LEGEND: Kiki Shepard
I remember watching Showtime at the Apollo late at night when I was growing up, and every time I watched, the host, which would be a revolving roster (including Sinbad, Mark Curry, Ricky Aviles, Rudy Rush, Steve Harvey, and Mo'Nique), would introduce Kiki Shepard, and...
“Panic at the Disco” Part III: Exploiting v. Empowering Representation and Narrative Ownership
“Panic at the Disco” is an essay series that unpacks the impact of the Center Theatre Group’s new production of Here Lies Love. The critical journey will explore the complexities of artistic depictions of traumatic events and cultural figures in history and how it...
Are you ready for SXSW Film & TV Festival 2026?
SXSW can be an overwhelming experience. For 10 days, you are bombarded by a tsunami of media, films, TV, tech, music, culture, and queso... lots of queso. This year, the annual SXSW fest takes place between March 12–18, curating a seven-day instead of 10-day...
‘Unmasking AI: My Mission to Protect What Is Human in a World of Machines’ by Joy Buolamwini
AI is all that anyone can talk about, but no one is really saying anything. Enter Joy Buolamwini, author of Unmasking AI: My Mission to Protect What Is Human in a World of Machines. As a...
Celebrating Autumn Durald Arkapaw’s Historic Oscar Win and Ryan Coogler’s Vision of an Inclusive Hollywood
Thank you for being a subscriber to the DIASPORA newsletter! Help support our work and independent journalism by contributing to our GoFundMe as we build our nonprofit era. If you want to...
EVENTS
DIASPORA Calendar: March 23 – March 29, 2026
THEATRE Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater – March 25-29: A powerhouse of artistic excellence, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater carries forward a legacy of African American strength, resilience and joy through the power of movement. Founded in 1958 by Alvin Ailey,...
DIASPORA Calendar: March 16 – March 22, 2026
THEATRE Kim’s Convenience By Ins Choi – March 21 - April 19: Soulpepper Theatre Company & Adam Blanshay Productions in association with American Conservatory Theater brings the award-winning comedy drama to the Ahmanson Theater. The play, which inspired the...
DIASPORA Calendar: March 9 – March 15, 2026
FILM Cult Classics Cinema presents B.A.P.S. - 6 PM, March 14: Experience an unforgettable night at Cult Classics Cinema, hosted and curated by DJ Rosegawd. This edition features the classic film, B.A.P.S (an acronym for Black American Princesses) is a 1997 American...
DIASPORA Calendar: March 2 – March 8, 2026
THEATRE Dragon Mama – March 4 - April 12: Broadway star Sara Porkalob returns to the Geffen Playhouse for the second installment of “The Dragon Cycle.” In this next chapter, Maria Porkalob, Jr. dreams of a bigger, gayer life beyond Bremerton, WA. But when an...
COMMENTARY
Celebrating Autumn Durald Arkapaw’s Historic Oscar Win and Ryan Coogler’s Vision of an Inclusive Hollywood
Thank you for being a subscriber to the DIASPORA newsletter! Help support our work and independent journalism by contributing to our GoFundMe as we build our nonprofit era. If you want to have full,...
“Panic at the Disco” Part III: Exploiting v. Empowering Representation and Narrative Ownership
“Panic at the Disco” is an essay series that unpacks the impact of the Center Theatre Group’s new production of Here Lies Love. The critical journey will explore the complexities of artistic...
DOSSIER
LEGEND: Kiki Shepard
I remember watching Showtime at the Apollo late at night when I was growing up, and every time I watched, the host, which would be a revolving roster (including Sinbad, Mark Curry, Ricky Aviles,...
LEGEND: Sally-Tom
There is a limited amount of information that we know about Sally-Tom, a trailblazing Black trans woman who was born in 1839, who is one of the first – if not the first – trans person in the history...
THE DIASPORA LIBRARY
‘Unmasking AI: My Mission to Protect What Is Human in a World of Machines’ by Joy Buolamwini
AI is all that anyone can talk about, but no one is really saying anything. Enter Joy Buolamwini, author of Unmasking AI: My Mission to Protect What Is Human in a World of Machines. As a graduate...
‘A Tiny Upward Shove’ by Melissa Chadburn
I am more of a non-fiction reader, but once in a while I will read a novel that just sticks to my soul. Melissa Chadburn's A Tiny Upward Shove not only sticks to my ribs but haunts me with its...