Imari Paris Jeffries, President and CEO of Embrace Boston, joins The Culture Show to preview the Embrace Ideas Festival. Kicking off on Juneteenth, this year’s festival is a celebration of joy, power, prosperity and black creativity. Imari Paris Jeffries also gives an overview of Embrace Boston’s latest report, which explores how cultural festivals can help build and strengthen communities. To keep on top of everything Embrace Boston is doing, go here.

From there, it’s the interdisciplinary artist Dread Scott. In 1989, the US Senate outlawed his artwork and President Bush declared it "disgraceful" because of its transgressive use of the American flag. Dread became part of a landmark Supreme Court case when he and others burned flags on the steps of the Capitol. He is a revolutionary artist who gives us a new way to see some ugly truths about America. He joins The Culture Show ahead of his event at the Boston Public Library. Tomorrow night you can catch him at the Central Library in Copley Square. His appearance is part of the Lowell Lecture series. To learn more go here.

From there we get a jump on the real shark week. As Martha’s Vineyard prepares to celebrate the 50th anniversary of “Jaws” with Amity Week, Culture Show producer Kate Dellis finds out how the blockbuster film forever changed the island.

June 17, 2025 - Imari Paris Jeffries, Dread Scott, and the 50th anniversary of Jaws

The Culture Show Podcast