How Activist Bryonn Bain Uses Performance Art to Advocate for Justice Reform
Bain's fourth tome, "Rebel Speak: A Justice Movement Mixtape," certainly captures the right vibe, from the cover image of a hand-labeled cassette tape, to the tracklist-style table of contents, to the way the author uses each chapter to pass the mic to people he admires. "Rebel Speak" features the voices of high-profile artists and activists alongside those of formerly incarcerated men and women to highlight the big issues of justice in society. Bain says, "I'm learning from other people, and I want to share all these lessons that I'm learning from what I think are the most important visionaries on justice in the country."
"Can a book be a mixtape? Can a person? In the case of Bryonn Bain, the answer is a resounding yes.
Bain's fourth tome, "Rebel Speak: A Justice Movement Mixtape," certainly captures the right vibe, from the cover image of a hand-labeled cassette tape, to the tracklist-style table of contents, to the way the author uses each chapter to pass the mic to people he admires. "Rebel Speak" features the voices of high-profile artists and activists alongside those of formerly incarcerated men and women to highlight the big issues of justice in society. Bain says, "I'm learning from other people, and I want to share all these lessons that I'm learning from what I think are the most important visionaries on justice in the country."
Hip-hop musicians typically use mixtapes to promote themselves, but that's not Bain's goal." — Lisa Beebe, July 25, 2022
This post is an excerpt. Read the full article on the KCET website.
Read more about Bryonn Bain.
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