On June 19 we are thrilled to welcome Rita Omokha to Skylark to discuss her critically important book, Resist: How a Century of Young Black Activists Shaped America. This is going to be a really extraordinary and important talk and we urge you to mark your calendars now!

What do the struggles of the past teach us about the urgent challenges in our own time? Resist chronicles the inspiring story of young Black activists who have fought tirelessly at the helm for justice over the last century, from the 1920s to the Trayvon generation—how they reshaped America, left an indelible mark on history, and pave the way for the crucial work that must be done today.

In Resist, Rita Omokha charts the last century of civil rights activism, from the early years of renowned activist Ella Baker and others she inspired, to the first glimpse of allyship in the Bates Seven and a renewed examination of the Black Panther Party, all the way to the current generation of young Black revolutionaries who walked American cities in the wake of the murders of countless Black people. Rita also draws on her own experiences as a Black immigrant living in America, offering a unique and insightful perspective on this ongoing struggle for justice.

Rendered with empathy and care, Resist ties these pivotal stories together—and so many more that are lesser known—into an essential and gripping narrative of resilience and unity, and how young Black activists redefined American history.

Rita Omokha is an award-winning Nigerian American journalist. Her research, writing, and commentary have been featured in several publications and outlets, including CNN, Cosmopolitan, The Daily Beast, Elle, Glamour, The Guardian, MSNBC, New York Magazine, Vanity Fair, The Washington Post, and WIRED. She’s an adjunct professor at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, where she graduated at the top of the 2020 class, receiving some of the institution’s highest awards, including the Pulitzer Prize Traveling Fellowship. She lives in Manhattan.