S2, E1 Liberation Don't Cost a Thang

The revolution will not be sold! We're back with the first episode Season 2! In today's episode, Brendane and Alyssa share what they got up to over the summer break and then jump right into the episode unpacking the philosophical concept of Aesthetics and how it is bound up in politics and power. In the What We're Reading segment, the pair discuss Angela Davis' 1994 essay "Afro Images: Politics, Fashion, and Nostalgia" to think about the ways society refashions the revolutionary past - in this instance how Davis' afro goes from symbol of resistance to fashion statement, evacuating her contribution to Black radicalism through commodification. In What In the World?! Brendane and Alyssa discuss Tiffany's new "About Love" campaign that features Jay-Z, Beyonce, a rarely viewed Basquiat, and a priceless blood diamond. Finally, they touch on the issues and contradictions of the activist-influencer industrial complex through the recent events with the Jessica Natale (formerly @soyouwanttotalkabout on IG) and bestselling author Ijeoma Oluo. Liked what you heard? Donate here! Discussed this week: Afro Images: Politics, Fashion, and Nostalgia (Angela Davis, 1994) "Corporate America's $50 billion Promise" (Washington Post, 2021) Other Readings: The Politics of Aesthetics (Jacques Rancière, 2013) ZD merch available here and the syllabus for ZD 201 is here! Let us know what you thought of the episode @zorasdaughters on Instagram and @zoras_daughters on Twitter! Transcript will be available on our website here.