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Gold Open, the Gold House-movement to push box office success for multicultural films, and CAPE (Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment) have launched their own list honoring the most outstanding Asian and Pacific Islander achievements in film called the Gold List. Due to the lack of inclusion of Asian-led films by the Academy and many […]

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In a recently announced collaboration with Spotify, Jemele Hill is creating a new space for Black women in the podcasting world. The joint-effort among Hill and the streaming service aims to make podcasts by Black women, for Black women, more accessible.

In an interview with Bloomberg, Hill talked about the “one-woman media empire” she’s slowly created for her herself in the aftermath of her very public split from ESPN back in 2018. Now, Hill has seemingly solidified her place in the arts and entertainment industry by conducting a weekly radio show with Cari Champion, hosting her podcast Jemele Hill is Unbothered, and being a writer for The New Yorker.

Even though Jemele Hill is Unbothered is featured on Spotify already, she shared that she still felt as though Black women weren’t being identified as a potential target market in the overall podcasting space. With that in mind, her collaboration with Spotify will ideally serve as a space where Black women can be honest and upfront about the topics that matter to them most.

“Spotify and I are collaborating on a larger network that would appeal to audiences that are underserved,” she said. “One is Black women in particular. It’s been important to me as a Black woman in the commentary and opinion space.”

Furthermore, Bloomberg wanted to know whether having Black women hosts or discussing topics related to Black women was more important when crafting her vision of what she wanted the network to be.

Hill shared that for her, both points were necessary in her effort to uplift Black women’s voices.

“It’s very important to amplify and strengthen voices of Black women. There are also unique problems and situations and issues that Black women face that are different than what White women face or Asian women face,” she said. Offering an example of what she meant, she added, “If you look at the maternal death rates of Black women, it’s extraordinary. It looks as bad now as it did in the 1950s.”

When asked about why there was a lack of top podcasts that targeted Black listeners, Hill mentioned that in her eyes, the “Black Panther effect” was taking place. She described the phenomenon as one in which topics of interest for Black people come as a surprise to many, despite the pattern of Black people showing up in numbers when they feel like there’s a topic that represents them, or tells their story, just as they did when the film Black Panther was released.

“It’s the “Black Panther” effect,” she stated. “Even though Black people had been going to movies for years, people were startled by the success of Black Panther. It’s amazing what happens when Black people see themselves in content. They tend to like it. When Black people hear stories they can relate to and hear from artists and entertainers and athletes they have cherished, they are going to respond. Some of my best and most popular podcasts have been with people that would surprise. But if you know anything about the Black community, it’s no surprise.”

All in all, Jemele Hill has come a long way since her days at ESPN. Even though branching out of the sport’s world seemed like a strange pivot for her to some, this new venture with Spotify proves that Hill’s cultural commentary and perspective is valued and continues to be serving her well, and in turn, serves other Black women well, too.

Welcome to the MLK edition of Afronerd Radio's Grindhouse internet broadcast, airing this Sunday at 6pm eastern.  The topics to be placed on our metaphysical "grill" to be devoured are: thoughts about Dr. Martin Luther King as we celebrate his eponymous holiday and how the recent "sedition at the Capitol" reminds us the more things change.....ahem, you know the rest; 

So we're off to the races with Warner Media's earlier theatrical movies in tandem with streaming announcement via Godzilla vs, Kong's release date on March 26th (in theaters and simulcast on HBO Max); that didn't take long.....Chris Evans announced that he will be reprising his role of Captain America in the MCU. In what film or films? We'll theorize....; a few stories that we failed to address during last week's Mid Week show including how Marvel's Captain America and Punisher characters have been co-opted by white extremists (seen on full display at the Capitol fiasco)

Our first impressions of episodes 1 and 2 of Marvel/Disney+'s highly anticipated streaming series, Wandavision; Dburt also has some thoughts about Netflix's co-black lead sci-fi thriller, Outside the Wire, starring Anthony Mackie (The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Avengers franchise) and Damson Idris (Snowfall, Black Mirror); and then there's yet another laudable streaming project that's been hyped up for a few months-the Regina King directed One Night in Miami....we, too, give you our thoughts; Lastly, the Schomburg's 9th annual Black Comic Book Festival-virtual  edition launched this past week ending this Saturday. 

Call us LIVE at 508-645-0100. AFTER CLICKING ON THE HIGHLIGHTED LINK, GO DIRECTLY TO AFRONERD RADIO!!! 

or This link below.....
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The dating game comes with rules and Kamala Harris‘ husband Doug Emhoff said he decided to break them once he met her. The lovebirds recently sat down on CNN to reflect about their love story. During the chat with CNN’s Abby Phillip, the Vice President-elect and the soon-to-be first -ever Second Gentlemen, Emhoff revealed that he fell for Harris so hard after their first date, which was a blind date, that he emailed her his availability for the next few months so they could fit each other into their schedules.

“I didn’t want it to end,” Emhoff said. “And so the next morning, I pulled the move of emailing her with my availabilities for the next four months, including long weekends,” Emhoff said. “And I said something like, ‘I’m too old to hide the ball. You’re great. I want to see if we can make this work. Here’s when I’m available next.’ And I guess it worked.”

They met in 2013 while Harris was California’s Attorney General and Emhoff was an entertainment lawyer and their blind date was arranged by a mutual friend who sought legal advice from Emhoff.

Even though Emhoff’s email was a successful strategy, Harris joked that once she saw the email she was “terrified.” Despite being thrown off by his forwardness, their relationship flourished and they tied the knot in 2014. The wedding, which was in Santa Barbara, was officiated by Harris’ sister Maya, who said she knew Emhoff was the one for her sister “when I saw how he made her laugh.”

“Because one of the things that Mommy used to always say is life will have its ups and downs, so you make sure that you find a life partner who makes you laugh.”

Their rare interview will air tonight (January 17) during the one-hour special Kamala Harris: Making History at 10 p.m. Eastern Time.