Leading Forward: Must-See Media for MPR’s Angela Davis
On our DEI journeys, one of the best ways to learn about others and our collective history is through experiences. Recently, I asked Minnesota Public Radio News Host Angela Davis what have you read, listened to, or seen recently that you think everyone should know about?
“I had the chance to see the play The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington by Pulitzer Prize winner James Ijames at Mixed Blood Theatre in Minneapolis. Within seconds of the show starting, I realized I had stumbled into an unforgettable experience.
The play took us back in time into the final days of our nation’s first First Lady, the wife of President George Washington. A large bed occupies much of the stage and immediately grabs your eyes, but it is the exuberance of the actors and the history lesson that captures your full attention.
The notion of freedom hangs in the air – Who has it? Who deserves it? Each actor sheds light on the complexities of being born into families that either benefited from slavery or suffered cruelly at the hands of it. There’s an element of surprise around every corner. How is it possible to somehow mix in R&B and hip-hop music, plus laughter and quiet reflection? I left enlightened and delighted. Everyone should go see this play and take a group of friends with you. There will be a lot to learn — and even more to discuss afterwards.”
