We Are Not A Monolith

Local NAACP President Ike Rayford and Shelby Pierce interview Sioux City Police Chief Rex Mueller and community activist Monique Scarlett in an open and honest conversation about the death of George Floyd, the state of policing, the use of excessive force in our community, and how we can find unity in the midst of anger and grief.

Malcolm X was assassinated 50 years ago. As a cultural and civil rights icon, his message has been summed up as one of violence, starkly contrasting to the non-violent message of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The complexities of Malcolm's life, from his birth in Omaha to his assasination in Manhattan, belies such a simple conclusion. As we mark the 50th anniversary of the assassination, Ike and Shelby dig into the life and legacy, and continuing relevance, of Malcolm X with Leo Louis, President of the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation in Omaha, Nebraska. --- Subscribe to We Are Not A Monolith's podcast: Apple - Google - Stitcher - Player.FM

Sen. Cory Booker joined Shelby and Ike to discuss his proposed policies as a Democratic candidate* for President, policies, he argues, that will bring the country back together. He believes that his appeal to African-Amercian voters makes his candidacy viable and that Hilary Clinton's 2016 loss was partly due to her failure to appeal to the lived experiences of the diverse nature of the Democratic Party. And he describes how his engagement in the African-American community drives his policy. *As of January 13, 2020, Senator Cory Booker has suspended his campaign.

This time on We are not a Monolith, Ike and Shelby explore the holiday of Kwanzaa. They interview special guest Kemi Brown of Sioux City to learn all about this Holiday and how it's celebrated.

We Are Not a Monolith welcomes Mayor Pete Buttigieg to talk about his Douglass Plan, the firing of Darryl Boykins, the first African-American police chief of South Bend, Indiana, and the challenges of bringing togehter a country divided along so many lines. Music by Joytribe recorded live at KBOO.

Inspiration can strike from anywhere. Reading the obits one day, Kenneth Jones came across the story of Emily Wheelock Reed, a librarian who lived and worked in Alabama during the 1950's and 60's. Trouble began for her when she added illustrator Garth Williams' book The Rabbits' Wedding to her stacks, a book that portrays the marriage of a black rabbit and a white rabbit. The White Citizen's Council and Senator Edward Oswell Eddins demanded the book be removed, and so began the Alabama Story. Tonight (9-15) the play makes its regional debut with a production by Lamb Arts Regional Theatre . We Are Not A Monolith's Ike Rayford and Shelby Pierce were joined via Skype by Jones.

Ike and Shelby took over an entire hour of programing to discuss summer reading, music and their series, "Checking the Box".

Ike and Shelby took over an entire hour (well....technically a little more- be sure to listen to Part II) of programing to discuss summer reading, music and their series, "Checking the Box".

Ike and Shelby are diving into a new series called Checking the Box- where they explore the vulnerability and consequences experienced when filling out everyday forms.

irayford@gmail.com (Ike Rayford)

This Sunday, the Blue Cafe will host author Jordan Flaherty for a discussion of his book No More Heroes , a critique of the savior mentality and helping people from different historical, cultural, and racial contexts. Shelby Pierce and Ike Rayford of We Are Not A Monolith joined Jordan via Skype to ask how he has come to speak on this topic and what he has to say. (Find the longer version of the interview here ).

Mark.Munger@witcc.edu (Mark Munger)

Tonight the Sanford Center will hold an event at the Orpheum Theatre featuring Mitch and Emily Martin, Play It Forward, Kevin Keane, and more. The Center itself has served the Siouxland Community since the 1930’s, beginning as a settlement house for African Americans migrating north. Over time, its role in the community has expanded: setting up affordable, educational daycare; going into schools to help students and diminish gang presence; feeding families. Much of this growth happened under the directorship of George Boykin. Shelby Pierce and Ike Rayford of We Are Not A Monolith sat down with Boykin and, later, his successor, Fitzgerald Grant, to talk about the Center, its past, present, and future.

Shelby and Ike discuss Jordan Peele's horror film Get Out on We Are Not A Monolith. Without spoilers, they talk about how Peele uses the genre to raise issues of race that elude films like Forgotten Figures . Keep an eye on We Are Not A Monolith as it develops into longer form interviews and features. It is Siouxland Public Media's new project that focuses on the issues facing and being discussed by the African American community in Siouxland.