- A Platform for Positive Black Media
kweli.tv offers a streaming surface anchored in films produced by black people for a
black audience. The platform serves as a means to combat the negative portrayals of black people that continue to dominate black portrayals in white media. With almost all of their content garnered from black film festivals, Kweli, Swahili for truth, proves a solid means for the black collective to indulge in the beauty of black culture—unsullied by whites.
PS: It’s monthly membership is also cheaper than Netflix!
- Essence Returns to Black Ownership
After years of representing the black female perspective from as a branch of Time Inc coperation, Essence is once-again black owned. Although owned by Sundail Brand founder Richelieu Dennis, who recently sold Shea Moisure, Dennis has relinquished one pillar in black economics to own another. While my feelings towards the gesture remain ambivalent, I am very happy that a publication that has been a staple in the black community as long as Essence has is back to black ownership!
- Michelle Alexander’s The New Jim Crow is banned in New Jersey prisons
Many are probably wondering why this one made the list. One, the issue is not so much that the book was (temporarily) banned, but that folks did not see this coming. Jersey, in the arrest and inhumane treatment of our beloved Assata Shakur, has already illustrated its cowardly combat to take down blacks who refute their systemic domination. Thus, Alexander’s efforts to tell the full story of incarceration, also proves a threat to a system who benefits on the ignorance of the masses.
Thus, despite eventually being deemed unconstitutional, the initial band on a much needed narrative on contemporary colonialism, illustrates that you’ve done something very right, when white institutions fear your influence.
This also illustrates that while withheld from those detained in the New Jersey prison system, those of us not detained have no excuse not to indulge in the informative text. In a perfect world, everyone in the collective would read a copy and send a copy to an incarcerated member of the collective.
But in an imperfect world, this bad news will prove good for Alexander’s book sales.
Miss Alexander, I take my hat off to you!
Moral: It’s not about being anything but pro-black!
Cheers to 2018 as another year of black excellence!
Black Power ❤
Whispers of a Womanist 
Wow, Kweli.tv is news to me! Thank you! This is exciting. Definitely going to share and subscribe.
Excellent post. My stepfather has worked on prison rape reform in the prison system towards the end of his career. The stories he’s shared with me throughout his career in human service inspire me to not quit my current situation. This passage you wrote: Many are probably wondering why this one made the list. One, the issue is not so much that the book was (temporarily) banned, but that folks did not see this coming. Jersey, in the arrest and inhumane treatment of our beloved Assata Shakur, has already illustrated its cowardly combat to take down blacks who refute their systemic domination. Thus, Alexander’s efforts to tell the full story of incarceration, also proves a threat to a system who benefits on the ignorance of the masses.
Thus, despite eventually being deemed unconstitutional, the initial band on a much needed narrative on contemporary colonialism, illustrates that you’ve done something very right, when white institutions fear your influence.-that’s it. Systemic oppression and dehumanization perpetuate violence. Knowledge is power but at first it’s enraging, especially if you’ve been abused and find yourself in a cage. I do not support book banning just to be clear, but I get why the man wants to block access. I’m just curious as to why this book and why now. I love your resilient reframe. I’ll have to check out Kweli tv.
Wow! Such a skillfully written and thoughtful response. Thank you for your insight 🙂 what a privilege to have first hand information! Your perspective is appreciated!
Thanks C.C. Equality is my passion.
Thanks for this constructive information, all of this was news to me, I read Michelle Alexander’s book last year, very well written researched. I will definitely be supporting kweli Tv!!!
thanks for this info!