If you’re going to create a new mascot, you’ve gotta talk to the experts. In this episode, Akilah speaks with the creators of Benny the Bull, the Chicago Bulls’ mascot, and Gritty, the Philadelphia Flyers mascot, about how to successfully bring a new mascot to life.

If you’re going to create a new mascot, you’ve gotta talk to the experts. In this episode, Akilah speaks with the creators of Benny the Bull, the Chicago Bulls’ mascot, and Gritty, the Philadelphia Flyers mascot, about how to successfully bring a new mascot to life.

In Season Two of Rebel Spirit, Akilah Hughes picks up where her battle to change her high school’s Confederate mascot left off and quickly realizes the problem was never just a mascot. Shifting from her high school still clinging to the “Rebels” name to the long fight over a Jefferson Davis statue in the Kentucky State Capitol, Season Two expands into a sharp, funny, and deeply reported investigation into how America decides what, and who, it chooses to honor. Along the way, Akilah speaks with politicians from both sides of the aisle about their support for change, historians who help contextualize the fight to remove Confederate monuments, and artists who are part of building monuments their whole community can be proud of. All in an effort to answer this season's big question, if we’re willing to tear down racist monuments, why is it so hard to replace them with something better? 

In Season Two of Rebel Spirit, Akilah Hughes picks up where her battle to change her high school&rsquo;s Confederate mascot left off and quickly realizes the problem was never just a mascot. Shifting from her high school still clinging to the &ldquo;Rebels&rdquo; name to the long fight over a Jefferson Davis statue in the Kentucky State Capitol, Season Two expands into a sharp, funny, and deeply reported investigation into how America decides what, and who, it chooses to honor. Along the way, Akilah speaks with politicians from both sides of the aisle about their support for change, historians who help contextualize the fight to remove Confederate monuments, and artists who are part of building monuments their whole community can be proud of. All in an effort to answer this season's big question, if we&rsquo;re willing to tear down racist monuments, why is it so hard to replace them with something better?&nbsp;

Rebel Spirit

Episode 5: Mascots

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/125c9d11-c98f-48eb-b1ee-b1f601525d9d/transcript

After a shocking new development in her efforts to replace the Jefferson Davis statue in the Kentucky State Capitol, Akilah learns you sometimes have to be careful what you wish for. 

Rebel Spirit is a production of Ninth Planet Audio in association with iHeart Podcasts. 

Reporting and writing by me, Akilah Hughes. I’m also the host and Executive Producer. 

Produced and written by Dan Sinker. 

Edited and mixed by Rudy Jansen.

Executive Producers for Ninth Planet Audio are Elizabeth Baquet and Jimmy Miller. 

Executive Producer for iHeart Podcasts is Cristina Everett.

Our theme song is All The Things I Couldn’t Say performed by Busty and The Bass, courtesy of Arts and Crafts Records. 

Special thanks to our guests this episode, Jamelle Bouie and Joe Sonka. 

If you want to get in touch, email us at rebelspiritpodcast@gmail.com. 

And be sure to check out our website, where you can also buy merch, rebelspiritpodcast.com

 

After a shocking new development in her efforts to replace the Jefferson Davis statue in the Kentucky State Capitol, Akilah learns you sometimes have to be careful what you wish for.&nbsp;
Rebel Spirit is a production of Ninth Planet Audio in association with iHeart Podcasts.&nbsp;
Reporting and writing by me, Akilah Hughes. I&rsquo;m also the host and Executive Producer.&nbsp;
Produced and written by Dan Sinker.&nbsp;
Edited and mixed by Rudy Jansen.
Executive Producers for Ninth Planet Audio are Elizabeth Baquet and Jimmy Miller.&nbsp;
Executive Producer for iHeart Podcasts is Cristina Everett.
Our theme song is All The Things I Couldn&rsquo;t Say performed by Busty and The Bass, courtesy of Arts and Crafts Records.&nbsp;
Special thanks to our guests this episode, Jamelle Bouie and Joe Sonka.&nbsp;
If you want to get in touch, email us at&nbsp;rebelspiritpodcast@gmail.com.&nbsp;
And be sure to check out our website, where you can also buy merch, <a href="http://rebelspiritpodcast.com/">rebelspiritpodcast.com</a>
&nbsp;

Episode 8: Son of A Mitch

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/2332b3ff-8390-4f1a-852f-b47f012f3ee4/transcript

Throughout this season Akilah has spoken with many people - historians, politicians, journalists, artists, designers - and in every conversation one name keeps coming up. The Daughters of the Confederacy. So in today's episode, Akilah is taking a closer look. 

Rebel Spirit is a production of Ninth Planet Audio in association with iHeart Podcasts. 

Reporting and writing by Akilah Hughes, she is also the Host and Executive Producer.

Produced and Written by Dan Sinker. 

Edited and Mixed by Rudy Jansen.

Executive Producers for Ninth Planet Audio are Elizabeth Baquet and Jimmy Miller. 

Executive Producer for iHeart Podcasts is Cristina Everett.

Our theme song is All The Things I Couldn’t Say performed by Busty and The Bass, courtesy of Arts and Crafts Records. 

Special thanks to our guest this episode Rivka Maizlish and Karen Cox. 

If you want to get in touch, email us at rebelspiritpodcast@gmail.com. And visit our website www.rebelspiritpodcast.com where you can check out our merch store. 

 

Throughout this season Akilah has spoken with many people - historians, politicians, journalists, artists, designers - and in every conversation one name keeps coming up. The Daughters of the Confederacy. So in today's episode, Akilah is taking a closer look.&nbsp;
Rebel Spirit is a production of Ninth Planet Audio in association with iHeart Podcasts.&nbsp;
Reporting and writing by Akilah Hughes, she is also the Host and Executive Producer.
Produced and Written by Dan Sinker.&nbsp;
Edited and Mixed by Rudy Jansen.
Executive Producers for Ninth Planet Audio are Elizabeth Baquet and Jimmy Miller.&nbsp;
Executive Producer for iHeart Podcasts is Cristina Everett.
Our theme song is All The Things I Couldn&rsquo;t Say performed by Busty and The Bass, courtesy of Arts and Crafts Records.&nbsp;
Special thanks to our guest this episode Rivka Maizlish and Karen Cox.&nbsp;
If you want to get in touch, email us at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:rebelspiritpodcast@gmail.com">rebelspiritpodcast@gmail.com</a>. And visit our website <a href="https://www.rebelpsiritpodcast.com">www.rebelspiritpodcast.com</a> where you can check out our merch store.&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Episode 7: The Daughters

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/9a5e9d5c-5f18-48e7-90e6-b477014f2eff/transcript

Historian and retired Brigadier General Ty Seidule speaks with Akilah about his experience as vice chair of the Congressional Naming Commission which was tasked with redesignating Department of Defense assets that honor Confederates. And how he continues with his efforts to shout down the Confederacy despite a continuing backslide fueled by the current administration. 

Rebel Spirit is a production of Ninth Planet Audio in association with iHeart Podcasts. 

Reporting and writing by Akilah Hughes, she is also the Host and Executive Producer.

Produced and Written by Dan Sinker. 

Edited and Mixed by Rudy Jansen.

Executive Producers for Ninth Planet Audio are Elizabeth Baquet and Jimmy Miller. 

Executive Producer for iHeart Podcasts is Cristina Everett.

Our theme song is All The Things I Couldn’t Say performed by Busty and The Bass, courtesy of Arts and Crafts Records. 

Special thanks to our guest this episode Ty Seidule.

If you want to get in touch, email us at rebelspiritpodcast@gmail.com. And visit our website www.rebelspiritpodcast.com where you can check out our merch store. 

 

Historian and retired Brigadier General Ty Seidule speaks with Akilah about his experience as vice chair of the Congressional Naming Commission which was tasked with redesignating Department of Defense assets that honor Confederates. And how he continues with his efforts to shout down the Confederacy despite a continuing backslide fueled by the current administration.&nbsp;
Rebel Spirit is a production of Ninth Planet Audio in association with iHeart Podcasts.&nbsp;
Reporting and writing by Akilah Hughes, she is also the Host and Executive Producer.
Produced and Written by Dan Sinker.&nbsp;
Edited and Mixed by Rudy Jansen.
Executive Producers for Ninth Planet Audio are Elizabeth Baquet and Jimmy Miller.&nbsp;
Executive Producer for iHeart Podcasts is Cristina Everett.
Our theme song is All The Things I Couldn&rsquo;t Say performed by Busty and The Bass, courtesy of Arts and Crafts Records.&nbsp;
Special thanks to our guest this episode Ty Seidule.
If you want to get in touch, email us at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:rebelspiritpodcast@gmail.com">rebelspiritpodcast@gmail.com</a>. And visit our website <a href="https://www.rebelpsiritpodcast.com">www.rebelspiritpodcast.com</a> where you can check out our merch store.&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Episode 6: Killing Dead Confederates

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/eac61f73-d281-4a81-ba9b-b470015cb03b/transcript

Episode 5: Mascots

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