Black Issues Forum: 2015-2016

Deborah and BIF intern Paris Alston head into the field to learn more about the fun outdoor and exercise activities that many black North Carolinians love to do! We'll take you horseback riding, swimming, hiking, and Deborah even goes for a run as we check out how North Carolina groups are keeping people happy and healthy.

Despite progress in the medical and social stigma realms, black North Carolinians are still suffering at staggering rates from HIV and AIDS. Bridgett Luckey and Drs. Allison Mathews and Adaora Adimora discuss how to continue and increase the fight against this terrible medical phenomenon. BIF intern Ayana Sadler also takes us to a 2BeatHIV event in Durham for more information about HIV research.

The concept of race is a complex matter, and often it is difficult to have a real conversation about race and ethnicity without tensions rising and offenses being launched. Deborah has a dialogue about the definition of race and more with Dr. Candis Watts Smith of UNC-Chapel Hill, Dr. Mark Anthony Neal of Duke University, and Samone Oates-Bullock, a student at UNC-CH.

College sports are a beloved and time-honored tradition - but what does it mean when the athletes who provide the excitement of competition don't get the education that they were promised or proper compensation? Dwayne Ballen of CBS Sports, CL Brown of ESPN.com, and Dr. Deborah Stroman of UNC's Kenan-Flagler Business School flesh out the problems with big university athletic programs in the NCAA.

After strong protest three North Carolina HBCU's were dropped from a bill that many clained threatened the schools viability. Can the alumni of these schools now breathe a sigh of relief? Andrea Harris of the North Carolina Institute for Minority Economic Developmen and Ty Couey founder and President of the National HBCU Alumni Association and National Organization of College Parents discuss.

November 10, 1898 was an important and tragic day in Wilmington's and North Carolina's history, yet very few people know about what took place on that fall day all those years ago. Filmmaker Christopher Everett explores this crucial historical moment in his new documentary, Wilmington on Fire, and Deborah sits down with him to learn more about why he wanted to tell this story.

This is an important election year for North Carolinians, yet there are so many barriers that voters of color are facing when it comes to their basic right to express their voices. Deborah chats with Kerra Bolton, David Joyner, and John White - three NC political experts and strategists who have ideas about how voters of color can protect their votes as well as their ability to go to the polls.

This week, Deborah heads to Rocky Mount to learn about the predominantly female African-American medical team at the Opportunities Industrialization Center - the OIC - a multi-purpose resource center that focuses on health. These doctors, nurses, and dentists are working to both improve health disparities in Eastern NC and to educate their patients about the virtues of medicine and health care.

This week, Deborah heads to Rocky Mount to learn about the predominantly female African-American medical team at the Opportunities Industrialization Center - the OIC - a multi-purpose resource center that focuses on health. These doctors, nurses, and dentists are working to both improve health disparities in Eastern NC and to educate their patients about the virtues of medicine and health care.

A look back at the gowns of black dressmaker Willie Otey Kay who created a small but self-sustaining family enterprise designing one-of-a-kind gowns for Raleigh’s elite, then a visit with entrepreneur James Murchison of Raleigh and a fashion design and merchandising student Wes Rowe who will show off their designs and talk about their efforts to build their careers in the fashion industry.

The concept of "home" can mean so many different things, and artists in particular choose to express their feelings towards their homes in various ways. Deborah sits down with filmmakers and artists Hope Azeda, Naimah Fuller, and Destini Riley to figure out just how these creative women show their audiences the role that their homes play in their everyday lives.

Inspired by the casting of Latina actress Zoe Saldana to play Nina Simone, the performer and activist known for her pride in her dark skin, Deborah chats with professor Dr. Yaba Blay, filmmaker Eric Barstow, and undergraduate student Ayana Thompson to delve into why so many people still knowingly and unknowingly participate in colorism - the assertion that light is better.

We have a special treat for you this week! We are all about the Art of Cool Festival in Durham for this program, and Deborah sits down with co-founders Cicely Mitchell and Al Strong to learn what makes this gathering so popular. Plus, Al Strong and his bandmates gear up for not one but two amazing song performances, recorded at UNC-TV's studio. Join us as we get our groove on!

For the first time on public television, Independent Lens presents The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution, a dynamic film about the rise and fall of the Black Panther Party that has garnered reviews as divided as the organization itself. Find out why as host Deborah Holt Noel sits down with the film’s award-winning producer Laurens Grant on the campus of Winston-Salem State University.

Deborah sits down with Mickey Fearn, Professor of Practice in the School of Natural Resources at North Carolina State University; Marilynn Marsh-Robinson, Partnership and Alliances Manager with the Environmental Defense Fund; and Thomas Easley, a Professor at NCSU, all experts in environmental justice and the importance of going outside and enjoying nature for African-Americans.

Host Deborah Holt Noel interviews race and higher education scholar Dr. Shaun Harper, Founder of the Center for the Study of Race and Equity in Education at the University of Pennsylvania live at the Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture at Duke University. Harper shares insights on recent college campus protests and public school education and charter schools in North Carolina.

Many activists in North Carolina argue that the criminal record box on job applications should be abolished. Rep. Garland Pierce of District 48 in the North Carolina House of Representatives, Umar Muhammad with the Southern Coalition for Social Justice, and Daniel Bowes with the North Carolina Justice Center address some of the questions around how this move can help and where the risks lie.

Millions of Americans struggle to understand the Affordable Care Act and their current health care options. Benjamin Money of the North Carolina Community Health Center Association, Jennifer Simmons of the North Carolina Navigator Consortium, and Adam Linker of the Health Access Coalition at the North Carolina Justice Center take on this issue and help clarify some of the choices Americans have.

Every day, we see homeless individuals and families in our neighborhoods, but, more often than not, we don't know how to effectively help them. Gene Nichol of the NC Poverty Research Fund, Earline Middleton of the Food Bank for Central & Eastern NC, and Sam Whitted of Housing for New Hope teach us the best ways to help our brothers and sisters in need this holiday season.

Uterine fibroids plague millions of women of color yet are often misunderstood to be other health problems enitrely. Luckily, professionals like Dr. Phyllis Leppert of Duke University, Dr. Wanda K. Nicholson of UNC's School of Medicine, and Dr. Darlene Taylor of NC Central University are working to educate women about fibroids. A feature on Paula Gwynn Grant showcases her contributions as well.

The recent events at the University of Missouri have re-ignited conversations all over the country about racism in collegiate settings, and many students in North Carolina are joining in and saying, "We've had enough." Deborah sits down with Dr. Benjamin Reese, Jr., Seth Pearson, and Henry Washington, Jr., all members of the Duke University community, to hash out what exactly needs to change.

Simon Johnson, Co-Founder of Quality Education Academy, Don McQueen, Co-Founder of Torchlight Academy, and Eugene Slocum, Co-Founder of Alpha Academy Public Charter School, seek to dispell misunderstandings about charter schools, and they explain the rewards that African-American students in particular reap by choosing to go to a black-led charter school.

Patrice Gilmore, the Vice President of Diversity & Inclusion at Holt Brothers Construction, and Shelton Russell, the publisher of American DBE Magazine, sit down with Deborah to talk about what minority business enterprises should be doing in order to take full advantage of every opportunity and how to make sure that they are granted those opportunities in the first place.

Duke physician Damon Tweedy gives his diagnosis on the role of racial bias in medicine with his New York Times bestseller "Black Man in aJoin us as we discuss the best strategies for handling an encounter with a law enforcement officer. Retired Durham Deputy Police Chief Beverly "B.J." Council, the founder of You and Five-O, and Ron Mangum, an educator and Employee Relations specialist, both sit down to help viewers understand what police officers and citizens alike can do to prevent unsafe situations from developing.White Coat."

Duke physician Damon Tweedy gives his diagnosis on the role of racial bias in medicine with his New York Times bestseller "Black Man in a White Coat."

Educator Barbara Lau and Durham resident Mayme Webb-Bledsoe share insights on an exhibit that highlights the work and personhood of the late Rev. Dr. Pauli Murray,a North Carolinian who pushed barriers of racial,gender,and sexual identity discrimination pre-Civil Rights. Also learn how Terry Spicer's nonprofit The Sisi is fueling hope for cancer survivors in BIF's Profiles Encourage series.