First hour: How Brighton residents revoked racist property deeds in their neighborhood
Second hour: The year in TV and filmA group of residents in Brighton has successfully revoked racist property deeds in their neighborhood. The racist covenants in the Meadowbrook neighborhood dated back to 1929, when Kodak built the tract. As noted by an August report co-authored by researchers from Yale and City Roots Community Land Trust, these restrictions were common in the first half of the 20th century. While they are now illegal and unenforceable, thousands of homes in Monroe County still contain them. The covenants have contributed to segregated housing patterns across the county, and have had intangible effects as well. The group of neighbors formed a committee called "Confronting Our Racist Deeds" (CORD), dedicated to revoking the racist covenants. This hour, we talk about CORD's efforts and the broader impact they hope their work will have in the community. Our guests:
- Johnita Anthony, member of CORD
- Kristin Doughty, member of CORD
- Shane Wiegand, board member of City Roots Community Land Trust, and co-lead of the PathStone Foundation’s Antiracist Curriculum Project
- Conor Dwyer Reynolds, executive director of the Rochester Police Accountability Board
Then in our second hour, the year in TV and film. As noted by the Atlantic Monthly, 2020 was an ambitious year for TV watching, where "tackling 121 episodes of a single show was no longer as daunting as it once seemed." From familiar "comfort" shows from our past, to new comedies and dramas, TV viewing was up during the pandemic, especially on streaming services. Our guests this hour say they've watched more television shows and films than anyone they know. So what do they think were the best shows? The worst? What were their guilty pleasures? What were yours? We talk about all of them, and about how viewing habits have changed. Our guests:
- Vanessa Cheeks, organizer of the Anomaly Film Festival
- Hannah Davis, folklife and American culture teacher at RIT
- Mark Maira, co-host of The Gentleman’s Club podcast
- Danielle Raymo, owner of the Rochester Brainery
