Interview

On the series

We began with an oral conversation, recorded with my phone, in her sitting room, since we happened to be in Ile-Ife together at the moment. A conversation that cannot be made public, at least for now, for the simple fact that we were so self-aware, so within the cocoon of our ‘literary ties.’ When I used those words – literary ties – Ayobami had a good laugh; earlier I had mentioned that I couldn’t extricate our friendship from our creative comradeship. This friendship, which has now spanned close to five years, began simply, when I asked her if she writes.

Cornel West is an honorary chair of the DSA and is one of America’s most provocative public intellectuals. He weaves together the traditions of the black Baptist Church, progressive

Rose Brewer defines herself as a scholar-activist. For over a decade, she has been a member of the board of Project South: Institute for the Elimination of Poverty and Genocide.

Marianne LeNabat is active in both student and labour organizing in Canada and the US.

Co-founder of CODE PINK, Medea Benjamin is the author of a forthcoming book on drone warfare.

Gar Alperovitz is a historian, political economist, activist and writer. He is currently the Lionel R.

Frances Fox Piven is an honorary chair of the DSA and an eminent scholar of American politics and social movements.

Robin Blackburn is the founding editor of New Left Review and author of the seminal Banking on Death--Or, Investing in Life: The history and future of pensions.

Danny Schechter is a television producer, independent filmmaker, blogger, and media critic who writes and lectures frequently about the media in the United States and worldwide.