In advance of the New York primary election on June 23rd, BMC hosted a virtual Town Hall with the candidates for Central Brooklyn's 25th State Senate district: Tremaine Wright, Jason Salmon, and Jabari Brisport.For more information, visit htt

Third Rail Eps 61: The candidates for Assembly District 56

Jun 19th, 2020 1h 17m

In advance of the New York primary election on June 23rd, BMC hosted a virtual Town Hall with the candidates for Central Brooklyn's 56th State Assembly district: Stefani Zinerman and Justin Cohen.For more information, visit http://www.brookly

Third Rail Eps 60: The candidates for Assembly District 57

Jun 19th, 2020 46m 10s

In advance of the New York primary election on June 23rd, BMC Deputy Director Anthonine Pierre interviews the candidates for Central Brooklyn's 57th State Assembly district: Walter Mosley and Phara Souffrant Forrest.For more information, visi

Third Rail Eps 59: The shifting Black electorate

Jun 18th, 2020 48m 51s

This is the second episode of a special series focused on New York's June 23rd primary elections. How is the Black electorate shifting in Central Brooklyn, generationally and politically? Anthonine Pierre talks to local political analysts Theo

Third Rail Eps 58: Holding elected officials accountable

Jun 18th, 2020 49m 5s

This is the first episode of a special series focused on New York's June 23rd primary elections. Why is it important, particularly now, to hold elected officials accountable in Central Brooklyn? Mark Winston Griffith talks to three activist le

Third Rail Eps 57: Inside School Colors

Nov 11th, 2019 53m 23s

Guest Host: Anthonine PierreStudio Guests: Max Freedman and Mark Winston GriffithShow DescriptionOn this special edition of Third Rail, Anthonine Pierre steps into the host chair and interviews Mark Winston Griffith and Max Freedman, the

Third Rail Eps 56: Tenant Matters

Jul 15th, 2019 56m 1s

In this episode of Third Rail we focus on those in Central Brooklyn who are on the front line of gentrification: tenants and renters. This past June, Governor Cuomo signed into law a sweeping new collection of rent regulations which re-set th

Third Rail Eps 55: A Plant Grows in Brooklyn

Jun 24th, 2019 50m 12s

Cannabis or Marijuana use in a Black area like Central Brooklyn has always been a complex issue. While many people call marijuana use a “gateway” to heavier drug addiction, the reality is, getting picked up by the police for distributing or usi

Third Rail Eps 54: Black Brooklyn Oscars

Mar 5th, 2019 1h 1m

In a special post Academy Award edition of Third Rail, we indulge our twin loves, BK and movies, by paying homage -- and occasional shade -- to Black Brooklyn through the lens of cinema.Specifically, we pose the question, what are the best B

Third Rail Eps. 53 Central Brooklyn Food: Unifier or Gentrifier?

Dec 4th, 2018 55m 11s

Food, one of the most potent cultural forces in American life, represents our ability to come together across tribal lines, especially during the holidays. At the same time, in Central Brooklyn and other gentrifying cities, where restaurants

Third Rail Eps 52: Is there a Black-Asian Future?

Nov 1st, 2018 46m 42s

As the cultural and economic displacement of low-income people of color intensifies in New York and throughout urban America, the parallel strivings of Asian- and African-Americans force activists to deeply consider their alliances and how to n

Third Rail Eps 51: Racing Stripes

Jul 21st, 2018 50m 54s

As historically “Black” districts in Central Brooklyn evolve, encompass various neighborhoods, and/or gentrify, Black candidates for elected office use tactics, voter targeting and coded messaging to appeal to different sub constituencies that

Third Rail Eps 50: What's The 911?

May 27th, 2018 51m 20s

The shooting of Saheed Vassell by the NYPD on April 4th in Crown Heights re-ignited a chronic community safety debate: What kind of discretion should we use in calling the police when we know that it can result in a death sentence for an unsusp

Third Rail Eps 49: Brooklyn's Own: Youth Activism & Anti- Gun Violence

Apr 13th, 2018 40m 54s

The recent youth-led demonstrations that were prompted in response to the mass shooting in Parkland, Florida have jump-started a conversation around the role that youth play in combating American-style gun violence. The site of the Parkland mas

Third Rail Eps 48: Wakanda Forever: What Black Panther Promises Brooklyn & Black Cinema

Feb 27th, 2018 1h 2m

Raking in over $400 million in its opening weekend, Black Panther has broken almost all box office records. But what does that mean for Black Brooklynites, the media they make and the legacy we leave? We discuss Marvel’s Black Panther with fil

Third Rail Eps 47: The Book of Veralyn

Jan 26th, 2018 1h 3m

It’s with both sadness and excitement that we announce the departure of long-time Third Rail co-host Veralyn Williams. This will be her last show as co-host. Sadness, because Veralyn’s been a central member of the BMC/Brooklyn Deep family for a

Third Rail Eps 46.5: Weeksville Heritage Center: One on One

Dec 29th, 2017 28m 36s

In the second part of Brooklyn Deep’s exploration of historic Weeksville, Mark Winston Griffith sits down one-on-one with Rob Fields, the new President and Executive Director of the Weeksville Heritage Center. As a caretaker of Central Brooklyn

Third Rail Eps 46: Weeksville: The Past as Destiny

Nov 10th, 2017 51m 6s

Gentrification has many of us thinking, just how long does one of America’s largest Black Community have before it is disappeared? We discuss Weeksville, Brooklyn's first free Black Community with guests, Vivian Warfield whose family has a long

Third Rail Eps 45: Nothin’ But a G Thing

Sep 18th, 2017 1h 5m

On the eve of the NYC elections, the Brooklyn Deep team examines all the local gentrification drama that helped define the political landscape this summer. Joining us is Michael Higgins, the lead organizer for Families United for Racial and Eco

Third Rail Eps 44: Summer Black

Aug 4th, 2017 1h 4m

If there is any question about what Black culture remains in Brooklyn, all you have to do is check out the summer scene on the streets of Brownsville, Bed-Stuy, Crown Heights, Fort Greene and even Dumbo where festivals and block parties celebra

Third Rail Eps 43.5: Blewish Part Two: The easy myths and hard truths of Black-Jewish relations.

Jul 7th, 2017 23m

In this special mini-episode we continue our conversation about Black-Orthodox Jewish relations and take a look at the conflicts between two othered communities in one area, Crown Heights. Mark talks to Leo Ferguson a leader in Jews for Econom

Third Rail Eps 43: Blewish: The easy myths and hard truths of Black-Jewish relations.

Jun 9th, 2017 58m 27s

Crown Heights is America’s most infamous Black-Orthodox Jewish conflict zone. Mark and Veralyn explore the intersections of these identities with Chava Shervington, a Black orthodox woman who spent 5 years in Crown Heights, but now lives in Cal

Third Rail Eps 42: Airbnb in Central Brooklyn: Chaos or Community?

May 12th, 2017 1h 3m

A recent article in Brooklyn Deep ran an exclusive on a study by Inside Airbnb, an Airbnb activist project that has been largely critical of the Airbnb enterprise. The study concludes that Airbnb acts as a racial gentrification tool in New Yor

Third Rail Eps 41: Human Trafficking: Are Black Girls Safe in Brooklyn?

Apr 7th, 2017 53m 36s

An estimated 2,200 children are victimized by commercial sexual exploitation annually. Mark and Veralyn delve inside this world and explore the impact of human trafficking on the lives of Black girls in Central Brooklyn and what it means for lo

Third Rail Eps 40: Toward a Black and Muslim Future

Mar 10th, 2017 51m 38s

Mark and Veralyn discuss the intersections of Black and Muslim identity and the possibilities for Non-Muslim Black and Non-Black Muslim solidarity. Segment One: On Being Black & Muslim. The Third Rail crew explore the multi-layered relation