Topline:
Antonia Cereijido, host of Imperfect Paradise, talks with philosopher Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò for the first installment of Imperfect Inquiry, a recurring segment in which she talks to a thinker, expert or relevant voice who can speak to the themes, issues, and questions that come up on the podcast. Táíwò is the author of Elite Capture: How the Powerful Took over Identity Politics (And Everything Else). His book expresses his concern that the identity politics of today, in practice, have little to do with the concept first introduced by Black queer feminists in the 1970s.
Have “identity politics” been hijacked: In this conversation, Táíwò and Cereijido get into the origin story of identity politics, the pitfalls and implications of “centering the most marginalized” when it comes to political action, and what he sees as the alternate path forward for advancing issues of equity and inclusion.
Why you should listen: Since the term identity politics was first coined, many organizations and individuals have tried to tackle issues of equity and inclusion, keeping in mind racial, ethnic and gender disparity. Táíwò challenges how we’ve applied identity politics and is seeking new solutions.
Why should Imperfect Paradise listeners care? Cereijido asks Táíwò to apply his ideas to help make sense of the stories we’ve reported on through questions like: How will the next generation of Latino politicians come to power in the shadow of the Nury Martinez scandal? How should companies try to engage on diversity equity and inclusion?
How do I find the podcast? It's now available from LAist Studios. Check it out on LAist.com/Imperfect Paradise or wherever you get your podcasts!
