Barbara Smith has been doing The Work for decades. Born into the era of Jim Crow, Smith joined the civil rights movement as a teenager in the 60s, volunteered at the Congress of Racial Equality in Cleveland right out of high school, canvassed for housing rights, became part of the women’s movement after graduating college, and then co-founded a black feminist group called the Combahee River Collective in the 70s. The group grappled with issues of race, class, sex, and homophobia, and is credited with coining the term ‘identity politics’. A legendary and category-defying figure, we were lucky to have a chance to talk with Barbara Smith about her journey, what it’s like to be watching this moment, and why she says she’s optimistic about the struggle.RELATED LINKS:The Problem is White Supremacy by Barbara Smith (June 30, Boston Globe)How to Dismantle White Supremacy by Barbara Smith (Aug 21, The Nation)Home Girls: A Black Feminist Anthology (2000)Combahee River Collective StatementFollow Barbara Smith on Twitter