September 24, 2020 • 20 mins
Host Z and Host Jess discuss ways to be an everyday antiracist ally to support the Black Lives Matter movement. Topics covered include: remembering African Americans who were killed at the hands of law enforcement, stark contrasts with the way the different races react to police, and highlighting the need for due process - regardless of race.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Hello wakens.
Thanks for tuning in today.
Your host, Jess unsee will bepresenting episode six allyship.
It will be in a unique fashion.
I'm introducing some content ina different way.
We'd like you to just sit back,relax, and absorb what you can
(00:24):
as always.
We appreciate you listening.
Be blessed.
You're listening to awaken inAmerica, two minds on a journey
to create dialogue aboutdiversity, inclusion and
optimism.
(00:51):
We will also be discussing, um,or listing some names that are
important to us and are alsoimportant to the movement to
change America's ideas aboutdiversity and inclusion.
So we're going to honor somepeople today.
(01:12):
So we look forward to having youlisten.
And I'd like to recap on aprevious episode, if you don't
mind, I discussed a religiousincident where I had tuned into
a church and I've found that thepast was message had fallen
(01:36):
short and reaching out to peopleof color specifically and
addressing some of the issues,um, that have come up since
George Floyd's murder.
I want to thank that churchlocated in Georgia for the
pastor, taking the time toactually mention racism and
(02:03):
diversity.
And one of the subsequentsermons I did tune in.
Again, I did give them anotheropportunity and I feel that
people need to have secondchances.
And so I just want to say thankyou if they're listening and
please continue to keep up thegood work.
(02:28):
Okay.
Well back to other things.
So our lists, you're going tohear some names of people who
have fallen at the hands ofthose who are supposed to
(02:49):
protect and serve.
We know that it's acontroversial topic, but despite
that, we still need to rememberthat this is about human
casualty.
And we like to take time toreflect and pay honor to those
(03:16):
who have lost their lives.
So please bear with us.
And if you will just give us afew seconds.
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
Deshaun.
Keasy David Makati.
George Perry, Floyd Dre, ShaunShaun Reed, Daniel prude, Ray
shard, Brooks, Ramon Lopez,Elijah McLean, Michael Brent,
Charles Ramos, Michael Brown,Brianna Taylor manual.
(03:47):
Manny, Elijah Ellis, JavierAmbler, Tony McDade uh, Tatiana
cookies.
Jefferson Derrick Scott SterlingHiggins eman take EJI Fitzgerald
Bradford jr.
Charles chop Roundtree jr.
Jeanetta Coby, Botham Shem, JeanAntwan, Rose jr.
(04:13):
So Saheed VSL, Earl McNeil,Anton black, Stefan Alonzo
Clark, Aaron Bailey Charlene atChavon Lyles.
The fetus of Charlene ChavonneLyles, Jordan Edwards, Ahmad
Aubrey
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Tanisha Anderson, Tamir rice, Chad Robertson,
Debra Denner Alfred along ago.
Terence Crutcher, TerrenceLadelle, Sterling Kerryn.
(04:56):
Gallins Joseph Curtis, manPhilando Castillo, Alton
Sterling, Betty, Betty booJones, Quinn Antonio Greer,
(05:16):
Corey Jones.
Jomar O'Neill Clark.
Do you ever me make Doyle India?
Kager Samuel Vincent Dubose,Sandra bland, Brendan Glenn,
(05:38):
Eric Garner, James Brown, WillieRay banks, Byron Williams,
Carlos Lopez and Derek Williams.
We'd like to take a moment ofsilence[inaudible] Thank you.
(06:04):
Thank you for that.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
All right, listeners.
That is how we wanted to startthe episode because black lives
matter has been an important hottopic since George Floyd, which
happened in may, but as we cansee from this list, and these
are just the ones that we seedocumented, it goes well well
(06:29):
beyond what happened in may and,um, where we kind of want to
just start.
The episode was talking aboutthis inherent fear of law
enforcement that AfricanAmericans have to learn at an
early age and how it's validatedby a list as extensive as this
one, with these people who were,you know, their lives were taken
(06:54):
by law enforcement and quitefrankly, the circumstances, um,
you know, it doesn't matterbecause the point is the way
that people are being treated asdifferent between whites.
And African-Americans when itcomes to law enforcement.
One article that came across myphone when I was researching for
(07:15):
this episode was on people.comand it was talking about a NASA
ass astronaut.
His name is Leland Melvin, andhe has flown over 500 hours in
space.
And, um, I think he's probablyin his fifties or sixties at
this point prior to being a NASAastronaut, he was in the NFL.
He played on a couple ofprofessional teams, but the
(07:35):
point of the article was despiteall of that.
He is still afraid of thepolice.
And when he gets pulled over, hestill has a fear that he learned
at an early age.
And that fear is now he's had topass on to his own son and
explained to him the differencesin the ways that he can be
treated, just because he'sAfrican American and teaching
(07:56):
him things like put your handson the steering wheel.
If you get pulled over, assumethe position of 10 and to tell
the officer what you're going tobe retrieving before you move
your body.
Things like that, that iscertainly never been taught to
me as a, as a white person.
And I was really surprisedreading that because here's a
(08:18):
man who's flown to space anddone all these great things for
our country and to advance, um,you know, everything that NASA
does for our country, but hegets pulled over for running a
stop sign or for nothing at all.
And he still has this fearinstilled in him.
Um,
Speaker 1 (08:33):
Yeah, and I think that that's really valid.
Um, there was a New York times,um, article this past June, uh,
that was entitled three words,70 cases, um, the tragic history
of I can't breathe and they,that at least 70 people had died
(09:00):
in police custody saying thosewords I can't breathe.
Um, if you look at the articleonline, it's really, um, it's
really powerful because, uh,they have an in such a way that
it's almost similar to aPowerPoint where you have the
words flashing at you.
(09:21):
I can't breathe.
I can't breathe.
And then it's, you know, it'sjust, it's, it's horrific.
It's actually, it was, it wasvery painful to see that.
Um, I knew that I don't knowwhy, I guess inherently, you
know, there've been a fewstories that have surfaced where
(09:41):
other people have died at thehands of police and have said, I
can't breathe and it's come outrecently.
Um, because of the attentionthat media has paid to it.
And, um, I think that, you know,in creating this podcast and in
wanting to normalize theconversation between blacks and
whites, you know, one of thethings that Jess and I have
(10:04):
discussed is that you're nevergoing to be able to normalize
it.
If you aren't willing to talkabout the difficult things, the
hard things, the painful things,if you want to brush those
things under the rug and youfeel like, well, it's going to
be too painful for my friends orwhat have you.
Yes, that may be true.
(10:26):
But the sheer act ofacknowledgement that you and
your friend exists in the samespace and that you're now tuning
in to the injustice is showingallyship.
And that's one of the thingsthat, you know, uh, dr.
(10:48):
King was able to accomplishbecause, uh, you know, the civil
rights movement, wasn't just alarge segment of black people
who, you know, it was alsowhites and there were other
minorities.
And so the same thing with theblack lives matter movement is
there needs to be an allyship.
(11:09):
There needs to be a partnership.
Um, because if there isn't,we're never going to change
things because it involves bombs.
Everyone.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
I'm just going to say, as a, as a white person,
it's become more apparent to methe privilege of white privilege
and how we are able to ignorethese headlines over the years
and get to this point in myadult life, where I'm just now
realizing that this has beenhappening for so long and police
(11:44):
brutality againstAfrican-Americans is a different
thing.
It's just a different thing.
People are treated differently.
And we have to be willing toaccept that as a fact,
Speaker 1 (11:57):
Um, if there are any, you know, law enforcement
officials who may be listening,no due process is a right, not a
favor when you're in the heat of, uh, a moment where someone may
be carrying a weapon, it'sunderstandable that you may feel
like your life is beingthreatened because that's common
(12:17):
sense.
The problem is when you try totalk down a person who is white
and disarm them, and when it's aperson of color, you release the
clip on your holster and prepareto fire.
(12:39):
So I think that, you know, weneed to acknowledge that her
with just training, becausetraining has already occurred,
there has to be a, um,sentiment, a mindset change.
And it's not just putting moreblack police officers on the
force either because thatdoesn't do away with the
(13:03):
systemic racism that caused, um,crime higher crimes in black
areas, or what have you that, sowe can't just address one issue,
but we need to begin byacknowledging that we must
become allies.
If you're a white, progressive,and you want to get involved,
(13:27):
get involved.
If you don't know a black personpersonally, that's okay.
But find ways to engage.
Now that there's, COVID, it'shard to do things like meetups
and such, but there arelistening webinars and there are
conferences and there are waysto just be more engaged and in
(13:49):
tune with the black community.
And I think that if whiteprogressives become more in
tuned, then they'll start tounderstand the problems and then
you'll become more empathetic.
And you'll also see that it'seasy to get involved.
(14:10):
It's not as difficult as you maythink.
It's just a matter of listeningin tuning, in looking for the
information.
And then, you know, alsoflipping to a channel if, if a
channel is criminalizing aperson of color flip to another
channel, I mean, that's, that'syour right.
(14:31):
So doing those simple gestureswould be helpful.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
Yeah.
And I know one of the things wetalked about was educating our
children on systemic racism, andthat's a goal, obviously that's
going to be with us forever.
And I was actually reading aboutthat today.
And it was talking about, evenif you can have your child take
a piece of, and kind of likewrap it all around their hands a
bunch of times, and then askthem to unwind it.
(14:58):
And obviously they won't be ableto do that most likely.
And, um, that's the point?
You know, you can maybe get one,not undone, but systemic racism
is so intertwined that it's,it's a lot deeper than that.
And making them aware of the,the size of the issue, you know,
at an early age, I think issomething that we all could do.
(15:18):
And then, you know, taking it astep further with the police,
you know, the issues with policeand this whole, you know, defund
the police thing.
Um, it has a real root and it'sbecause of the way that African
Americans have historically hadbeen treated so differently.
And, you know, there, you couldsay, well, there's a higher
(15:40):
crime rate.
Well, there's a higher crimerate in those areas because
they're impoverished.
Well, why are they impoverished?
They're impoverished because ofthings like red lining and being
deprived of, you know, mortgagesand in predominantly white areas
and not being given access tothe same quality of education
because they are in a low incomearea and school funding is tied
(16:02):
to property taxes.
So there are real reasons behindthis and defund the police is
actually a real thing because inplaces like LA the crime rate is
actually going down and policefunding is going up.
So
Speaker 1 (16:15):
Let's not just get rid of them, but let's make a
difference
Speaker 2 (16:20):
Exactly.
And nonviolent treatment plan asopposed to taking someone's life
unnecessarily.
So, yeah, and I am actually souncomfortable having this
conversation because of how sadit is.
And there's no way I can expressthat, but I hope, you know, as
(16:41):
my very good friend, how deeply,sorry I am for the level of
involvement that I have justfrom being white in this.
And, um, I hope, you know, thatit means a lot to me that you're
even giving me this opportunityto have this conversation.
I'm just going to pause for asecond.
Speaker 1 (17:01):
Yeah.
Just does this to me from timeto time.
And I always tell her that, youknow, this there's two of us.
So if she wasn't willing tolisten to me, you know, then it
wouldn't work.
So, and, and this is the thing,you know, the honesty, you know,
I'm really amazed because Iwould love to say that Jess and
(17:22):
I have been friends for yearsand years, I went to school
together and met back up.
But the truth is that's nottrue.
And somehow, you know, the starsaligned and we became friends
through our children.
And, um, and it's funny, ourchildren are great, uh,
(17:43):
playmates too.
Like they liked the same things,dinosaurs and things, and minor
girls and hers is a son.
And it's really funny, but, uh,yeah, and, you know, and I feel
like that's how life is, youknow, some things are indirect
and we look for indirect ways toconnect and we're all human.
So we should be able to findways to connect with each other,
(18:06):
even if it's a simpleconversation at a grocery store
or a thank you to someone whodoes something kind for you, you
know, just, just be more presentin your own life.
You will probably find ways toconnect with more people of
color.
Speaker 2 (18:23):
Yeah.
And some of those things I readtoo, talk about exposing your
children to African-Americanpractitioners, you know, seeking
out a practitioner that'sAfrican-American.
And if you can supporting blackowned businesses with your
children, you know, and I'mbanking with African American
owned banks and things to justshow your kids that it's a
(18:47):
diverse world out there, youknow, and the toys and the books
are important too, but there areactually a lot of things you can
do.
If you're not fortunate enoughto have a friend like a Z in
your life.
It's actually, one of my friendsasked me, how did you guys
become friends?
I really wish I could have thatwith an African American person.
So I could learn more aboutthis, learn from them the way
that you've learned so much fromZ.
(19:07):
I was like, honestly, that's notreally something you can just
snap your fingers in.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
It was like you said,
Speaker 2 (19:13):
The stars aligned, but if you can't do that, don't
lose hope.
Don't scare anyone
Speaker 1 (19:21):
Asking him to African American friend come naturally.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
But, um, there are other things that you can do to
still show your support and showyour dedication to the cause.
Thank you for tuning inlisteners.
We want to end this episode byremembering George Floyd, as
well as the many, many otherswhose names we read at the
beginning of this episode andended with a quote from
Congressman John Lewis.
(19:47):
We may not have chosen the time,but the time has chosen us.
There has never been a morecritical time for Americans to
awaken and do the work that isnecessary to begin to change the
course of this country'snarrative.
Even though it is a low point,it can also be a turning point.
And we hope that you'll join usin seeing this as a turning
(20:08):
point in all of our lives.
Speaker 1 (20:11):
Thank you for listening to awakened in
America.
If you enjoy today's podcast, besure to subscribe and leave a
review.
You can also find us onInstagram at awakened in
America.
That's awakened underscore inunderscore America and remember
be mindful, be grateful.
(20:33):
And most of all be you.
Hello wakens.
Thanks for tuning in today.
Your host, Jess unsee will bepresenting episode six allyship.
It will be in a unique fashion.
I'm introducing some content ina different way.
We'd like you to just sit back,relax, and absorb what you can
(00:24):
as always.
We appreciate you listening.
Be blessed.
You're listening to awaken inAmerica, two minds on a journey
to create dialogue aboutdiversity, inclusion and
optimism.
(00:51):
We will also be discussing, um,or listing some names that are
important to us and are alsoimportant to the movement to
change America's ideas aboutdiversity and inclusion.
So we're going to honor somepeople today.
(01:12):
So we look forward to having youlisten.
And I'd like to recap on aprevious episode, if you don't
mind, I discussed a religiousincident where I had tuned into
a church and I've found that thepast was message had fallen
(01:36):
short and reaching out to peopleof color specifically and
addressing some of the issues,um, that have come up since
George Floyd's murder.
I want to thank that churchlocated in Georgia for the
pastor, taking the time toactually mention racism and
(02:03):
diversity.
And one of the subsequentsermons I did tune in.
Again, I did give them anotheropportunity and I feel that
people need to have secondchances.
And so I just want to say thankyou if they're listening and
please continue to keep up thegood work.
(02:28):
Okay.
Well back to other things.
So our lists, you're going tohear some names of people who
have fallen at the hands ofthose who are supposed to
(02:49):
protect and serve.
We know that it's acontroversial topic, but despite
that, we still need to rememberthat this is about human
casualty.
And we like to take time toreflect and pay honor to those
(03:16):
who have lost their lives.
So please bear with us.
And if you will just give us afew seconds.
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
Deshaun.
Keasy David Makati.
George Perry, Floyd Dre, ShaunShaun Reed, Daniel prude, Ray
shard, Brooks, Ramon Lopez,Elijah McLean, Michael Brent,
Charles Ramos, Michael Brown,Brianna Taylor manual.
(03:47):
Manny, Elijah Ellis, JavierAmbler, Tony McDade uh, Tatiana
cookies.
Jefferson Derrick Scott SterlingHiggins eman take EJI Fitzgerald
Bradford jr.
Charles chop Roundtree jr.
Jeanetta Coby, Botham Shem, JeanAntwan, Rose jr.
(04:13):
So Saheed VSL, Earl McNeil,Anton black, Stefan Alonzo
Clark, Aaron Bailey Charlene atChavon Lyles.
The fetus of Charlene ChavonneLyles, Jordan Edwards, Ahmad
Aubrey
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Tanisha Anderson, Tamir rice, Chad Robertson,
Debra Denner Alfred along ago.
Terence Crutcher, TerrenceLadelle, Sterling Kerryn.
(04:56):
Gallins Joseph Curtis, manPhilando Castillo, Alton
Sterling, Betty, Betty booJones, Quinn Antonio Greer,
(05:16):
Corey Jones.
Jomar O'Neill Clark.
Do you ever me make Doyle India?
Kager Samuel Vincent Dubose,Sandra bland, Brendan Glenn,
(05:38):
Eric Garner, James Brown, WillieRay banks, Byron Williams,
Carlos Lopez and Derek Williams.
We'd like to take a moment ofsilence[inaudible] Thank you.
(06:04):
Thank you for that.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
All right, listeners.
That is how we wanted to startthe episode because black lives
matter has been an important hottopic since George Floyd, which
happened in may, but as we cansee from this list, and these
are just the ones that we seedocumented, it goes well well
(06:29):
beyond what happened in may and,um, where we kind of want to
just start.
The episode was talking aboutthis inherent fear of law
enforcement that AfricanAmericans have to learn at an
early age and how it's validatedby a list as extensive as this
one, with these people who were,you know, their lives were taken
(06:54):
by law enforcement and quitefrankly, the circumstances, um,
you know, it doesn't matterbecause the point is the way
that people are being treated asdifferent between whites.
And African-Americans when itcomes to law enforcement.
One article that came across myphone when I was researching for
(07:15):
this episode was on people.comand it was talking about a NASA
ass astronaut.
His name is Leland Melvin, andhe has flown over 500 hours in
space.
And, um, I think he's probablyin his fifties or sixties at
this point prior to being a NASAastronaut, he was in the NFL.
He played on a couple ofprofessional teams, but the
(07:35):
point of the article was despiteall of that.
He is still afraid of thepolice.
And when he gets pulled over, hestill has a fear that he learned
at an early age.
And that fear is now he's had topass on to his own son and
explained to him the differencesin the ways that he can be
treated, just because he'sAfrican American and teaching
(07:56):
him things like put your handson the steering wheel.
If you get pulled over, assumethe position of 10 and to tell
the officer what you're going tobe retrieving before you move
your body.
Things like that, that iscertainly never been taught to
me as a, as a white person.
And I was really surprisedreading that because here's a
(08:18):
man who's flown to space anddone all these great things for
our country and to advance, um,you know, everything that NASA
does for our country, but hegets pulled over for running a
stop sign or for nothing at all.
And he still has this fearinstilled in him.
Um,
Speaker 1 (08:33):
Yeah, and I think that that's really valid.
Um, there was a New York times,um, article this past June, uh,
that was entitled three words,70 cases, um, the tragic history
of I can't breathe and they,that at least 70 people had died
(09:00):
in police custody saying thosewords I can't breathe.
Um, if you look at the articleonline, it's really, um, it's
really powerful because, uh,they have an in such a way that
it's almost similar to aPowerPoint where you have the
words flashing at you.
(09:21):
I can't breathe.
I can't breathe.
And then it's, you know, it'sjust, it's, it's horrific.
It's actually, it was, it wasvery painful to see that.
Um, I knew that I don't knowwhy, I guess inherently, you
know, there've been a fewstories that have surfaced where
(09:41):
other people have died at thehands of police and have said, I
can't breathe and it's come outrecently.
Um, because of the attentionthat media has paid to it.
And, um, I think that, you know,in creating this podcast and in
wanting to normalize theconversation between blacks and
whites, you know, one of thethings that Jess and I have
(10:04):
discussed is that you're nevergoing to be able to normalize
it.
If you aren't willing to talkabout the difficult things, the
hard things, the painful things,if you want to brush those
things under the rug and youfeel like, well, it's going to
be too painful for my friends orwhat have you.
Yes, that may be true.
(10:26):
But the sheer act ofacknowledgement that you and
your friend exists in the samespace and that you're now tuning
in to the injustice is showingallyship.
And that's one of the thingsthat, you know, uh, dr.
(10:48):
King was able to accomplishbecause, uh, you know, the civil
rights movement, wasn't just alarge segment of black people
who, you know, it was alsowhites and there were other
minorities.
And so the same thing with theblack lives matter movement is
there needs to be an allyship.
(11:09):
There needs to be a partnership.
Um, because if there isn't,we're never going to change
things because it involves bombs.
Everyone.
Speaker 2 (11:22):
I'm just going to say, as a, as a white person,
it's become more apparent to methe privilege of white privilege
and how we are able to ignorethese headlines over the years
and get to this point in myadult life, where I'm just now
realizing that this has beenhappening for so long and police
(11:44):
brutality againstAfrican-Americans is a different
thing.
It's just a different thing.
People are treated differently.
And we have to be willing toaccept that as a fact,
Speaker 1 (11:57):
Um, if there are any, you know, law enforcement
officials who may be listening,no due process is a right, not a
favor when you're in the heat of, uh, a moment where someone may
be carrying a weapon, it'sunderstandable that you may feel
like your life is beingthreatened because that's common
(12:17):
sense.
The problem is when you try totalk down a person who is white
and disarm them, and when it's aperson of color, you release the
clip on your holster and prepareto fire.
(12:39):
So I think that, you know, weneed to acknowledge that her
with just training, becausetraining has already occurred,
there has to be a, um,sentiment, a mindset change.
And it's not just putting moreblack police officers on the
force either because thatdoesn't do away with the
(13:03):
systemic racism that caused, um,crime higher crimes in black
areas, or what have you that, sowe can't just address one issue,
but we need to begin byacknowledging that we must
become allies.
If you're a white, progressive,and you want to get involved,
(13:27):
get involved.
If you don't know a black personpersonally, that's okay.
But find ways to engage.
Now that there's, COVID, it'shard to do things like meetups
and such, but there arelistening webinars and there are
conferences and there are waysto just be more engaged and in
(13:49):
tune with the black community.
And I think that if whiteprogressives become more in
tuned, then they'll start tounderstand the problems and then
you'll become more empathetic.
And you'll also see that it'seasy to get involved.
(14:10):
It's not as difficult as you maythink.
It's just a matter of listeningin tuning, in looking for the
information.
And then, you know, alsoflipping to a channel if, if a
channel is criminalizing aperson of color flip to another
channel, I mean, that's, that'syour right.
(14:31):
So doing those simple gestureswould be helpful.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
Yeah.
And I know one of the things wetalked about was educating our
children on systemic racism, andthat's a goal, obviously that's
going to be with us forever.
And I was actually reading aboutthat today.
And it was talking about, evenif you can have your child take
a piece of, and kind of likewrap it all around their hands a
bunch of times, and then askthem to unwind it.
(14:58):
And obviously they won't be ableto do that most likely.
And, um, that's the point?
You know, you can maybe get one,not undone, but systemic racism
is so intertwined that it's,it's a lot deeper than that.
And making them aware of the,the size of the issue, you know,
at an early age, I think issomething that we all could do.
(15:18):
And then, you know, taking it astep further with the police,
you know, the issues with policeand this whole, you know, defund
the police thing.
Um, it has a real root and it'sbecause of the way that African
Americans have historically hadbeen treated so differently.
And, you know, there, you couldsay, well, there's a higher
(15:40):
crime rate.
Well, there's a higher crimerate in those areas because
they're impoverished.
Well, why are they impoverished?
They're impoverished because ofthings like red lining and being
deprived of, you know, mortgagesand in predominantly white areas
and not being given access tothe same quality of education
because they are in a low incomearea and school funding is tied
(16:02):
to property taxes.
So there are real reasons behindthis and defund the police is
actually a real thing because inplaces like LA the crime rate is
actually going down and policefunding is going up.
So
Speaker 1 (16:15):
Let's not just get rid of them, but let's make a
difference
Speaker 2 (16:20):
Exactly.
And nonviolent treatment plan asopposed to taking someone's life
unnecessarily.
So, yeah, and I am actually souncomfortable having this
conversation because of how sadit is.
And there's no way I can expressthat, but I hope, you know, as
(16:41):
my very good friend, how deeply,sorry I am for the level of
involvement that I have justfrom being white in this.
And, um, I hope, you know, thatit means a lot to me that you're
even giving me this opportunityto have this conversation.
I'm just going to pause for asecond.
Speaker 1 (17:01):
Yeah.
Just does this to me from timeto time.
And I always tell her that, youknow, this there's two of us.
So if she wasn't willing tolisten to me, you know, then it
wouldn't work.
So, and, and this is the thing,you know, the honesty, you know,
I'm really amazed because Iwould love to say that Jess and
(17:22):
I have been friends for yearsand years, I went to school
together and met back up.
But the truth is that's nottrue.
And somehow, you know, the starsaligned and we became friends
through our children.
And, um, and it's funny, ourchildren are great, uh,
(17:43):
playmates too.
Like they liked the same things,dinosaurs and things, and minor
girls and hers is a son.
And it's really funny, but, uh,yeah, and, you know, and I feel
like that's how life is, youknow, some things are indirect
and we look for indirect ways toconnect and we're all human.
So we should be able to findways to connect with each other,
(18:06):
even if it's a simpleconversation at a grocery store
or a thank you to someone whodoes something kind for you, you
know, just, just be more presentin your own life.
You will probably find ways toconnect with more people of
color.
Speaker 2 (18:23):
Yeah.
And some of those things I readtoo, talk about exposing your
children to African-Americanpractitioners, you know, seeking
out a practitioner that'sAfrican-American.
And if you can supporting blackowned businesses with your
children, you know, and I'mbanking with African American
owned banks and things to justshow your kids that it's a
(18:47):
diverse world out there, youknow, and the toys and the books
are important too, but there areactually a lot of things you can
do.
If you're not fortunate enoughto have a friend like a Z in
your life.
It's actually, one of my friendsasked me, how did you guys
become friends?
I really wish I could have thatwith an African American person.
So I could learn more aboutthis, learn from them the way
that you've learned so much fromZ.
(19:07):
I was like, honestly, that's notreally something you can just
snap your fingers in.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
It was like you said,
Speaker 2 (19:13):
The stars aligned, but if you can't do that, don't
lose hope.
Don't scare anyone
Speaker 1 (19:21):
Asking him to African American friend come naturally.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
But, um, there are other things that you can do to
still show your support and showyour dedication to the cause.
Thank you for tuning inlisteners.
We want to end this episode byremembering George Floyd, as
well as the many, many otherswhose names we read at the
beginning of this episode andended with a quote from
Congressman John Lewis.
(19:47):
We may not have chosen the time,but the time has chosen us.
There has never been a morecritical time for Americans to
awaken and do the work that isnecessary to begin to change the
course of this country'snarrative.
Even though it is a low point,it can also be a turning point.
And we hope that you'll join usin seeing this as a turning
(20:08):
point in all of our lives.
Speaker 1 (20:11):
Thank you for listening to awakened in
America.
If you enjoy today's podcast, besure to subscribe and leave a
review.
You can also find us onInstagram at awakened in
America.
That's awakened underscore inunderscore America and remember
be mindful, be grateful.
(20:33):
And most of all be you.
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