In this rebroadcast episode from 2020, Maria and Julio welcome Valarie Kaur, renowned Sikh activist, civil rights lawyer, and author of the book “See No Stranger: A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love.” They reflect on Valarie’s activist roots and her experience writing her book. They also discuss America’s history of state-sanctioned violence against communities of color and explore how revolutionary love is a feminist intervention and a force for justice.

ITT Staff Picks: 

• Melissa Harris-Perry interviewed Valarie Kaur about how “misdirected” islamophobia has affected the Sikh community for two decades, in this episode of The Takeaway. 

• Valarie Kaur talks about how love is revolutionary and makes the case for reclaiming love as a public ethic in this Ted Talk. 

• “A poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research conducted ahead of the 9/11 anniversary found that 53% of Americans have unfavorable views toward Islam, compared with 42% who have favorable ones. This stands in contrast to Americans’ opinions about Christianity and Judaism, for which most respondents expressed favorable views” write Mariam Fam, Deepti Hajela and Luis Andres Henao for the Associated Press. 

Photo credit: Amber Castro