The Activist Artist on American Activism: WAKE UP, AMERICA!

Akin Duro's Life in Art

If you visit Professor Chandler's Facebook Profile Wall, you'll see a combination of posts: images on celebrating black female beauty throughout the diaspora, photos of children and grandchildren with loving comments, messages on healthcare products, news stories about various atrocities happening in America, aphorisms on politics, encouraging Bible scripture and philosopher's messages, videos on historical and political events, particularly related to what he calls "AmeriKKKa's" violent racist history and photos of chemtrails outside of his New Mexico. Many of those messages are shared on his Facebook Page. But, what is the point of all of this? What is the elder professor trying to tell the world, particularly the world of social media dominated by Facebook where people seem to come to tune out? The message is the same as it has been for nearly 55 years of activism through protest art and speech: WAKE UP, AMERICA! Activism and raging against the machine are acts of self- and human preservation, not just something the socially disaffected do to get media attention. The 99% are all outsiders. So, he is calling out to America--and the world--to engage because tuning out and refusing t o tune in to what is really going on is a recipe for destruction of ALL of our civil rights and liberties, not just those of African Americans. This week, we'll talk about Prof. Chandler's perspective on American activism and the age of social media and why by paying attention to what's all around you, the life you save may be your own. This show is co-hosted and produced by Chandler's daughter and artist agent, Dahna M. Chandler, an award-winning former journalist.