Today, PBS Wisconsin launches Why Race Matters, a nine-part digital series focused on issues affecting Wisconsin’s Black communities.
“I think there were some original ideas we wanted to unpack and we were very intentional about having community voices,” said creator, producer and host Angela Fitzgerald.
In the series, Fitzgerald interviews Black Wisconsinites about race, identity, and the progress toward racial equality within the state. Beginning Wednesday, Mar. 10 at 7:00pm, PBS Wisconsin will release a new episode each week.
“We were trying to elevate voices that aren’t always at the table,” Fitzgerald said.
She explained the inspiration to create a media space for Black voices came after the police shooting of George Floyd and Black Lives Matter protests. These events caused a resurgence of conversations about racial inequality.
“I noticed brand engagement in a way that felt unique in terms of brands now saying what their stance was around racial inequity and racism and all of that. I was super curious what PBS Wisconsin’s stance was simply because I work with PBS Wisconsin,” Fitzgerald told PBS Wisconsin.
Fitzgerald also hosts the show Wisconsin Life, a co-production of Wisconsin Public Radio and PBS Wisconsin sharing unique stories about the state’s residents. However, Why Race Matters invites subject experts, artists, community organizers and health professionals to dialogue about modern issues affecting Black residents, including mental health, civic engagement, maternal well-being, the school-to-prison pipeline, agriculture and land ownership.
“A majority of the folks, it was an identification of folks by the research team and I tried to reach out,” Fitzgerald said. “We invited them to the rooftop of MMoCA and had a conversation.”
She described the tone of the show as both serious and joyful at different times. Fitzgerald hoped the show would remind viewers of the heartfelt conversations Jada Pinket-Smith, her daughter Willow Smith, and mother Adrienne Banfield-Norris have during their Red Table Talk sessions but Why Race Matters is a local production
“Madison envisions itself as very progressive and discusses racism but does not drill down to the BIPOC experience,” Fitzgerald said.
While filming the series, she sometimes spent two hours with guests discussing subjects like Afro-Pessimism, a critical framework exploring the ongoing effects of racism, and colonialism. Not all parts of these conversations made it to the final recording, however, Fitzgerald would like audience members to listen to PBS Wisconsin’s Why Race Matters podcast.
“We are targeting not only those who are existing PBS Wisconsin viewers but we’re also trying to tap into a new demographic in terms of the Black community, the Indigenous community, other historically marginalized communities in Wisconsin who are eager to see their voices and their stories reflected back at them in a way where they are also seeing that they’re controlling the narrative,” she told PBS Wisconsin.
Fitzgerald aimed to make her guests feel comfortable engaging in dialogues without fear of repercussion, however, invites white audiences to take a step back and listen. Why Race Matters episodes alongside anti-racism, diversity, and inclusion materials will be available on PBS Wisconsin’s website.
