Run the World

Previously OnRun the World...

You better?

The "book not selling" stuff, yes.

Being branded a regressive blow

to fourth-wave feminism part, not so much.

I'm still interested in the VP of branch strategy role.

I'm gonna talk to Tom and Peter.

Half the female students in the department

have been trying to lock down Matthew for years.

What happened to the shoes I made for you?

Maybe she wants to wear pink shoes

'cause she's a six-year-old.

You could totally dance on a stage like this one day.

Really?

Really!

Here you go, baby.

Hey, I meant to ask you, how'd it go with Dr. Forman?

Oh, good.

Hopefully, he can be my committee chair.

Yeah, you know, I always thought he was kind of a kook.

He's got the kook hair going on.

He's got the same hair

as Malcolm Gladwell and Cornel West.

Yeah. Couple of kooks.

Shh!

Do you still have those brown ballet shoes?

Mm-hmm.

Okay. Okay. You were right.

Hey, um, how come you haven't met with Baptiste yet?

I really think she'll be a good fit for you.

Dad, you guys are not respecting this environment.

I feel like she was throwing me

a little bit of shade at our party.

Well, I'm sure it wasn't intentional.

She made it sound like you had dated another student.

All right, look, a couple years ago,

I had a student, she got really flirty,

and people assumed things were going on,

but it was a stupid rumor.

Well, then why would she say that?

I don't know. We've been friends forever.

She can be a little overprotective.

Look, I'm not gonna lie, Baptiste can be petty,

but she's brilliant.

And I think she'd be a great mentor for you.

Okay, fine. I'll reach out to her.

It's not like I have a lot of options.

You guys, please.

I can't let you two take me anywhere.

I wanted to apologize.

I did not mean to be rude the other night.

Oh, no worries.

I hope you didn't take my words out of context.

I didn't mean any harm.

Well, I appreciate that.

But, I mean, insinuating that Matthew has a history

of dating students is... kind of harmful.

So you're here because you need a new advisor,

or you're going to have to leave the program, correct?

I've read some of the chapters of your dissertation.

They're compelling and well-written.

But I was wondering why there aren't any women

in your research sample.

Was that intentional?

I mean, I-I came here to study under Dr. Powell,

and his focus is on male mass incarceration

and generational trauma, so I...

Um,

but, honestly, uh...

I would actually love to expand my focus to explore

how mass incarceration has forced Black families

to become matriarchal.

Fascinating.

I'd love to read what you've written on that.

Well, I haven't really started yet.

I was planning on expanding my focus

once I finished studying under Dr...

Sondi, your dissertation is the first indicator

of where your lifetime of scholarship will focus.

You have to start your career in your own voice.

Everyone already knows

what Matthew Powell is passionate about.

Wow.

Um, yeah, you're right.

Um, if I wanted to pivot my focus,

would you be interested in working with me?

I'd strongly consider.

Why don't you put together a 15-page thought starter

on female-anchored family structures,

and we'll talk again Monday.

I can do that.

Amari, sweetie, why don't you sit down

and draw another picture?

I don't want to draw anymore.

But you love to draw. Just one more.

You said we'd do one together.

And we will, I promise. I just need 30 more minutes.

Can we play charades?

Chicken...

I really need to get my work done, okay?

How about you draw a picture for your daddy,

and then we can go get ice cream, okay?

Where's your damn daddy?

Can we walk to the store?

I want something refreshing to drink.

Oh, you want something refreshing, do you?

Yes. I'm not sure what exactly.

But I'll know when we get there.

Hmm. All right, go get your shoes.

Rock, papers, scissors, shoot!

- Ugh, got me! - I thought Daddy was at work.

He is.

No, look.

Daddy!

Hey.

What are my favorite ladies doing here?

- I thought you had a meeting. - Oh, I did.

Just finished early,

so I figured I'd grab a quick bite.

Oh, well, you realize I'm trying to turn around

15 pages in three days, right?

Uh, yeah. Yeah. I was just about to come home.

Tres leches cake for Matt!

Daddy, you better get that to go.

Okay, baby, look, I'm sorry, all right?

I stayed out a little bit longer than I said I would,

but I don't understand.

Why are you so mad?

I did not risk

my entire academic career to be at your disposal.

I have a ton of research to do, and I cannot get anything done

because I am home with your daughter

and you're out having me time and eating fucking doughnuts.

It was a scone, but...

Do you want to die today?

Okay, look, I know you got a lot on your plate...

Do you?

Because you don't act like it.

Do you know you haven't washed a single dish

or done a load of laundry since I moved in here?

I have lived alone for nine years,

and now I wake up every morning next to you

and that amazing little girl,

whom I love but needs a lot of attention.

I feel like a married mother,

and I am not married or a mother.

Listen...

I'm extremely grateful

for everything you've sacrificed.

Your apartment, us working together.

And you're right, you've

you've done a lot since you've been here.

The last thing I want is for you to feel unappreciated.

Well, right now that's exactly how I feel.

I'm sorry. What can I do?

I just need to be alone.

I'm going to the library.

Renee, it is a private listening session,

not a birthday party at Lucky Strike.

Listen, tell your homegirl Imani

that you have a friend who's dressed up

with nowhere to go, and she'll love me!

All I got to do is throw my wig on.

Her name is Iman, and I'm grateful she got me in.

The only press they invited was Rolling Stone

and Jon Caramanica.

What is a Jon harmonica?

Jon Caramanica.

He's The New York Times music critic.

Renee, I got to go.

Mm-mm! No, no, no!

Come on, I heard Donald Glover's gonna be there,

and I feel like he missed out on dating me

when he lived in New York.

He's, like, married with three kids.

Girl, "like, married" is not married.

Let me shoot my shot.

You and you and you and you. You.

This is insane.

Thank you so much for inviting me.

Of course.

When I saw your byline on Hot Tea,

I was so excited.

Any chance you can run an exclusive

for the album release?

I'll talk to Barb about it.

- How is crazy Barb? - Same.

Still telling stories about partying at the Tunnel

with Craig Mack.

Oh, my God.

- Iman. - Yeah.

I'm hanging around for the after-set.

You want to join?

Yeah, sure. We'd love to.

Okay.

Hi, Emmett.

- You rep Emmett Wolfe, too? - Yeah.

We picked him up after he won the Globe last year.

I am gonna make him the next Michael B.

Allowing the audience to absorb