Make It Plain Podcast

With Ghana's successful UN resolution declaring slavery a ''crime against humanity' Kehinde reflects on the current state of the reparations movement. Unfortunately, most of the world's efforts for reparations are nothing but a fancy disguise for ongoing exploitation and empty promises. From CARICOM to ADOS, to disgraceful attempts like Lloyds of London, join us for this fiery episode, we cut through the performative gestures to expose the brutal reality: without genuine economic and political power, reparations remain an illusion — a way to keep us begging rather than taking what's ours. Join us as we dive deep into the scars of slavery's legacy, exploring how colonialism, capitalism, and internal betrayal have decimated Africa and the diaspora for centuries. You'll discover why calls for aid, apologies, and symbolic resolutions are distractions from the true fight: building self-sufficient, sovereign nations that refuse to accept crumbs from a system built on their suffering. We break down the latest UN declarations, revealing how declarations of "crimes against humanity" serve as PR stunts that hide the complicity of nations like Britain, the US, and Argentina in their ongoing refusal to reckon with their past. You'll hear why the real solution lies beyond hollow apologies, demanding collective economic sovereignty, land, and resources — the foundations of true revolutionary reparation. This episode is a wake-up call for those tired of being promised justice that never comes. Perfect for activists, thinkers, and anyone ready to challenge the global order and reclaim their power. It's time to stop begging and start taking — because justice cannot be served with a handout. It must be seized with the strength of unity across Africa and the diaspora. If you believe in radical change, if you're fed up with the illusions of progress inside a system designed to oppress, then this episode is your blueprint. Join the movement — the true reparations start with us claiming our future. Stop the Maagamizi https://stopthemaangamizi.com/ Check out this debate with Kehinde and his 'opponent' on Triggernometry https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3QFZr6kiFE Caricom Reparations platform https://caricomreparations.org/ Critical Reparations Conference at BCU September 2026 https://www.linkedin.com/posts/robert-beckford-phd-a77651a9_this-call-for-papers-offers-an-urgently-needed-activity-7397253542782345217-l_Qg Support Make it Plain: https://make-it-plain.org/support-us/ Join Harambee OBU https://www.blackunity.org.uk/ Written and hosted by Kehinde Andrews Produced by Kadiri Andrews Artwork by Assata Andrews

Happy Eid to everyone who is celebrating. It shouldn't be a political statement but given Nigel Farage and Kemi Badenoch's racism it needs to be said. Kehinde opens by explaining that Black people need to avoid falling into the anti-Muslim trap, not least because being Black and Muslim is a feature of our communities. We then share a talk given by Bernard Coard about his work racism and education in the classic How the West Indian Child is Made Educationally Subnormal in the British School System. A must listen to how little things have changed in the last fifty years. Buy How the West Indian Child is Made Educationally Subnormal in the British School System https://www.newbeaconbooks.com/black-british-fiction/a4wyiz9c6te8qqmndaeqldp9nte7rd Support Make it Plain: https://make-it-plain.org/support-us/ Join Harambee OBU https://www.blackunity.org.uk/ Written and hosted by Kehinde Andrews Produced by Kadiri Andrews Artwork by Assata Andrews

Kehinde opens up with a rant about David Lammy's ending of jury trials for the majority of cases in England and Wales. Lammy chaired a review into the criminal injustice system in 2017 that highlighted judges as one of the most prejudiced aspects of the system…and now wants to put our fate in their hands. Judges deciding cases will mean more Black people in prison and Lammy knows this all too well. From once pretending to have the community on his side he has now fully turned his back. Then Kehinde is joined by his daughter, Assata for an intergenerational conversation and to find out what young people are talking about. They delve into the Oscars, debating the merits of films like "Sinners", and explore themes of race and representation in cinema. The discussion also touches on AI's impact, with Assata expressing concerns about its environmental cost and societal implications. They also delve into conspiracy theories surrounding figures like Epstein. The conversation also touches on how globalization affects culture, linking it to colonialism. Assata shares insights into contemporary slang, explaining terms like "ate," "cooked," and "chat," while reflecting on generational differences in language and culture. Support Make it Plain: https://make-it-plain.org/support-us/ Join Harambee OBU https://www.blackunity.org.uk/ Written and hosted by Kehinde Andrews Produced by Kadiri Andrews Artwork by Assata Andrews

The latest episode of Make it Plain opens with Kehinde reassuring his children that World War 3 won't start over Iran. All the bombings and the news has people scared (and yes it is terrible what the US and Israel are doing) but he explains why China and Russia won't be going to war over Iran. Then an interview with Moses McKenzie we discuss topics such as masculinity, feminism, and Black British literary identity. We explore how authors navigate the predominantly white publishing industry and audience expectations. The discussion includes Moses's writing approach, the influence of locations like Cornwall, Bristol, and London, as well as themes of class, migration, politics, Rastafari, Islam, and race. We also talk about Moses's creative process, his upcoming third novel, and his work in film and screenwriting, along with reflections on non-fiction and future projects. Buy a Moses McKenzie book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/author/B094RKFXMD Support Make it Plain: https://make-it-plain.org/support-us/ Join Harambee OBU: https://www.blackunity.org.uk/ Find out about the Convention for Afrikan People: https://make-it-plain.org/convention-of-afrikan-people/ Artwork by Assata Andrews Written by Kehinde Andrews Produced by Kadiri Andrews

Reflecting on the flooding of the timeline with Bafta's N-word coverage Kehinde opens by saying that we've missed the point. We focus on the spectacle and not the real issue. Of course the BBC shouldn't have aired the N-word and the Bafta's should have showed more care... but we expect too much from a racist system. Speaking of a racist system, Kehinde addresses the Green Party's win in the Gorton and Denton by election. Thankfully, Reform's less than mediocre White male candidate Matthew Goodwin lost out but the far right party remains a threat, particularly if they make a coalition with the next Prime Minister of the UK....Kemi Badenoch He is then joined by the Dr Wandia Njoya is a prominent Kenyan scholar, public intellectual, and social commentator known for her critical analysis of education, culture, and politics in Africa. She is an Associate Professor of Literature at Daystar University in Kenya, where she has also served as the Head of the Department of Language and Performing Arts. Wandia holds a PhD in French from Pennsylvania State University. Her scholarly work focuses on French and African literature, film, gender issues, and the interrogation of "what it means to be human" in the modern world. Dr Njoya is one of the most vocal critics of Kenya's Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC). She argues that the system prioritizes "practicality" and neoliberal productivity over genuine critical thinking and the arts. She frequently writes about decolonising the African mind and the academy, drawing inspiration from figures like Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o, Thomas Sankara, and Malcolm X. Her blog, Wandia Njoya, has won multiple awards from the Bloggers Association of Kenya (BAKE) for its commentary on social issues. She is a regular contributor to The Elephant, where she publishes analyses on political elite culture, gender, and education Support Make it Plain: https://make-it-plain.org/support-us/ Join Harambee OBU https://www.blackunity.org.uk/ Find out about the Convention for Afrikan People: https://make-it-plain.org/convention-of-afrikan-people/ Written and hosted by Kehinde Andrews Produced by Kadiri Andrews Artwork by Assata Andrews

Make it Plain returns for a new series on the 61st anniversary of the assassination of Malcolm X. For this first episode we are featuring Malcolm's speech in 1962 in LA to rally protest the police killing of Nation of Islam member Ronald Stokes. We always say to listen to Malcolm, so we are running the speech in full (all proceeds to the Malcolm X and Betty Shabazz Education Center in Harlem, from this episode). Kehinde opens talking about the death of Jesse Jackson and reflecting on the age of the Southern Wolf, where the racism on both sides of the Atlantic is right in your face. For US Black History Month get your copy of Kehinde's book on Malcolm X Nobody Can Give You Freedom. Watch the documentary at: https://youtu.be/7ZBZyaruoGo?si=zzDwdNZtI1WrA3J2 Out now in the UK at https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/460078/nobody-can-give-you-freedom-by-andrews-kehinde/9780241681176. In the US at https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/kehinde-andrews/nobody-can-give-you-freedom/9781645030706/?lens=bold-type-books Support Make it Plain: https://make-it-plain.org/support-us/ Join Harambee OBU https://www.blackunity.org.uk/ Find out about the Convention for Afrikan People: https://make-it-plain.org/convention-of-afrikan-people/ Written and hosted by Kehinde Andrews Produced by Kadiri Andrews Artwork by Assata Andrews

Final episode in a special series of the Make it Plain podcast, 'What Would Malcolm Say?' where Kehinde Andrews explains what Malcolm's body of work tells us about what is going on in the present. Each episode will also feature a full interview with someone featured in the documentary 'Nobody Can Give You Freedom', which was independently made by Make it Plain. You can watch the entire documentary for free at • Nobody Can Give You Freedom: The Real Miss... Film was made by @MichaelEllisFilms To close out the mini-series Kehinde reflects on his experience at the asks, 'What Would Malcolm Say About… Electoral Politics'. With Zohran Mamdani's win in the Democratic primary for New York mayor, and Jeremy Corbyn and Zahra Sultana starting a new left political party there is a resurgence of hope in electoral politics. But Malcolm would warn us that the political system can no more provide our freedom, than a 'chicken can lay a duck egg'. We run the full interview with Dr Jared A. Ball @imixwhatilikejaredball from the Nobody Can Give You Freedom film and we have truly saved the best for last.Wide ranging discussion with the co-editor of A Lie of Reinvention Get A Lie of Reinvention https://www.blackclassicbooks.com/a-l... Check out Jared's YouTube Channel / @imixwhatilikejaredball Check out Black Liberation Media / @blackliberationmedia Get your copy of Kehinde's book Nobody Can Give You Freedom. Out now in the UK at https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/46007... Out in the US on 9th September https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/tit... Support Make it Plain: https://make-it-plain.org/support-us/ Join Harambee OBU https://www.blackunity.org.uk/ Find out about the Convention for Afrikan People: https://make-it-plain.org/convention-... Written and hosted by Kehinde Andrews Produced by Kadiri Andrews Artwork by Assata Andrews

Fifth episode in a special series of the Make it Plain podcast, 'What Would Malcolm Say?' where Kehinde Andrews explains what Malcolm's body of work tells us about what is going on in the present. Each episode will also feature a full interview with someone featured in the documentary 'Nobody Can Give You Freedom', which was independently made by Make it Plain. You can watch the entire documentary for free at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZBZyaruoGo&t=136s Film was made by @MichaelEllisFilms With Jamaica calling on King Charles to support reparations, Kehinde explains what Malcolm would say about the reparatory justice movement today. From the Caribbean Community to the American Descendants of Slavery, reparations are on the agenda, but lacking the radical roots from Malcolm's time. Malcolm famously explained that 'if you stick a knife in my back nine inches, and pull it out 6 inches that is not progress...you have to heal the wound'. Using that yardstick we must understand that the West can never repay the debt, that reparations are revolution. Plus we share the full interview with Dr Olivia Rutazibwa from the Nobody Can Give You Freedom film Find out more about Dr Rutazibwa at https://www.lse.ac.uk/sociology/people/academic-staff/olivia-umurerwa-rutazibwa Find out who sists on the judicial committee on the Privy Council https://jcpc.uk/ Get your copy of Kehinde's book Nobody Can Give You Freedom. Out now in the UK at https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/460078/nobody-can-give-you-freedom-by-andrews-kehinde/9780241681176 Out in the US on 9th September https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/kehinde-andrews/nobody-can-give-you-freedom/9781645030706/?lens=bold-type-books Support Make it Plain: https://make-it-plain.org/support-us/ Join Harambee OBU https://www.blackunity.org.uk/ Find out about the Convention for Afrikan People: https://make-it-plain.org/convention-of-afrikan-people/ Written and hosted by Kehinde Andrews Produced by Kadiri Andrews Artwork by Assata Andrews

Fourth episode in a special series of the Make it Plain podcast, 'What Would Malcolm Say?' where Kehinde Andrews explains what Malcolm's body of work tells us about what is going on in the present. Each episode will also feature a full interview with someone featured in the documentary 'Nobody Can Give You Freedom', which was independently made by Make it Plain. You can watch the entire documentary for free at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZBZyaruoGo&t=136s Film was made by Michael Ellis Films This week Kehinde breaks down what Malcolm would say about Diddy, Tyler Perry, R-Kelley, Cosby and all the other accusations of sexual abuse facing some high profile Black celebrities. You best believe Malcom would be mad both at the lack of protection for Black women and how we have been building up the wrong people in the first place. We shouldn't ben adoring those in the House and then wandering why many are fallen idols. Plus we share the full interview with Sayce Holmes-Lewis from Mentivity from the Nobody Can Give You Freedom film Find out about Mentivity: here https://www.mentivity.com/ Get your copy of Kehinde's book Nobody Can Give You Freedom. Out now in the UK at https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/460078/nobody-can-give-you-freedom-by-andrews-kehinde/9780241681176 Out in the US on 9th September https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/kehinde-andrews/nobody-can-give-you-freedom/9781645030706/?lens=bold-type-books Support Make it Plain: https://make-it-plain.org/support-us/ Join Harambee OBU https://www.blackunity.org.uk/ Find out about the Convention for Afrikan People: https://make-it-plain.org/convention-of-afrikan-people/ Written and hosted by Kehinde Andrews Produced by Kadiri Andrews Artwork by Assata Andrews

Third episode in a special series of the Make it Plain podcast, 'What Would Malcolm Say?' where Kehinde Andrews explains what Malcolm's body of work tells us about what is going on in the present. Each episode will also feature a full interview with someone featured in the documentary 'Nobody Can Give You Freedom', which was independently made by Make it Plain. You can watch the entire documentary for free at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZBZyaruoGo&t=136s Film was made by Michael Ellis Films This week Kehinde introduces the episode wishing all the Black fathers out there a Happy Fathers day. Despite the stereotypes research shows we are the most likely to be active in our children's lives. In light of the recent hostility between Israel and Iran he then discusses what Malcolm would say about Palestine. Malcolm was firmly behind the Palestinian people, linking the struggle for Black freedom to those of oppressed people around the globe. There is no contradiction in trying to build Black independence AND supporting other oppressed groups. Both are essential. Read Malcolm's piece Zionist logic here https://www.marxists.org/history/etol/newspape/socialist-viewpoint-us/mayjun_05/mayjun_05_21.htm Get your copy of Kehinde's book Nobody Can Give You Freedom. Out now in the UK at https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/460078/nobody-can-give-you-freedom-by-andrews-kehinde/9780241681176 Out in the US on 9th September https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/kehinde-andrews/nobody-can-give-you-freedom/9781645030706/?lens=bold-type-books Support Make it Plain: https://make-it-plain.org/support-us/ Join Harambee OBU https://www.blackunity.org.uk/ Find out about the Convention for Afrikan People: https://make-it-plain.org/convention-of-afrikan-people/ Written and hosted by Kehinde Andrews Produced by Kadiri Andrews Artwork by Assata Andrews