NEWARK: Culture, Comedy, and Anthropology with Dr. Amelia Simone Herbert and Justin Williams (Podcast)

By: Devonne Campbell

YERRRRRR!

QUICK TRIVIA: Which city in the US is home to the highest rate of corporate buyers in the nation, the victim of experimental tech-billionaire-led education reform, former home of The Black Youth Organization's Chad School and incubator of national comedy and culture icons?

ANSWER: Newark, New Jersey.

In Newark, there is mind-blowing socio-economic and cultural history. There are times when we jump for joy like when VOGUE MAGAZINE celebrates our city as the herald she is. Then we sometimes hold our exasperated sighs at the countless others creating division in our communities by perpetuating unfounded stigma and removing resources for our youth and families.

In my conversation with Anthropologist Dr. Amelia Simone Herbert and Stand-up Comedian/History professor Justin Williams we discuss the current, lingering cultural landscape of Newark through the channels of education reform, homeownership jeopardy for citizens due to greedy real estate practices, the long-standing and resurgent entertainment industry here in Newark, and residential stigma within our Newark communities.

Most importantly, we speak as lovers and supporters of this city without blind eyes and we try to get to the bottom of a question Newarkers want to know: What is the model for the development of Newark, and how do we keep Newarkers at the center of that conversation at all times?

Get into it with us as we chat it up and learn more about our fascinating speakers, and the history of Newark in the meantime.

• DR. AMELIA SIMONE HERBERT

• Barnard College, Columbia University as Assistant Professor of Education and Urban Studies
• "I research and teach on the roles that education plays in the construction, articulation, and subversion of racialized inequality in a global perspective. Before doctoral studies, I taught in Newark, New Jersey for nearly a decade and I have also worked as a teacher educator in programs at my schools in New York City and Cape Town. My experiences as a teacher and learner fuel my commitment to research the complex meanings of schooling in lived experiences. My research has been supported by the Ford Foundation, the Fulbright-Hays Program, the American Association of University Women, and the National Academy of Education/ Spencer Foundation. I earned a Ph.D. in Anthropology and Education from Columbia University and a B.A. in History from Duke University. I am passionate about poetry—reading, teaching, writing, and living it."
• Dr. Amelia Simone Herbert WEBSITE
• Connect Professionally LINKEDIN
• Read Dr. Herbert's most recent publication below.
• If You Will Learn: The Pedagogy of Octavia's Parable BLACK SCHOLAR

• JUSTIN WILLIAMS

• Justin Williams is a comedian whose achievements are ever-expanding. Justin hosts a monthly live comedy show, Brick City Comedy Revue, on the first Friday of every month at Newark Local Beer. The Brick City Comedy Revue has been the premiere comedy show in Newark for the last 10 years!
• Justin also owns the new Newark Culture Club in the heart of downtown Newark. Follow him on Instagram for details on the grand opening.
• Read the latest NEWARKER MAG.
• Tune in to The Fraudsters Podcast hosted by Justin Williams, Ariel Leaty, and Seena Ghaznavi.
• Justin Williams INSTAGRAM
• Brick City Comedy Revue TICKETS

• DEVONNE CAMPBELL
• DEVONNE (Sophia's Daughter) is a Haitian-Jamaican-American writer, creative producer, and professional performance artist, based in Newark, NJ. She has a mission to enlighten, inform, empower, and reconnect humanity to its humanity. Connect with Devonne at DVNSOUND.com and Instagram to see more of her portfolio.
• Check out Devonne's other articles about Newark community resources, high-quality experiences, and Newark community leaders like Andrea Cozier McLean

• NEWARK NEWS STORIES
• At Five Wards Media & The Newark News & Story Collaborative, the stories crafted by our media fellows are not just reports; they are vibrant narratives that capture the essence of Newark's communities. We proudly present this dedicated space to showcase the impactful work completed by our community media fellows.
• Experience Newark Through Their Stories
• Diverse Perspectives: Explore a range of stories, from in-depth investigative pieces to heartfelt personal narratives, all produced by our talented alumni.
• Multimedia Exploration: Our fellows utilize various media forms, including articles, photography, video, and audio, to bring their stories to life.
• Community-Centric Reporting: Each piece reflects our commitment to community-centered media, highlighting the issues, triumphs, and everyday experiences of Newark residents.
• At the heart of Newark, Five Wards Media and Newark News & Stories unite under a shared vision: to honor and amplify our community's vibrant stories, culture, and information needs. As a beacon of community-centered media, we have celebrated and informed Newark by elevating the voices of local Newarkers and our neighborhoods, focusing on those stories that remain untold and unreported in traditional media. Our commitment to deep listening, building relationships, and engaging with city residents has enabled us to produce unique coverage of the diverse issues affecting Newark's communities, particularly across its five wards. Today, we are proud to evolve this mission, reimagining our approach to empower the youth of Newark.

REFERENCES

• Entertainment, M. (2012, April 12). The Peppermint Comedy Night 20yr Reunion & Big After Party. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/events/robert-treat-hotel50-park-plnewarknew-jerseyunited-states/the-peppermint-comedy-night-20yr-reunion-big-after-party/850132598377811/
• Garfield, L. (2018, May 12). Business Insider . Business Insider. Retrieved 2024, from https://www.businessinsider.com/mark-zuckerberg-schools-education-newark-mayor-ras-baraka-cory-booker-2018-5.
• Grubbs, V. N., & Herbert, A. S. (2024). If You Will Learn: The Pedagogy of Octavia’s Parable. The Black Scholar, 54(2), 93–100. https://doi.org/10.1080/00064246.2024.2318804
• Holmes, L. C. (2022, August 9). Who Owns Newark? Rutgers-Newark Study Finds Troubling Rise in Corporate Buying of City Homes. Rutgers Newark. https://www.newark.rutgers.edu/news/who-owns-newark-rutgers-newark-study-finds-troubling-rise-corporate-buying-city-homes
• Kussin, Z. (2017, February 18). Review of Vogue’s take on newark is wildly tone-deaf. The New York Post.
• Lemann, N., Smikle , B. A., Henig, J., & Russakoff, D. (2016, February 26). What Did Mark Zuckerberg Learn in Newark? Deconstructing the city’s $200 million education fiasco, a TC panel with author Dale Russakoff asks: Is anyone the wiser? Teachers College Columbia University. other, Columbia University. Retrieved 2024.
• (2023). History of Chad. The Chad School Foundation. https://chadschoolfoundation.org/history-of-chad-schools
• Pinkerton, B., & Matthews, D. (2019, July 3). Mark Zuckerberg wanted to help Newark schools. Newarkers say they weren’t heard. VOX. Retrieved 2024, from https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2019/7/3/18629810/mark-zuckerberg-cory-booker-newark-schools.
• Reid, K. (2017, February 15). Meet Me in Newark? Why New York City’s Neighbor Is Worth a Visit. VOGUE.
• The return of the peppermint comedy night – november 2023. Newark Symphony Hall. (2023, October 13). https://newarksymphonyhall.org/events/the-return-of-the-peppermint-comedy-night-november-2023/
• Sokoya, K. C. (2017, December 2). Whatever happened to the Chad School: An Institution of Educational Excellence?. LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/whatever-happened-chad-school-institution-educational-sokoya-edd/
• Spears, A. (2023, August 25). Aries Spears at The Peppermint Lounge Newark. Newark, NJ; https://www.instagram.com/ariesspears/p/CwYTRoIPgPq/.
• Troutt, D. D., & Nelson, K. (2022). (rep.). Who Owns Newark? Transferring Wealth from Newark Homeowners to Corporate Buyers. Rutgers CLiME. Retrieved 2024, from https://www.clime.rutgers.edu/publications-filtered/who-owns-newark.
• YouTube. (2017). Peppermint Lounge. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAiTfnrTTitGzFJccXRN27nRfebq4Htlu