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Crosscurrents
Crosscurrents is our award-winning radio news magazine, broadcasting Mondays through Thursdays at 11 a.m. on 91.7 FM. We make joyful, informative stories that engage people across the economic, social, and cultural divides in our community. Listen to full episodes at kalw.org/crosscurrents

Art exhibit in Oakland honors the many sides of James Baldwin

Artist Sabrina Nelson depicts James Baldwin with Nina Simone in her piece "Saints & Sinners"
Sabrina Nelson
Artist Sabrina Nelson depicts James Baldwin with Nina Simone in her piece "Saints & Sinners"
"James Baldwin was an activist, a writer and a citizen of the world. He had many layers that we didn't get to see."
Sabrina Nelson

This year will mark the 100th birthday of James Baldwin. To this day, people still turn to Baldwin’s words to understand racism in America. A multimedia, traveling art exhibit paying homage to the writer has made a stop at the Joyce Gordon Gallery in Oakland. It’s called "Frontline Prophet: James Baldwin".

The pieces are by Detroit artist Sabrina Nelson. Detroit and Oakland-based artist Ashara Ekundayo is one of the exhibit's curators. In this interview they both talk about Baldwin's legacy, along with how they used art and technology in this exhibit to honor him.

Visit the Joyce Gordon Gallery before the exhibit ends this Saturday April 27th.

This interview was co-produced with Porfirio Rangel and it aired in the April 24th episode of Crosscurrents.

Crosscurrents
Jeneé Darden is an award-winning journalist, author, public speaker and proud Oakland native. She is the executive producer and host of the weekly arts segment Sights & Sounds as well as the series Sights + Sounds Magazine. Jeneé also covers East Oakland for KALW. Jeneé has reported for NPR, Marketplace, KQED, KPCC, The Los Angeles Times, Ebony magazine, Refinery29 and other outlets. In 2005, she reported on the London transit bombings for Time magazine. Prior to coming to KALW, she hosted the podcast Mental Health and Wellness Radio.