Featured Conversation (2024): Stephanie “Sparkle” Edwards and Aishah Shahidah Simmons in dialogue with Charles Blow at the Ford Foundation as co-recipients of the inaugural Courage Fund Award, reflecting on decades of work addressing sexual violence and breaking silence in Black communities.
Selected Press and Media Archive
Aishah Shahidah Simmons and love WITH accountability®
This page features selected press, interviews, media, and writing by and about Aishah Shahidah Simmons and love WITH accountability®, reflecting decades of survivor-centered work addressing child sexual abuse, sexual violence, non-carceral responses, and community accountability, as well as articles by and about Aishah, including contemplative practice, Dharma teachings, and writing.
For a more comprehensive listing of press, publications, and presentations, please view Aishah Shahidah Simmons’s full CV
Stuart, Daniel M.,“The long history of silent meditation retreats and the individuals who helped shape them,” in The Conversation, March 16, 2026,
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, “The Suffering That Does Not Trend: On the Epstein Files, what we’re not looking at, and what community accountability requires of all of us” in AfroLez®femcentric Perspectives Substack blog, February 22, 2025
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, “This Peace is for Tyrone: On love, loss, and the Five Remembrances,” in AfroLez®femcentric Perspectives, Substack, February 18, 2026
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, Black Liberation Ancestors Who Embodied the Four Noble Truths: Harriet Tubman, Rev. Dr. Leon E. Wright, and Toni Cade Bambara, in AfroLez®femcentric Perspectives, Substack, February 15, 2026
Asagarian, Roxanna, “Reclaiming Safety for Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse,” in upEND Movement, August 12, 2025
Howell, John, Love WITH Accountability: Aishah Simmons’ Dharma Journey, January 3, 2025
Asagarian, Roxanna, “The Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse Who Don’t Want Their Abusers Punished” in New Republic, December 2, 2024
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, “Wading in the Water,” in AfroLez®femcentric Perspectives, Substack, November 6, 2024
Betancourt, Julia Luz, “Survivors at the Center,” Yes! Fall 2024 print issue and online September 4, 2024
Mindfulness Network for People of Colour (UK), [VIDEO] The MNPC hosted a transnational conversation with Aishah Shahidah Simmons facilitated by Zindika Kamauesi on her 2020 Lambda Literary Award-winning anthology, love WITH accountability, Digging Up the Roots of Child Sexual Abuse
McGee, Joah, [AUDIO] “Episode #205: Uncovering Dr. Leon Wright,” Insight Myanmar, December 5, 2023
National Sexual Violence Resource Center, “NO! The Rape Documentary: A Visionary Black Filmmaker Reflects On the Journey to Open the Conversation on Sexual Violence Experienced [in] The Black Community,” November 10, 2023
Brooks, Cat, [AUDIO] “Accountability Away from the Criminal Legal System w/Aishah Simmons,” Law & Disorder with Cat Brooks, July 11, 2023,
Zipursky, Alisa, Healing Honestly: The Messy and Magnificent Path to Overcoming Self-Blame and Self-Shame, Please see index for the list of page references. (Berrett-Kohler Publishers, June 2023)
National Alliance to End Sexual Violence and Honorary Co-Hosts Senators Robert Casey (D-PA) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), [VIDEO] “Congressional Briefing in Honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month,” April 28, 2023
Centers for Spiritual Living – Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, [VIDEO] love WITH accountability®: The Healing Journey from Sexual Violence with Aishah Shahidah Simmons and Sheila Alexander-Reid,” April 17, 20023,
Herman, M.D., Judith, Truth and Repair: How Trauma Survivors Envision Justice (Basic Books, March 2023), pgs 64-67
“We Remember Six Remarkable Black Buddhists,” with Pamela Ayo Yetunde, Ruth King, Kamilah Majied, Roshi Wendy Egyoku,Nakao, Mushim Patric Ikeda, and Sister Peace in Lion’s Roar, February 2, 2023
Berger, Dan, Stayed on Freedom: The Long History of Black Power through One Family’s Journey, please see index for the list of page references. (Basic Books, February 2023)
Mind Our Democracy, [VIDEO] “Mind Our Democracy, VOTE!,” October 9, 2022,
Queen’s College, [VIDEO] “Black Queer Buddhisms” panel discussion with Aishah Shahidah Simmons, Ayo Yetunde, Shanté Paradigm Smalls, and Lama Rod Owens, October 20, 2022
Williams, Nikesha Elise, “Aishah Shahidah Simmons writers herself whole in memoir on sexual violence and healing,” Narrative Initiative blog, June 30, 2022
Tse Chen Ling Center, [VIDEO] “Avoiding Spiritual Bypass on the Road to Liberation: with sujatha baliga and Aishah Shahidah Simmons, June 22, 2022
“Awakening Through Audre Lorde,” with Leslie Booker, Pamela Ayo Yetunde, and Rima Vesely-Flad in Lion’s Roar, May 15, 2022
Dear Katie: Survivor Stories , [AUDIO], “Centered Safety: (Special Guest Aishah Shahidah Simmons” April 14, 2022
Vesely-Flad, Rima, Black Buddhists and the Black Radical Tradition: The Practice of Stillness in the Movement for Liberation, please see index for the list of page references. (NYU Press, March 2022)
“Yes, She Was a Powerful Woman! A Dedication to bell hooks,” with Pamela Ayo Yetunde, Kamilah Majied, Lori Perinne, and Zenzele Isoke in Lion’s Roar, December 24, 2021
Tse Chen Ling Center, [VIDEO] “Anger Social Justice, and Buddhism: In conversation wwith sujatha baliga and Aishah Shahidah Simmons,” November 4, 2021
Dastagir, Alia E., “The R. Kelly trial shocked us: Here’s what shouldn’t,” USA Today, August 30, 2021
The Final Straw Radio, [AUDIO] “Rebroadcast of Aishah Shahidah Simmons on LoveWITHAccountability” July 19, 2021
BNC TV, [VIDEO] Marc Lamont Hill, Aishah Shahidah Simmons and Salamishah Tillet on “Taking A Stand Against Rape Culture and Sexual Violence in Our Communities” July 7, 2021
Weekly Dharma Gathering, [VIDEO] LoveWITHAccountability® - guided meditation and dharma talk, June 30, 2021
‘me too.’ movement, [VIDEO] Disrupting in the Home: Unpacking Black Familial Trauma, with Aishah Shahidah Simmons and Dr. Gwendolyn Zoharah Simmons, June 16, 2021
University of California, Irvine [VIDEO] Healing Library presents: Aishah Shahidah Simmons on Love WITH Accountability, May 27, 2021
Pops’nAde, [VIDEO and AUDIO] Conversating w/Pops’nAde Season 2, Episode 5- Aishah Shahidah Simmons, Are you living your life in the spirit of 'LoveWITHAccountability?' (on Spotify and iTunes) and on YouTube, May 2021
Mayor’s Office of Public Engagement, [VIDEO] Prayer Pause for Philadelphia featuring Aishah Shahidah Simmons, April 19, 2021
L’Erin Alta, [AUDIO] “Black Girl Mystic Episode 28- Aishah Shahidah Simmons on Surviving Sexual Assault to Create Love with Accountability” (also on Spotify, iTunes), March 4, 2021
Auburn Seminary, [VIDEO] “For the Love of Black Women: Reflections on Meeting Each Other at the Intersections, Where We Stand, How We Love, How We Live — a Conversation with Rev. Dr. Emma Jordan Simpson, Aishah Shahidah Simmons, and Raquel Willis,” January 26, 2021
Open Society Institute, “Open Society Foundations Announce 2020 Soros Justice Fellows,” Press Release, December 18, 2020
Bradley, Keelyn, “Making Revolution Irresistible: An Interview with Aishah Shahidah Simmons,” Black Perspectives in African American Intellectual History Society, October 26, 2020
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, Co-creating An Equitable United States, Medium.com, September 27, 2020
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, It Is Well with My Soul: My Departure from the S.N. Goenka Lineage, Medium.com, September 17, 2020
Wong, Wilson, 'Defund the police' movement could offer sexual assault survivors a different path for justice, experts say, NBC.com, August 2, 2020
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, Healing from Child Sexual Abuse is a Lifetime Journey, (#MeToo Movement) metoomvmt.org, July 2020
Lindsey, Treva , Black Women Have Consistently Been Trailblazers for Social Change. Why Are They So Often Relegated to the Margins?, Time.com, July 22, 2020
Twin Cafe, “(black folx): may we write their hands by hand: amplifying Aishah Shahidah Simmons,” Ayyy Yooo TWIN, June 17, 2020
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, “Lambda Literary Award Acceptance Speech,” Lambda Literary YouTube channel, June 8, 2020
Tillet, Salamishah, “A Documentary for the #MeToo Era,” The New York Times, June 3, 2020
Vanderhoof, Erin, “EXCLUSIVE: The Winners of the 32nd Annual Lambda Literary Awards,” VanityFair.com, June 1, 2020
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, “Stop Lecturing Black People,” Medium.com, May 31, 2020
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, “Why is alleged sexual violence “acceptable” if you like or need something from the accused?,” Medium.com, April 30, 2020
Zipursky, Alisa, “These Three Activists Are Bringing Overdue Attention to Childhood Sexual Abuse,” Allure.com, April 29, 2020
Hutchinson, Sikivu, “In the Time that it Takes to Read This Poem: Black Women, Sexual Violence, and COVID,” BlackFemLens Blog, April 29, 2020
The Final Straw Radio, “Reclaiming Our Power: Aishah Shahidah Simmons On Her Work, Anthology, Love WITH Accountability,” March 29, 2020
Sirvent, Roberto, “BAR Book Forum: Aishah Shahidah Simmons’ “Love WITH Accountability,” Black Agenda Report, February 12, 2020
Wilson, Jamia, “Duty to Repair: Love WITH Accountability: Digging Up the Roots of Child Sexual Abuse,” Women’s Review of Books, Volume 37, Issue 1
Charleswell, Charisse, “Love With Accountability,” Feminist Magazine, KPFA Pacifica Radio, January 7, 2020
Zipursky, Alisa “Books to support us in healing from sexual violence,” healinghealthy.com, January 1, 2020
“Raliance’s Top 5 Moments in 2019,” Raliance: Ending Sexual Violence in One Generation, December 17, 2019
Langlois, Marilyn, “Let’s Talk About Sex,” Transcend Media Service, December 16, 2019
Campbell, LySaundra, “Who Tells HERstory? Black Feminism and Ending the Conspiracy of Silence,” National Women’s Law Center’s blog, November 20, 2019
Farma, Ben, “Love Without Emergency,” Poetry Foundation, November 12, 2019
Morrill, Lorraine Ballard, “Insight Part II: Love WITH Accountability Digging Up the Roots of Child Sexual Abuse, PAAF, and Project Cold War Coat Drive,”iHeart Radio, November 1, 2019
Rockett, Darcel, “Starting the Conversation,” The Chicago Tribune, October 31, 2019
Jones, Ayana, “Anthology amplifies child sexual abuse in Black communities, October 31, 2019,” The Philadelphia Tribune.
Nash, Suzi, “Aishah Shahidah Simmons: Philadelphia’s Wonder Woman,” Philadelphia Gay News, October 23, 2019
Kurilla, MIchelle G., “OSAPR Hosts Day-Long Conference on Addressing Gender-Based Violence,” Harvard Crimson, October 7, 2019
Law, Victoria, “How Can We End Child Sexual Abuse Without Prisons?,” Truthout, October 2, 2019
Gonzalez, Catherine Lizette, “#ColorlinesReads: Fall Into These Books This Autumn,” Colorlines, September 18, 2019
Rios, Carmen, “Facebook Live Interview with Aishah Shahidah Simmons at the National Sexual Assault Conference,” August 22, 2019, Ms. Magazine (Beyond the Breakthrough)
Adams, Char, “Meet the Unsung Heroes of the #MeToo Movement: ‘It’s Powerful to Be Honored,’” People.com, May 21, 2019
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, “Breakthrough U.S/ Activist Impact Award Acceptance Speech,” April 24, 2020
James, Maura, “Love WITH Accountability with Aishah Shahidah Simmons,” Unbroken Chain Podcast, Episode 31
Aishah Shahidah Simmons is the “Spotlight Feature in Hematopoeisis, Issue 4 - Perricardium,” Winter 2019
NLGBTQ Task Force Creating Change 2019 and Mirror Memoirs, “#MeToo Movement Moment Plenary with Amita Swadhin, Aishah Shahidah Simmons, Bamby Salcedo, Ignacio G. Rivera, and Mia Mingus” January 26, 2019
Prevent Connect and CALCASA, “Adult Survivors as Movement Leaders: Lessons Learned from the Just Beginnings Collaborative with Aishah Shahidah Simmons, Sonya Shah, Amita Swadhin” January 23, 2019
Tillet, Salamishah and Scheherazade Tillet, “After the Surviving R. Kelly Documentary, #MeToo Has Finally Returned to Black Girls,” The New York Times, January 10, 2019
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, “Ending Sexual Violence,” Essence magazine, November 2018
Browder, Emily, “Simmons Reflects on #LoveWITHAccountability Movement,” The Heights, October 28, 2018
YWCA USA, “Week Without Violence” Facebook LIVE with Alicia Sanchez Gill, Aishah Shahidah Simmons, Jessica Raven, and Shiwali Patel,” October 16, 2018
Wanjuki, Wagatwe and Foster, Jenna, “All In the Family with Aishah Shahidah Simmons and Amanda Rosenberg,” Wondery Media, I, Survivor podcast, August 28, 2018
Smith, Ph.D., Aaron, an interview with Aishah Shahidah Simmons about Whitney Houston and Child Sexual Abuse, Wake Up With WURD, 900AM-WURD, May 24, 2018
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, New Whitney Houston Documentary reveals she survived child sexual abuse. But the silence around it harmed her, NBCNews.com, May 20, 2018
Renee, Stephanie, an interview with Aishah Shahidah Simmons in response to The Bill Cosby Verdict, The Source, 900AM-WURD, May 11, 2018
Smith, Ph.D., Aaron, an interview with Aishah Shahidah Simmons on Breaking Silences Around Sexual Violence, Wake Up With WURD, 900AM-WURD, April 30, 2018
Jones, Imara, The Last Sip - Sexual Assault Awareness Month Edition, FreeSpeech TV, and Extended Interview with Aishah Shahidah Simmons, April 30, 2018
Solomon, Akiba, 6 Black Feminists Speak Out About the Cosby Sexual Assault Conviction, Colorlines, April 26, 2018
Lindsey, Treva, Bill Cosby’s guilty verdict was made possible by decades of activism by black women, Vox.com, April 26, 2018
Bell, Eboné, Astraea Foundation: Investing, Advocating, Amplifying, and Propelling LGBTQI Voices, Tagg Magazine, March 23, 2018
Long, Stephanie, “Aishah Shahidah Simmons on NO!, Essex Hemphill and Reviving His Spirit in the #MeToo Era, CASSIUS, March 14, 2018
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, "#LoveWITHAccountability: Continuing and Beginning," On The Record, The Ortner Center on Violence and Abuse Newsletter, University of Pennsylvania, Winter 2018 edition
Admin., Recovered Histories of Anti-Rape Activism: Celebrating Aishah Shahidah Simmons and Intersectional Approaches, The Feminist Wire, October 30, 2017
Nath, Anjali, “Aishah Shahidah Simmons on #LoveWITHAccountability,” Feral Visions: a decolonial feminist Podcast, October 19, 2017:
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, “Accountability is a radical form of love” The Resource, The National Sexual Violence Resource Center, Summer 2017 edition
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, “The Personal is Political and Academic,” Signs, Short Takes: Provocation on Public Feminism, July 6, 2017
Renee, Stephanie, an interview with Aishah Shahidah Simmons on [Bill] Cosby trail’s larger societal implications, Mid-Morning Mojo, 900AM-WURD, May 30, 2017
Lee, Rythea, with Donna Jensen and Aishah Shahidah Simmons, Three Women Rising, Advice from a Loving Bitch series, May 18, 2017
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, “Rage-Meditation-Action-Healing,” What is Wellbeing? Kholoud Bidak and Coumbe Touré, eds., ArtsEverywhere, April 23, 2017
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, “My Feelings for the Women’s March Have Evolved,” The New York Times, January 9, 2017
Armah, Esther,- #LoveWITHAccountability ...the key to ending child sexual abuse?, Ghana’s Business & Financial Times, December 14, 2016
Armah, Esther, an interview with Aishah Shahidah Simmons and Gwendolyn Zoharah Simmons, Ph.D., #LoveWITHAccountability Special, The Spin: all women media panel syndicated talk show, December 8, 2016
Renee, Stephanie, an interview with Aishah Shahidah Simmons about #LoveWITHAccountability, Mid-Morning Mojo, 900AM-WURD, November 2, 2016
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, “‘It Takes A Village’: Afterword to the #LoveWITHAccountability Forum,” The Feminist Wire, October 28, 2018
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, Still So Much Work to Do To End Violence Against Women, The New York Times, October 13, 2016
Lewis, Heidi, R. (with Aishah Shahidah Simmons), Honoring Black Resistance without Supporting Nate Parker, The Feminist Wire, October 7, 2016
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, “Reflecting Upon Nate Parker and Deconstructing Rape Myths with Aaronette M. White, Ph.D.,” The Feminist Wire, August 18, 2016
Hannabach, Cathy, "Episode 14: Aishah Shahidah Simmons, filmmaker and director of NO! The Rape Documentary" Imagine Otherwise Podcast series, July 13, 2016
Patterson, Jennifer (with Aishah Shahidah Simmons, Jen LaBarbera, Ida Hammer, Keiko Lane), “How We Heal From Sexual Violence Against The Queer Community,” in The Establishment, June 8, 2016
Admin., “TFW’s Aishah Shahidah Simmons Receives Two-Year Just Beginnings Collaborative Fellowship,” in The Feminist Wire, May 24, 2016
Hutchinson, Sikivu, “Black Rage, Black Silence, and Sexual Violence,” HUFFPOST Black Voices, April 28, 2016
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, “Removing the Mask: AfroLez®femcentric Silence Breaker,” in Queering Sexual Violence, Jennifer Patterson, ed., Riverdale Ave. Press: Magnus Books, 2016
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, “‘Naming Our Destiny’: Afterword to The Feminist Wire’s Forum on June Jordan,” The Feminist Wire, March 25, 2016
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, “AfroLezfemcentric Perspectives on Coloring Gender and Queering Race,” in Tikkun, February 11, 2016
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, “#ShoutYourAbortion: The Ethics of Reproduction, ” The Feminist Wire, October 9, 2015
Murphy, Colleen, “Another Challenge on Campus Sexual Assault: Getting Minority Students to Report It", The Chronicle of Higher Education, June 18, 2015
Admin., “TFW’s Heidi R. Lewis & Aishah Shahidah Simmons to Visit Berlin,” in The Feminist Wire, May 26, 2015
Chao, Andrew, “Take Back the Night Event Aims to Empower Assault Survivors,” UCSD Guardian, April 26, 2015
Neal, Mark Anthony, “In Case We Are Confused About What Rape Is…” NewBlackMan (In Exile), originally published on May 7, 2010, it was republished in November 2014 during the wake of the Cosby allegations
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, “Afterword: Toni Cade Bambara’s Living Legacy,” The Feminist Wire, November 29, 2014
Renee, Stephanie, an interview with Aishah Shahidah Simmons on “Challenging and Breaking Silence in Black Community Around Cosby Rape Allegations", Mid-Morning Mojo, 900AM-WURD, November 19, 2014
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, “A State of Rage (for Toni Cade Bambara),” The Feminist Wire, November 19, 2014
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, “Excerpts from Silence…Broken: Audre Lorde’s Indelible Imprint on My Life,” in Feminist Studies, (Volume 40, Number 1), Ashwini Tambe, Editorial Director
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah (with Farah Tanis), “Better Off Dead: Black Women Speak to the United Nations CERD Committee,” The Feminist Wire, September 5, 2014
Renee, Stephanie, an interview with Aishah Shahidah Simmons about “Responding to Cee Lo Green verdict and messaging about Yes, No and Consent,” Mid-Morning Mojo, 900AM-WURD, September 5, 2014
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, “Feminists We Love: Marissa Alexander, with Alisa Bierria”, The Feminist Wire, July 25, 2014
Renee, Stephanie, an interview with Aishah Shahidah Simmons about “Why We Can’t Wait: Women of Color Urge Inclusion in ‘My Brother’s Keeper’ with Kristie Dotson,” Mid-Morning Mojo, 900AM-WURD, June 27, 2014
Brothers Writing to Live, “When There Isn’t a Case for Debate: Black Men Listening to Our Sisters,” NewBlackMan (In Exile), June 2, 2014
Tanis, Farah (with L. Michelle Odom & Aishah Shahidah Simmons), “Report on Racial Discrimination and Sexual Violence Against Women of Color, Including Those Identifying as LGBTQ, and the Impact of Inadequate Racial Justice Initiatives and Violence Prevention Policy Implementation in the United States,” Black Women’s Blueprint’s United Nations Shadow Report, CERD (Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination), June 2014
Allen, Phil, “#BringBackOurGirls: Challenging Lack of Media Coverage on the 236 Nigerian Girls Who were Kidnapped in Northeastern Nigeria,” The Morning Show, 900AM-WURD, May 2, 2014
Admin, “TFW’s Aishah Shahidah Simmons participated in Philly Rally to #BringBackOurGirls", The Feminist Wire, May 11, 2014
Leff, Lisa, “Trauma Warnings Move from internet to Ivory Tower”, Associated Press, April 26, 2014 (This article was published in multiple newspapers/news sites across the United States and internationally.)
Milks, Megan, “Trigger Warnings: A Roundtable With CA Conrad, Jos A. Charles, Andrea Lawlor, Sarsah Schulman, Aishah Shahidah Simmons and Anna Joy Springer, Part One: In The Creative Writing Classroom,” Entropy, April 14, 2014
Doon, CJ, “Award-winning Documentary Filmmaker Looks to Empower Survivors of Rape”, StateCollege.com, March 5, 2014
Williams, Bria, “Rape and incest survivor shares documentary ‘NO!’ and personal experiences” The Daily Collegian, March 6, 2014
Gilmore, Stephanie, “Continuing the Celebration: Feminist Studies Celebrates Audre Lorde,” The Feminist Wire, March 1, 2014
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, “Afterword: Standing at the Lordean Shoreline,” The Feminist Wire, March 1, 2014
Admin, “TFW’s Sikivu Hutchinson and Aishah Shahidah Simmons Partner to Address Sexual Violence with Youth in South Los Angeles,” The Feminist Wire, March 10, 2014
Admin, “Film/Video + Written/Spoken Word = Social Change: Public invited to two events by visiting professor, editor, and filmmaker Aishah Shahidah Simmons", Scripps College News, February 2014
Admin, “TFW at Black Women’s Blueprint’s Mother Tongue Monologues,” The Feminist Wire, February 10, 2014
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, “Foreword,” to Dear Sister: Letters to Survivors of Sexual Assault, Lisa Factora-Borchers, ed., AK Press, January 2014
Morgan, Robin, an interview with Aishah Shahidah Simmons on “Women’s Media Center Live With Robin Morgan,” Women’s Media Center, October 20, 2013
Murtha, Tara, “SlutWalk Philly Changes Protest Name to “A March To End Rape Culture,” RH Reality Check, September 26, 2013
Hobson, Janell, “ Beyonce’s Fierce Feminism,” Ms. Magazine, Spring 2013
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, “Celebrating the Extraordinary Who Are Relegated to Ordinary: A Tribute to Rebecca White Simmons Chapman and Juanita Cranford Robinson,” The Feminist Wire, May 12, 2013
Stratford, Sarah-Jane, “Conversation With Documentarian Aishah Shahidah Simmons,” Paradigm Shift, April 24, 2013
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, (with Heather Laine Talley) “Across Difference, Toward Liberation: An Introduction to TFW’s Forum on Race, Racism, and Anti-Racism within Feminism,” The Feminist Wire, April 22, 2013
Fresh, Morgen, “Empowering Survivors: Documentary N[O]! Screens at Multicultural Center," Portland State Vanguard, April 18, 2013
Rajeh, Nawal, “Saying NO! Is Not a Betrayal,” Peace X Peace, January 24, 2013
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, (with Monica J. Casper) “Choosing Our Own Lives: Two 40-Something Feminists Reflect on Roe,” with Monica J. Casper, The Feminist Wire, January 22, 2013
Admin, “TFW: The Year In Review,” The Feminist Wire, January 1, 2013
Jean-Charles, Regine, “‘I Think I Was Rape’: Black Feminist Readings of Affect and Incest in Precious,” Black Camera, Volume 4, Number 1, Winter 2012 (The New Series), pgs 139-160, Winter 2012
Story, Kaila (and Jaison Gardner), an interview with Aishah Shahidah Simmons about “Kasandra Perkins & Jovan Belcher; Sexual Assault in Communities of Color,” Strange Fruit: Musings on Politics, Pop Culture, and Black Gay Life, December 8, 2012
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah (with Tamura A. Lomax, Aimee Meredith Cox) “Take Care: Notes on the Black (Academic) Women’s Health Forum,” with Aimee Meredith Cox and Tamura A. Lomax, The Feminist Wire, November 12, 2012
Gumbs, Alexis Pauline, “We Have Always Known: Embodying Community Accountability,” The Feminist Wire, September 18, 2012
Ebrahimi, Sara Zia, “‘Who Will Revere Us?’: Local Filmmaker Reflects On Gender Based Violence Against Black Women and Girls,” Greater Philadelphia Community Cinema, September 4, 2012
Solomon, Akiba, “An Open Letter to Todd Akin from Women of Color Activists,” ColorLines, August 24, 2012
Alta-Devki, L’Erin, “What Have You Been Named? An Interview with Aishah Shahidah Simmons,” SisterFire, August 23, 2012
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, “Celebrating and Remembering the Life and Legacy of Aaronette M. White,” The Feminist Wire, August 18, 2012
Editors, “Women Filmmakers Forum: Aishah Shahidah Simmons,” The Feminist Wire, May 10, 2012
Moore, Darnell L., “TFW Forum on Women Filmmakers,” The Feminist Wire, May 9, 2012
Williams, Jennifer, “Remembering the L.A. Riots, Remembering Latasha Harlins,” Ms. Magazine Blog, May 7, 2012
Axtell, Brooke, “Black Women, Sexual Assault, and the Art of Resistance,” Forbes.com, April 25, 2012
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, “Who Will Revere Us?: Black LGTBQ People, Women, and Girls, (Parts 1-4),” The Feminist Wire, April 23 –April 26, 2012, Ebony.com aggregated part 1 of the series on their site
Neal, Mark Anthony, “A Daughter and Father Address Violence Against Women (an interview with Aishah Shahidah Simmons and Michael Simmons),” Left of Black, April 2, 2012
Tillet, Salamishah, “20 Years of Black Lesbian Cinema,” TheRoot.com, January 2, 2012
Leonard, David, J., “The Year in “Race Matters,” NewBlackMan (In Exile), (December 31, 2014)
Gilmore, Stephanie, “Am I Troy Davis? A Slut?,” Ms. Magazine Blog, October 11, 2011
Solomon, Akiba, “More Thoughts on SlutWalk: No Attention is Better Than Bad Attention,” ColorLines, October 6, 2011
Bierria, Alisa “Catalyzing Possibility: The NO! Documentary as Community Accountability Technology,” (an interview with Theryn Kigvamasud’Vashti and Aishah Shahidah Simmons), Social Justice Vol. 37, No. 4 (122), Community Accountability: Emerging Movements to Transform Violence (2011-2012), pp. 60-75
Peterson, Latoya, “Which Women Are What Now? SlutWalk NYC and Failures in Solidarity,” Racialicious, October 5, 2011
Schorn, Joey, “Badass Activist Friday Presents: Aishah Shahidah Simmons,” where is your line?", September 30, 2011
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, “‘Gloria Steinem and ‘NO! The Rape Documentary’” The Feminist Wire September 23, 2011
Crimmins, Peter, “‘SlutWalk’ protest set for Saturday in Philadelphia,” WHYY NewsWorks, August 5, 2011
Solomon, Akiba, “Is the SlutWalk Movement Relevant For a Black Feminist?,” ColorLines, August 5, 2011
Moss-Coane, Marti, “‘Slut Walk’: Feminists fight back against rape, an interview with Aishah Shahidah Simmons and Rebecca Traister,” Radio Times, August 4, 2011
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, “Reflecting Upon My Twenty-One Years of Pride,” NewBlackMan (In Exile), June 25, 2011. This reflection was also published in The Body®: The Complete HIV/AIDS Resource, June 27, 2011
Bierria, Alisa (with Aishah Shahidah Simmons) “Tell 'Psychology Today' to Stop Publishing Racist and Sexist Articles,” Alter Net, May 20, 2011
Williams, Jennifer, “Rape Is Still Rape, And No Still Means NO!,” Ms. Magazine Blog, May 19, 2011
Renee, Shawna, “Rihanna’s - Man Down, an interview with Aishah Shahidah Simmons,” Cocoa Mode, June 9, 2011
Privot, Ben, “Aishah Shahidah Simmons on Consent,” The Consensual Project, May 24, 2011
Morgan, Robin, “NO! A Film of Sexual Politics – and Art,” Guest Curator, DOXA Documentary Film Festival, 2011
Stasio, Frank, “Reading Language of Rape Culture, an interview with Aishah Shahidah Simmons, Mark Anthony Neal, Melissa Harris-Perry, Mary R. Block,” State of Things, on WUNC Public Radio, April 6, 2011
Terrell, Kelle, “Ain’t I A Victim,” The Root.com, March 18, 2011
Greenberg, Benjamin, “Recy Taylor May Finally See Alabama Acknowledge Her 1944 Rape,” Colorlines.com, March 16, 2011
Goldschmidt, Sandrine, “Rien, jamais, ne justifie le viol !,” A dire d’elles, Liberté, égalite, féminisme, juliet 3, 2010
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, “Feminists Must Heal The Wounds of Racism,” in Who Should Be First? Feminists Speak Out on the 2008 Presidential Campaign, Johnnetta Betsch Cole and Beverly Guy-Sheftall, eds. (SUNY Press, 2010)
Ulen, Eisa, “Building Up, Not Beating Down: Protecting Our Girls From Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault” (Special Report: State of Our Girls), Heart and Soul Magazine, April/May 2010, pgs 61-64
Asim, Jabari, “Brain Trust: Five thinkers worthy of recognition: Melissa Harris-Lacewell (Perry), R. Dwayne Betts, Paul Butler, Danielle S. Allen, and Aishah Shahidah Simmons,” The Crisis Magazine, Fall 2009, pgs 16-21
Tillet, Salamishah, “The Color Precious,” The Root.com, November 12, 2009
“Sexual Assault Awareness Documentary,” The Chicago Defender, April 28, 2009
Powell, Kevin, “Rihanna/Chris Brown: Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (The Remix),” The Huffington Post, February 12, 2009
Jackson, Jr., John L., “Spike Lee on Spike Lee,” The Chronicle Review, The Chronicle of Higher Education, December 6, 2008 “Les Femmes en résistance font leur festival à Arcueil,” Paris Obs.com, September 24, 2008
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, “A State of Rage “ in Shout Out: Women of Color Respond to Violence, Maria Ochoa, Ph.D., & Barbara Ige, Ph.D. eds. (Seal Press, 2008)
Cobb, Jelani, “Statement of Black Men Against the Exploitation of Black Women,” June 17, 2008
Tillet, Salamishah, “It’s A Crisis,” The Root.com, April 10, 2008
Harris-Perry, Melissa, “Rape and Race. We Have To Talk About It,” TheRoot.com, April 10, 2008
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, “Asserting My In(ter)dependence Every Single Day,” in Savoring The Salt: The Legacy of Toni Cade Bambara, Linda Holmes and Cheryl Wall, Ph.D., eds. (Temple University Press, 2007)
Greenlee-Donnell, Cynthia, “Stories of Survival,” In These Times Magazine, June 29, 2007
Martin, Michel, “Behind Closed Doors: NO!,” Tell Me More, with Michel Martin on National Public Radio, June 18, 2007
Douglas, Marian, “Review of NO! – A Film on Rape in the Black Community,” Pambazuka News: Weekly Forum for Social Justice in Africa, May 22, 2007
Rice, LaVon Rice, “All the Women Are White, All the Black Are Men, And Many of Us Have Been Raped: One Filmmaker Confronts Sexual Assault Against Black Women,” ColorLines (print) Magazine January/February 2007
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, “Thirty Strong And A Gun To His Head…Pay Attention?” AllHipHop.com, January 17, 2007
Drake, Ingrid, “Transforming Fear into Power: The Politicization of Child Sexual Abuse,” Alternet.org, January 7, 2007
Sharpley-Whiting, T. Denean, “Introduction: Pimpin’ Ain’t Easy But Somebody’s Got to Do It” and “Too Hot to Be Bothered: Black Women and Sexual Abuse,” Pimps Up, Ho’s Down: Hip Hop’s Hold on Young Black Women, NYU Press © 2007, pgs 19-20, 53, 58, 81-84
Nopper, Tamara K., “The Myth of Black Women’s Progress: A Conversation with Activist and Filmmaker Aishah Shahidah Simmons,” BlackAgendaReport.com, November 15, 2006
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, “The War Again Black Women and The Making of NO!,” in The Color of Violence: The INCITE! Anthology, Various Editors, (Duke University Press, 2006, 2016), 170-178
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, “No One is Free While Others Are Oppressed: My AfroLez®femcentric Journey,” in The Black Scholar, (Black Women's Activism, Volume 36 Number 1) Jennifer Hamer, Ph.D., and Helen Neville, Ph.D., eds.
Farmer, Eboni, “Moving Documentary Gets Students Talking About Rape,” The Hilltop, November 15. 2006
Riggins, Traver, “Movie Screening to Open Discussion on Rape,” The Hilltop, November 14, 2006
Volin, Katherine, “Lesbian Filmmaker Says ‘NO!’ to Silence,” The Washington Blade, November 10, 2006
Imarisha, Walidah, “Cinematic Activism,” Left Turn Magazine, October/November 2006
Burton, Jazmyn, “Local Lesbian Filmmaker says ‘NO’ to Violence,” The Philadelphia Gay News, October 27 – November 2, 2006
Burton, Jazmyn Odokemi, “Editor’s Pick ‘NO!’,” The Philadelphia Weekly, October 11-17, 2006
Hoffer, Janae, “Film Addresses Sexual Assault,” The Philadelphia Tribune, October 6, 2006
Nopper, Tamara, “The Power of NO!: An Interview with Black Lesbian Filmmaker,” Clamor Magazine, Issue 38 (Fall 2006)
De Leon, Celine, “Aishah Shahidah Simmons: Words on the Duke Rape Case” Feministing.com © May 13, 2006 (also listed as a resource on Domestic and Sexual Violence Network website)
Neal, Mark Anthony, “(White) Male Privilege, Black Respectability, and Black Women’s Bodies,” PopMatters.com © April 14, 2006
Henry, Cassandra, “Cass’ Interview with Aishah Shahidah Simmons,” 3blackchicks.com, 3BlackChicksEnterprises™ © 2006
Hill-Collins, Patricia, “Why Collective Identity Politics Matter” and “Is the Personal still Political?,” in From Black Power to Hip Hop: Racism, Nationalism, and Feminism, Temple University Press © 2006, pgs 150, 194-195
Latner, Teishan, “Ain’t I A Woman,” and “The Power is Final,” in The Quotable Rebel: Political Quotations for Dangerous Times Common Courage Press © 2005, pgs 187, 302
Neal, Mark Anthony, “Critical Noir: Daughters of Sister Outsider,” AOL Black Voices, April 4, 2005
Wynn, Ron, “Filmmaker examines issue of rape in [B]lack community,” Nashville City Paper online, April 5, 2005
Pollard-Terry, Gayle, “For African American Rape Victims A Culture of Silence,” LA Times, July 20, 2004
Schwartzman, Nancy, “My Doc, My Life” The Independent Film & Video Monthly, March 2004
Stone, Robin D., “On the Front Lines: A Word Against Rape,” in No Secrets No Lies: How Black Families Can Heal From Sexual Abuse, Broadway © 2004, pg 241
Whitney, Daisy, “Pan Afro Film Fest Focuses on Assault,” Denver Post April 23, 2003
Colelman, Chrisena, “Film focuses on Black rape: Men asked to view and discuss, “ New York Daily News, March 7, 2003
Hunter, Karen, “Rap’s gotta learn some respect” New York Daily News, March 7, 2003
Gregory, Kia, “Race for the Cure: A New Documentary Explores Intraracial Violence,” The Philadelphia Weekly, March 22, 2003
Brown, Carolyn M., “Why Are Black women silent about rape,” NiaOnline.com, March 2003
Richardson, Clem, “A Private War: Black Women and Rape,” Honey Magazine, March 2003
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah (with Salamishah Tillet), “Breaking the SILENCES on intra-racial rapes and sexual assaults in the African American Community,” Latitudes Noires (French Journal) edited by Agee C. Lomo Myazhiom © 2003/2004
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, “Using Celluloid to Break the Silence About Sexual Violence in the Black Community,” in Violence in the Lives of Black Women:
Battered, Black, and Blue, C. M. West, Ph.D., ed. Haworth Press: Binghamton, NY (is also published in Women & Therapy, Volume 25, Numbers 3 & 4, 2003)
Cole, Johnnetta B. (Beverly Guy-Sheftall), “Collisions: Black Liberation Versus Women’s Liberation,” in Gender Talk: The Struggle for Women’s Equality in African-American Communities, One World/Ballantine © 2003, pgs 91-92, 231
Asika, Uju, “Breaking the Silence on Sexual Harassment and Assault,” Africana.com, March 12, 2002
Asika, Uju, “’No Means No!’: An Interview with Aishah Shahidah Simmons,” Africana.com
White, Ph.D., Aaronette M., “NO!”: Breaking Silences on Film,” Assembling The Pieces: An African-American perspective on community and family violence (Newsletter of the Institute on Domestic Violence In The African American Community at the University of Minnesota, Winter 2002, pg 6
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, “Using The Moving Image To Make Central The Rape and Sexual Assault of Black Women and Girls,” in “Female ‘Bodies of Knowledge Symposium Proceedings” also published as “Making Visible The Invisible in “Black Men and Domestic Violence. What Do We Know, Where Do We Go?” Conference Proceedings,” 2002
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, “Sacred Spaces,” in Doula: The Journal of Rap Music and Hip Hop Culture, (Urban Think Tank, Inc., 2002)
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, “Creating A Sacred Space of Our Own,”/“Creer notre proper espace sacre,” in Warrior/Guerrieres, a publication of Groupe du 6 Novembre, 2001, Nomades’ Langues Edition
Groupe Du 6 Novembre, “Aishah Shahidah Simmons, A Silence Breaker”/ “Aishah Shahidah Simmons, briseuse de silence” in Warrior/Guerrieres, a publication of Groupe Du 6 Novembre © 2001, Nomades’ Langues Edition, pgs 39-44
Ngo, An, “AFROLESFEMCENTRIC,” BI-CO (Bryn Mawr/Haverford College), December 5, 2000, pg 18
Galvan, Bonnie, “Women Who Make Movies, Are Women That Empower,” Querve, May 2000, pgs 8 & 16
Editors, “Feminist artist to receive award,” Philadelphia Gay News, April 28-May 4, 2000, page 4
Dubin, Murray, “Community group to give awards to social activists,” Philadelphia Inquirer, April 28, 2000, pgs B1 & B6
Editors, “Aishah Shahidah Simmons honored,” Au Courant, April 25-30, 2000, page 7
McCurdy, Glenn A., “Local Organization Honors Generations of Activism,” Philadelphia New Observer, April 26, 2000, p 7
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, “Creating A Sacred Space of Our Own,” in Just Sex: Students Rewrite the Rules on Sex, Violence, Equality & Activism, Jodi Gold & Susan Villari, eds. (Rowman & Littlefield, January 2000)
Lesselier, Claudie, “Un film en gestation NO!,” Lesbia Magazine, Janvier 2000 [France]
Gladstone, Neil, “A Shaky Market: The ups and downs of this year’s IFFM,” The Philadelphia City Paper, October 2-8, 1998, pgs 26-27
Wilson, Kendal, “NAACP honors area civic leaders at gala: Oprah makes guest appearance,” The Philadelphia Tribune, October 13, 1998, pgs 1A & 4A
Hutchins, Lorraine, “Center Awards Audre Lorde Prizes to Filmmaker, Poet,” and “Aishah Shahidah Simmons: Living and Filming A Healing Rage,” Coalition Works: a Newsletter of The Union Institute Center for Women, July 1998, pgs 1-3
Asanti, Ta’Shia, “Women of Color on the Frontline: Filmmaker Aishah Shahidah Simmons takes on Rape…”, Gay Black Female, July 1998, p 7
Film Reviewers, “[Outfest ‘98] Film Schedule and Reviews,” LA Weekly, July 10-16, 1998 (Vol 20/No 33), p
Harris, Katherine, “Audre Lorde Smiled: Two Lesbian artists win Legacy awards,” The Washington Blade, May 22, 1998; p 43
Wire Reports, “Local Filmmaker Awarded Lorde Honor,” Philadelphia Gay News, May 8-14, 1998, p 37
Kolawole, Helen, “When no means NO!,” New Nation (UK), March 9, 1998, p. 14-15
Robinson, Wendy, “Film Maker Aishah Shahidah Simmons Challenges Black-on-Black Rape,” Urban Spectrum, February 1998, p. 28
Teamer, Blaine, “Living in Confusion,” Ma’-Ka Diasporic Juks Contemporary Writing by Queers of African by Queers of African Descent, eds., Debbie Douglas, …[et. al.], Sistervision Press © 1997, p. 84-89
Powers, Retha. “The Silence of Rape,” Essence Magazine, June 1996, p. 62 & 126
Bambara, Toni Cade, “School Daze,” Deep Sights and Rescue Missions, Estate of Toni Cade Bambara © 1996, Random House, pgs. 179- 200, originally published as “Programming With School Daze,” Five for Five: The Films of Spike Lee, Forty Acres & A Mule Filmworks © 1991, pgs. 47-55
Lane, Lynda. “My Brother, I said NO!: Local filmmaker documents the irony of Black women speaking out against the Black men who raped them,” The Philadelphia Tribune, September 15, 1995, pgs. 1E and 6E-7E
Williams, John. “Re-Creating their Media Image: Two Generations of Black Women Filmmakers,” The Black Scholar, Vol. 25, No. 2, pgs. 47-53
White, Jerry. “Group Dynamic: Local black women filmmakers find power in numbers,” The Philadelphia City Paper, January 27 - February 3, 1995, p. 20
Colon, Willie. “Reflections on South Africa,” The Quaker Service Bulletin, Vol. 75, No. 2, pgs. 1-3 (1994)
Simmons, Aishah Shahidah, “Black gays and lesbians still have many battles to wage,” Guest Opinion, The Philadelphia Tribune, June 21, 1994. This essay was also published as “Breaking the Silence,” Guest Opinion, The Philadelphia Gay News, June 17-23, 1994