What's Up with Docs Podcast

Usually, after recording a podcast episode, Ranell and I would quickly say goodbye to our guests so we could get on with Saturday afternoon activities. We stayed in the Zoom room for over an hour when we recorded our episode with Jennifer Crystal Chien. When listening back, I realized the richness of the conversation. Jennifer has a unique theory of change regarding correcting syst

In this episode, I speak with filmmaker, mentor, activist, and co-founder of Re-Present Media, Jennifer Crystal Chien. During our conversation, we chatted about how she got into docs, her commitment to advocacy, and the field-building and changing work at Re-Present Media. Jennifer's theory of change for the field is rooted in liberation and the spirit of the song she picked for th

During this conversation, I speak with the filmmaker, archivist, and the artistic director of Dox Box, Jihan El Tahri about the manifesto, “Liberate the Image.” The manifesto was a call to action to make archives more accessible to content creators living in the Global South. During the conversation we discussed: Archival preservation of assets of those who are part of the Glo

We recognize that war, conflict, and occupation often bring destruction not only to physical bodies but to the histories, archives, and cultural identities of the people impacted. During this conversation, I spoke with artist, writer, filmmaker, and teacher Mariam Ghani about her latest project What We Left Unfinished which is executive produced by Alysa Nahamis. We discussed the n

In this episode, I speak with a friend, filmmaker, and professor, Jacquil Constant. During our conversation, we chat about our time working on Bridging the Divide: Tom Bradley and the Politics of Race, BADWest, and his documentary short, Haiti is a Nation of Artists. We also talk about his Haitian heritage and the festival he founded which is now in its seventh year, the Haiti Inte

In this episode, I speak with film director Scott Calonico and archival researcher and producer Sandy Weeding. During our conversation, we chat about our first meeting at the Ji.hlava Documentary Film Festival, Sandy’s experiences of Berlin before the wall came down, unique German archives, and their latest documentary short, Catwoman vs. the White House. The film which will scre

In the first full episode of 2022, I chat with the filmmaker and activist Emma Francis-Snyder about her Oscar-shortlisted short Takeover! We talk about her journey as a white person and the obligation to uncover and celebrate these hidden histories and all things Takeover! Including the history of the Young Lords, her many interactions with journalist and Democracy Now! co-host Jua