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For nearly two decades, Chicago journalist and music critic Jim DeRogatis chronicled the story of alleged predatory behavior and sexual abuse by R&B superstar R. Kelly. He followed the case from the earliest accusations through trial, staying on the story even after Kelly’s acquittal and the subsequent fading of media attention.

In his forthcoming book, Soulless: The Case Against R. Kelly, DeRogatis tells the story behind the reporting. Join him tonight as he launches his book with a conversation featuring #MeToo founder Tarana Burke and writer Jamilah Lemieux, both of whom appeared in the explosive dream hampton documentary, Surviving R. Kelly,  credited with shifting public perception of the allegations.

They’ll talk about how and why Kelly’s behavior was enabled by both the media and the people around him, why the sexual assault claims of Black women and girls were ignored for so long and how a combination of activism and steadfast reporting finally prompted a reckoning.