Critical Conversations 2021-22: Celebrating the Life and Legacy of June Jordan.

The Department of African American Studies at UC Berkeley’s 2021-22 Critical Conversations speaker series is organized as a celebration of the life and legacy of June Jordan, a gifted and prolific writer, a powerful activist, an innovative teacher and a longtime member of our Department. Fall 2021 will be devoted to June’s activist work, her prose and her architectural imaginary. Spring 2022 will be devoted to her work as a poet and teacher. Building on our successful Spring 2021 series celebrating Dr. Barbara Christian and exploring the concept of abolition democracy, this series continues to ask: what are the lessons of the Black Feminist, Black Radical, and Black intellectual traditions for our moment and what is the role of Black Studies in building more just futures?

The Critical Conversations series welcomes Bay Area authors Tongo Eisen-Martin and Tanea Lunsford Lynx for a poetry reading and conversation about local geography, creative writing, and June Jordan’s artistic legacy. Eisen-Martin and Lunsford Lynx will read their work; share some of their favorite poems written by June Jordan; and then participate in a conversation about race, place, and belonging co-moderated by UC Berkeley Associate Professor Chiyuma Elliott and doctoral candidate John Mundell (African American Studies). The event is part of a year-long celebration of June Jordan’s work. This series continues to ask: what are the lessons of the Black Feminist, Black Radical, and Black intellectual traditions for our moment and what is the role of Black Studies in building more just futures?

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