Blair Imani

This week's radical is Blair Imani, historian, author, educator, activist, podcaster, social media influencer... seriously, there's not much she can't do. Her new podcast with Kate Robards, America Did What?!, tackles difficult subjects in American history through a lens of feminism and anti-racism, blending biting commentary with slapstick comedy.In our discussion, we cover the challenges of podcasting, growing up in deeply religious households, challenging authority, exploring new religions, and the connections between Star Trek analysis and religious interpretation.Some Questions I Ask:What gave you the push to start a new podcast? (3:16)How did you become a historian? (19:14)How did a Spanish immersion program in Chile factor into your college experience? (27:55)Do people ignore injustice to avoid reckoning with their own complicity? (34:32)What was it like to convert to Islam? (43:02)How do you feel about activism and feminism as a Muslim woman? (49:34)In This Episode You Will Learn:About Blair's new podcast, America Did What?!, and her forthcoming book (0:58)The importance of making history accessible (8:17)How racial dynamics differ between the eat coast and the west coast (14:12)The real reason Canada was a refuge for freed slaves (16:25)How two very different parents raised one very unique child (22:04)The importance of coming into a discussion prepared (24:19)Why it's hard to accept uncomfortable truths (35:58)How joining Islam was a rebellious act (48:29)How Gene Roddenberry's vision of a secular future in Star Trek is very low-stakes, and how this applies to religious interpretation (54:20)Resources:Blair's WebsiteAmerica Did What?! PodcastMaking Our Way Home: The Great Migration and the Black American Dream (2020)Modern HERstory: Stories of Women and Nonbinary People Rewriting History (2018) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.