Episode Re-Release: 41. Boots Riley and the Art of Liberation
In this powerful conversation from the archives, recorded live at the 2019 NEA Racial and Social Justice Conference in Houston, Two Dope Teachers and a Mic sit down with the legendary Boots Riley — writer, director of Sorry to Bother You, frontman of The Coup, and lifelong revolutionary artist.
Six years later, Boots’ words still feel urgent. He reminds us that art isn’t a luxury — it’s a tool for liberation. From the farmworker fields of California to classrooms and stages across the country, Boots shows how creativity, organizing, and truth-telling are all part of the same struggle for justice.
Together, we explore:
- How art helps us imagine freedom beyond capitalism and compliance.
- The power of educators as organizers, disruptors, and culture builders.
- Why movements need artists — and why artists need movements.
- The difference between success and liberation, and why the latter demands community.
- What it means to find your own role in the fight for a better world.
As we face new waves of censorship, economic inequality, and attacks on public education, this conversation hits harder than ever. Boots reminds us that every one of us has a place in the struggle — whether we teach, create, organize, or simply refuse to be silent.
Tune in, reflect, and ask yourself:
What is the art I bring to the movement for liberation?
Featuring: Boots Riley (@BootsRiley)
Hosts: Gerardo Muñoz (@gmunoz) & Kevin Adams
Originally recorded: NEA Racial & Social Justice Conference, Houston, TX, Summer 2019
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