From Oakland, California, this is a special episode of At Liberty.

I'm Emerson Sykes, a staff attorney at the ACLU and your host.

Today's guest is none other than W. Kamau Bell, stand-up comedian, prolific podcaster, and host of his own show on CNN, United Shades of America.

He's known for his incisive sociopolitical commentary and activism, including on behalf of the ACLU, where he serves as an artist ambassador for racial justice.

He's a person who doesn't need much introduction and we have lots to discuss.

So we'll dive right in. Kamau Bell, thanks very much for having us. Welcome to the podcast. Thank you. That was a very professional intro, by the way. Hey, thanks. You know, we're trying to keep it pro. That was good. It was good. I felt like I heard that like news sound from back. Welcome to at Liberty.

That's what we're going for.

So come out, we have a lot of things we want to cover. heard that like new sound from back here. Welcome to at Liberty.

That's what we're going for.

So come out, we have a lot of things we want to cover.

But with all the talk about going back to where you came from and going back to Africa,

I actually want to start by giving you props for the best Back to Africa line I've ever heard. So we're here in Oakland, my wife's hometown,

but you recently, last year you were in Kenya,

another place I've spent a lot of time,

you were there with Bourdain,

and you arrived in Nairobi,

surrounded by people every shade of black.

And your response was, Anthony, this is what I thought Oakland was going to look like when I first

move there.

That's right.

Yeah.

Yes, that's true.

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