Hear Their Voices: 10 Podcasts and Films About Race to Check Out

In the wake of the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and and more, conversations about racial justice and violence have come to the fore across a number of media platforms. In addition to protesting, donating, and contacting local policymakers, many have also taken to educating themselves.

For those wanting to consume more knowledge on race, racial injustice, and Black lives, this list is for you. Check out this compiled shortlist of podcasts and films that can help contextualize this moment we are living through.

PODCASTS

NPR’S CODE SWITCH

NPR’s “Code Switch” is currently one of iTunes’ most popular podcasts at the moment, and for good reason. The race and culture outlet addresses the pervasive impact of race on everything in America. Gene Demby and co-host Shereen Marisol Meraji talk through everything from parenting, sports, and history in the bite-sized episodes. Each episode explores how race intersects with culture and society and is about thirty minutes long.

THE STOOP

The Stoop is a podcast that focuses on sharing voices and stories from the Black diaspora. Co-hosts Leila Day and Hana Baba discuss professionally-reported stories and interviews on what it means to be Black.

INTERSECTIONALITY MATTERS

Civil rights advocate and critical race theory scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw explores intersectionality across a variety of disciplines by diving into the nitty-gritty of politics, law, and other world events. The podcast offers a more academic and literary examination of race theory and is grounded in a fierce, analytical examination of the intersectional and international implications of justice and race.

THE DIVERSITY GAP

The Diversity Gap is a project that explores the space between intention and impact when it comes to understanding the “undeniable presence of difference”in everyday life and the workspace. Host Bethaney Wilkinson, speaks with a variety of leaders, writers, and creatives to unpack issues surrounding race and find practical and intentional ways to apply the things we learn. Each episode ranges from thirty minutes to an hour, making it the perfect bite-sized podcast to listen during any commute.

STILL PROCESSING

The podcast boasts a vast repertoire of topics and ideas, including a walkthrough of the Smithsonian, a debate on the use of “read receipts” in text messages, and a discussion on the musical Hamilton. Each episode ranges from thirty minutes to an hour and a half. Wortham and Morris’ sharp, witty banter round each episode out into the perfect blend of discussion, debate, and education.

FILMS

13^th(Ava DuVernay, 2016)

This 2016 documentary explores the racial disparities within the American prison system. It provides powerful insight into the history of the problem, tracing as far back as the end of the Civil War. The movie exposes the perpetual cycle of presumption, conviction, and incarceration that enables an ill-disguised de facto system of slavery.

Streaming: Netflix

FRUITVALE STATION (Ryan Coogler, 2013)

Coogler’s Fruitvale Station poignantly resurrects the last twenty-four hours in the life of a young black man, Oscar Grant, who was shot to death in Oakland, California in 2009. The biographical drama film digs out the unexpectedly pedestrian parts of Grant’s life and puts them alongside more tempestuous moments. The contrast challenges viewers to view him as complex and vulnerable, leaves Grant teetering on the precipice in a move that prompts audiences to consider (or reconsider) the ways in which young black men are perceived and understood in pop culture, media, and film.

Streaming: Tubi, Vudu