We Can't Breathe: A Conversation with Jabari Asim and Denise Boston

Through his work, critically acclaimed writer Jabari Asim disrupts what Toni Morrison has exposed as the “Master Narrative” and replaces it with a story of black survival and persistence through art and community in the face of centuries of racism. Through his wide-ranging and penetrating essays, he explores such topics as the twisted legacy of jokes and falsehoods in black life; the importance of black fathers and community; the significance of black writers and stories; and the beauty and pain of the black body.
His latest book, We Can’t Breathe, paints a rich portrait of a community and culture that has resisted, survived, and flourished despite centuries of racism, violence, and trauma. Join CIIS Dean of Diversity and Inclusion Denise Boston for a thought-provoking conversation with Jabari about a different side of American history, one that doesn’t depend on a narrative steeped in oppression, but rather reveals black voices telling their own stories.
Jabari Asim was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. For eleven years, he was an editor at The Washington Post, where he also wrote a syndicated column on politics, popular culture, and social issues. He also served for ten years as the editor in chief of The Crisis, the NAACP's flagship journal of politics, culture, and ideas. He is the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship in Creative Arts and the author of six books for adults, including The N Word, and nine books for children. 

Denise Boston, PhD, RDT, is Dean of Diversity and Inclusion, and Associate Professor in Counseling Psychology at CIIS. She has been instrumental in developing arts-based programming and Rites of Passage trainings to promote wellness among African American youth and families. Dr. Boston's most recent research has been in collaboration with the Glide Foundation Family, Youth, and Family Center. It has been funded by the Bill Graham Memorial Foundation and the Technology Credit Union.