162: Alan Jenkins: These Art & Social Change Superpowers Can Help Save Democracy
ART IS CHANGE: Strategies & Skills for Activist Artists & Cultural Organizers · Bill Cleveland
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Show Notes
So if democracy is under pressure, what role do stories, culture, and imagination play in defending it?
In this episode, we're joined by Alan Jenkins, civil rights lawyer, former Ford foundation program director, Harvard Law School professor, and now comic book author, for a wide ranging conversation about story making and telling as a tool for social change. From Supreme Court litigation to graphic novels, Alan Jenkins traces how law, narrative, and culture intersect when democracy is at stake.
So in our conversation, we explore three big ideas I think matter a lot right now:
- First, why is story inseparable from power?And how law, policy, and culture work together, whether we acknowledge it or not, to shape public belief and behavior.
- Next, how popular culture and art have historically been used to confront authoritarianism. From Superman and Captain America to global protest movements that borrow symbol, humor, and myth.
- And finally, what hybrid 21st century leadership looks like and why flexibility, empathy, and imagination may be as important as specialized expertise in this moment.
NOTABLE MENTIONS
People
Host of ART IS CHANGE and founder of the Center for the Study of Art & Community.
Harvard Law School professor; former civil rights and DOJ lawyer; former Director of Human Rights at the Ford Foundation; co-author of 1/6: The Graphic Novel.
Former Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; referenced in discussion of ACT UP and activist pressure shaping public institutions.
Aviator and political figure cited in discussion of American isolationism and authoritarian sympathies prior to World War II.
Artist whose painting Guernica is referenced as a defining cultural response to fascist violence.
Organizations & Institutions
Institution where Alan Jenkins teaches courses on civil rights law, narrative, and Supreme Court jurisprudence.
NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund
Civil rights organization where Jenkins worked early in his legal career.
United States Department of Justice
Referenced in connection with Jenkins’s Supreme Court litigation experience.
Global philanthropy where Jenkins served as Director of Human Rights.
Organization that supported research on popular culture and resistance to authoritarianism referenced in the episode.
Organization that produced the civic action guide accompanying 1/6: The Graphic Novel.
Institution that developed an educational guide for teaching with 1/6: The Graphic Novel.
Works, Events & Cultural References
Graphic novel co-created by Alan Jenkins imagining a future in which the January 6 insurrection succeeded.
Seven Things Artists, Entertainers, and Creatives Can Do to Protect Democracy
Alan Jenkins' article describing seven strategies that creatives in the arts can use to protect democracy from Eastern Europe to Southeast Asia to West Africa to Latin America.
January 6, 2021 United States Capitol Attack
Historical event central to the episode’s discussion of democracy, narrative, and authoritarianism.
ACT UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power)
Activist movement referenced for its strategic use of protest, narrative framing, and moral urgency.
Comic book character cited as an early example of popular culture advancing social justice narratives.
Referenced for his first appearance punching Adolf Hitler—months before U.S. entry into WWII.
Film and book series referenced for its three-finger salute adopted by real-world protest movements.
Graphic memoir referenced for its portrayal of authoritarianism and women’s lives during the Iranian Revolution.
Iconic painting referenced as a lasting artistic indictment of fascist violence.
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Art Is CHANGE is a podcast that chronicles the power of art and community transformation, providing a platform for activist artists to share their experiences and gain the skills and strategies they need to thrive as agents of social change.
Through compelling conversations with artist activists, artivists, and cultural organizers, the podcast explores how art and activism intersect to fuel cultural transformation and drive meaningful change. Guests discuss the challenges and triumphs of community arts, socially engaged art, and creative placemaking, offering insights into artist mentorship, building credibility, and communicating impact.
Episodes delve into the realities of artist isolation, burnout, and funding for artists, while celebrating the role of artists in residence and creative leadership in shaping a more just and inclusive world. Whether you’re an emerging or established artist for social justice, this podcast offers inspiration, practical advice, and a sense of solidarity in the journey toward art and social change.