What is Racial Capitalism and Why Does it Matter?
Professor Robin D.G. Kelley discusses the concept of racial capitalism and its greater political implications. This talk was given on November 7, 2017 at Kane Hall, University of Washington, Seattle, WA and was sponsored by the UW Simpson Center for the Humanities.
Videos
From Ferguson to Flint: Race, Neoliberalism, and Black Politics Today
In this 2016 lecture to Princeton University African American Studies, Professor Cathy Cohen reflects on the state of Black politics and the role of neoliberalism. She considers—beginning with the Reagan administration—the impact of neoliberal economic policies (restriction, privatization) on Black neighborhoods, the devolution of the social safety net, and the racialized rhetorical strategies meant to punish the poor and demonize those on welfare. She notes that these economic and rhetorical strategies stoked white resentment and led to over-policing and negligence black neighborhoods, which ultimately led to black death and a newly invigorated era of black political organizing.
SSJ Think and Action Tank on Racial Capitalism
SSJ is one of more than 65 organizations that constitute The Majority, a broad-based coalition of Black, indigenous, people of color and multiracial groups on the political left convened by the Movement for Black Lives in 2017. The Majority includes a wide range of forces—labor, youth, and feminists: activists working toward abolition, immigrant rights, and economic and environmental justice; and activists working against climate change, war and imperialism. Barbara Ransby and Leith Mullings represented SSJ in the coalition and are part of the Majority’s leadership team.
In addition to organizing a delegation to the southern border, SSJ worked with The Majority on a “Think and Action Tank on Racial Capitalism,” a two-day convening attended by 25 people representing various activist organizations. SSJ members Robin Kelley, Leith Mullings, Premilla Nadasen, and Barbara Ransby participated in organizing and implementing the Think and Action Tank. We subsequently created a two-part video documenting some of the highlights of the convening which was distributed to the member organizations of The Majority. As we develop our organizational structure, one of our priorities is to facilitate our members’ involvement with The Majority.
Mutual Aid Strategies by Dean Spade and Ciro Carillo
A video about how mutual aid projects can help us mobilize and survive the nightmarish conditions we are facing. Check out Big Door Brigade for a mutual aid toolkit after you watch!