I had the immense honor to co-present a conversation between Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka and girl wonder Vivien Goldman at LMU today. Focusing primarily on the work of Fela Anikapulo Kuti and Bob Marley, they talked about politics, music, activism, pan-Africanism, post-colonialism, spiritualism — and a whole lot more. It was probably the most distinguished panel I’ve ever been associated with, and the Marymount Institute was packed.
This followed on the heels of the successful launch party for the EMPLA Conference last night in West Hollywood. The Jabberjaw panel was great, and yet I felt they slightly sidestepped my question afterwards about race issues and gentrification. Well, panelist Raquel Gutierrez apparently felt the same way, and wrote this amazing blog about race, punk, Riot Grrrl, gender, etc.
The conversation about Pop and Politics continues tomorrow at USC and Saturday at Redcat Theater. I moderate a panel at 10:30 tomorrow morning and am doing a Critical Karaoke piece (on the Runaways) Saturday afternoon. If either of them go half as well as these two events, I’ll be a lucky girl.
Populism 