Meet Saphia, a young bell hooks fanatic trying desperately to build a good life in New York City. Constantly immersed in the latest idea she has discovered while reading hooks, Saphia is determined to figure out how to apply these liberatory ideals to her own life. But the one thing she doesn’t account for is a little surprise encouragement from the legend herself.
This is an emergency episode in response to unforeseen circumstances.
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(Gray-white static dots give way to rainbow color panels indicative of connectivity issues. Something has gone horribly wrong.)
ANNOUNCER: We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming to bring you news of an unfortunate update.
(Cut to Saphia, upside down and bathed in purple light again, as in episode one.)
SAPHIA: I’ve been out-gentrified.
(Cut to Saphia sitting at a dining table, phone pressed to her ear.)
SAPHIA: Hi, Marge? . . . Yes, it’s Saphia. Yeah, I got your email, that’s why I’m calling, um . . . yes, the rent increase . . . right, well—well it’s a 25 percent increase and . . . no, yeah, I know, I trust you’ll give us the 60 days, um . . . I was just wondering, y’know, if there’s any wiggle room, because we’ve been great tenants, and we love it here, we don’t wanna move . . . we have a community here, y’know, we’ve built a home here and so . . . no, no we want to stay, it’s just . . . we’re not sure if, y’know . . .
(Cut back to Saphia upside down in that purple haze.)
SAPHIA: Gut-wrenching terror and housing uncertainty aside . . . I’m kinda relieved. I’m not a gentrifier, right? Not if I’ve been out-gentrified. So . . . I guess I don’t have to worry. I can just chill.
(bell hooks now lies upside down, in a similar purple haze, just like Saphia.)
BELL: Hello Saphia. I’m afraid it’s not that simple. Keep reading.
(Fade to outro.)
