Ep 2. Hope After Obama

In season 1 episode 2 of Ed Gordon, titled Hope After Obama, renowned journalist Ed Gordon brings his viewers a comprehensive examination of the impact President Obama had on the lives of Black Americans and the strides made in the fight for racial equality as his tenure came to an end.

Gordon initiates the discussion by acknowledging the fervent emotions of a nation that had grown tired of oppression, from the age of slavery to the Jim Crow era, and post-racial shift in America under a Black president. He then uncovers how the Obama legacy reinvigorated the hopes of Black Americans, particularly through his policies on healthcare, education, and criminal justice reform.

The episode features an interview with activist and writer Marc Lamont Hill, who expounded on the most significant accomplishments of President Obama's administration. Hill's deep-rooted analysis of Obama's policies revealed how several were targeted at improving the lives of Black people in terms of criminal justice reforms, affordable health care coverage, and revamping the education sector.

Additionally, the episode puts the spotlight on the lives of Black families residing in Washington D.C. and Harlem, showcasing how they felt about the Obama legacy and how they navigate life under a Trump administration that has systematically worked to disband the Obama-era policies.

Notably, the show delves into the issue of police brutality that has raged throughout the years in America. The episode features Gordon's interview with the family of Tamir Rice and explores the impact of the Obama legacy on bringing change to the policing system. Through the story of Tamir Rice, viewers get to see how the police can heavily impact the lives of Black Americans living in the poorest neighborhoods and the importance of reforming the policing system.

Hope After Obama is an emotional display of the power wielded by Black Americans when given a chance to lead in America. It aims to build on the legacy of President Obama and inspire a new generation of Black leaders to emerge. Without a doubt, it's a gripping episode that showcases how blackness and political will are vital in realizing change in America.