how fearful are you that in a word in which project 2025 is the law of the land librarians like you could be put in jail or labeled sex offenders just for providing books? >> very fearful. you know, there have already been laws -- they've tried to pass laws in louisiana to imprison librarians, they tried to pass a law to imprison librarians for attending american library association conferences that we defeated. it's dy

you know, in toni morrison's eulogy of jimmy, she found language in his writing, words within his words. i was writing "begin again," the sentences weren't coming, and reverend bishop barber sent me a saints candle with jimmy's name on it. every time i started to write, i lit the candle. i remember his voice, like he was right next to me, gene, if we're going to do this together, old boy, you're going to have to deal with you. i had to deal with the fact i had my own daddy issues, and i had to go inside. once i did that, gene, the sentences started jumping. because my pain is mine. jimmy can't write about that, right? but also, the honesty, he scared the living daylights out of me because he was asking me to interrogate the scaffolding of my world. i felt like it was all going to collapse. with that, i learned that courage is of necessity if we're going to write or attempt to write beautiful sentences. >> eddie, off of what baldwin wrote for his entire life in all of his works, do you think we will ever as a country, white people in this country, come to understand the roots of anger am