Ep. 91 - Narratives in Media & Documenting Movements 2.0 ft. Morgan Elise Johnson

BrownTown reflects on the 2023 Chicago municipal elections and
the importance of disrupting dominant media narratives with
Morgan Elise Johnson, filmmaker, publisher, and co-creator of the
TRiiBE, an award-winning digital publication and production
company dedicated to reshaping the narrative of Black Chicago.


Local, community, and especially radical and movement-based
actors in radio, film, podcasts, and documentation have greatly
disrupted the broader media landscape in the past decade for the
better. BrownTown and Morgan discuss all the things from her
presence on the WGN run-off election panel, the history and
spectacle of political punditry, the real meaning of "tough on
crime" rhetoric and what it obscures, to the harmful journalistic
myth of objectivity and the violent status quo it upholds. How do
we use these mediums, skills, experiences, and analyses to
challenge the false/misinformed dominant narratives and uplift
radical politics while continuing to access mass audiences in the
ever-changing, fast-paced digital ecosystem? Here's their take.
Originally recorded April 27, 2023.


Full Transcriptions Here!


GUEST


Morgan (she/her) is an independent filmmaker and publisher based
in Chicago who is creating and preserving Black history. Most
recently, she produced Unapologetic (2020). Morgan’s
documentary career was born at Northwestern University and grew
at Milwaukee-based production house, 371 Productions, where she
produced and co-directed her first documentary, There Are Jews
Here (PBS/WORLD CHANNEL, 2016). She also associate produced a
Virtual Reality exploration of abortion clinic harassment called
Across The Line (2016) which premiered at Sundance Film
Festival’s New Frontiers exhibit. Her life and career evolved
when she co-created The TRiiBE in 2018. Morgan has earned a spot
on DOC NYC’s 40 under 40 list (2021), the Rolling Stones Cultural
Council and Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Media Class of 2019. Follow
Morgan on Instagram, and Twitter! and the TRiiBE on their site,
Instagram, and Twitter!


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Mentioned and related:


First installment Ep. 70 ft. Mateo Zapata

Are there too many Black people running for Chicago mayor?
Residents weigh in by Tonia Hill (TRiiBE)

Editorial: Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson found a place in his
acceptance speech for God. But not Barack Obama. (Chicago
Tribune)

Brandon Johnson’s Ground Game Defeats Obama Machine in
Chicago by Luke Goldstein (American Prospect)

Activist and BnB alum Damon Williams on the '23 election
(before, after)

Tonia and Tiffany of the TRiiBE on Ben Joravsky’s podcast

Obama Library Lease, 19 Acres For $10 by Heather Cherone
(Block Club Chicago)

Benji Hart's Twitter post - election highlights and
reflective thoughts



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CREDITS: Intro soundbite from Mateo Zapata,
guest on the first installment of Narratives in Media &
Documenting Movements, Episode 70 and outro soundbite from Tahman
Bradley of WGN on run-off election night, April 4, 2023. Audio
engineered by Kiera Battles.


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