E15: Talking to Your Children about 9/11 with Deepa Iyer

SooJin and Hannah bring in 9/11 expert Deepa Iyer to process the horrific terrorist attacks that took place twenty years ago. Deepa describes 9/11 as a watershed moment in history that significantly changed the way South Asian, Arab, Muslim, and Sikh communities were perceived in the U.S. Since then, racial anxiety, Islamophobia, and anti-immigrant sentiment have only gotten stronger - making the work of community building and advocacy more complex and challenging. Deepa is a dedicated learner and activist who helps us to better understand solidarity as a practice. Some of the fundamental features of solidarity include 1) finding commonalities, 2) understanding our unique differences and 3) centering the voices of people who are most impacted. Deepa explains how we can tailor this framework as we talk with our kids - helping them to find connection, recognize privilege, choose empathy, and prioritize the needs of people who are experiencing the most harm. We are reminded in this episode that we have much to learn from our kids too.

Please note: We sometimes use the acronym BIPOC, which means Black, Indigenous and/or People of Color. 

Resources:

Movement Building Project

We Too Sing America by Deepa Iyer

Solidarity is This podcast

SolidarityStories.org

From Orphan to Adoptee: US Empire and Genealogies of Korean Adoption by SooJin Pate