Midway Check In: Black Punk Now
I don't need your opinion
I don't need your opinion (I don't need it, bitch)
Do what I fuckin' want (Do what I fuckin' want)
You such a fuckin' chump (You such a fuckin' chump)
Smack a Bitch, Rico Nasty
Schedule
Kick-off:April 5, 2024, April 6, 2024Midway Check In:April 15, 2024April 17, 20241Final Discussion: April 26, 2024 - 6PM PST
You can RSVP for the Digital Hang here 🤘🏽 - This means you get an email with the link to join on the day of and gives me a good idea of how many folks to expect!
If you can’t make it to the digital hang, you can always use the comment section to leave your thoughts, reviews, and reflections at any time.
from a Punk Who Knows
I’m returning from a roadtrip and haven’t had much time to settle my body or spirit before jumping back into the daily grind. I was kicking myself for not being able to get it out the day I wanted, but life has a funny way of working out. This morning I had the lovely surprise of seeing
’s post.“To be punk is so many things. It is to demand freedom and wholeness for yourself and all others, at all costs. And with Black Punk Now, we see those truths live on, further affirming my belief, as a punk rock bitch myself, that punk and afrofuturism are of the same family—at their purest, they are timeless ways of being, ageless frames of thought.”
It reminds me of our past read of Afterglow: Climate Change for Future Ancestors, which inspired so many conversations, discussions and even TTRPG plot lines. Check out the rest of Jasper’s post, subscribe to their Substack!
Validation is for Punks
James Spooner’s entry about his daughter growing up punk really got me. I have definitely been judged for liking things that were “too white, too Black, too this, or too that.” As I read it, I thought back to a video I watched as I was looking for things to share here— Breaking Barriers in the Punk Scene (watched originally because I saw Rico Nasty on the thumbnail 👀) The punk, goth and alt girls get a lot of pushback for seemingly not fitting in and out of the scene. They talk about the stigma, racism, colorism and misogyny they face, but they’ve all found ways to deal with and express themselves in spite of that. Their hope is to live authentically while inspiring the next generation of up and coming punks and alt kids. Check it out but beware there is some scary alt clown imagery throughout 🤡!!
Punk means going against the status quo, being like, "No, fuck you, like, I'm going to be what I want, and you're not going to like it, and I don't care."
Music Lesson
There is a LOT of information out there on the history of Black punk music. Seek and you shall find. I had seen a lot of these videos pop up around the time that Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and everyone was realizing that Hobie, aka Spider-Punk, was in fact the coolest character in that movie. The Very Black History of Punk goes over a lot of the territory that Black Punk Now covers, touching on proto-punk band Death, musician and journalist Greg Tate, the band The 1865.
Look, I’ll never stray too far from my roots. Rifling through the Internet I’ll sometimes run across a lesson plan and you best believe that I’m going to look at it. I found this cool lesson on Teach Rock called The Black Origins of Punk. Exactly what we’ve been talking about! ESSENTIAL QUESTION: How did the bands X-Ray Spex, Bad Brains, and Death define Punk on their own terms?
Check out the full lesson plan here. Maybe you’re a teacher, maybe you’re a student. Either way it’s always fun to learn about punk music.
Your Reading So Far
How is your reading going?
Are you reading in order or jumping around?
What do you think of the art in the book?
Have you been able to write down any thoughts, journal, draw, etc. as you read?
Are you listening to the music or bands that you’ve come across while you read? Have you made any playlists?
Thoughts and Feelings
Are there any parts that you already know will be your favorites or have resonated with you very strongly?
How do you think you’ll feel once you are done reading?
What is the strongest feeling you get as you read through the anthology?
What aspects of the Black punk scene's history do you find most inspiring or significant? Are there any particular moments, figures, or events that stand out to you?
How do you view the relationship between the black punk scene and other social and cultural movements, such as Afrofuturism, Black feminism, or radical activism?
Belonging, Again
Reflecting on your own experiences, how have you ever navigated spaces where your presence has been questioned or challenged?
How do power dynamics within these spaces influence who gets to determine who belongs and who doesn't?
How do you define validation? In what ways do you seek validation in environments where you may feel unwelcome or marginalized?
Don’t forget to like the post before you go ♥ I’d love to hear from you so share your thoughts in the comments, reply to this email or seek me out on social media.
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Doing my best but exhaustion is kicking my ass this month
I am living for your check-ins on BLACK PUNK NOW! And extra honored that my post reminded you of AFTERGLOW. Such an important read.