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It’s Juneteenth, and it’s time for another trek through town for the Black History Bike Ride. The organization has been hosting the event for a few years now and a new documentary has been made highlighting the mental and physical journey of the ride. We’ll sit down to chat with the filmmaker about the project.
The Austin African American book festival is fast approaching. We’ll hear some book recommendations from the leader of the fest.
Plus; KUT’s Miles Bloxson speaks to Black Austinites about the history of Juneteenth, how they celebrate the holiday and explores the question, “Are We Really Free?”
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The full transcript of this episode of Austin Signal is available on the KUT & KUTX Studio website. The transcript is also available as subtitles or captions on some podcast apps.
Jerry Quijano [00:00:08] It’s Juneteenth, that means it’s time for another trek through town for the Black History Bike Ride. The organization has been hosting the event for a few years now, and a new documentary has been made highlighting the mental and physical journey of the ride. We’re gonna chat with the filmmaker about the new project. And the Austin African American Book Festival is fast approaching. We’re going to hear some book recommendations from the leader of the fest. We have plenty more about those stories. That’s coming up on today’s show.
KUT Announcer: Laurie Gallardo [00:00:36] The Austin Signal is a production of KUT News, hosted by Jerry Quijano.
Jerry Quijano [00:00:41] Plus, KUT’s Miles Bloxson speaks to Black Austinites about the history of Juneteenth, how they celebrate the holiday, and explores the question, are we really free? We’ve got that excerpt and a whole lot more coming up next! It’s right here on Austin Signal. Howdy out there. Thank you for listening to Austin Signal. I’m your host, Jerry Kehannel. It is Friday, June 19th, Juneteenth. Thank you, for spending part of the day here with us. We’re gonna use our time today to highlight some stories from Austin’s black community. We’ve got an excerpt from a Juneteen special reported by our own Miles Bloxson. Some book recommendations from the leader of the Austin African American Book Festival. But we’re gonna start today by linking back to a story we shared with you earlier this week about the Black History bike ride that’s happening this Sunday here in Austin. We talked with founder Taleb Abdullahi about the ride and the new film chronicling their work. The film is called Cycles of Resilience and it’s directed by Yaqui Smith, who’s joining us now to talk more about that project. Thank you for being with us, Yaqui. Thank you by having me. So tell us a little bit first before we talk about cycles of resilience about your work as a filmmaker and your time here in Boston.
Yake Smith [00:02:01] Yeah, so, you know, this is my second time living in Austin. I actually went to film school here at UT. So I was originally here from 03 to 09, moved away for a while and then moved back in 2017. And really for the last, say 20 years, most of the films that I have produced have either been produced here in Austin, San Antonio or North Texas. Okay. Yeah.
Jerry Quijano [00:02:23] So tell us a little bit about how you got linked up with Talib.
Yake Smith [00:02:26] Yeah, so, you know, a few years ago, I actually directed a film called Juneteenth Faith and Freedom, which chronicles the Juneteen holiday. And we went into production a year after Juneteeth became a federal holiday. And that film ended up on PBS. We had a really great film festival run with it, won some awards on the circuit and all that. And then Talib saw that film. And so he reached out to me. We had lunch. We talked about the film. And immediately I was like, yeah, I want to do this. One, because I really had never really heard of the Black History Bike Ride. Two, I thought the way the organization ran and what they actually did was one, a unique way of exposing people to black history here in Austin, and really just history in general. And then also, you know, I’m not a big cyclist at all, right? I haven’t really ridden a bike since I was a kid. And so I was, it’d be cool to actually get out there and… Really document this and see all of these cyclists sort of going through Austin. And so immediately I was like, yeah, man, let’s do this. Let’s make it happen.
Jerry Quijano [00:03:26] It does sound really cool, but it also sounds like a ton of work, like, you know, I think of a film director as having, like a bit of control and, okay, we’re gonna be here and we’re going to be here, and then you’re just kind of going out through the city. What was that production like?
Yake Smith [00:03:38] You know, it was unique, right? Because to your point, there is a certain level of control that I think you have as a director. Even when you’re doing documentaries, although things can get out of control, you obviously kind of know where you’re headed, right. There’s a roadmap. And even with this one, we had a roadmap, but again, there were so many unknowns, right, I think there were like 400 cyclists out there, three cameras, a drone, we got GoPros. We literally went on this ride around the city. And so there was so many things that could have gone wrong. But I will say, because of how well organized the ride itself is, it made our work a lot easier. And not only that, Riley, who actually shot another of Talib’s films before this one, he was the DP. And so he already kind of understood the lay of the land. And so it was really helpful for me to be in collaboration with somebody who had already done this before.
Jerry Quijano [00:04:31] What was one of the more surprising things that you learned making this film?
Yake Smith [00:04:37] You know, it’s interesting. So I always got to tell a story. I have a antidote for everything. That’s what the radio is here for. About 12 years ago, me and my wife were sitting down with her great aunt. And she was talking about how post emancipation, a lot of newspapers were actually set up so that after emancipations, people who had actually been torn apart for their families, they could find their family. So then they would run these almost like missing ads. Like, hey, I was at this plantation. This person did this, that happened. And here in Austin, right, you have a man named Jacob Fontaine who started a newspaper. And that newspaper was literally started for the purpose of reuniting people with their loved ones post emancipation. Obviously they did a whole lot of other things. They ran all types of stories, but it really started from that desire, right? To have people reunite. And again, I didn’t know that he existed here. I didn’t know that the gold dollar building is literally a few blocks away from us. And so to know that, again, this story that, again, was sort of an antidote, because I had known anyone when I’m talking to my wife’s great aunt, and then to actually be in the space where somebody created those stories and actually was responsible for reuniting people with their loved ones, it was amazing. And it was a history that I actually didn’t know existed here in Austin, Texas.
Jerry Quijano [00:05:57] So you have the film’s premiere Wednesday at AFS, so what was that like getting to show it?
Yake Smith [00:06:01] It was electrifying, you know, this was the first time we’ve screened a film in its entirety here in Austin, Texas. It was a packed house. And there’s just something about screening this film with an audience who understands these stories already, right, who sort of somewhat understands this history, but they’re also being educated on this history even more when they’re watching it. And then also to be able to show it to all of the people who helped us make it Because as we know film is a collaborative effort. And so, so many people touched this film in so many ways. And so it was electrifying. It was great to see it. I felt really proud, not only of the work that I did, but really just the work that Taleb is doing, the work that his organization is doing. And really the work that everybody again who touched this project put into it to make it a reality. And I hope, right? Obviously we screened here in Austin, but I have high hopes for this film because although it is an Austin story, it is a very universal story. And I want it to be seen far and wide. I think it needs to be screened all over the US.
Jerry Quijano [00:07:01] All right, that is filmmaker Yaqui Smith. We’re gonna have links to both of his films in today’s show notes. Yaqui, thank you for your time. Thank you for having me. Earlier this month we spoke with Roz Oliphant, creator and director of the Austin African American Book Fest. That’s happening next Saturday. During our conversation with Oliphat, she brought a few books to talk about, and the first one is going to be featured at the festival in conversation with the author. Here’s Oliphate talking about the event and those books.
Roz Oliphant [00:07:34] So the conversation is about the 1619 project and Nicole Hannah Jones is a Pulitzer Prize winning author and also she writes for the New York Times. And so this book is a compilation of so much history, nonfiction, poetry, art, really looking at The Origin Story. Blacks in this country starting in 1619. And this anthology is one that I think every household should have. It is now in paperback. We’ll be having paperback copies as well as some of the hardcover copies on sale for people to buy. She will also be signing the work and really talking about the significance of the work. Ashley Goddard will be in conversation with her about this, looking at how this origin story for black people in 1619. What are some of the themes and parallels that we see happening in this country today? We know that it’s going to be a rich conversation and we’re looking forward to a lot of people joining in because Ashley Goddard will be asking questions to Nicole Hannah Jones, but then we open it up. And so people in the audience will have an opportunity to interact and ask questions as well.
Jerry Quijano [00:09:08] And how much work do you put into making sure that the lineup that you bring to Austin is sort of meeting the moments that we are in right now?
Roz Oliphant [00:09:18] I dedicate everything I have to it. I spend, you know, months looking and thinking about how do we meet the moment. Extending invitations, receiving rejections, extending more invitations negotiating, just, you know. So I give it my all to do that.
Jerry Quijano [00:09:43] Well, tell me about one of the other books there. I see with love from Harlem. Okay, so.
Roz Oliphant [00:09:46] Okay, so with love from Harlem is Rashaunda Tate’s book and this is about, it’s a historical fiction work and it is about the remarkable life of Hazel Scott and Hazel Scott was one of the first superstars in this country, first black superstars in this county and she was also an activist. She was married to Adam Clayton Powell and just a rich story about her life and her contributions. And many people don’t know about Hazel Scott and her legacy. This book has done really well. It came out earlier last year. A lot of people have really enjoyed it And we’re looking forward to having Rashaunda Tate come and talk about. The work more and talk about Hazel Scott’s activism and what that can mean for us as creators, as people looking to be more active in our communities.
Jerry Quijano [00:11:00] Okay, cool. Why don’t you, uh, you have one more maybe or anything else?
Roz Oliphant [00:11:02] Yes, yes, yes. So, we also have John Hope Bryant, who is the founder and CEO of Operation Hope, and he’s going to be discussing how financial knowledge, capital, and opportunity shape individual outcomes and community stability. With John Hope Bryant, we’re really looking at economic liberation. How do we attain it? What are steps we can take. And Sylvia Holt-Rabb who is a professor at Austin Community College and the past economic director for the city of Austin is going to be in conversation with him.
Jerry Quijano [00:11:50] That was Roz Oliphant giving us a few book recommendations for this Juneteenth holiday. This is Austin Signal. Thank you for spending the holiday with us. We’ll be right back. This is Austan Signal. Welcome back. Juneteentht was long celebrated by the black community well before becoming a national holiday in 2021. One year later, KUT host Miles Bloxen asked black Austinites one question about the holiday and that was turned into the audio documentary Juneteenht. Are we really free? In this part of the documentary, we’ll hear what Juneteenth means to the Black Austinites she spoke with.
Qi Dada [00:12:26] Juneteenth is the actual Independence Day of the United States, to me. I think some people have, I know even black people who have some disdain for Juneteeth, which really blows my mind, they’re like, you know, why would you celebrate the day someone supposedly thought you were free, like, but I’m Haitian and my background is that you free yourself. And the narrative may not have been displayed that way. That doesn’t mean that that’s not what happened. That people did not free themselves, despite of how the narrative is like, someone came and freed you. Like, no, not at all. You came and free yourself. And I think that’s powerful for America to embrace.
Stephanie Lang [00:13:09] My name is Stephanie Lang. I am a community curator working to tell the lost, stolen and hidden stories of black people. Juneteenth means to me. Mixed emotions. It means to me, um, the ways in which my ancestors Whirrrr Waaargh. I’m getting emotional, subjugated. I mean, it means to me the true horrors of slavery, not this ways in which we romanticized it. And it means, to me, this sense of survival. It means to be, it’s a meaning of like being bittersweet because it’s like we, our ancestors had to. You know, endure this for two years longer than they should have, you know? They should have never had endured this, but then add two years to that. It also is a strong sense of pride. It’s also just an overwhelming sense of… The debt that I think is owed to them that can never be repaid. What do you do on Juneteenth?
Chaz Moore [00:14:49] I think Juneteenth is a holiday where I purposely go out of my way to like curate a day full of blackness. I am Chaz Moore, I am the founder and executive director of the Austin Justice Coalition. Me and my sometimes good friend Bill Wallace, who’s taught me a lot about the city, we’ve really been on his vibe over the last couple weeks to like really curate just black Super black days and on Juneteenth is no different. You know, like we either in Rosewood Park or we’ll go around the Rosewood Givens and just really soaking in all the community and joy and laughter, all the commotion of black Austin. So, cause I think I’m a super black person for people that know me, right? Like the shirt I got on right now is made by some young cats in New Orleans. I try to support, you know, I got the Basquiat little chakra. Bracelet on like I try to support the culture as much as I can but on Juneteenth I like go extra black
Qi Dada [00:15:48] Oh, wow, it definitely is, it’s like, Fourth of July is that for some people, but for us Juneteenth has become like, let’s get together, let’s be a family, let’s being seen by each other. You know, I know we’re in Austin, but as much as I wanna just put that plea out to all of the organizers of the parade, like it really needs to be really black, you know? Because we need to see each other, that’s what that’s about for me, like. I think about the first Toon Teeth a lot, a lot. And why that hasn’t been on screen yet. What that jubilation, the tears, the weight, the gravity, the disbelief that people believe, the questions people had about what that means, about why this is, what your body felt like after that announcement. All of those things come to mind when I think about Juneteenth, people’s bodies, that the freedom to move it, the freedom to like, oh, I’m not going to wake up at the crack of dawn because someone told me to, or because my leg is lame and I still have to put in, you know, I have to disregard the pain of my own body for the sake of someone else’s advancement. Like I think about how people felt. That that didn’t necessarily have to be a part of their reality anymore and the discharge that came from that, you know, and the need for jubilation.
Jonathan Chaka Mahone [00:17:28] Yeah, I’m here for all the black cowboys. I’m hear for like, you know, the ice chest coming out and the grill coming out and people coming out and just celebrating, telling stories. It’s the same, cause we haven’t done a Juneteenth yet. I don’t think with like native, like Austin, I like actually like kind of just, you know, like done it their way. We’ve always kind of been in the mix. So I would love to really like have that experience. I haven’t had it yet where it’s like, we kind of, just like get in with y’all and you know what I mean? Just kind of roll whatever y’ all doing, you know? But I just hear for all the beauty that is on display.
Stephanie Lang [00:18:03] I’m out in the community in East Austin and I go to Pflugerville and Maynor and all these other places that are having events and I also take time to really reflect. I’m quiet and still as well. So I’m communing and having fellowship and then I’m also quiet. And then I usually will go to a. Known plantation usually ruins in Austin with friends and we take white carnations and we go and we sit and we give honor to those that were enslaved in that space.
Stephen Brown [00:18:42] My name is Stephen Brown. I’m born and raised in Austin. I’m a fourth generation Austinite. I grew up on the east side of Austin on Ninth Street. For me, I definitely enjoy the parade. I like watching the horses, the horsemen. There’s all kind of music and festivities. The parade is definitely the highlight for me. And then later on, we normally go to Rosewood Park and fellowship with folks that we hadn’t seen. And just kind of enjoy the food and the festivities. One of my favorite things to do, I take that back, is to sit around the elders. Like there’s a lot of elders wait for Juneteenth to sit on around and kind of engage with the younger people. And I just love sitting and listening to their stories. I do look forward to just catching up with people that I hadn’t seen. I mean, gentrification took place in East Austin and it’s kind of scattered everyone. And there’s sometimes a sense of a little bit of a loss of a community. And so Juneteenth provides those an opportunity for us to all come back together and tell stories and catch up with one another.
Miles Bloxson [00:19:51] How did you feel when Juneteenth became a national holiday?
Chaz Moore [00:19:55] It’s like yay, but also it’s kind of like, you know, we’re doing it wrong, right? Like it’s, so one, culture is meant to be shared, period. Culture is meant be shared. But like when you dive into the culture and don’t really understand what it means, what it represents, it just becomes tacky, right. So like Juneteenth in like Wyoming, you now? Okay, cool, but like. You know what I mean? Like, do you know what we, like do you why we really here? You know, what I’m mean? So it’s just like, I hope as we continue, cause it should be a federal holiday. I do believe in that, but I do want people that’s engaging in Juneteenth activities to actually understand like, what it means to like people in Texas, black people in taxes and put some respect on, like if you’re doing a Juneteen celebration in Wyoming, but you ain’t talking about nothing that the black community did in Texas. To pave the way for this to become a national thing, I feel like that’s slightly disrespectful, you know what I mean? And like, Texas culture gets disrespected a lot. You know, I just really want people to start respecting like the influence that Texas has on like national culture. You know what mean? Like Juneteenth wouldn’t even be a thing if Texas wasn’t a thing, you know I mean.
Lisa B Thompson [00:21:10] I’m Lisa B. Thompson. I am a native San Franciscan and I’m a professor of African and African diaspora studies as well as a playwright and I teach at UT Austin. It was a mixed feeling. One was like, I don’t need you to recognize it. I already do. Actually, my family, I would stay home from school on January 15th, which was early King Junior’s real birthday and I still feel like that’s the day I celebrate. I was that kid. So I feel that without a change in language policies and day-to-day lives of black people shift, the holiday is an empty gesture for it to be national. But I’ll take it, but I think about this, as I prepared to come speak to you today, was thinking about both MLK Day and Juneteenth, our days, they’re filled with activity and some labor attached to it. And I would like for black people to have a holiday where we don’t do anything. Or we just sit by a tree and rest, because we’ve been denied that, the ownership of our time and our energies and our bodies and our minds and our spirits and our souls. And it’d be nice to, the day of service, let somebody else do the day service. We didn’t kill them, right? Or we didn’t enslave them. Prepare us the food for us and we’ll go sit by, a beautiful place. But for me, I love Juneteenth, but if also it is a bittersweet no matter what, because of what it celebrates.
Jerry Quijano [00:22:40] That was an excerpt from the audio documentary, Juneteenth, Are We Really Free? Hosted by KUT’s Miles Vloxen. Additional voices we heard were from Jonathan Chaka Mahone and Key Data. That is it for us today on Austin’s Signal. There’s more at KUT.org slash Signal. We’ll be back at the same time Monday. Talk to you then.
This transcript was transcribed by AI, and lightly edited by a human. Accuracy may vary. This text may be revised in the future.
