Season 1, Vol. 1, Ep. 6: FARIHA - "Self Care is Survival"

Episode Art by Rage Kidvai @rkidvai

Episode Art by Rage Kidvai @rkidvai

Fariha Róisín is an Australian-Canadian Bangladeshi writer, editor and podcaster based in Brooklyn.  With an interest in her Muslim identity, race, pop culture and film (as well as queerness and how that intersects with being a femme of color navigating a white world) she has written for The New York Times, Al Jazeera, The Guardian, Vice, Fusion, Village Voice and others. Previously, she has co-written a self care column on The Hairpin, an astrology column for them. She is currently the writer-at-large/culture editor for The Juggernaut.

Go listen to the sixth episode of Bad Brown Aunties, here!

Below is a playlist of songs Fariha is listening to, her reading list of writers of color, and videos, photographs and other content!


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A playlist featuring Jai Paul, Sevdaliza, Carly Rae Jepsen, and others


AUNTY FARIHA’S READING LIST OF WRITERS OF COLOR!

If They Come for Us by Fatimah Asghar 

Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie

In Search of My Mother’s Garden by Alice Walker

Bright Lines by Tanwi Nandini Islam

The Shutters by Ahmed Bouanani

The January Children by Safia Elhillo 

Dictee by Theresa Hak Kyung Cha

Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin


From 2012 onwards she co-hosted the podcast Two Brown Girls, a podcast that centered brown and black voices in film and TV, emphasizing the importance of representation.

From 2012 onwards she co-hosted the podcast Two Brown Girls, a podcast that centered brown and black voices in film and TV, emphasizing the importance of representation.

Fariha is currently working on a book of poetry entitled How To Cure A Ghost (Abrams, Fall 2019). Pre-Order Link to "How to Cure a Ghost" - https://www.amazon.com/How-Cure-Ghost-Fariha-R%C3%B3is%C3%ADn/dp/1419737562

Fariha is currently working on a book of poetry entitled How To Cure A Ghost (Abrams, Fall 2019). Pre-Order Link to "How to Cure a Ghost" - https://www.amazon.com/How-Cure-Ghost-Fariha-R%C3%B3is%C3%ADn/dp/1419737562



A video Fariha made in reference to her article "a part of myself" about the abortion she got when she was 18:

Season 1, Vol. 1, Ep. 5: DAWN-LYEN - "The Battle Cry"

Episode Art by Rage Kidvai @rkidvai

Episode Art by Rage Kidvai @rkidvai

Dawn-Lyen Gardner is an actress best known for playing the leading role of Charley Bordelon-West in Oprah Winfrey & Ava DuVernay’s drama series Queen Sugar. Gardner was born and raised in LA, and later moved to New York to attend Juilliard. She has been acting from a very young age. She is a proud first generation Angelino, and the child of a Chinese immigrant mother and a Black father from Alabama. Her activism is currently focused on the separation of families by ICE and border patrol.

Go listen to the fifth episode of Bad Brown Aunties, here!

Below is a playlist of songs that come from the soundtracks of the first three seasons of Queen Sugar, along with videos, photographs and other content!


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A playlist featuring John Lee Hooker, LION BABE, Meshell Ndegeocello, and others


QUEEN SUGAR Season 4 Official Trailer

SUBSCRIBE for more TV Trailers HERE: https://goo.gl/TL21HZ Check out our most popular TV PLAYLISTS: LATEST TV SHOW TRAILERS: https://goo.gl/rvKCPb SUPERHERO/COMIC BOOK TV TRAILERS: https://goo.gl/r8eLH6 NETFLIX TV TRAILERS: https://goo.gl/dbO463 HBO TV TRAILERS: https://goo.gl/pkgTQ1 JoBlo TV trailers covers all the latest TV show trailers, previews, clips, promos and featurettes.


3,728 Likes, 38 Comments - Dawn-Lyen Gardner (@dawnlyen) on Instagram: "#ToImmigrantsWithLove You are my grandmother, you are my mother. You are us. We stand with you, we..."

6,091 Likes, 32 Comments - Dawn-Lyen Gardner (@dawnlyen) on Instagram: "Love you, Daddy. Grateful thru all of it. #HappyFathersDay ♥️"

Dawn-Lyen Gardner speaks about identity.

Actor Dawn-Lyen Gardner peers into her relationship with identity, story and community, amidst the challenges - and the gifts - of self-inclusion at the 2019 Othering and Belonging Conference. The title of her talk is "Egg Drop Soup." For a transcript visit: https://www.rev.com/transcript-editor/shared/ETlEU98s1GNVvYcic4RE3zKME9u60YrqSFMobAoBu_KaX07mpRXdtz-m2bBXTrnB2hhbV3BNkARgSIQKup_9ux-lku8?loadFrom=SharedLink

452 Likes, 5 Comments - Dawn-Lyen Gardner (@dawnlyen) on Instagram: "It's time for compassion. Not cruelty. I am #WithRefugees #WorldRefugeeDay"

The humanitarian crisis at the border is real. It is urgent. And it is our dollars, our taxes that help fund it. Which means that we are all involved. By allowing this crisis to continue, we are saying that we are ok with it. So, officially: I am not ok with it. I am not ok with ICE and Border Patrol forcibly separating thousands of children from parents for months to years. I am not ok with children - or anyone - dying while in ICE custody. I stand in solidarity with the artists in El Paso & around the country for the #ARTISTICUPRISING happening today at the El Paso border from 5-10pm. If you are in the El Paso area, bring your music, poetry, drums, words, passion, theatre, outrage, and love. Let's UNITE in the demand that the detention camps be closed and that children be reunited with their parents - the most fundamental and basic human right. The human rights atrocities that immigrant communities are experiencing across the country and especially at the southern border are horrifying. We must not look away. We must face this crisis, and we must act to end it. For full details on today's artistic uprising, or to attend or perform, visit: http://onebillionrising.org/artisticuprising This artistic uprising is presented by Border Agricultural Workers Project, La Mujer Obrera, @campesinasunite, & @One_Billion_Rising. Thank you @blackpuertoricanphd, @eveensler, and every activist/artist involved. Cheering in spirit today from the set of #QueenSugar. #ThisIsAnArtisticUprising #CloseTheConcentrationCamps #FamiliesBelongTogether #ImmigrantsAndRefugeesWelcomeHere #ArtisticUprising #RiseResistUnite #RiseInSolidarity #UntilTheViolenceStops #HistoryisWatching

230 Likes, 7 Comments - Dawn-Lyen Gardner (@dawnlyen) on Instagram: "The humanitarian crisis at the border is real. It is urgent. And it is our dollars, our taxes that..."

865 Likes, 17 Comments - Dawn-Lyen Gardner (@dawnlyen) on Instagram: "Sobbed after taking this photo. Overwhelmed with joy. How beautiful are they? #QueenSugar"

Season 1, Vol. 1, Ep. 4: KIMBERLY - "Aspiring to Auntie Levels"

Episode Art by Rage Kidvai @rkidvai

Episode Art by Rage Kidvai @rkidvai

Kimberly Drew is a curator of "black art and experiences", a fashion icon, and creator of the popular Tumblr blog "Black Contemporary Art". She previously held the position of social media manager for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and uses social media (@museummammy on Instagram) as a tool to champion Black artists.

Go listen to the fourth episode of Bad Brown Aunties, here!

Below is a playlist of songs that Kimberly curated, based on what she was listening to at different points in her life, along with videos, photographs and other fun stuff!


Rage, Kimberly & Thanu, BTS while recording Episode 4 of Bad Brown Aunties.

Rage, Kimberly & Thanu, BTS while recording Episode 4 of Bad Brown Aunties.

A playlist featuring Ludacris, Beyoncé, Shaun Escoffery, and others


Harry Belafonte speaking with writer and curator Kimberly Drew about balancing art and activism, legacy and the power of folk art in this public conversation at the historic Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture, presented by Red Bull Music and Jill Newman Productions.


Art | Basel Miami Salon Talk - Transgender in the mainstream [L-R: Gordon Hall, Juliana Huxtable, Kimberly Drew & David Getsy]

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David J. Getsy, Goldabelle McComb Finn Distinguished Professor of Art History and Interim Dean of Graduate Studies, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago; Gordon Hall, Artist, New York; Kimberly Drew, Founder, Black Contemporary Art, New York; Juliana Huxtable, Artist, Poet and DJ, New York Moderator: William J.


Kimberly with Editor and activist Sinéad Burke at Fondazione Prada in Milan.

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Check out this NYT interview of Kimberly!


Kimberly with friend and co-author of “The Black Futures Project” Jenna Wortham. The book is an anthology inspired by The Black Book by Toni Morrison and will take the form of a coffee table book.

Kimberly at the Met!

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Kimberly Drew with curator Akili Tommasino.

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Kimberly walking the runway for @chromat.


Season 1, Vol. 1, Ep. 3: ALOK FT. KAREEM - "Art is for Aunties"

Episode Art by Rage Kidvai @rkidvai

Episode Art by Rage Kidvai @rkidvai

Episode Art by Rage Kidvai @rkidvai

Episode Art by Rage Kidvai @rkidvai

Alok Vaid-Menon is a performance artist, poet, and LGBTQ rights activist. Vaid-Menon identifies as gender non-conforming and transfeminine and uses they pronouns. Vaid-Menon is from a Hindu-Indian family and grew up in College Station, Texas. They went to Stanford University. Vaid-Menon's work normalizes discussions of shame, trauma and violence against trans and gender non-conforming people of color. They have presented their work at 400 venues in more than 40 countries. Vaid-Menon is known for incorporating ideas of trans-activism and identity into their poetry performances.. In 2017 Vaid-Menon released FEMME IN PUBLIC, a book of poems regarding queer experiences. This year, they released their third fashion collection in India, which emphasized colorful, printed clothing, and asserted that skirts and dresses are gender-neutral.

In this episode of Bad Brown Aunties, Alok phones in an “Auntie” who has inspired and supported them. Alok phoned in Kareem Khubchandani, aka LaWhore Vagistan. Kareem is a performance artist, working in drag, storytelling, body art, theater, and digital media. He is also a Professor at Tufts University teaching at the intersection of performance studies and queer studies. His research, performance, and teaching interests include dance studies, queer nightlife, South Asian diaspora, global queer politics, performance ethnography, critical race studies, and drag.

Go listen to the third episode of Bad Brown Aunties, here!

Below is a playlist of songs that Alok & Kareem either mentioned or have performed to, along with videos, photographs and other episode-related goodies!


Alok, Thanu & Rage, BTS while recording Episode 3 of Bad Brown Aunties.

Alok, Thanu & Rage, BTS while recording Episode 3 of Bad Brown Aunties.

A playlist featuring Bally Sagoo, Vishal-Shekhar, K. S. Chithra, and others


LaWhore Vagistan ft. Auntie Kool Jams in ‘Sari’

Written by: Kareem Khubchandani & Vyjayanthi Vadrevu Director, editor: Sarah Hill (sarahhill.org) Music producer: Kevin Chin (northshoremediaproductions.com) Concept: Johnny Estrella Crew: Hayley Morgenstern Dresser & moral support: Nick Harkins I don't want to look like all of the other, drag queens, Leggings for days, and dresses for miles, and gowns for weeks Chanel and Dior, and Louis Vuitton, Versace Cuz I look best, when I'm dressed like an aunty.



Alok tells us what it’s like to be femme in public.


Alok speaks to “the pain and empowerment of choosing your own gender.”

Alok Vaid-Menon is a trans-feminine Indian-American poet and one half of the performance art duo Dark Matter. Through sharing Alok's post with your friends and loved ones, spread the message that gender is not about what body parts you do or don't have, it's about who you are at your core.


Alok’s poetry: performing “Funeral.”

Support Button Poetry: http://bit.ly/buttonpatreon Subscribe to Button! New video daily http://bit.ly/buttonpoetry If you loved this poem, check out Andrea Gibson: http://bit.ly/MaybeINeedYou Alok Vaid-Menon, performing in Minneapolis. Button Facebook: http://facebook.com/buttonpoetry Button Twitter: http://twitter.com/buttonpoetry Button Instagram: http://instagram.com/buttonpoetry Button Tumblr: http://buttonpoetry.tumblr.com About Button: Button Poetry is committed to developing a coherent and effective system of production, distribution, promotion and fundraising for spoken word and performance poetry.


FOR MORE INFORMATION

Website: https://www.alokvmenon.com/

Instagram: @alokvmenon

Twitter: @alokvmenon

Facebook: AlokVMenon

Kareem’s wall of aunty art!

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Kareem performing “Golimaar!”

When you have both a mustache and a red jacket, you can't help yourself.


LaWhore Vagistan performs at the Jai Ho! Bollywood Bling.

LaWhore Vagistan performs at Jai Ho! Bollywood Bling. Rihanna's Diamonds Student of the Year's Radha Lagaan's Radha Kaise Na Jale

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Instagram:

@kareempuff

@lawhorevagistan

@auntologies


Season 1, Vol. 1, Ep. 2: LUPITA - "The Value of Story"

Episode Art by Rage Kidvai @rkidvai

Episode Art by Rage Kidvai @rkidvai

Lupita Amondi Nyong’o is an Academy Award-winning Kenyan-Mexican actress of Luo descent. She is the daughter of Dorothy Ogada Buyu Nyong’o and Kenyan politician Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o (currently the governor of Kisumu County). Lupita was born in Mexico City, Mexico and raised in Nairobi, Kenya. Lupita received her bachelor’s degree in film and theatre from Hampshire College, and a master’s degree in acting from the Yale School of Drama.

Lupita also happens to be one of our close, long-time friends and we’re super excited to bring you this rare, intimate conversation with her. Go listen to the second episode of Bad Brown Aunties, here!

Below is a playlist of our favorite songs from soundtracks of Lupita’s films, along with videos, photographs of her and her family, and other episode-related goodies!


Rage, Lupita & Thanu, BTS while recording Episode 2 of Bad Brown Aunties. Lupita, Thanu & Rage attended Hampshire College as international students from 2003-2007.

Rage, Lupita & Thanu, BTS while recording Episode 2 of Bad Brown Aunties. Lupita, Thanu & Rage attended Hampshire College as international students from 2003-2007.

A playlist featuring Michael Abels, Alicia Keys, Kendrick Lamar, and others


Lupita’s Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in 12 Years a Slave (2014).

Christoph Waltz presenting Lupita Nyong'o with the Oscar® for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in "12 Years a Slave" at the 86th Oscars® in 2014.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

  • East River (2008): Lupita starred in the short film directed by Marc Grey and shot in Brooklyn

  • Shuga (2008): Acted in the MTV Base Africa/ UNICEF drama about HIV/AIDS prevention

  • In My Genes (2009): Wrote, directed and produced the documentary about albinism in Kenya.

  • 12 Years a Slave (2013): Directed by Steve McQueen, Lupita played the role of Patsey, a slave who worked alongside Solomon Thorthup, a free-born African-American man of upstate New York who is kidnapped and sold into slavery in Washington, DC, in 1841.

  • Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015): Lupita played Maz Kanata, a CGI character.

  • Eclipsed (2016): A Broadway play written by Danai Gurira, Lupita had a starring role in the production. Eclipsed tells the story of five Liberian women and their tale of survival near the end of the Second Liberian Civil War. It became the first play with an all-black and female creative cast and team to premiere on Broadway.

  • The Jungle Book (2016): Lupita played the voice of Raksha, a mother wolf who adopts Mowgli.

  • Queen of Katwe (2016): Directed by Mira Nair, Lupita co-starred in the biopic based on the true story about the rise of a young Ugandan chess prodigy, Phiona Mutesi. Nyong'o played Phiona's mother, Nakku Harriet.

  • Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017): Lupita returned as CGI character, Maz Kanata.

  • Black Panther (2018): Lupita starred as Nakia in the superhero film produced by Marvel. The film received 7 nominations and 3 wins at the 91st Academy Awards. A sequence is in the works…

  • Us (2019): American psychological horror film written and directed by Jordan Peele, starring Lupita Nyong'o in a double role as her own doppelgänger.

UPCOMING PROJECTS for Nyong’o include a children’s book titled Sulwe, a television series based on Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's novel Americanah which she will produce and star in, and a film adaptation of Trevor Noah's Born A Crime, which she will produce and play a leading role in as Noah's mother, Patricia.


Lupita with her parents, Dorothy and Peter.

Vogue goes to Kenya to see Lupita make ugali on her family farm.

Lupita’s younger sibling @juniornyongo.

147.9k Likes, 743 Comments - Lupita Nyong'o (@lupitanyongo) on Instagram: "So proud of my baby brother @juniornyongo who is making his professional acting debut playing none..."


Lupita doing the “T-pose” on the red carpet! Go listen to the episode, if you don’t know what we’re talking about…

455k Likes, 4,261 Comments - Lupita Nyong'o (@lupitanyongo) on Instagram: "NAACP Image Awards 💃🏾 #BlackPanther #UsMovie"


Lupita with the cast of Us, the movie.

266.8k Likes, 1,078 Comments - Lupita Nyong'o (@lupitanyongo) on Instagram: "We're heading to #SXSW! #UsMovie #BTS"


Lupita’s long-time collaborator Danai Gurira will be writing & producing the adaptation of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Americanah. Read about it here.

195k Likes, 1,336 Comments - Lupita Nyong'o (@lupitanyongo) on Instagram: "Happy birthday to my ride-or-die co-star, playwright, producing partner, and dearest friend..."


Lupita with Trevor Noah. Lupita is set to star in and produce Noah’s book “Born a Crime.” Read about it here.

313.5k Likes, 1,257 Comments - Lupita Nyong'o (@lupitanyongo) on Instagram: "@TrevorNoah is one of Us ✂️#UsMovie #HoldHandsWithUs"

Listen to Lupita’s speech on beauty at the Essence Awards (2014). Lupita decided to write a children’s book (Sulwe) so she could talk to a younger audience about colorism and beauty.

https://www.etsy.com/your/shops/Jaxsprats Jaxsprat's Unique Collectibles "If it's unique we have it" http://www.jaxsprats.com This week, Lupita Nyong'o won the Essence Magazine Black Women In Hollywood Breakthrough Performance Award. In a beautiful speech at the ceremony, she said: "What is fundamentally beautiful is compassion for yourself and for those around you.

Lupita wrote children’s book Sulwe (illustrated by Vashti Harrison); Out October 2019.


Listen to Lupita talk about the importance of representation and story-telling in this episode!

201.9k Likes, 3,049 Comments - Lupita Nyong'o (@lupitanyongo) on Instagram: "Wakanda FOURever. So special to have these women as co-stars and friends. @Essence #BlackPanther..."


Lupita with some of the auntie favorites she mentioned on the podcast.

181.2k Likes, 583 Comments - Lupita Nyong'o (@lupitanyongo) on Instagram: "Birthday hugs for the one and only @Oprah! You have taught us all so much by living on purpose...."

173.8k Likes, 503 Comments - Lupita Nyong'o (@lupitanyongo) on Instagram: "My first #SAGAwards in 2014. Excited to see my fellow actors tomorrow!"


FOR MORE INFORMATION

Instagram: @lupitanyongo

Twitter: @Lupita_Nyongo

Facebook: LupitaNyongo


Season 1, Vol. 1, Ep. 1: KINDNESS - "Aunties Aren't Stupid"

Episode Art by Rage Kidvai @rkidvai

Episode Art by Rage Kidvai @rkidvai

Adam Bainbridge a.k.a. Kindness is a Grammy winning music producer, singer, DJ, radio host and music video producer who works with artists such as Robyn, Solange, Blood Orange (Dev Hynes) & Kelela. They are British, and descended from Indian and Malay migrants to South Africa.

Kindness kicks off the first EVER episode of Bad Brown Aunties, telling us about their art, background, and some of the incredible aunty figures in their life! If you haven’t heard the episode already, go take a listen!

Below is a playlist of our favorite Kindness productions, along with family history, photographs and other tidbits related to the episode.


Kindness is currently on a mini-tour of their solo project - check out upcoming tour dates here. They are also continuing to tour with Robyn - check out tour dates here. Also, here’s a peak at Kindness’ tour looks in Vogue Magazine.


‘Chamakay’ by Blood Orange/Dev Hynes. Kindness shot and produced the music video for this song.


Nelson Mandela with Adam’s Grandmother Amina Desai (c. 1920 – 10 June 2009), South Africa’s longest serving female South Asian political prisoner. She was accused by the apartheid government of conspiring with her lodger and relative Ahmed Timol, (who was arrested just days prior on October 23, 1971) to further the aims of the then-illegal African National Congress. Desai’s home was raided at 3 am by the Security Police, after which she was taken to the notorious John Vorster Square prison, where she was interrogated and tortured for the next four days. Desai served her sentence alongside Winnie Mandela (or Aunty Winnie to Adam’s family) and Dorothy Nyembe. After five years imprisonment at Barberton and Kroonstad Prisons, she was released and placed under a banning order and house arrest for a further five years.

An April 1973 letter from Winnie Mandela to Adam’s mum Adela. The letter reads “Dear Adela, On behalf of your mother whom I served 6 months with, accept this little card. I wish you the best of everything. She sends you her fondest regards. She thinks of each one of you daily. I hope to write in the near future. I’m only a few days out of prison and still trying to re-establish myself. Fondest regards to all of you and your sister’s husband. Yours Sincerely, Winnie.”

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Adam runs into a picture of their aunt during her 1969 prosecution for “interracial relations” under the Immorality Act at the Apartheid Museum.