Ep. 13 - Chi DNA: Black History & Resistance in Chicago ft. Kofi Ademola

This is the third Chicago Drill and Activism (AKA "Chi DNA")
installment of Bourbon ’n BrownTown. Chi DNA is an ongoing
documentary and multimedia project, which also features
interviews, micro-documentaries, and editorial pieces on drill
rap and the activist resurgence in Chicago.


Full Transcriptions Here!


GUEST
Kofi Ademola is a leader in Black Lives Matter - Chicago who has
dedicated his life to the struggle for Black liberation, and
against systematically and intentionally targeted discrimination.
At age 18, Kofi started his life long career in social services,
working in homeless shelters, advocating for LGBTQ+ rights,
conducting gang intervention and conflict resolutions. He orients
his work towards combating racism and ending state violence and
criminalization of Black communities, reimagining new egalitarian
systems that center the most marginalized. Most recently, Kofi
claims he's mainly playing the role of "cheerleader" in the
movement, amplifying others' campaigns, most notably youth in
#NoCopAcademy, women, transpeople, and other marginalized groups
doing great work. Additionally, he recently organized the
#GoodKidsMadCity campaign that aligns youth in Chicago and
Baltimore who fight to end violence in all its forms and call for
more resources to underserved communities.


OVERVIEW
The self-proclaimed "Chicago Forrest Gump," Kofi has been in and
out of activist, electoral politics, and hip-hop circles in the
city throughout the years, experiences that render him a perfect
candidate for a discussion on historical resistance in Chicago.
With the conclusion of Black History Month 2018, BrownTown and
Kofi dissect what the month really means, how it is co-opted by
the white mainstream, and how crucial it is to understand,
formulate, and amplify the narrative of yourself and your elders.


CHI DNA
The Chicago Drill and Activism project explores the creation,
meaning, perspectives, and connections between drill rap and the
resurgence of grassroots activism since the early 2010s through
the eyes of the people involved. It focuses on contemporary
Chicago as an intentional place for the resurgence of these two
formations of cultural and political resistance during relatively
the same time period. It examines how authenticity, community,
and other important values to the subjects are impacted and
promoted via technology, social media, and a rejection of
traditional means of movement politics and corporate structures.
As told by activists and drill rappers alike, the project
situates the the subjects’ experiences and actions into a broader
theoretical and empirical history of systemic inequality and
resistance in Chicago. Follow the ongoing project at Chi-DNA.com
for more.


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CREDITS: Intro music by Fiendsh and soundbite
from Fred Hampton's "You can't jail a revolution" speech. Outro
Chi City by Common. Audio engineered by Genta Tamashiro.


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