THE CASE FOR CANCEL CULTURE | A Busboys and Poets Books Presentation
Date and Time
Feb 26, 2023 5:30 pm
Location
14th & V
2021 14th St NW, Washington, District of Columbia, 20009
Feb 26, 2023 5:30 pm
14th & V
THE CASE FOR CANCEL CULTURE |A Busboys and Poets Books Presentation
Join us to discuss cancel culture as a form of liberation.
Author Ernest Owens new book has been widely viewed as merely blacklisting celebrities, or as censorship. But Owens argues that it’s time to raise the bar on our definition— to think of cancel culture less as scandal or suppression, and more as an essential means of democratic expression and accountability.
THE CASE FOR CANCEL CULTURE does just that, offering a fresh, progressive lens in favor of cancel culture as a tool for activism and change. It will help readers reflect on and learn the long history of canceling (the Boston Tea Party was cancel culture) how the left and right each use it as part of their political toolkits; how intersections of society wield it for justice; and ultimately how it levels the playing field for the everyday person’s voice to matter.
In a world where protest and free speech are being challenged by the most powerful institutions, Owens argues, those without power deserve to understand the nuances and importance of this democratic tool. Rather than seeing it as a nasty byproduct of the digital age, cancel culture should be seen as a powerful instrument for change, and Ernest Owens shows readers exactly how, with examples from politics, pop culture, and his own personal experience.
Readers will walk away from this first-of-its-kind exploration not despising cancel culture but embracing it as a form of democratic expression that’s always been leading the charge in liberating us all.
Ernest Owens is joining the Busboys stage for a book discussion event. This event is free and open to all. Our program begins at 5:30 pm, and will be followed by an audience Q&A. Copies of THE CASE FOR CANCEL CULTURE will be available for purchase before and during the event. Please note that this event will NOT be livestreamed.
We ask that guests RSVP in order to receive direct updates about the event from Busboys and Poets Books.
Ernest Owens (he/him) is an award-winning journalist and CEO of Ernest Media Empire, LLC. He is the Editor at Large for Philadelphia Magazine and President of the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists. He hosts the hit podcast "Ernestly Speaking!" As an openly Black gay journalist, he has made headlines for speaking frankly about intersectional issues in society regarding race, LGBTQ, and pop culture. In 2018, he launched his growing media company that specializes in multimedia production, consulting, and communications. The Case for Cancel Culture is his first book.
Jamila Bey is a journalist and radio talk show host based in Washington, DC. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, NPR, and various other outlets. As a speaker and writer, Jamila’s areas of expertise include US culture, race and politics, science, health and family policy, and all issues concerning the First Amendment particularly issues concerning religion and the separation of State and Church.She has been a fellow of the Association of Health Care Journalists, and John Jay College of Criminal Justice Langeloth Foundation.
