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Nikki Lane, Ph.D
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What is Summer School?

Summer School is what happens when a dope ass professor teaches critical social and cultural theory in a bar.

If you’re intellectually curious, get excited by the prospect of deep thinking, and stimulating conversation, then join Dr. Nikki Lane for a series of lectures about Black popular culture and sexual politics in America. Enjoy an evening in the company of other smart folks like yourself as you tackle discussion questions for the night. Enjoy happy hour drink specials at the H St. location of the upscale pizzeria Red Rocks. Enjoy an engaging lecture from a dynamic, funny, and gifted  lecturer.

Bring friends. Bring bae(s). Bring your curiosity to Summer School.

Summer School 2019

August 14

Wakanda Forevever: Reading Blackness in Film

The release of Disney’s Marvel Comics’ film Black Panther was a world-wide event. Black moviegoers dressed up, coordinated dances, and took pictures of themselves doing the “Wakandan salute.” Black people all over the world celebrated the superhero film not only for having nearly entire cast of African and African American actors and actresses, but also in its commitment to telling a story rooted in questions ongoing within the African Diaspora and for having a multitude of representations of kinds of Blackness. Additionally, the film’s director and co-writer, Ryan Coogler, ensured that much of the production itself was led by Black producers and designers. The film and its production highlighted the lack of representation of Black people in the major Hollywood blockbuster film genre and in Hollywood more generally.

In this lecture, we’ll contextualize the film Black Panther by considering its place within the history of representations of Blackness in the film industry in the U.S. I’ll introduce you to critical theories of race and representation, and together consider what we think it means for Disney and Marvel Comics to be in the business of representing Blackness to the world.

Who all gon’ be there?
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“I‘m Black and I’m Proud”: Black Pride and Black Queer Life in DC

May 8

Lecture notes

Important quotes, reading list, and discussion questions

Black LGBT Pride Celebrations (hereinafter referred to as Black Pride) in the United States is different from “general” LGBT Pride Celebrations. Black Pride Celebrations are a special collection of events meant to celebrate and address the specific issues of local Black LGBT people and highlight Black LGBT and allied businesses and creatives. They are organized by a diverse group of Black local stakeholders.

In this lecture, I discuss the history of Black Pride Celebrations, the first of which was held right here in Washington, DC. I also discuss the Black queer communities which gave birth to it. I’ll share bits about my current research project that is actively working to collect and preserve archival material related to Black Pride Celebrations. Got old photos, posters, pamphlets, or other material from Black Pride? Bring them! 

From Stripping to Dog Walking: Cardi B and the Rise of Women Who Rap

June 12

Lecture notes

Important quotes, reading list, and discussion questions

In this lecture, we will discuss the noise over which black women who rap must contend in order to make their voices heard. We will discuss the ways that black women who rap work within and outside the boundaries of what is understood to be “appropriate” for black women within and outside of hip-hop culture to do and say. We’ll focus on the meteoric of Cardi B asking how she has consistently disturbed the boundaries around norms of racialized gender and sexuality.

We’ll discuss how black women who rap have consistently managed to overstep these boundaries using the language of hip-hop, which is typically a domain where men and masculinity reign supreme, to question hip-hop’s patriarchy and heteronormativity and exposing its fault lines. We’ll end by thinking about how black women who rap dare us to listen to what Black women have to say about their experiences of race, gender, and sexuality.

On Being Ratchet and Boojie: Black Class Politics in the 21st Century

July 10

Lecture notes

Important quotes, reading list, and discussion questions

In this lecture, we will discuss the noise over which black women who rap must contend in order to make their voices heard. We will discuss the ways that black women who rap work within and outside the boundaries of what is understood to be “appropriate” for black women within and outside of hip-hop culture to do and say. We’ll focus on the meteoric of Cardi B asking how she has consistently disturbed the boundaries around norms of racialized gender and sexuality.

We’ll discuss how black women who rap have consistently managed to overstep these boundaries using the language of hip-hop, which is typically a domain where men and masculinity reign supreme, to question hip-hop’s patriarchy and heteronormativity and exposing its fault lines. We’ll end by thinking about how black women who rap dare us to listen to what Black women have to say about their experiences of race, gender, and sexuality.

Sponsors

Thank you to  these generous sponsors for contributing to my dream of educating EVERYBODY who wants to learn contemporary critical theory, and apply it to their everyday lives. Y’all the real MVPs.

Gold Sponsors

Our Gold Sponsors couldn’t make it, but wish they could. To show support, they’ve sponsored a free ticket for someone else.

  • Philip Jean-Pierre

Platinum Sponsors

Our Platinum Sponsors have purchased multiple tickets to show their support. They are our heroes.

  • Lydia Kellow-Bennett
  • Cheryle Lane
  • Jess Vooris

Promotional Sponsors

Thank you for helping us spread the word! We appreciate you and want everyone to know how amazing you are.

Instagram

First of all, my head shots are over a year old no First of all, my head shots are over a year old now and this cannot stand! I require @carlettathegreat's immediate presence and the location for said photos must be somewhere other than my front porch or living room! This cannot stand!! 
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Second of all, I just wrapped up a talk with people really putting in the work to get better and do better by the folks they're in community with. It's hard, and it requires we let go of some lessons we've been taught (we all have to put in work to unlearn misogyny, anti-blackness, and homophobia- shout out to @thegreatunlearn) but it's so rewarding when we truly are "standing at the edge of each other's battles" (Lorde 1984). Love on your friends today and tomorrow. Get involved in some community work that you care about. If you've not already, get to know your neighbors, even that one with them bad a$# kids. Make some new friends. Get out of your comfort zone. We need each other... Like I need @carlettathegreat because yall know I don't trust nobody to take my picture!!!
**70 degrees sunny and a light breeze** . Me: I sh **70 degrees sunny and a light breeze**
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Me: I should go ahead and pull out my short shorts... Maybe cut up some jeans and make some new shorts...
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Myself: So, we just skipping spring and going straight to summer clothes?
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I: Yes, that is correct.
Other than the white supremacist coup attempt and Other than the white supremacist coup attempt and Garth Brooks missing all the notes in Amazing Grace, 2021 been alright for me so far. I've been making my own body oil, steaming my face, and overall just staying moisturized (and for those who struggled with ash throughout the-year-that-has-no-name, you get it). I've been reading a lot. Writing. Getting my work done. Playing my PS5. Upgrading my leisure wear. Staying out of them aggressively hetero rooms on Clubhouse. Been meditating with #headspace. Exercising with #pelotonapp. Having breakthroughs in therapy. Avoiding COVID by social distancing, wearing a mask over my nose and mouth, and washing my hands. And no, the Christmas tree is not down yet, but my closet is organized and all my clothes are washed and folded so mind your business.
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Basically, I'm alive and well. I want to know how you're doing so far in 2021.
2020, but try to make your self portrait high art. 2020, but try to make your self portrait high art.
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What yall been up to? Me? 
1) @thewhitneywest has been gracious enough to teach me how to use Clubhouse which has been a fun, 🍵 filled distraction during my "break."
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2) I started a writing project in earnest last week. Anxious to get my feet set to restart my daily writing habit. 📝 
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3) The Peloton app is good even without a bike. I've done strength workouts for the past 5 weeks and I'm hooked. I was shady bout it, but it's good. 💪🏾 
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4) I've got brilliant and amazing friends. One of whom just graduated. Send love to @nalodarling! 🎓 
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5) Me and @juliepatoolee are finally getting the help we need to settle into our home. My home girl @fromchariwithlove is so naturally talented and I can't wait for yall to see her before and after photos of our whole damn house which she's helping us organize and decorate. 🏡
I can't believe it's over. My first semester at Sp I can't believe it's over. My first semester at Spelman is a wrap! I made it yall! I capped it with a 5 hour Zoom event that the Spelman Women's Research and Resource Center @spelman_wrrc hosted and that I co-facilitated teaching faculty across the Atlanta University Center about issues of gender and sexuality studies. This is what I look like now.
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Thanks for all the good vibes, prayers, and thoughts you were sending these past couple weeks.
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Now that I'm free, what TV shows and movies did I miss? Oh, and if you have HBO, you're rich and I am not. I only have Prime, Hulu, Netflix, and CBS.
I'm tired yall, but I'm so close to the finish lin I'm tired yall, but I'm so close to the finish line, and as my mom told me once, "that's when the Devil always shows up."
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I don't think of the Devil as an actual being, but as a set of negative thoughts and beliefs about myself or my work that creep up. Those thoughts that are unhelpful to me and the fulfillment of my goals. But let me tell you something honey... THE DEVIL IS A LIE (and in case you're not as country as I am, this is another way of saying the Devil is a "liar").
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I'm about to put the bow on my first semester on the tenure track, and I can't wait to hibernate this winter, read books, play PS5, drink mulled wine, hot toddies, and hot cocoa and snuggle the up with my 🦁 and my 💍. So close...
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Crosswords

  • The Purple One: A Crossword TributeJune 25, 2016 - 10:00 am
  • Great Moments in Ratchet History: The CrosswordJune 7, 2016 - 8:20 am
  • Crossword Puzzle: Black Stuff from the 90sMay 4, 2016 - 1:23 am
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