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Just what is going on with white people? Police shootings of unarmed African Americans. Acts of domestic terrorism by white supremacists. The renewed embrace of raw, undisguised white-identity politics. Unending racial inequity in schools, housing, criminal justice, and hiring. Some of this feels new, but in truth it's an old story.

Why? Where did the notion of "whiteness" come from? What does it mean? What is whiteness for?

Scene on Radio host and producer John Biewen took a deep dive into these questions, along with an array of leading scholars and regular guest Dr. Chenjerai Kumanyika, in this fourteen-part documentary series, released between February and August 2017. The series editor is Loretta Williams.

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Just what is going on with white people? Police shootings of unarmed African Americans. Acts of domestic terrorism by white supremacists. The renewed embrace of raw, undisguised white-identity politics. Unending racial inequity in schools, housing, criminal justice, and hiring. Some of this feels ne

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Teachers and school leaders need to abandon teaching students to embrace "grit." In my new book, We Want to Do More Than Survive, I spend an entire chapter explaining how these quick fixes pathologize African-American children and are inherently anti-black. I argue that the idea of grit seems harmless at face value-we can all agree that children need grit to be successful in life, regardless of how you define success-but is actually the educational equivalent of The Hunger Games.

Measuring African-American students' grit while removing no institutional barriers, then watching to see who beats the odds makes for great Hollywood movies (i.e., "Dangerous Minds," "The Blind Side," "Freedom Writers") and leaves us all feeling good because the gritty black kid made it out of the 'hood. But we fail to acknowledge the hundreds of kids who are left behind because we are rooting for what we are told is an anomaly. However, if teachers knew how enslaved Africans made it to the United States and how we as African-Americans fight every day to matter in this country, I believe they would understand why questioning whether African-American kids have grit is not only trivial but also deeply hurtful.

This year marks 400 years since the first documented Africans arrived on U.S. soil in Point Comfort, Va. When we teach about slavery, if allowed to teach it at all, we frame it as a thing that happened to Africa. There is often no mention of Africa before slavery or what enslaved Africans endured to arrive in bondage in the New Americas. To revisit that history is to tell a story of terror, trauma, labor, and, of course, grit.

My revelations about Africa and grit came when I traveled to Ghana in December, especially when I arrived at Assin Manso "Ancestral" Slave River Park (also referred to as the "Last Bath"). After walking hundreds of miles in shackles, captured Africans arrived at the Last Bath, home to the Donko Nsuo, which literally means slave river. There, they were inspected, fed, branded with hot-iron steel, and given the last bath they would receive until they arrived, months later, in the New Americas. Africans who did not survive the trip to the Last Bath were left as prey, tied to trees to be eaten alive by wild animals. Those who made it to the Last Bath were beyond strong; they were determined to live. Once they left the Last Bath, they still had to travel another 34 miles on foot in shackles to the coast of Ghana to be housed in dungeons.

More From This Author:

"An Essay for Teachers Who Understand Racism Is Real"

"Teachers, We Cannot Go Back to the Way Things Were

"White Teachers Need Anti-Racist Therapy"

"How Schools Are 'Spirit Murdering' Black and Brown Students"

"Dear White Teachers: You Can't Love Your Black Students If You Don't Know Them"

There were approximately 40 dungeons in Ghana, West Africa. Though they are often referred to as castles, they are a far cry from the stuff of legends and fairy tales. I visited the Cape Coast dungeon, which stands on a site first occupied by the Portuguese in the mid-1500s. The Swedish, Dutch, and British all at one point in history controlled this site of terror, as they fought each other for the ability to profit from the sale of human bodies.

From the outside, the Cape Coast dungeon looks like a grand tourist attraction with large white walls, lush trees, and the sound of huge waves slamming into the rocks along the coastline. But that beauty is all a façade to hide some of the most hideous and unthinkable terrors of which human beings are capable.

Up to 1,000 male and 500 female enslaved Africans could be jammed into the dungeons at any given time. In dark, poorly ventilated holding cells in the pits of the Cape Coast dungeon, after walking upwards of 200 miles to get there, men and women were held captive in their own waste and served just enough food to keep them alive. The women were routinely raped.

Above the dungeon where the men were held was a church. Next to that sanctuary was a small, dark cell waiting for anyone who resisted their fate. In this hole, they would receive no food, no water, no reminder of the sun. They were simply left to die. After walking hundreds of miles and spending weeks in the dungeons, those who were still alive walked through the "Doors of No Return" to be loaded on ships as cargo. They were shackled to prevent rebellions that were, amazingly, common. After all they endured, all the attempts to weaken their bodies and their spirits, they still fought.

The African bodies that arrived in this country were superhuman. They survived diseases, starvation, beatings, and the human loss of never returning home again.

The Character Lab, founded by grit guru Angela Duckworth, defines grit as "perseverance and passion for long-term goals." Revising an essay repeatedly or not quitting a sport in the middle of the season, according to the Character Lab, are examples of gritty behavior.

But what if your long-term goal is fighting to live, fighting racism? Is 400 years long enough? You cannot measure this type of grit, nor should you ignore it. African-Americans are resilient and gritty because we have to be to survive, but it is misleading, naive, and dangerous to remove our history on both sides of the water from the conversation about grit.

We have rebelled, fought, confronted, pleaded with the courts, marched, protested, and boycotted all just to survive the United States of America. Grit is in our DNA. Ghana taught me that. But grit alone will not overthrow oppressive systems of power. We need teachers, school leaders, and policymakers who have grit for justice. We need educators who understand the legacy of African-Americans' grit-that we have survived because of it, and the surviving is not enough. Black people and brown people deserve the right to use their grit to thrive, not just survive.

Related Video

In 2016, Bettina L. Love, the author of this Commentary, spoke to Education Week about African-American girls and discipline. Here's what she had to say:

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'Grit Is in Our DNA': Why Teaching Grit Is Inherently Anti-Black (Opinion)

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Teachers and school leaders need to abandon teaching students to embrace "grit." In my new book, We Want to Do More Than Survive, I spend an entire chapter explaining how these quick fixes pathologize African-American children and are inherently anti-black.

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A podcast about race and childhood

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Summary

Why is culture such a critical component of nurturing Black Children? Parent, author, and founder of BrownMamas.com Muffy Mendoza explains at the 2019 P.R.I.D.E. Speaker Series event on May 2, 2019.

Show Notes

In My Skin is a podcast about race and childhood. You can contact Adam at RacePRIDE@pitt.edu.
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The P.R.I.D.E. (Positive Racial Identity Development in Early Education) Program is part of the University of Pittsburgh Office of Child Development.
Find every episode of In My Skin at RacePRIDE.pitt.edu.
Learn more about the Office of Child Development at ocd.pitt.edu.
Special thanks to our funders: The W.K. Kellogg Foundation and Hillman Family Foundations

What is In My Skin?

Children see race. We want to learn more about what that means. Hear parents, scholars, illustrators, artists, and more explore how race impacted them as a child and how it affects their lives today. In My Skin is a production of P.R.I.D.E. -- Positive Racial Identity in Early Education -- a University of Pittsburgh Office of Child Development program.

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Summary Why is culture such a critical component of nurturing Black Children? Parent, author, and founder of BrownMamas.com Muffy Mendoza explains at the 2019 P.R.I.D.E. Speaker Series event on May 2, 2019. Show Notes In My Skin is a podcast about race and childhood. You can contact Adam at RacePRIDE@pitt.edu.

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TV Shows

1. 13th (Ava DuVernay) — Netflix

2. American Son (Kenny Leon) — Netflix

3. Black Power Mixtape: 1967-1975 — Available to rent

4. Clemency (Chinonye Chukwu) — Available to rent

5. Dear White People (Justin Simien) — Netflix

6. Fruitvale Station (Ryan Coogler) — Available to rent

7. I Am Not Your Negro (James Baldwin doc) — Available to rent or on Kanopy

8. If Beale Street Could Talk (Barry Jenkins) — Hulu

9. Just Mercy (Destin Daniel Cretton) — Available to rent

10.King In The Wilderness  — HBO

11. See You Yesterday (Stefon Bristol) — Netflix

12. Selma (Ava DuVernay) — Available to rent

13. The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution — Available to rent

14. The Hate U Give (George Tillman Jr.) — Hulu with Cinemax

15. When They See Us (Ava DuVernay) — Netflix
16. The Banker -Apple tv
17. Roots
18. Jackie Robinson 42
19. Marshall
20.

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I have the good fortune of working with talented educators around the country who are committed to centering diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in their work. In my roles as a former founding school leader and as I now train, coach and support education and nonprofit leaders near and far, I get to see entire organizations come to life when they meaningfully commit to infusing DEI effectively into their day-to-day practices.

On the flip side, I witness so many missed opportunities when leaders and educators treat DEI needs as a side item on a menu - an extra thing to take on, or worse yet, a dreaded or low-priority undertaking. And too often I perceive an almost sadder middle ground at play. Schools and organizations with the best of intentions often miss the mark and cause inadvertent harm to students, families and staff through their policies and practices (often in the ways I describe in my #ISTE19 talk earlier this year). Want to proactively avoid perpetuating inequities in your own work? Here are three best practices that you and others in your organization should keep in mind:

1) Align your talk to productive, ongoing action

The efforts that I describe truly require multi-faceted, richly infused, candid, informed, ongoing work that touches on every level of a school or organization. (Yes, every!) Doing so means that every team member - from the principal to the school safety team, instructional coaches, custodial staff and families - understands their* role in improving the learning outcomes for students through this work.

Educators often say they want to do better for students, but for many reasons, their actions do not align to their words. In the face of many competing commitments, sometimes leaders share a vision or strategic plan, but fail to follow up effectively - or at all.

Or they treat DEI work like a to-do item to check off of a list, perhaps offering a training session or two, bringing in a motivational speaker or completing a siloed initiative with no follow-up. Instead, leaders should co-create a clear, meaningful shared vision with all stakeholders, followed by a multi-faceted plan, then align resources and time commitments to these intentions to ensure that they happen.

Actions should touch upon multiple facets of the school or organization - from recruiting to hiring, school culture and beyond. Teachers and other educators can align their own talk to action by actively pursuing learning opportunities (e.g., reading, attending events, seeking professional development) and mindfully building relationships with diverse colleagues who have varied perspectives to share.

Teaching Tolerance provides many great free resources including these helpful webinars, and stay tuned for the January release of Schooling For Critical Consciousness by Daren Graves and his colleague Scott Seider.

2) Be willing to do the real work

When conversations about DEI are happening authentically, they are often perplexing, harrowing, deeply personal and consequential in all the best of ways.

So, they require a great deal of personal commitment and reflection that makes most people hesitant and often unwilling to dive in. Each stakeholder must do important personal work to examine the impact of their identities on students before attempting to work collectively with others to move the needle on DEI issues.

Many cringe and clam up when the heat turns up just as meaningful conversations about implicit bias and anti-racism are getting started, but therein lies the truework and major opportunities for all involved. We should all recognize when these moments surface, candidly name for ourselves what is making us uncomfortable, then dig deeper to truly understand the topic at hand before choosing to run away or reject it.

Getting everyone on board with these efforts can be a challenging feat. Often times, while some colleagues begin taking important steps forward, others on the team remain convinced that these conversations are irrelevant to them and their roles, or that these issues are not germane to students and the future.

Change starts from the top. Some of my most meaningful work has been with courageous leaders who seek effective training so that they can facilitate these conversations and model what it looks like to be a public learner - especially when doing so feels messy and imperfect. They often do not bear expertise in the topics that we cover, but they recognize the importance of embracing the discomfort and leading this work for their communities to co-create new possibilities for students. Each of us could be doing more of the same. If you have not done so already, check out two of my recent favorites: How to Be An Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi and White Fragility: Why It's So Hard For White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo. Perhaps grab a beverage and discuss both with a colleague or friend who is of a different background than you!

3) Keep the fire going

If this work sounds challenging, it simply is. Educators tend to have an already-impossible list of "to dos" on any given day, so while some may be inspired to be better for their students, often times, these important efforts slow to a halt and the inequities wind up living on.

Training sessions or special events in isolation will not meet the need. With over 23 years of DEI training experience, I still make mistakes that I wish I could take back - these stumbles are simply an important part of the work, and I must enroll in my own ongoing learning process in order to do better.

Since this work starts by first looking inward, educators should find ways to prioritize doing the same over time. Schools and organizations can keep their conversations going by having a standing agenda item at staff meetings or holding an occasional half- or full-day team retreat. Well-timed whole-community step-backs provide the platform for candid conversations to take place as stakeholders at all levels develop critical fluency around these important topics.

It is important that meeting takeaways include straightforward action items with assigned owners and clear deadlines. Owners of these action items should hold the community accountable, but with the collective understanding that they are part of everyone's work so as not to expect set individuals to serve as the "diversity police," which rarely ever goes well. These steps can support all educators to provide students with the thoughtful learning environments that they deserve.

What wakes me up each morning is knowing that we still have important work to do. Students count on us (and, in the future, we them) to dismantle the inequities that hold each of us back from realizing the best possible version of ourselves. It cannot happen until all educators and students are fully equipped to be critically conscious and ultimately change a status quo that has perpetually served to benefit some groups over others. Words cannot describe the possibilities that we open up when we choose to dismantle the structures and behaviors that keep inequity alive. Let us all do our part.
* Non-binary pronouns are small, important adjustments we can all embrace to ensure that our language choices are more inclusive.
To learn more about equity in education, watch Cheyenne's ISTE19 talk "What Lessons From My Father Taught Me about Inequity in Schools" below.

Cheyenne E. Batista (she/her/hers), founder and CEO of Firefly Worldwide Inc. and Ed.D. student at American University, is a former founding superintendent of a network of schools in NYC and currently runs a global education and nonprofit consulting practice from anywhere that a plane will land her. Follow her on Twitter @cheysays and @letsfirefly, Instagram and Facebook.
This is an updated version of a post that originally published on November 2, 2019.

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3 steps to dismantle inequities in your school

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I have the good fortune of working with talented educators around the country who are committed to centering diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in their work. In my roles as a former founding school leader and as I now train, coach and support education and nonprofit leaders near and far, I get to see entire organizations come to life when they meaningfully commit to infusing DEI effectively into their day-to-day practices.

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from ASCD

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interesting and brief article focused on racial disparities in health care

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Numerous studies over the years have laid bare the gap in health outcomes between minority groups and white Americans.

African Americans have a lower life expectancy than white people. They are more likely to suffer and die from chronic conditions like kidney, cardiovascular, and lung disease.

Black children are more likely to endure asthma and have more severe symptoms than white children. The infant mortality rate is more than twice as high for black children than for white children - a disparity that's wider today than it was in 1850, when the majority of African Americans were enslaved, and one that is not related to the economic or educational status of the mother.

These persistent disparities in health outcomes are not due to genetic or biological differences between the races but to entrenched racism in American society.

Discrimination in American health care is well documented. African Americans, in fact, have been subjected to racist understandings of biology and cruel medical experimentation since the Middle Passage. In the mid-1800s, for example, the physician J. Marion Sims performed torturous experiments on enslaved women without anesthesia. In the infamous Tuskegee syphilis experiment of the 1930s, doctors collaborating with the U.S. Public Health Service studied the deadly symptoms of syphilis on hundreds of black men without treating them or even telling them they were infected.

African-American women, in particular, have been subjected to unspeakable horrors, including bearing the brunt of a eugenics movement in the 20th century that sought to control black population growth. Not only were oral contraceptives deliberately pushed in black communities but African-American, as well as Native women have been subjected to forced sterilizations.

In 1973, the SPLC represented the Relf sisters, who were 12 and 14 and lived in public housing with their mother when doctors working for the U.S. government surgically sterilized them without consent. Their mother, who was illiterate, signed an "X" on a document after being told her daughters, who both had mental disabilities, would be receiving birth control shots. The SPLC's legal action exposed a program under which tens of thousands of black women had been coerced into undergoing sterilization.

The legacy of these injustices is still with us. Perhaps no other group of people in America experiences worse health outcomes than black women.

Black women have higher death rates for nearly all cancers than white women and are twice as likely to experience infertility problems. These health disparities manifest most severely, however, in maternal death rates - the rates at which women die during pregnancy or up to after a year after childbirth.

This phenomenon has puzzled researchers for decades. A recent study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed that maternal death rates among black women are 3.3 times higher than for whites. In a separate national study examining the five major conditions linked to maternal death, researchers found that black women did not have a significantly higher prevalence of these conditions but were two to three times more likely to die from them.

Ever since researchers confirmed this stark disparity, they've been trying to understand its causes. One could partly attribute it to the structural barriers black women experience when trying to access health care due to generations of discrimination and segregation. In fact, many of the health disparities between black and white Americans can be directly linked to federal housing discrimination, redlining, and neighborhood segregation.

Black women in America are more likely to live in poverty and to live in neighborhoods where it is difficult to get quality health care. They're also more likely to have limited access to transportation, to work in jobs with inflexible hours or inadequate benefits with little sick leave, and to be uninsured.

Despite the barrage of evidence that these barriers necessarily affect health outcomes, researchers cannot rule out the role that racism - implicit or explicit bias - plays in interpersonal interactions between health care professionals and women of color.

Even when all other factors are equal - economic status, educational background, and access to health care - maternal death rates for black women are still higher compared to white women. Public health researcher Arline Geronimus has posited that black women's health is affected by a process she calls " weathering." Under this hypothesis, the cumulative experience of racism throughout one's life can induce the kind of chronic stress that makes African-American women particularly susceptible to chronic health conditions that lead to otherwise preventable deaths.

Even the wealthiest black women in America aren't immune from these problems. Tennis star Serena Williams, worth an estimated $180 million, nearly died from post-birth complications in 2017. This week, she announced that she has invested in a start-up company that's working to end the maternal mortality crisis among black women.

At the SPLC, we're fighting against both structural and explicit racism that contributes to this extraordinary health disparity.

We're working to defend access to health care by combating the misguided work requirements some states are adopting as a way to strip low-income people of their coverage under Medicaid. These requirements particularly threaten low-income women of color who rely on Medicaid before their pregnancies as well as during and after them. Many, of course, live in states that have refused to expand Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act.

We're also fighting racism by providing free anti-bias resources and social justice teaching resources to our nation's schools so that all children may have access to safe and non-stressful learning environments where they can thrive. And, we're working to dismantle the racist criminal justice systems that keep women of color impoverished from generation to generation.

The evidence is glaringly clear: Racism is lethal, and we cannot hope to achieve racial equity without acknowledging that this underlying factor causes an untold number of premature deaths among black Americans.

The Editors

P.S. Here are some other pieces we think are valuable this week:
SPLC's Weekend Reads are a weekly summary of the most important reporting and commentary from around the country on civil rights, economic and racial inequity, and hate and extremism. Sign up to receive Weekend Reads every Saturday morning. Photo by Jose Luis Pelaez Inc

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Weekend Read: Racism is Killing Black Americans

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Numerous studies over the years have laid bare the gap in health outcomes between minority groups and white Americans. African Americans have a lower life expectancy than white people. They are more likely to suffer and die from chronic conditions like kidney, cardiovascular, and lung disease.

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The website has current events written on different reading levels great source for teachers to find articles to assign to students. Limited access with free account

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Newsela | L.A. woman drawing attention to another black death at police hands: Breonna Taylor

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When it comes to cases of police brutality, the stories of women get little media and political attention.

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Links to multiple websites lessons for staff development and students 

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Links to multiple websites lessons for staff development and students 

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Black Lives Matter at School offers free K-12 curriculum for teachers covering racism, social justice and diversity as protests over George Floyd's death continue across the country.

The lessons, created by educators, are designed for students of all ages, from early childhood to high school, and also include resources in multiple languages.

Elementary school activities, for example, include art projects that address racism as well as a guidebook about respect created by GLSEN, which advocates students in the gay, lesbian and transgender community.

Middle school lessons cover the experiences of black women and restorative justice.

More from DA: New era of equity-District leader sees new way forward after school closures

The high school resources cover topics such as environmental justice, social justice in math, and extensive social studies and history lessons.

Black Lives Matter in Schools' website also provides links to several other organizations that offer resources for teaching about race and equity, including:

In a post titled "Moving Forward Together," the Connecticut Department of Education has compiled a list of resources to guide teachers, students and parents in discussing racism, hate and violence.

"If we are to prepare our students to become productive members of a diverse society who embrace diversity and foster school communities in which all members feel valued, respected and safe, remaining silent on these current events is not an option," Connecticut Commissioner of Education Miguel A. Cardona wrote.

Educators respond to protests

The website WeAreTeachers, which helps educators share ideas and resources, has reached out to teachers to find out how they are talking to their students about George Floyd's death and the protests.

"I teach elementary special education in an inner-city school where riots are currently happening. We are out for summer, but I'm working on setting up a time to Zoom this week. I can only imagine how scared they are right now. I'm planning on asking how they are doing and going from there. Making sure they know they are loved and respected," one teacher said.

"I teach middle school science. I am a white teacher and 99% of my students are (people of color). During this week's Zoom calls, I am just going to ask everyone how they are doing and let them talk. I will sit with them and listen," another teacher said.

More from DA: Why Florida teachers union is focused on equity in reopening

NASSP, the National Association of Secondary School Principals, wrote an open letter to school leaders recognizing trauma experienced by black students who have already been disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus.

"This moment in time calls on us as leaders to build our own cultural competence to recognize and address the racial disparities in our discipline policies and our academic systems, and in our use of school resource officers," says the letter, written by NASSP Executive Director JoAnn Bartoletti and NASSP President and Chairman Peter Kruszynski. "It calls on us to lead conversations with all students and stakeholders that will build culturally responsive schools."

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the national association of secondary school principals

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Black Lives Matter offers free social justice curriculum

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Black Lives Matter at School offers free K-12 curriculum for teachers covering racism, social justice and diversity as protests over George Floyd's death continue across the country. The lessons, created by educators, are designed for students of all ages, from early childhood to high school, and also include resources in multiple languages.

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Video Explains Rights vs Responsibility 

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Video Explains Rights vs Responsibility 

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Journalist Justin King Breaks Down Anti-Lockdown Arguments

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ON SPOTIFY

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Stamped from the Beginning [The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America (Unabridged)]

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Stamped from the Beginning [The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America (Unabridged)]

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Our campaign supports teachers with free lessons and resources for teaching about racism and anti-racist struggles.

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NEA edjustice many links to activities & lessons 

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NEA edjustice many links to activities & lessons 

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Talking About Race

Check out resources to help facilitate conversations about race, including classroom appropriate lesson plans, guides on how to have tough conversations with peers and students, and more.

Teaching for Black Lives, Edited By Dyan Watson, Jesse Hagopian, Wayne Au. Rethinking Schools.

Black Lives Matter at School, website of the national coalition organizing for racial justice in education.

2020 Curriculum Resource Guide, BlackLivesMatteratSchool.com

Creating the Space to Talk about Race in Your School (PDF), National Education Association

Lessons by grade-level and educator resources, Washington DC Black Lives Matter

Classroom Activities, Circle Scripts, and Promoting Positive School Climate, Rochester City School District

Share your BLM at School events, actions or resolutions here: neaedjustice@nea.org
Standing Together

See how cities like Milwaukee, Rochester, and Seattle have passed community and union resolutions - and then mobilized to support Black Lives Matter at School.

Art and Activism

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Black Lives Matter at School - Resources - NEA EdJustice

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Talking About Race Check out resources to help facilitate conversations about race, including classroom appropriate lesson plans, guides on how to have tough conversations with peers and students, and more. Teaching for Black Lives, Edited By Dyan Watson, Jesse Hagopian, Wayne Au. Rethinking Schools. Black Lives Matter at School, website of the national coalition organizing ...

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How do you nurture anti-racism in children? Can educators and parents teach young people to see past their unconscious bias and ingrained beliefs to truly empathize with peers of color? How can white educators teach these topics when they have no personal experience with racism?

These are the questions many researchers and organizations have been grappling with for decades. The answers are complex, but one solution stands out: Knowledge and awareness are the keys to mutual understanding and transformational change.

These organizations collectively offer a deep well of free materials for educators and parents to address racism, inequity and bias and strategies for offsetting the devastating effects of racism on young people.

President and Michelle Obama started this foundation to create a more just and equitable world. You'll find links to projects and organizations that focus on police violence and anti-racism and suggestions for actions that anyone can take to encourage reform. There's also information about My Brother's Keeper Alliance, which President Obama started in 2014 after the killing of Trayvon Martin, to address the opportunity gaps for young men of color.

This project of the Southern Poverty Law Center and has been around since 1991 with a goal to stop hate and to teach children to be "active participants in a diverse democracy." The project provides a wealth of free resources for K-12 educators to teach tolerance with an emphasis on anti-bias and social justice. It's Social Justice Standards show how anti-bias education works through the four domains of identity, diversity, justice and action. The project offers lesson plans, teaching strategies and materials including texts, films and posters. It also provides professional development for teachers through workshops, self-guided learning, webinars and podcasts.

This extensive list of curated resources aims to help both teachers and students build a set of social and cultural literacies via multicultural education, social justice education and culturally responsive pedagogy to navigate difficult conversations, acknowledge and challenge bias and prejudice, create inclusive classroom spaces, and fight for social justice. You'll find links to comprehensive curriculum as well as lessons, videos, downloadables and games organized by topic areas, such as facilitating tough conversations, understanding bias and prejudice, and getting students civically engaged.

Founded in 1989, this national organization offers professional development, curriculum and curated resources to help K-12 teachers and students build a more equitable, multicultural society, and become active global citizens. It encourages "teachers and students to question and rethink the world inside and outside their classrooms." Programs include anti-bias education for young children, a high school history curriculum based on Howard Zinn's "A People's History of the United States" and a civil rights curriculum that focuses on everyday people instead of a few major heroes and dates. The organization also identifies and promotes "the best multicultural and social justice children's books, as well as articles and books for educators," through the website SocialJusticeBooks.org.

This nonprofit organization seeks to make people aware of their implicit biases, or thoughts and feelings outside of conscious awareness and control. It offers implicit association tests on its website that anyone can take anonymously to identify their own hidden biases. By making people aware of such biases, they are better able to identify their influences on their behavior. The anonymous data also is made available to researchers, journalists, educators and others so they can better understand attitudes and stereotypes. The project was started in 1998 by researchers from Harvard, the University of Washington and the University of Virginia.

This Philadelphia preschool put together an infographic titled "They're not too young to talk about race" that identifies the development of racial attitudes in young children from 3 months through age 6. The infographic is based on research showing that attitudes about race start forming very early on. For example, "by 30 months, most children use race to choose playmates," according to the infographic.

The goal is to encourage dialogue about race and diversity with young children to develop healthy attitudes. "Young children notice and think about race," the infographic states. "Adults often worry that talking about race will encourage racial bias in children, but the opposite is true. Silence about race reinforces racism by letting children draw their own conclusions based on what they see." Also included is a list of resources for more information and training

This ongoing initiative from The New York Times Magazine began in August 2019 to mark the 400th anniversary of American Slavery. The essays, on different aspects of contemporary life, show how various modern phenomena are connected to slavery. The package also includes 17 literary works by black writers on key moments in American history. You'll also see a visual history of slavery and find a link to the 1619 podcast.

The content is gruesome, because the subject is gruesome. Therefore, it might be better suited for older students.

ISTE offers a wealth of resources for K-12 and higher ed educators, and while the emphasis is on edtech, digital equity and inclusion is at the forefront of ISTE's mission and a hallmark of the ISTE Standards.

Closing the Gap is a two-book series by Regina Schaffer, Nicol R. Howard and Sarah Thomas exploring how to achieve digital equity on campuses, in classrooms and throughout the education system. Closing the Gap: Digital Equity Strategies for the K-12 Classroom, discusses the key challenges facing teachers in today's classrooms, such as access, connectivity, limited resources, the digital divide and the homework gap. Closing the Gap: Digital Equity Strategies for Teacher Prep Programs offers research- and evidence-based vignettes from teacher educators, higher education deans and department coordinators demonstrating best practices.

In this episode of ISTE's Ed Influencer podcast, child psychiatrist Pam Cantor talks about why it's important for educators to focus on relationship-building and students' emotional well-being during times of crisis. Although the focus of this podcast is on the COVID-19 pandemic, Cantor's research focused on the effects of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on children in New York City schools. Cantor's study revealed that highly stressful situations cause a double whammy effect on children's ability to learn.

Human relationships, such as those in school communities - friends, classmates and teachers - can buffer the negative effects of stress caused by trauma like racism, turmoil at home or traumatic events, Cantor says.
Jerry Fingal is a writer from Eugene, Oregon, who focuses on education. Samantha Mack is a marketing associate for ISTE.

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How do you nurture anti-racism in children? Can educators and parents teach young people to see past their unconscious bias and ingrained beliefs to truly empathize with peers of color? How can white educators teach these topics when they have no personal experience with racism?

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Book recommendations

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Despite years of talk about living in a post-racial America, the police-involved deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor serve as grim reminders that racism is still alive and well in the modern day United States - and always has been. Now, as every television set across the country flashes with images of peaceful protests turned violent in Minneapolis and St. Louis, it's becoming clear that unless we do something to stop it, the hate and violence emboldened by the current presidential administration will only get worse. A good first step to take? Educating yourself with these books on race all white people should read, because it is up to all of us to put an end to racism.

Incidents of police brutality and protests against it pepper recent memory, from the Watts riots in 1965 LA to today's protests across the country. According to Mapping Police Violence, "There were only 27 days in 2019 when [U.S.] police did not kill someone." Despite comprising only 13% of the U.S. population as a whole, black Americans make up 24% of people killed by police, and are three times "more likely to be killed by police than white people." If that weren't enough, between 2013 and 2019, "99% of killings by police... have not resulted in officers being charged with a crime," Mapping Police Violence also reported.

Because we cannot afford to allow police to continue to harass and kill people of color without consequence, here are 17 essential books about race all white people should read. Getting informed is only the first step on a lifetime journey of anti-racism, but it's a necessary one that these enlightening reads can help you make.

'Between the World and Me' by Ta-Nehisi Coates

In a letter to his son, acclaimed author Ta-Nahisi Coates tackles some of the most difficult questions about survival, identity, history, and freedom facing black men and women. Drawing from his own experiences as a black man in America, Coates explores the country's fraught past and divisive present in an attempt to shed a light on creating a brighter future. A utterly devastating and affecting read, this book is what Toni Morrison calls "required reading," so you better put it on your list. - Sadie Trombetta

Click here to buy.

'Choke Hold: Policing Black Me' by Paul Butler

In the tradition of The New Jim Crow, Paul Butler's explanation of a deeply racially discriminatory justice system with transform the way you think about policing, race relations, and criminal justice. In Choke Hold, the former federal prosecutor turned legal commentator exposes the unjust laws and practices within the justice system that continually treats black men like criminals, thugs, and the enemy of the people. Powerful as it is enlightening, Choke Hold not only sheds a light on a broken system, but also offers recommendations, albeit somewhat controversial, about the different ways in which Americans can take it down. - Sadie Trombetta

Click here to buy.

'They Can't Kill Us All: Ferguson, Baltimore, and a New Era in America's Racial Justice Movement' by Wesley Lowery

An essential book about the intersection of police violence and race, Wesley Lowery's heavily researched and deeply reported book sheds a clarifying light onto one of the most polarizing topics in America today: the shooting of black Americans by white cops. In They Can't Kill Us All, Lowery, a Washington Post reporter, draws from hundreds of interviews from across the country, from friends and family members of Michael Brown and other shooting victims to community organizers and local activists, to paint a heartbreaking portrait of racial injustice and those fighting against it. A well-balanced work of statistics and personal anecdote, They Can't Kill Us All is more than just information, but heart. - Sadie Trombetta

Click here to buy.

This article was originally published on

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17 Books On Race Every White Person Needs To Read

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Despite years of talk about living in a post-racial America, the police-involved deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor serve as grim reminders that racism is still alive and well in the modern day United States - and always has been. Now, as...

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Book recommendations

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10 Books to Help You Educate Yourself About Anti-Racism

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As Black Lives Matter protests continue across the country, and footage is proliferated online of peaceful demonstrations being repeatedly met with violent escalation from law enforcement, the message becomes increasingly clear to white allies that it isn't sufficient to simply say you are not a racist. You must be actively anti-racist.

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Video to promote Round Table Discussion

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Welcome to Chesapeake High School's very own Peake Speaks! We created this platform to allow students and staff to share opinions and thoughts on various topics that cultivates our communal experience.Our blog staff is working on releasing various types of content so that every reader can enjoy and

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short on time or at the beach/outside, the keynote addresses give the thesis and examples from each of the books and then you can decide which books to read to dig deeper.

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What's CODE SWITCH? It's the fearless conversations about race that you've been waiting for! Hosted by journalists of color, our podcast tackles the subject of race head-on. We explore how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and everything in between. This podcast makes ALL OF US part of the conversation — because we're all part of the story

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What's CODE SWITCH? It's the fearless conversations about race that you've been waiting for. Hosted by journalists of color, our podcast tackles the subject of race with empathy and humor. We explore how race affects every part of society - from politics and pop culture to history, food and everything in between.

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Conversation

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Parents of Black and brown kids know that instilling their kids with a sense of racial identity and talking about how racism will inevitably affect their lives -- and possibly even their safety -- are essential life lessons. Parents of White kids, on the other hand, often don't feel the same pressure. But as racist violence continues to erupt, discussing race, racism, and the history of racial oppression in the United States and the world is just as essential for White families. These are not easy conversations to have, but movies, TV, and books -- as well as other media and tech -- can be powerful tools to help you get started. Remember, media makes a big impression on kids. But the messages you send -- from the media you choose, to the conversations you initiate -- are what kids will hold in their hearts and minds long after the final credits.

Here are 10 ideas for how to use media to start and continue conversations about race and racism with your kids. This list is not exhaustive, so if you have other ideas, please add them to the comments.

Diversify your bookshelf

If you grew up reading Anne of Green Gables and Little House on the Prairie, you can still share these classics with your kids. But don't stop there: Look for stories featuring and written by people of color. Here are some places to start:

It can be easy to let stereotypes fly by when watching the minstrel-show crows in or exaggerated accents in The Goonies. But by pointing out when something is racist, you're helping your kid develop critical-thinking skills. These skills will allow conversations about race and stereotypes to deepen as kids get older.

Watch hard stuff

As kids get older, expose them to the harsh realities of racism throughout history and through the current day. That doesn't mean nonstop cable news replaying gruesome details of violence but carefully chosen films like or McFarland, USA. You can also watch footage of protests to kick off conversations about anger, fear, oppression, and power. Be explicit about racism and discrimination being hurtful, damaging, and wrong.

Seek out media created by people of color

As you choose your family movie night pick or browse online for books, specifically look for authors and directors of color. Aim for stories that include people of color in lead roles and as fully developed characters. With older kids, take an audit of how many movies or books you've recently watched or read that were created by people of color. Discuss the reasons for any imbalance and the importance of a variety of perspectives.

Broaden your own perspectives

Follow and read Black and brown voices and media outlets. Use what you learn to inform conversations with your kids. Some places to start (and by no means a complete list):

Discuss hate speech and harassment online

Ask kids if they've seen racist language in YouTube videos or comments. For social media-using kids, talk about racist memes. Ask them to show you examples and aim to develop empathy without shaming them. Help them understand how following or sharing racist accounts helps spread hate. Brainstorm ways they can safely and responsibly speak out against racist imagery and messages online. Adapt this lesson on countering hate speech for your conversations.

Understand the online landscape

Read this account of a White mom parenting through her son's exposure to online white supremacy. And read the son's perspective. Learn more about places where White racist groups congregate and how they recruit, and keep discussions open and honest with kids who socialize on sites like Discord and Reddit.

Explore the power of tech tools

Use recent examples of how phones, video recordings, and editing tools affect our understanding of race and racism. Discuss how the release of video evidence can spur action, like in the case of Ahmaud Arbery. Explore together how photos and videos can both reveal truth and hide it -- especially when context is edited out.

Build news literacy

Besides sharing news articles from different perspectives with your kids, use opportunities like protests in Minneapolis to discuss how news is presented. What kinds of stories get the most attention? How are language and images used differently to depict people and incidents depending on the news outlet, the people involved, and the topic? Look at news coverage of incidents where White people commit acts of violence and compare to when people of color do.

Teach your kid to be an ally

Learn about how White people can support people of color by being allies and then integrate these ideas into your conversations and actions with your kids. Talk through scenarios your kid might encounter online and discuss (and model) when it might be best to just listen, to call someone out, to amplify someone's voice, to share resources, etc. Share mistakes you've made around talking about race and racism -- in person or online -- with your kids so they know it's OK to not be perfect or have all the answers.

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How White Parents Can Use Media to Raise Anti-Racist Kids

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Parents of Black and brown kids know that instilling their kids with a sense of racial identity and talking about how racism will inevitably affect their lives -- and possibly even their safety -- are essential life lessons. Parents of White kids, on the other hand, often don't feel the same pressure.

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What if 2020 isn’t cancelled?

What if 2020 is the year we’ve been waiting for?

A year so uncomfortable, so painful, so scary, so raw-

that if finally forces us to grow.

A year that screams so loud, finally awakening us

From our ignorant slumber.

A year we finally accept the need for change.

Declare change. Work for change. Become the change.

A year we finally band together, instead of

Pushing each other further apart.

2020 isn’t cancelled, but rather

The most important year of them all.

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Lesson plan from Tolerance

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Conversations

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Jillian McRae and Sam North co-facilitate a course about classism, sexism, and racism at Ossining High School in Westchester County, New York that creates space for students to have courageous conversations and make intentional choices about their involvement in their communities.
How do students react when the conversation centers institutional structures rather than individual acts?

What happens when high school students frame their examination of systems around those who benefit the most from them, and are encouraged to have honest discussions about the "isms" these systems create with their peers?

Culturally Responsive Education (CRE) connects curriculum and teaching to students' experiences, perspectives, histories & cultures. It advances students' academic achievement and sense of themselves as agents for change; and it helps students sustain their connection to their own language, culture and identity while also developing skills to succeed in the dominant culture.

CRE is a method of rigorous, student-centered learning that cultivates critical thinking instead of just test-taking skills; relates academic study to contemporary issues and students' experiences; fosters positive academic, racial and cultural identities; develops students' ability to connect across cultures; empowers students and inspires them to fall in love with learning.
Richard Gray and his team from the NYU Metro Center is partnering with Manauvaskar Kublall, MediaSutra, to tell 9 stories of culturally responsive education from the perspectives of teachers, administrators, teacher educators, and parents. Resources:

Media Gallery Main Page

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Watch CRE Stories: Race Conversations in the Classroom

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Jillian McRae and Sam North co-facilitate a course about classism, sexism, and racism at Ossining High School in Westchester County, New York that creates space for students to have courageous conversations and make intentional choices about their involvement in their communities. How do students react when the conversation centers institutional structures rather than individual acts?

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How to start the conversation

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For many parents, talking to their children about the nationwide protests following the death of George Floyd may seem daunting. Racism, police brutality and civil disobedience are big topics that some parents might feel afraid to broach. Yet experts say it is essential to address them.

"Not talking about it sends a message that maybe what (children are) feeling isn't right," Dr. Jacqueline Dougé, a Maryland pediatrician and an author of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) policy statement The Impact of Racism on Child and Adolescent Health, told TODAY Parents. "It also sends a message when it comes time to deal with hard conversations and hard issues ... that perception that child has is, 'I'm not going to be able to open up my (parents).'"

What's more, parents need to help their children navigate an overwhelming reality and doing so in a transparent way bolsters the child-parent relationship.

"Children are looking to their parents to filter the world for them. It's their parents' responsibility to make sense of the world - and the world can be a big and scary place without somebody to help," Dr. Nia Heard-Garris, chair of the AAP section on minority health, equity and inclusion, told TODAY Parents. "To have a long lasting and enduring, nurturing relationship with your kids being honest is really important."

Sometimes parents shy away from a topic because they might not understand it well. But admitting to not knowing shows kids that parents are human - and are willing to look for an answer. The AAP, the American Psychological Association and Embrace Race all have talking points for parents to discuss race, for example.

"It is OK not to know how to talk about (a topic) and not exactly know what to say," Dougé said.

And, parents should trust that they get their kids and their needs.

"We're the experts of out children. No one knows our children better than we do," Heard-Garris said. "We're experts in knowing how much they can handle, when is the right time to talk."

But being silent can give children unrealistic views.

"If we brush it under the carpet ... the message we are giving to our children is racism doesn't exist, races don't exist," Annette Nunez, a psychotherapist in private practice in Denver, told TODAY Parents. "Racism does exist ... it's really important to talk about it."

Dougé, Heard-Garris and Nunez shared ways to talk to children about the protests, Floyd's death and racism.

Research indicates that even toddlers notice racial differences, so kids are picking up on it way before many parents even think about it. With younger children, books and toys can be good tools to help recognize and celebrate differences. Heard-Garris recommends "Not My Idea: A Book about Whiteness" and "Something Happened in Our Town."

"Kids are starting to see what other people look like and what's normal. A white kid can ride a bike or black kids can ride a bike or Hispanic kids can ride a bike," Dougé said. "Kids need to be exposed to differences that are normal and celebrated."

To talk about racism and the protests with kids this age, Nunez suggests using the concept of fairness because little children understand this.

"Explain it in terms with experience that they've had. So maybe you talk about the time their brother got something and they didn't. Start explaining the concept of inequality and then to relating it to the protests," Nunez said.

This should be one of many chats about race, racism and protesting injustices.

"Talking about this early and often is really important," Heard-Garris said. "It's an ongoing conversation. It should not be a one off."

When it comes to older children, parents can talk more specifically about what their children have heard or watched.

"Then parents can say, 'Let's talk a little bit more about your thoughts about that,'" Dougé said. "We've got to talk about it with them to validate their feelings."

It's important for parents to listen to their children and respond to what they say while still relating it to their children's experiences.

"They need to know they are being heard and have a safe area to process these feelings and ask a question," Nunez said.

As children get older the conversations will be more advanced, but it is still important for parents to keep an open mind. Parents should encourage middle school children to ask questions.

"See what they're feeling, then gauge your conversation based on that," Nunez said. "They need to know they have can a voice about it, they know they're being heard, they know they have a safe area to process these uncomfortable conversations."

Dougé says it's important for parents to watch media with their children or simply talk about what they're watching.

"Let them, perhaps, direct the conversation," she said. "There's also an opportunity if your son or daughter is telling you about this video they saw on YouTube to say, 'OK, I haven't seen that, can I see that?"

Again, it is important to ask questions to high school students, but parents should expect that teens are familiar with protests (and racial inequality).

"You've got to be honest with yourself that they know about it. This is everywhere," Dougé said.

But understanding what they know and adding context can help.

"It's really important to hear their voice, but then also use books to show them images of historic protests," Nunez said. "Really start showing the history of race and racism and protesting because it's not something that's new. It's something that has existed and it's a part of our history."

It can also be a time where parents talk to their teens about critical thinking and media literacy. Parents can say something like: "Oh, that's interesting. Where did you get that information?" Dougé suggested.

"These are opportunities when they're starting to become independent and parents are helping them develop those skills," Dougé said. "You're shepherding your kids so that they can become an adult that's a free thinker and can make the world a better place. I think that's what all parents want for their kids."

Heard-Garris agrees.

"To really get to that better world, that more equitable world, we need to strive to be anti-racist," she said. "If we are not even willing to name the names and label of racism for what it is we we will never get there."

The authors of the book "All American Boys" joined TODAY to discuss how to talk about racism, protests and police violence with kids. Their book is about two boys, one black, one white, whose lives are forever linked and changed by an act of police violence. Here are Jason Reynolds' and Brendan Kiely recommend the following books for further reading by parents and kids:

"Ways to Make Sunshine," by Renée Watson

"Black Imagination: Black Voices on Black Futures," by Natasha Marin

"Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You," by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi

"Let's Talk About Race," by Julius Lester and Karen Barbour (for very young readers)

"This Side of Home," by Renée Watson (for Middle Grade and YA readers)

"So You Want To Talk About Race," by Ijeoma Oluo (for adults)

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How to talk to kids about racism, protests: An age-by-age guide

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For many parents, talking to their children about the nationwide protests following the death of George Floyd may seem daunting. Racism, police brutality and civil disobedience are big topics that some parents might feel afraid to broach. Yet experts say it is essential to address them.

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Equity Literacy During the COVID-19 Crisis

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Avoiding...

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Teachers often use TED Talks in the classroom to introduce a lesson topic or to frame a student discussion. Here are 10 TED Talks about race in America that teachers may find useful for starting difficult conversations in the classroom:

In an engaging and personal talk - with cameo appearances from his grandmother and Rosa Parks - human rights lawyer Bryan Stevenson shares some hard truths about America's justice system, starting with a massive imbalance along racial lines: a third of the country's black male population has been incarcerated at some point in their lives. These issues, which are wrapped up in America's unexamined history, are rarely talked about with this level of candor, insight and persuasiveness.

Our biases can be dangerous, even deadly - as we've seen in the cases of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and Eric Garner, in Staten Island, New York. Diversity advocate Vernā Myers looks closely at some of the subconscious attitudes we hold toward out-groups. She makes a plea to all people: Acknowledge your biases. Then move toward, not away from, the groups that make you uncomfortable. In a funny, impassioned, important talk, she shows us how.

As kids, we all get advice from parents and teachers that seems strange, even confusing. This was crystallized one night for a young Clint Smith, who was playing with water guns in a dark parking lot with his white friends. In a heartfelt piece, the poet paints the scene of his father's furious and fearful response.

Ten days after 9/11, a shocking attack at a Texas mini-mart shattered the lives of two men: the victim and the attacker. In this stunning talk, Anand Giridharadas, author of "The True American," tells the story of what happened next. It's a parable about the two paths an American life can take, and a powerful call for reconciliation.

As America becomes more and more multicultural, Rich Benjamin noticed a phenomenon: Some communities were actually getting less diverse. So he got out a map, found the whitest towns in the USA - and moved in. In this funny, honest, human talk, he shares what he learned as a black man in Whitopia.

Nate Silver has data that answers big questions about race in politics. For instance, in the 2008 presidential race, did Obama's skin color actually keep him from getting votes in some parts of the country? Stats and myths collide in this fascinating talk that ends with a remarkable insight.

Jedidah Isler dreamt of becoming an astrophysicist since she was a young girl, but the odds were against her: At that time, only 18 black women in the United States had ever earned a PhD in a physics-related discipline. In this personal talk, she shares the story of how she became the first black woman to earn a PhD in astrophysics from Yale - and her deep belief in the value of diversity to science and other STEM fields. "Do not think for one minute that because you are who you are, you cannot be who you imagine yourself to be," she says. "Hold fast to those dreams and let them carry you into a world you can't even imagine."

In the United States, two institutions guide teenagers on the journey to adulthood: college and prison. Sociologist Alice Goffman spent six years in a troubled Philadelphia neighborhood and saw first-hand how teenagers of African-American and Latino backgrounds are funneled down the path to prison - sometimes starting with relatively minor infractions. In an impassioned talk she asks, "Why are we offering only handcuffs and jail time?"

The subject of race can be very touchy. As finance executive Mellody Hobson says, it's a "conversational third rail." But, she says, that's exactly why we need to start talking about it. In this engaging, persuasive talk, Hobson makes the case that speaking openly about race - and particularly about diversity in hiring - makes for better businesses and a better society.

Angélica Dass's photography challenges how we think about skin color and ethnic identity. In this personal talk, hear about the inspiration behind her portrait project, Humanæ, and her pursuit to document humanity's true colors rather than the untrue white, red, black and yellow associated with race.

For more education resources from TED, sign up for the weekly TED-Ed newsletter here >>

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10 TED classroom resources about race in America

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Teachers often use TED Talks in the classroom to introduce a lesson topic or to frame a student discussion.

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Brené Brown: Hi everyone, I'm Brené Brown, and this is Unlocking Us. Today, I'm talking with Professor Ibram Kendi. He's a number one New York Times best-selling author and the Director of the Antiracist Research and Policy Center at American University. He's also an ideas columnist at The Atlantic and a correspondent with CBS News. He is the author of four books, including Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America, which won the National Book Award for Nonfiction. He has another book called, Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You, which he co-authored with Jason Reynolds, and it's a remix of the Stamped from the Beginning book that is meant for YA, teen readers - an incredible, incredible book. And he's got a new book coming out called Antiracist Baby, which is a board book that will be published this month in June. Completely evidence that it's never too early to start talking about anti-racism.

BB: He's also the author of How to Be an Antiracist, and that's what we're going to talk about today. We're going to talk about all those books, but we're going to really focus on How to Be an Antiracist, which is a groundbreaking approach to understanding and uprooting racism and inequality in our society and in ourselves. It's an incredible conversation. I welcome you to the table to sit with us, talk, think, feel, ask, question, and lean in really, really far to what we need to learn about ourselves and the world. I want to start this conversation with a quote from Professor Kendi: "By not running from books that pain us, we can allow them to transform us. I ran from antiracist books most of my life, but now I can't stop running after them, scrutinizing myself and my society, and in the process changing both." Let's jump in.

BB: Alright, first let me say that I am incredibly grateful for you joining us on Unlocking Us, thank you for that.

Ibram X. Kendi: Of course, I'm so happy to be on.

BB: I always start these podcasts with not the perfunctory, but the honest, "How are you?" How are you doing right now?

IK: I'm okay. This is quite the time in American history, and as someone who studies anti-Black racism, I'm simultaneously enraged to see the deathly effects of that racism, but simultaneously energized to see all of the people resisting that racism.

BB: How are you holding up with the COVID-19 pandemic on top of all of this, as the underscore to all of this?

IK: I think that that has been difficult for me, partly because my colleagues and I, we partnered with the COVID Tracking Project to build this COVID racial data tracker. And so we're... It's like the premier tracker of racial data on COVID. And so I'm seeing the data coming in and the disparities all over the country, and so that's been difficult. And then simultaneously, my wife, Sadiqa, her family is... Her hometown is Albany, Georgia, and Albany, Georgia and that general area of Southwest Georgia has one of the worst outbreaks in the country. And simultaneously, it's a trauma desert, it doesn't have a tremendous amount of high-quality healthcare, in contrast to New York City, which also of course has been a major outbreak. And so, seeing and hearing those stories firsthand of people suffering, obviously, it's been difficult. And this is a primarily Black area.

BB: I want to get into... I want to talk a lot about How to Be an Antiracist, your book that I think is life changing. I want to talk about your new book that's coming out in a couple of weeks. Tell us the title of that new book.

IK: Antiracist Baby. It's a board book.

BB: I can't wait. I want to start because when we talk about the pandemic, when we talk about what's happening right now in the world with a rebellion, the protest, you wrote an article that went up on The Atlantic this morning.

IK: Yes.

BB: It's called "The American Nightmare: To be Black and Conscious of Anti-Black Racism is to Stare Into The Mirror of Your Own Extinction." I want to... Can I read a piece of this to you and ask you about it?

IK: Sure, yeah.

BB: Would you rather read it or would you... Can I read it to you?

IK: Yeah, you can read it. That's fine, yeah.

BB: Okay. You're using as an epigraph, a quote from Malcom X from 1964, "We don't see any American dream. We've experienced only the American nightmare." And then you write, "A nightmare is essentially a horror story of danger, but it is not wholly a horror story. Black people experience joy, love, peace, safety. But as in any horror story, those unforgettable moments of toil, terror, and trauma have made danger essential to the Black experience in racist America. What one Black American experiences, many Black Americans experience. Black Americans are constantly stepping into the toil and terror and trauma of other Black Americans. Black Americans are constantly stepping into the souls of the dead because they know that could have been them, they are them. Because they know it is dangerous to be Black in America because racist Americans see Blacks as dangerous. To be Black and conscious of anti-Black racism is to stare into the mirror of your own extinction."

BB: This is not just about the police brutality; this is not just about Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd; this is about the tens of thousands of Black victims of Covid.

IK: Yeah.

BB: Talk to me about this article. What do we need to understand?

IK: Well, I think first and foremost, the article revolves around a very, very prominent book that was written in 1896 by Frederick Hoffman, who, basically it was a book of statistical tables and racial data that showed not only racial disparities in crime rates, but also racial disparities in infection rates and racial disparities in mortality, or I should say death rates, and so he took this massive amount of racial data to proclaim that Black people were not subjected to racist policies. That wasn't the cause of Black disease, of Black death, and even Black people being disproportionately arrested and incarcerated. He made the case that this data shows that Black people are headed towards gradual extinction, and it's their fault. They are by nature or behavior, a dangerous, diseased, dying people, and to recognize anything else is to not recognize the facts. And so this idea, normalizing Black pain and suffering and death has only continued to this day, and so essentially when you normalize, when you just believe that Black people should be disproportionally dying of police violence or even COVID-19, you're thereby not going to challenge, let alone look for the policies that are actually behind this disproportionate Black death.

IK: And so then those who are experiencing those policies that are then leading to that trauma and terror, and even toil, they're going to be experiencing the American nightmare. And the reason why I use the term the American nightmare is because Black people are constantly told that America is this land of equal opportunity, that police officers protect and serve, that we too have access to the American dream. And obviously, based on the experiences of Black people, we've really, as Malcolm said, 50 years ago, experienced the American nightmare.

BB: When you talk about the Hoffman book, it's such a devastating reminder to me, because I see this a lot right now of how statistics, academics, science can be dehumanizing tools as much as kind of the language that we use.

IK: Yeah, without question. And let me give an example. So when we first were able to start getting states in early April to release racial data, and then we saw these racial disparities. We saw that Black people were disproportionately being infected and even dying, of COVID. The first response of people to that data, of many people to that data, was to say Black people are not taking the virus seriously, Black people are not socially distancing, there's something wrong with Black people, and then we were able to disprove that. Basically survey data in mid-March had already proven that actually Black people were taking the virus more seriously than white people. So then it's zeroed in to, well, it must be the result of Black pre-existing conditions.

IK: And then those pre-existing conditions are caused by Black people making disproportionately bad or unhealthy behaviors. So it just always, essentially, you take these racial disparities, and we've been arguing over their existence, even before Frederick Hoffman. Is it because there's something wrong with Black people, or is there racist policy? And those who believe we live in a nation that's post-racial, that there's equal opportunity, they're not going to ever see the racist policies that are even in many cases, hard to see, instead they're just going to blame Black people.

BB: It's almost, and I don't think it's almost, it is the confirmation bias of racist beliefs.

IK: It is, yeah, it is. And that's what's striking about Frederick Hoffman, because he opens his book arguing that, "I am free of bias. I am free of prejudice or sentimentally."

BB: Which should be our first flag, right?

[chuckle]

IK: Exactly, right. And then, ends the book stating that the gradual extinction of Black people is only a matter of time, and it's based on the data. And to give another example, you have many people arguing that police violence, disproportionate police violence is the result of Black people being disproportionately violent, and Black people are disproportionately violent, they say, because, well, just look at the violent crime data. There's this widespread belief that Black neighborhoods are more dangerous because of violent crime data, the same violent crime data that Frederick Hoffman in this book in 1896 really popularized. But what Americans don't realize, and this is what I've been trying to get people to see, is that there's no relationship between the violent crime in those neighborhoods and the Blackness of the people.

IK: In other words, people believe that the reason why those neighborhoods are violent is because there are Black people there, and that's why when they see Black neighborhoods, they assume that those neighborhoods are violent because the Black people and their culture and their behavior and even their genetics are predisposed to violence. But if that was the case, then all Black neighborhoods would have the same levels of violent crime. In other words, higher income...

BB: Because that would be the... Yeah, that would be the consistent variable.

IK: Precisely. And so, higher income Black neighborhoods would have the same levels of violent crime as extremely impoverished Black neighborhoods. That is not the case. And it's not the case in white America, it's not the case in Asian America, Native America, Latinx America. In every America, if we want to split up America racially, you have higher levels of poverty, long-term unemployment, you're going to have higher levels of violent crime, whether you're talking about a white community or neighborhood with higher levels of violent crime or Latinx or Black. So we know statistically that actually what is the consistent variable is poverty and unemployment. But people still want to call these dangerous Black neighborhoods as opposed to dangerous unemployed neighborhoods.

BB: One of the things that I find so powerful about your work, there are many things, but one of the things I find so powerful is your ability to unpack things, lay them out, and the steps always lead back to policy. It always leads back to systemic policy.

IK: And I think that's one of the things I'm trying to get people to realize, and especially, I think one of the things that happens with our discussions on race is we personalize groups, meaning we make groups into individuals, and, even though every group is made up of individuals, we say, "Oh well, this group is disproportionately obese, so therefore, why can't this group "diet or exercise more" in the way I used to do when I weighed a little bit more. But that's actually... We can't think of groups as individuals, when we think of... Especially we can't think of disparities as the result of the personal choices of the individuals in groups, because I think that's what happens, that's how we have been misled into believing, but when we actually... All of the data points to and all of the analysis points to, is that when you have two groups, there's going to be all different types of behaviors in both groups, whether that...

BB: Complete variance, right?

IK: Precisely. So you take white people and Black people, you have white people who eat unhealthy, you have white people who are vegans, you have Black people who eat in an unhealthy manner, and then you have Black people like me who are vegans. And so... And then you have vegans who are white, who don't really eat vegetables. Right? And so it's so much variable, and so we emphasize the negativities that we see among those individuals who are Black, and then ignore the negativities among the individuals who are white. And so we say, "Oh, those Black folk and their soul food, that's why they're unhealthy," as if you don't have white people who gathered this weekend and had hamburgers and hot dogs only on their barbeque menu. So I think that it's critically important for us when we think of groups and group inequality, to recognize that what changes communities, what changes groups, it's not their individual behaviors, it's policy change.

BB: I want to slow down here and go into slow motion for a moment, because, what you're saying is so profoundly important at the crux of, I think, of your entire book. And for me as a researcher, it's... We take groups and we take stereotypes and characteristics of groups, and what it seems to me that we do, and I think you write about this, but I want to check in with you to make sure I'm understanding it correctly because this is what I see. We see the most kind of negative, socially agreed upon, not good characteristics of groups of color, and we assign it to the entire group. Then we take the best characteristics of one or two people in the white folk group and assign it to that entire group. That's true, right? You see that...

IK: Exactly. So that's what I talk about how we generalize the individual negativities of people of color while we individualize the individual negativities of white people.

BB: And you know what keeps coming back to me, and I'm going to date myself with this because this was a huge raging issue as I was in school and then graduate work: the bell curve is such an example of the manipulation of statistical data to confirm a racist hypothesis. Okay. Yeah, I just... You know what? We do that. We do that. I can think of times when I do that, maybe not about race, but I do do that with... I'll tell you where I do it. I do it with political identity. I take the best part of the people I see in my group and assign it to everyone in my group. And the worst part, and it's so self-protective and self-destructive at the same time, isn't it?

IK: It is. It is. And I know How to Be an Antiracist, in particular, I remember giving a talk about this book, I believe I was in Gainesville, Florida, and this woman who was obviously a Republican or a conservative, got up during the Q&A and basically challenged me, basically by saying, "You're just another liberal who is just criticizing conservatives completely and never being able to look back on the problems of things that liberals do." And I was like, "Did you read the book?" [laughter] Because obviously, you didn't read the book, because the book was just as critical of people who identify as liberals or Democrats as people who identify as conservatives and Republicans.

BB: I want to read something from the book, early-on pages. Is it weird when I read to you? Is it okay?

IK: It's fine, yeah.

BB: Okay. "The good news is that racist and antiracist are not fixed identities. We can be a racist one minute and be an antiracist the next. What we say about race, what we do about race in each moment determines what, not who, we are." And you write, "I used to be racist most of the time. I am changing. I am no longer identifying with racists by claiming to be not racist. I am no longer speaking through the mask of racial neutrality. I am no longer manipulated by racist ideas to see racial groups as problems. I no longer believe a Black person cannot be racist, I am no longer policing my every action around an imagined white or Black judge trying to convince white people of my equal humanity, trying to convince Black people, I am representing the race well." This book is incredibly vulnerable in terms of you sharing your own experiences. Why was that important to you as you were writing this?

IK: So, I remember when I was thinking about this book and I was sort of thinking about the pulse of the book, even the heartbeat of the book. I recognize that the heartbeat, historically, of racism has been denial, has been to deny that one's ideas are racist, one's policies are racist, and certainly that one's self and one's nation is racist, and so then I was like, "Okay, by contrast, the heartbeat of antiracism is confession, is admission, is acknowledgement, is the willingness to be vulnerable, is the willingness to identify the times in which we are being racist, is to be willing to diagnose ourselves and our country, and our ideas, and our policies." And the reason why that's the heartbeat is because, like with anything else, the first step is acknowledging the problem. We can't even begin the process of changing ourselves, of acting in an antiracist fashion, if we're not even willing to admit the times in which we're being racist. And so I realize that essentially to be antiracist is to admit when we're being racist. And so I realize that in order to really give voice to that, in order to really model that for people I had to do that to myself and for myself.

BB: And you do it, and you do it throughout the book and you move forward a bunch and you slide back, and you share that with us. To me, that is the heart of the book, that there is such a deep humanity in this book. Was that intentional on your part? Did you write it from a perspective of, "This is what it means to be in the human struggle?"

IK: I think so. And I mean, I think that, to be honest, the first few chapters were a huge struggle for me to write, precisely because of how vulnerable I had to be and how many... I had to basically admit and chronicle some of the most shameful moments of my life, especially as someone who was raised in a home to value and love Black people, to be able to have to write about those times in which I did not value or love Black people, let alone other groups, was very, very difficult. And so it really wasn't... And so I think I struggled and it actually... I think the first few chapters, it took me almost like a year to write, and it really wasn't until as I write about in the end of the book that I was diagnosed with cancer, that I just wondered whether indeed I would even live to see the book come out, and I think because of that, in a way freed me to be vulnerable and to be completely sort of open and naked in writing the book.

BB: Yeah, there's just courage on every page. I mean, really, and I have to say you don't see that very often in books. You don't see that very often in the world, so thank you for that. I think the central message is that the opposite of racist isn't not racist, The true opposite of racist is antiracist. Can you break that down for us and help us understand how the opposite of racist is not, not race... Not racist is not the opposite of racist.

IK: Sure, so I think... Let me say it in this way. So when you think of... So I define a racist as someone who is expressing racist ideas or supporting racist policies with their action or inaction, I know we're not supposed to use terms in the definition, but I think what's critical about understanding what it means to be racist is understanding what a racist idea is, and what a racist policy is. And once you understand what a racist idea and racist policy is, you begin to realize that there's a fundamental contrast to that, and that contrast is not some sort of neutrality. And so if a racist idea is any idea that suggests a racial group is superior or inferior to another racial group... In other words, a racist idea connotes racial hierarchy, then what's the opposite of that? The opposite of that is ideas that connote racial equality, that challenges directly that idea of racial hierarchy and says, "No. All the racial groups are equals."

IK: And there's no in between racial hierarchy and racial equality. Either all the racial groups are equals, or certain racial groups are better or worse than others. And so there's no not racist idea, there's only a racist idea and an antiracist idea. And the same thing with policy. If a racist policy is leading to racial inequity, then an antiracist policy is leading to racial equity. There's no in between inequity or equity, and if racist policies lead to injustice, then by contrast, antiracist policies lead to justice. There's no in between injustice or justice. And so then when you take a person, you have people who are either expressing racist or antiracist ideas. So in any given moment, they're either being racist or antiracist, there's no not racist sort of category.

IK: And then I should also add very quickly that when people typically say, "I am not racist," it is in response to someone challenging something that they just did or said that indeed probably was racist. So again, I mentioned how the heartbeat, or in order to be antiracist, we have to be willing to admit the times in which we're being racist. By contrast, in order to be racist, we never admit the times in which we're being racist, and instead we say we're not racist.

BB: I have a couple of questions. So what do you say to the person who when you say we're either racist or antiracist to the person who says, "That's a false dichotomy. There can be neutrality between antiracist and race, there can be neutrality between injust and just, between inequality and equity or equality." I can't find what that neutrality is. But I would really love to know how you answer that because I get that a lot, especially when I quote you, but I can't think of a single example, because the systems are already in place. So if we were at net zero, how does that... I mean, it may be so but we're not, so what do you answer?

IK: Yeah so I state that are you... I would... So people have asked me asked that, and typically what I state say is, "Are you stating that because from a defensive posture?" In other words, you don't want to identify as racist, and you view those antiracists in some way that you don't want to sort of identify with. So this is fundamentally defensive so you can create a category for yourself. And typically, we know when people are creating categories for themselves because you can't define your category. And so are you creating this category for us, or are you creating this category for yourself? And if you're creating it for us, then define it for us, so we can understand it.

IK: What does it mean to be not racist? I know what it means to be racist. I know what it means to be antiracist. What does it mean to be not racist? And if you can't provide a very clear and consistent definition, then that shows me that you're fundamentally being defensive, and you're fundamentally seeking to create a category for yourself.

BB: That is so powerful, and starting with the defensive posturing that I think there are people that don't want to be in the racist category of course, because there's so much shame attached to that.

IK: Yeah.

BB: And they don't want to be in the antiracist category because there's so much frickin work attached to that.

IK: Yes.

BB: Do you know what I mean?

IK: Yes.

BB: Like antiracism work is, no joke, exhausting and vigilant, and there's shame in it too because it's... So it's interesting because - can we dig into something that is kind of at the intersection of your work and my work to help me figure out something?

IK: Sure.

BB: You don't seem to be... And I've only read this book and a couple of articles that you've written or maybe three or four articles from The Atlantic, but I will be getting the baby board book for sure. And it'll become my new go-to, like, I'm looking at Barrett, who's in here with me. She's like, "This will be the new. Every baby we know will be getting this book." You don't seem to be a proponent of shame as a social justice tool.

IK: No.

BB: So, let me ask you this question because I think this goes to the creating categories out of defensiveness. One of the things that I've seen and I see it a lot, I see it a lot in my social feeds, I see it a lot when I have really difficult Q&As when I'm on book tours. Let's say you and I are talking, and I share a racist idea, or I make a racist statement, and you hold me accountable for that. Right? Which is fair. You question and we dig in. But you say... I am going to feel shame about that, for most, I think most, maybe not all, but most white, I hope, most white Americans, or maybe Americans in general will feel shame about being held accountable for racist thinking or thoughts or speaking, then I go into shame. But what I'm struggling helping people understand and maybe you can share your thoughts on it with us is being held accountable for racism and experiencing shame around that, is not the same as being shamed about racism.

IK: Mm-hmm, yeah.

BB: Does that makes sense to you at all? Or am I off? I don't know.

IK: No, I think it makes sense. And I think that... Well, two things I'm trying to think of what to say first because I feel like I'll forget the other. Do you ever feel that way?

BB: All the time.

IK: So I think one thing is that... So if we talk about racist ideas, to grow up in America is to grow up, and for racist ideas to constantly be rained on your head and you have no umbrella. And you don't even know that you're wet with those racist ideas, because the racist ideas themselves cause you to imagine that you're dry.

BB: Right.

IK: And then someone comes along and says, "You know what, you're wet, and these ideas are still raining on your head. Here's an umbrella." You can be like, "Thank you, I didn't even realize I was drenched."

BB: Yeah, yeah.

IK: And then with all these ideas, and then the question, this is why I don't think people should feel ashamed, is there were other people and very powerful people in a history that was constantly raining those ideas on your head, and so what that means is, for instance if you're a white American, who has racist ideas, and then you, let's say, perpetuated those ideas by, let's say, not hiring a Black person because you thought they were lazy. You were simultaneously a victim and a victimizer. And so I think it's critical for people to recognize that literally, and as I talk about in How to Be an Antiracist, there's a specific reason why you had so many powerful Americans trying to convince white Americans that Black people were inferior; it was out of their own self interest.

BB: Yeah.

IK: And so then, white Americans and other Americans were tricked into believing that Black people should be enslaved in 1855, and then meanwhile poor whites, whose poverty was directly the result of the riches of white slaveholders were like, "Yeah, it should be this way." And so then those people were able to get richer and richer, and so me coming to that poor white person who believes Black people should be enslaved and then who have even sort of worked on slave patrols and brutalized Black people trying to run away, I'm basically coming to them and saying, "Here is the way you were a victimizer and here is the way you were a victim." And it's critically important, I think, for people to understand, people have been tricked, they've been manipulated, they've been hoodwinked, and that's why I think, that's what I'd want people to realize.

BB: Yeah, thank you for the umbrella. I didn't know I was wet. I think that might be where we lose people.

IK: Yeah.

BB: Wow. Do you ever... I think about this, I think my background is in social work, so I have my master's in social work and PhD in social work, and my bachelor's too, and so I've probably taken 20 classes on the nature of oppression. I guess the thing that always strikes me about oppression as a construct, and I know I'm going to personify it, and I know this is probably not right, but I would love your thoughts on it because I've tried to figure it out for so many years is, God, it's so hard to fight because it has an answer for everything, like it is...

IK: Yeah, yeah.

BB: Do you know what I mean?

IK: Mm-hmm.

BB: Like, it's such a formidable foe. It's like every time, like when you said to me, I got goosebumps when you said, "It's raining on you. But part of what it's raining on you is the message that you're dry."

IK: Mm-hmm.

BB: It is such a formidable foe, isn't it?

IK: It is, and that I think that it's critically important. What I'm trying to do is bring people back into reality, right? So they can realize that it's being rained on them, that that rain is coming down on their head, that they're slipping and falling and harming people in ways that they don't even realize. And when you step that back into reality, then you can actually recognize what's actually happening to you and what you're doing to other people. And then you can also begin to see how and why you have people protesting all over this country and why people are enraged and why that resistance is going to continue. Literally racist ideas, literally separate people from reality, and it prevents people, even too, from helping themselves.

IK: And so I talked a lot in my book about the ways in which even you have Black elites who believe ideas about the Black poor and who sort of reproduce racist ideas about the Black poor, not realizing that racist policies against them are being justified through ideas about the Black poor, or you have white Americans who are believing in racist ideas that these people of color will just use and abuse and take advantage of so-called social entitlement programs like Medicare for All, or increasing Social Security funding, or basic income, or other... Or paid leave, things that other countries have. And so therefore, I don't want none of that. And then it results in them not having the social safety net when they fall, their friends not having it, their family not having it, and then when they fall and become hurt, then they're told it's immigrants' fault. And so it's this constant sort of people being hurt...

BB: God.

IK: And then they believing that it's these other people who are the source of their pain, as opposed to the people who they actually support, who are the source of their pain.

BB: I'm a terrible podcast host, because I'm sitting here with my hands over my mouth, and that's not... I can't do that, but that's my response to this. I read an article, I think it was during the 2016 election, all I can remember is an MD-PhD, public health person, and I think the name of the article is: "Racism is Killing White People." And it's because they were voting against the very things, the services, and the safety nets that they themselves will need just because of the racist rhetoric that they attached to it.

IK: Exactly.

BB: It's...

IK: Yeah, Jonathan Metzl and that's based on his book Dying of Whiteness. And he talked about...

BB: Is that the who that... Is he an MD? Is that the one I'm talking about?

IK: MD-PhD, yes, yeah.

BB: My husband's a pediatrician, I think I read it in, there was an excerpt of something in American Pediatrics or something. So tell us who that was and what that book was, and we'll put it on our show notes.

IK: So yeah, it's Jonathan Metzl, who's a MD-PhD, I believe at Vanderbilt, and his book was entitled Dying of Whiteness, and he looks at the white resistance to the extension of ObamaCare or even the extension of Medicaid in particular states and how that not only harmed, obviously people of color disproportionately, but even white people, and how the resistance to creating more insurance and affordable healthcare has harmed white people, let alone people of color, or even probably the most striking aspect of that book was so he not only looked at healthcare, but even the massive debate currently over gun control.

BB: Gun control.

IK: And gun safety and gun rights, and how first and foremost, you've had white men who have been advocating for the reduction or elimination of gun safety laws so that they can arm themselves, so that they can protect their families against Muslim terrorists and Black criminals and LatinX invaders as they call them. And what's fascinating is those very states where they've been able to successfully eliminate these gun safety policies, it's led to a massive surge in people being killed, white men being killed by hand gun via suicide, so the very people, white men who've been pushing for the reduction in gun safety laws have then led to them, given them greater ability to accumulate guns, and they've used those guns to kill themselves, so literally, people are dying of whiteness.

BB: Can I just ask you just like a no bullshit question here?

IK: Mm-hmm.

BB: Why does that make so much sense to some of us and no sense, it seems, to other people? Why do some of us see the through line and some of us don't see the through line? Do you understand what I'm asking? It's a weird question.

IK: Yeah, yeah. I think first and foremost, because we're living in different sort of realities, and so, for many of these white men who are advocating, who are proud card-carrying members of the NRA, who are advocating for the accumulation of weapons by white men, they believe... I should say they've been made to believe that the cause of their own personal pain, the reasons why they're struggling in society or they do don't have more than they already have, is because of these immigrants and these people of color. They also generalize, when there's a Black person who commits murder, or a LatinX immigrant or a terrorist who commits murder, in their mind, those are the central sort of problems that are harming America and are threatening them. And so they're in tremendous amounts of fear, because they're constantly told by their politicians, by the people they listen to, that these are the people you should fear, and then they're told, "Your rights are being taken away. White men are being chastised and criticized, and demeaned by women, by people of color, by everybody, and so we are your defenders and you need to defend yourself through these weapons."

IK: And, but then what's happening is they're actually getting these weapons and killing themselves, and then all of those individual suicides are individualized, so there's not this collective national outcry about the incredible level of white men who are committing suicide, because, again, if something bad happens to white people, it's individualized.

BB: I've just been thinking a lot about your book around the How to Be an Antiracist book, and I've been thinking about how there is a very short distance in my mind between the dehumanizing dog whistle language from this administration to calling the cops on a bird watcher, to George Floyd. And it's my training, again, I think in social work systems theory, that these things lie on a continuum, but that that walk is very short between these things. Do you agree with that or disagree with that?

IK: Oh yeah, I agree. I mean, I actually tweeted out last week after we heard about what happened to George Floyd, that we should be seeing that, I think I said something to the... Well, let me just say the idea, and that is, when it comes to police violence, oftentimes the beginning of police violence is someone, and in this case, a white woman calling the police saying, "A Black male is threatening my life. I need your help, come help me," when indeed she is actually the person who's threatening the other person, but anyway, she calls up the police, and then the police come, imagining that there's this so-called Black super predator who's preying on this innocent white woman, and that it is their job principally to protect them, and so, then they come imagining the need for force. And then Christian Cooper ends up as George Floyd in Minneapolis.

BB: In a split second.

IK: In which an unarmed person is now dead. And so, there's a very straight line from Central Park to Minneapolis, and we understand because that was essentially the lynching era, but that lynching era has continued.

BB: And I think I would back the line up, because I think for me, a big part of my studies was dehumanization and the process, and the very invisible process of dehumanizing, which every genocide in recorded history starts with dehumanizing and starts with language. So when we hear things like, when we talk about immigrants and the White House uses words like infestation, and when we use words like... I don't even think I've ever heard white people referred to as thugs in my life. It's people have a very hard time understanding that once we move people outside of what we believe is humanity, that it's possible to do anything to them.

IK: It is. And I think that is the reason why when you have those racist ideas that cause you to demonize people of color, and then that is combined with racist policies that are over-policing their neighborhoods, or allowing police officers who kill them to not be prosecuted, or to get off, it only continues this cycle that not only do they not matter to me, they don't even matter to the state.

BB: Right. You wrote something, I think this was a quote from the New York Times, and I feel like I could talk to you for... I hope you come back again, and we can talk more about all the great policy change that's happening. That's what I'm hoping.

IK: That's what I'm hoping, too.

BB: But I want to read this quote because and it says, "By not running from the books that pain us, we can allow them to transform us." This is a quote from you. "I ran from antiracist books most of my life. But now I can't stop running after them, scrutinizing myself and my society, and in the process changing both."

IK: That's what we need to be doing. I think many of us have learned, even from your work, we have to be constantly growing. We cannot harden ourselves, and certainly our children into, "They're stupid or we're stupid." We have to say, "You know what, that was not a smart thing that I did or said. That was a racist act. But I am not essentially a racist." No one is. Everyone has the capacity to change, everyone has the capacity to be antiracist. Everyone has the capacity to grow. And if we're not growing as human beings, then what are we? What's distinguishing humans from other beings? It's that capacity for self-awareness and growth.

BB: That's right, meaning making. I always go back to that quote from Shawshank Redemption, "Get busy living or get busy dying." And I think if you're not learning and growing, which can be painful, stretch marks, bruises, you're dying in a way. Okay, Ibram, walk me through, because I really want to get one of your books for my soon to be 15-year-old son, and so tell me about the sequence of Stamped from the Beginning. Is there a YA version?

IK: Yes.

BB: So how does it work?

IK: So when I wrote Stamped from the Beginning, which again, chronicled this history of racist ideas, literally from their origins to the present, so upwards of 600 years of history, people would come up to me and say, "You know what, I wish I would have learned this in middle school, in high school. I didn't understand and know this history." And so, people kept telling me that, "You know what, this book needs to be before every middle schooler and high schooler." And so we decided that, "Let's create one." And Stamped from the Beginning is upwards of 500 pages, and so we decided we needed a specific book. And so I asked Jason Reynolds, who's, he's probably one of the more gifted YA novelists, who historically has written on race and racism, and he has his own voice and his own style. And I asked him a couple of times, he said no a couple of times, but eventually he agreed, and so he took Stamped from the Beginning, and completely rewrote it for young people in their voice, in his patented lyricism. And yeah, they've fallen in love with it. It actually debuted number one New York Times, so yeah, people are really responding to it well.

BB: You know what I love, is it's never too early to talk to our kids about this. And now you've given us the gifts of a board book, a YA book, and then books for adults.

IK: And that's, I want, especially in this moment, when there are a lot of people who want tools for not only understanding racism themselves, but even teaching and instructing their kids, and I'm hoping also that people realize that they should be having these discussions with their children. Their children are not color blind. The data shows that children as early as six months recognize race, and children as early as two to three years old have begun to consume racist ideas. And if you're not teaching those children antiracist ideas, if you're not challenging those racist ideas, and they're only going to grow up and then one day say something, you're going to feel completely embarrassed. Because like with anything else, people have to be taught to be antiracist, just as they're taught, indirectly, by so many things they see and experience and hear, to be racist.

BB: And I think it's been also my experience that, when you don't... The biggest mistake a lot of people I see making, is we don't talk about race, but we've raised nice and kind kids, so we assume that that's going to translate to something, and it translates to nothing, except the messaging that it's scary and not okay to talk about race.

IK: Exactly. Yeah, if the modeling... Can you imagine, there are adults, and many adults who struggle to talk about race and racism, and... But could you imagine if those adults were talking about these issues as early as 2 or 3, or 1, or as soon as you can speak, then... And I think, part of this also, is, as I'm learning on thinking through how to parent my child, of course, we've learned from you, and one of the things we're trying to model for her, is how to have difficult, uncomfortable conversations and how necessary those conversations are for her having a healthy, happy, and productive and impactful sort of life. And so this talking about race and racism is one type of difficult conversation we need to teach her how to have.

BB: Yeah, and, God, I just don't think there's a bigger gift that we... On top of knowing that you're loved and worthy of love and belonging, I don't know if there's a greater gift that we can give our kids, than the ability to lean into difficult conversation and to be vulnerable. Yeah. Okay, I have this last 10 rapid fire, and it's really important, it's more lighthearted, but it's about getting to know you as a person, and I think, sometimes, one of the hardest things about being an activist is not being seen as a person and can be sometimes dehumanizing in its own way. So if you would allow me, I'd love to ask you these 10 questions.

IK: Sure. Yeah. Let's do it.

BB: Okay, ready? Number one's fill in the blank. Vulnerability is?

IK: Courageous.

BB: Number two, you're called to do something brave, but your fear is real and it's stuck right in your throat. What's the first thing you do?

IK: Think about what the right thing to do is, and focus on that, rather than my fear.

BB: What is something that people often get wrong about you?

IK: That I'm very, very serious and angry all the time.

[chuckle]

BB: Okay. What's the last show that you binged and loved?

IK: That we binged, let's see. Probably... Oh, God, what's the show that was the... Probably the lead show on HBO, that just ended. I'm forgetting the name of it.

BB: Game of Thrones?

IK: Game of Thrones, yes.

BB: Okay, got it.

IK: Game of Thrones. So, literally... So, my wife and I, we hadn't seen it at all, any of the episodes, and we just binge-watched it late last year, and we both really liked it, except the ending, of course, but...

BB: Now, that's a binge, that's a hella binge right there, if you watched it all. Okay, a film that you really love?

IK: So I think, one of the films that I really love, particularly in context to our conversation, is After Earth, which was a movie with Will Smith and his son, in which they are sort of lost on this mysterious sort of planet, and he's hurt, and they have to figure out a way to elude people, or I should say beings and beasts that are trying to kill them. And Will is seeking to really get his son, and speak through his son, to get his son to essentially get them both to safety because he's hurt. And I remember at one point, he's trying to encourage him to face this dangerous, or horrible sort of villain beast that sort of makes up the movie, and he says something to the effect that, "Fear is not real. Danger is real, but fear is a choice," and he obviously wanted him to make a different choice.

BB: God, what a quote.

IK: Yeah.

BB: Okay, a concert that you'll never forget.

IK: Probably... So I... One of my favorite groups in the '90s, when I was growing up, was Jagged Edge, this R&B group, and so I was able to not only see them in concert, but even meet them when I was a freshman... Oh, not a freshman, when I was at FAMU, where I did my undergrad in Tallahassee, Florida.

BB: Favorite meal.

IK: So I'd say my favorite food now is probably avocado, and it's fascinating because I only really started eating avocado probably in the last five years, and one day... And I'm the type of person, if it doesn't look good to me, then I'm not going to want to eat it, and so, since it was green, I'm like, how could... It just looks weird. But then one day I tried it, and I haven't looked back since.

BB: The rest is history, avocado history. Okay, what's on your nightstand right now?

IK: Where... Oh.

BB: He's literally looking at it.

IK: Yeah. What the Eyes Don't See.

BB: Okay.

IK: Which is "A Story of Crisis, Resistance and Hope in an American city," by Mona Hanna-Attisha, which essentially is the story of the Flint water crisis, and how this pediatrician was very critical in not only sort of breaking the problem or demonstrating the problem, but even seeking to lead its recovery.

BB: Okay, a snapshot of an ordinary moment in your life that brings you real joy.

IK: Ordinary moment, is my 4-year-old daughter, I'm home after being somewhere, and she just jumps into a massive sprint, she comes and say hello and hugs me around my legs. That always brings me joy.

BB: Yeah. Last one. What's one thing that you're deeply grateful for right now?

IK: I think I'm deeply grateful for being surrounded by people, who sort of practice love with me, and who show their love as I seek to show my love to them, and so people... I believe people choose to love, and I'm sort of deeply grateful that people have chosen to love me.

BB: Well, your work is life-affirming and life-changing. Professor Ibram Kendi, How to Be an Antiracist. We just have a couple of short weeks to wait for Antiracist Baby, the board book, to come out. I'll make sure that we profile that on all of our channels, and we'll put it up on brenebrown.com. I think danger is real, to go back to your quote, I haven't seen that movie, but that quote's amazing. "Danger is real, but fear is a choice," and I am grateful for you for choosing courage. Thank you for making us braver.

IK: Well, thank you, and of course thank you for all your work, and glad we had a chance to sit down and talk about this.

BB: Me too, thank you.

(music)

Again, I want to thank Ibram Kendi for joining us on Unlocking Us. I'm committed to having him back on the program, if he'll join us, to talk even more, about antiracism and everything he has to teach us. If you want to follow Dr. Kendi, on Twitter, he's Dr. Ibram, @-D-R-I-B-R-A-M, Instagram, @-I-B-R-A-M-X-K. You can also go to our show page, on brenebrown.com, and you'll see all of his books, links to all of his books, and how to find him on social media, his website, and learn more about the work he does. I always sign these podcasts, I sign off on these podcasts by saying, "Stay awkward, brave and kind," and I would add to this one, in addition to awkward, brave and kind, I know we have to make choices, we have to use our voice in service, and for me, that rarely means giving voice to the voiceless, I think the voiceless have voices, and they've been screaming, for centuries. I think our work is to show up, be brave, give ears to the earless, and that's not easy, but right isn't easy, very often. Take good care of yourselves.

© 2020 Brené Brown Education and Research Group, LLC. All rights reserved.

Brown, B. (Host). (2020, June 3). Brené with Ibram X. Kendi on How to Be an Antiracist. [Audio podcast episode]. In Unlocking Us with Brené Brown. Cadence13. https://brenebrown.com/podcast/brene-with-ibram-x-kendi-on-how-to-be-an-antiracist/

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Brené with Ibram X. Kendi on How to Be an Antiracist

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Ibram X. Kendi and I talk about racial disparities, policy, and equality, but we really focus on How to Be an Antiracist, Kendi's groundbreaking approach to understanding uprooting racism and inequality in our society and in ourselves.