In this podcast episode, we discuss the origins of anti-Blackness and the racial hierarchy in America, and how these structures relate to cultural appropriation, which occurs when one adopts the unique aspects of a distinct culture in an attempt to make it their own and are rewarded for these acts. As we explore various examples of cultural appropriation in popular culture, we reveal the important differences between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation. We urge our listeners to examine their roles in these dynamics and continue pursuing their own education, which may require some unlearning. Please see the sources that we reference below.

References:

• The Ethnic Project by Vilna Bashi Treitler
  
• “The Geometer of Race” by Stephen Jay Gould
  
• Who Owns Culture? by Susan Scafidi