Notes from America with Kai Wright

James Spooner made a documentary in 2003 called “Afro-Punk.” It was a defining film for a generation of young Black people who felt like outsiders. This fall, he’ll publish a collection he co-edited with Chris L. Terry called Black Punk Now. Hear his place in the story of punk rock and the future he’s helping young Black artists pave for themselves. This episode is an installment of "Black History is Now...

Our producer, Regina de Heer, wants to know which songs reflect your experience being part of a diaspora. For her, having to choose an entrance song for her engagement ceremony made a new connection with her Ghanaian heritage, and made her want to learn more about afrobeats. So she found an expert: Christian Adofo, author of A Quick Ting On: Afrobeats Send us your song for our summer playlist! What’s a song that represents your personal diaspora story? Go to notesfromamerica...

When most people talk about expanding the Supreme Court, they're talking about adding a few justices. But Elie Mystal is not most people. He thinks we should just blow the lid and add 20 justices. Here's why. This is from Contempt of Court, a new podcast from Elie and The Nation. This episode is called "Elie's Court Packing Plan." Also, heads up that Elie drops the F-bomb in this episode...

Listeners want to talk about moments from their past when they felt like they didn’t belong and who helped them through those moments. So Kai invites them to talk with Connie Wang, author of “Oh My Mother!”    Connie’s most memorable moments with her mom have been when they were traveling: to their family timeshare in Mexico, family visits to China, and a Magic Mike liveshow in Las Vegas...

Everyone’s talking about affirmative action at elite universities. But they educate fewer than 5 percent of students seeking advanced degrees. So why should the other 95 percent care?   Kai wants to know about the future of equity in higher education. So he talks to:   -Dominique Baker, Southern Methodist University Associate Professor of Education Policy. -Imani Perry, Harvard University Professor of African and African American Studies, and Studies of Women, Gender, and Sexuality...

Historian and best-selling author Ibram X. Kendi helps Kai understand the Supreme Court's ruling that ended race-based affirmative action in college admissions.   Plus, Kai wants to know Dr. Kendi's personal reaction to the Court's ruling. He is devastated for a number of reasons. Tell us what you think. Instagram and Twitter: @noteswithkai. Email us at notes@wnyc.org...

Tara Roberts walked through the National Museum of African American History when one photo stopped her in place. A group of divers – all Black women – preparing to search for the wreckage of slave ships. A short time later, Tara would find herself searching for those ships and discovering her own past. She chronicled what she found in “Into the Depths.” She tells Kai how deep our histories go.   Tell us what you think. Instagram and Twitter: @noteswithkai. Email us at notes@wnyc.org...

There’s one line of questioning our listeners ask more than any other: “What is America, and who gets to define it?” Kai can tell you these questions aren’t new. So he goes back in time to look at one story from the New Deal era and a culture war over what made patriotic music…patriotic. Turns out, it’s the same old song and dance.   Sara Fishko, creator of “Fishko Files,” tells Kai the story.     Tell us what you think. Instagram and Twitter: @noteswithkai. Email us at notes@wnyc.org...

Philippe Manasseh and Nadim Maghzal were two guys in a band called Wake Island. Music helped them process a lot about their lives: Where they came from, who they were, and where they were going. They realized music does that for a lot of people, especially if you’re from a diaspora. So they, along with partner Saphe Shamoun, created Laylit: the coolest music parties that celebrate the history, music, and culture of the SWANA diaspora...

Allison Herrera, the Indigenous affairs reporter at KOSU, returns to the show to introduce us to Hodalee and Jamie Sewell, who are in the process of adopting their great niece– a baby girl. She’s a Cherokee Nation citizen, so that meant her social workers had to follow guidelines set out by the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA). Allison walks us through Sewell's adoption journey and what happens when ICWA works the way it’s supposed to...