Ep. 70 - Narratives in Media & Documenting Movements ft. Mateo Zapata

BrownTown reflects on the turbulent events of March and April
2021 in Chicago within the context of the community-based media,
truth in journalism, and participating in and documenting social
movements with Mateo Zapata.


Mateo shares his introduction into organizing for immigrants'
rights in resistance to the Sensenbrenner bill in 2006 (1, 2). He
and BrownTown harp on the importance of organizing and grassroots
action regardless of policy promises and often in direct
opposition to legislation from the state (i.e. hunger strike
during Daley Jr. Administration - 1, 2, 3). BrownTown places
Mateo's op-ed for the Chicago Tribune on the police killing of
Adam Toledo in March as a site of introspection for nuanced,
complex, and humanizing journalism that also directly and
unapologetically calls out police violence. The guys apply a
similar focus on community-based media and independent journalism
when analyzing the myth of objectivity, the importance of
language ("police-involved shooting" vs. "fatally shot" vs.
"police killing"), as well as the role of social media in all of
it. BrownTown and Mateo go back-and-forth sifting through
seemingly unrelated topics -- from comparing tech CEOs to street
organizations, to Alderman Ed Burke being absolute trash, to the
normalization of political lobbying and violence of the American
empire -- before speaking on the police killing of Anthony
Alvarez, noteworthy events/actions of the 2020 uprisings, the
past, present, and future of Black and Brown solidarity, and the
Justice for Adam Toledo Logan Square rally (1, 2, 3).


How do we as independent media outlets/documentarians/journalists
use our mediums to challenge often false yet dominant narratives
in media and uplift the voices within our communities that are
most impacted by them? Here's their take. Originally recorded
April 30, 2021.


GUEST


Mateo Zapata is a South Side-raised creative of Colombian/Chilean
descent working at the intersection of photojournalism, the arts,
hip-hop and community advocacy. Follow Mateo on his site,
Instagram, and Twitter!


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Articles and events mentioned:



We are Adam: For many youth across Chicago’s South and West
sides, Adam Toledo’s life trajectory is too familiar by
Mateo Zapata (Chicago Tribune)


Let's wait before turning slain 13-year-old Adam Toledo into
a martyr  by Eric Zorn (Chicago Tribune)


Lori Lightfoot is wrong. 'We' didn't fail Adam Toledo.
by (BnB alum) Jasson Perez (Washington Post)


"Why Are You Shooting Me?" CPD fatally shot Anthony Alvarez
on March 31. With the release of official video, his family may
finally get some answers. by Madison Muller, Jamie Kalven,
and the Invisible Institute


In Little Village, Adam Toledo’s death spurs reflection on
police, gangs, and race by Carlos Ballesteros (Injustice
Watch)

Trevor Noah interviewing Katherine Maher of Wikipedia



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CREDITS: Intro song We The People by A
Tribe Called Quest and outro song Fight Like Ida B & Marsha P
by Chicago's own Ric Wilson. Audio engineered by Genta Tamashiro
and Kiera Battles.


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