#TalkRadio – December 26: Sounding The Call: Raising Public Awareness About the Important Stories of 2023 the Mass Media Missed

SPEAKERS:

Dianne Wilkerson: 12:00 PM – 12:57 PM ET
First African American Female to serve in the Massachusetts Senate and TJC Board Treasurer

Terry O’Neill, Esq.: 12:00 PM – 12:57 PM ET
Current Board Secretary of the Transformative Justice Coalition; former President of the National Organization for Women (NOW); Former Host of the podcast What Equality Looks Like; LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terry-o-neill-3076303/ 

Prof. Ernest J. Quarles, Esq.: 12:00 PM – 12:57 PM Eastern Time
Professor at John Hopkins University and African American Policy Forum Board Member

INTRODUCTION:

The Igniting Change Radio Show on Tuesday, December 26th, 2023, from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Eastern Time, entitled, “Sounding The Call: Raising Public Awareness About the Important Stories of 2023 the Mass Media Missed”, will be live with Radio Show Co-Hosts and Transformative Justice Coalition (TJC) Co-Leaders Attorneys Barbara Arnwine, Esq. and Daryl Jones, Esq. and guests Dianne Wilkerson, Atty. Terry O’Neill, and Prof. Ernest J. Quarles, Esq. This show will focus on a review of 2023 and its major racial and social justice happenings. In particular, we will look at media coverage: what it got wrong; what it got right; and, what it missed altogether. This show will also discuss how to raise public awareness, consciousness, and activism regarding important matters that are not highlighted in the national public debate. This subject is especially important as 2023 saw many disturbing trends in the area of voting rights and constitutional freedoms, including (but not limited to): book banning; attacks on DEI and the teachings of Black history; horrific Supreme Court decisions such as that on Affirmative Action; major unjust police killings of African-Americans; the use of viscous policing tactics, notably those reported in Memphis and Baton Rouge; massive spread of states adopting voter suppression methods; and, at the end of the year, the devastating 8th Circuit decision which bars private citizens and organizations the ability to file racial discrimination cases in voting under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. 

QUESTIONS:

• For each of you, what do you think was the biggest story of 2023 and how do you think the media covered that story?
• What stories of 2023 do you think the media got the most wrong and what is it about those stories that our audience and the nation needs to know?
• Banning books and the teaching of Black History were very prevalent in 2023. What are the long term implications of these acts?
• How did the media’s fawning over Moms For Liberty impact the rise of book banning and what has the media done now that Moms For Liberty has imploded?
• The upcoming 2024 Presidential race has already been a major story in 2023. How well has the media discussed the interests of Communities of Color and youth?
• Again, we saw Dobbs voters having a major impact on election outcomes.How do you think this trendline will continue in 2024 and how well did the media do in covering it?
•  In Ohio, during voting on Issue 1, the pro-choice position, 84% of all African-Americans voted favorably- the largest cohort to do so by far. Why has this not been discussed more in the media?
• In 2023, Transformative Justice Coalition was a major newsmaker of its own, with activities with the Florida Rolling Protest and the Kentucky and Ohio GOTV events. All of these campaigns, including TJC’s two 2023 Gen Z and Millennial Votes Matter Trainings, were designed to bring knowledge to communities and to activate voters. What do you think of what we did in 2023 and what will we need to do in 2024?
• What will the voting rights and racial justice communities need to do in 2024 in light of the 8th Circuit’s opinion?
• What do you think is the most important grassroots organizing that you think needs to happen in order to ensure strong voter protection and engagement in November 2024?
• What are your final thoughts to our listeners?
• Thank you for all of your hard work. How do our listeners get in contact with you?