Kyle T. Mays w/ Jessica Hernandez

A bold vision for a Black and Indigenous future rooted in real solidarity that exists beyond the confines of the liberal imagination
About this Event

Scholar and author of An Afro-Indigenous History of the United States among other books, Kyle T. Mays, visits the store for his new book When We Are Kin: The History and Future of Afro-Indigenous Solidarity, a bold vision for a Black and Indigenous future rooted in real solidarity, a future that exists beyond the confines of the liberal imagination. He’ll be joined by environmental scholar and writer Jessica Hernandez.

Current advocates of reparations for slavery and land back often fail to scrutinize racial capitalism and settler colonialism, instead accepting that their destinies will forever be tied to US empire. But as scholar Kyle T. Mays insists in When We Are Kin, we can and should demand a kind of repair that goes beyond a white supremacist idea of what justice can be.

In a series of short essays, Mays traces the history of alliances between Black and Indigenous movements; outlines the limitations of certain demands for reparations, including cash payments, that do not fundamentally critique racial-settler capitalism; and interrogates contemporary land back initiatives that fail to fully address decolonization. Along the way, he asks, What does solidarity look like between Black and Indigenous peoples in the United States? Can we find ways to co-belong and co-resist on Turtle Island?

Drawing on the Anishinaabe philosophy of mino-bimaadiziwin (the good life), Mays argues that we can resist as kin only when we center the land in building our collective futures.

Kyle T. Mays is an Afro-Indigenous (Saginaw Chippewa) writer and scholar. He is a professor of African American studies, American Indian studies, and history at the University of California, Los Angeles, and the author or co-author of four books, including Rethinking the Red Power Movement (with Sam Hitchmough), City of Dispossessions: Indigenous Peoples, African Americans, and the Creation of Modern Detroit, An Afro-Indigenous History of the United States, and Hip Hop Beats, Indigenous Rhymes: Modernity and Hip Hop in Indigenous North America.

Dr. Jessica Hernandez is a globally recognized Indigenous scientist, climate justice leader, and best-selling author whose groundbreaking work is redefining environmentalism through an Indigenous lens. Rooted in the Pacific Northwest, she bridges Indigenous science, traditional ecological knowledge, and Western frameworks to address the most urgent environmental crises of our time. She is the founder of Earth Daughters, a transnational Indigenous-led nonprofit that mobilizes rapid climate crisis response, cultivates grassroots leadership, and uplifts the voices and resilience of Indigenous women and youth across the Americas. Dr. Hernandez is also the acclaimed author of Fresh Banana Leaves: a best-selling, award-winning book that continues to influence global policy, academia, and activism. Her latest book, Growing Papaya Trees, explores climate migration, colonialism, and Indigenous resilience in the face of forced displacement. She holds a Ph.D. in Environmental and Forest Sciences and dual Master’s degrees in Marine Affairs and Environmental Science from the University of Washington. In recognition of her visionary leadership, Forbes named her one of the “100 Most Powerful and Influential Women in Central America.” Her thought leadership has shaped global conversations on decolonizing environmentalism, and her work has been featured by NPR, Vox, Teen Vogue, Latino USA, Science Friday, and, among others.