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I've been re-listening to some podcast episodes that I find illuminating about race about racial bias, and inequality more broadly. I think it's great that a lot of us are doing our own work, but also if we can share resources and insights then that equips everyone better, right?
So, I'm going to share some particular moments from shows that I have found powerful. Maybe you'll listen & if you find it useful you can share with someone else. Maybe you want to put it under the noise of that difficult family member, or memorise a quote for future discussions.
First up, an @NPRinvisibilia ep from 2017 'The Culture Inside' https://www.npr.org/programs/invisibilia/532950995/the-culture-inside
The show explores the concept of 'implicit bias', which basically lives in all of us, and is heavily, although not entirely, reinforced by media. Assumptions, non-verbal signals, unlearning.
The show explores the concept of 'implicit bias', which basically lives in all of us, and is heavily, although not entirely, reinforced by media. Assumptions, non-verbal signals, unlearning.
Time stamps!
Most podcast episodes are designed to be heard in full, with a narrative carefully woven, and Invisibilia in particular is always beautifully crafted. *However* we're all busy and maybe audio isn't your preferred medium so here's the most key sections IMO
Most podcast episodes are designed to be heard in full, with a narrative carefully woven, and Invisibilia in particular is always beautifully crafted. *However* we're all busy and maybe audio isn't your preferred medium so here's the most key sections IMO
06:15 - 13:08 A man is confronted and appalled by his own implicit bias
19:50 - 26:51 Verbal and non-verbal cues, who focuses on what. Study with white doctors & white & black patients
35:35 - 39:20 How stereotypes are formed and reinforced in our minds
19:50 - 26:51 Verbal and non-verbal cues, who focuses on what. Study with white doctors & white & black patients
35:35 - 39:20 How stereotypes are formed and reinforced in our minds
Next recommendation: @thenodshow 'You Don't Make Free People' from 2019 https://gimletmedia.com/shows/the-nod/mehak5
An interview with Casey Gerald about how the promise of the American dream 1) is not achievable for black people and 2) can even be damaging to one's sense of self and freedom
An interview with Casey Gerald about how the promise of the American dream 1) is not achievable for black people and 2) can even be damaging to one's sense of self and freedom
10:26 - 13:51 How the concept of the American dream falsely promises that if you conform, 'you will be treated as real human beings'
16:24 - 18:24 Idea that if you *lift yourself up*, that suggests there's something *below* you. Stand together rather than differentiate
16:24 - 18:24 Idea that if you *lift yourself up*, that suggests there's something *below* you. Stand together rather than differentiate
One more while I'm at it: @TEDRadioHour 'Ingrained Injustice' https://www.npr.org/2020/06/11/875163377/ingrained-injustice from a couple of weeks back.
Title kind of says it, but largely it's cultural context for how we've got to this moment, from language to banking. How racism negatively impacts white people too.
Title kind of says it, but largely it's cultural context for how we've got to this moment, from language to banking. How racism negatively impacts white people too.
16:15 - 18:32 A town that chose everyone suffering over its black residents not. Historical incident with consequences today
18:33 - 21:34 Racism at centre of financial crisis: disproportionate targeting, black stereotypes, fall out impacted everyone
18:33 - 21:34 Racism at centre of financial crisis: disproportionate targeting, black stereotypes, fall out impacted everyone
Also the poem 'The Joys of Motherhood' from @FreeQThaMighty at the end of this episode made me cry: 46:24 - 49:18
Been too long since the last rec. Today I'm sharing 'White Supremacy Is Closer to the Surface Than I Ever Realized' - from Dare I Say by @harpersbazaarus https://open.spotify.com/episode/6bk5JSISzQdsfGCSu58Uez from 2019. Mass incarceration, celebrity activism, elected officials motivated by protest movements
9:23 - 11:07 Unity in activism, white and famous people need to say "this is my fight too", @Janefonda doesn't age out of activism
12:10 - 14:50 @OsopePatrisse on BLM starting under black president & holding officials to account
12:10 - 14:50 @OsopePatrisse on BLM starting under black president & holding officials to account
Another! 'How Do We Sensor Comedy?' w/ @suziruffell from @DaneBaptweets Questions Everything https://play.acast.com/s/danebaptistequestionseverything/episode63suziruffell-howdowecensorcomedy- Not an episode *about* race, but understanding racial biases are entwined in culture. In part a response to recent action around pulling of offensive TV episodes
25:38 - 42:06
- Removing content Vs *creating* content from more perspectives & diverse creators
- People learn from what they see & if that's only a white guy's offensive impression of a black woman then that's unconsciously absorbed as truth
- Removing content Vs *creating* content from more perspectives & diverse creators
- People learn from what they see & if that's only a white guy's offensive impression of a black woman then that's unconsciously absorbed as truth
Discussion moves onto LGBTQ+ pride, but still around (in)equality, and definitely many crossovers.
54:20
I love how through debating & hearing opinions different to his own Dane's position shifts, and he's open about it - shows it's not weak to change your mind!
54:20
I love how through debating & hearing opinions different to his own Dane's position shifts, and he's open about it - shows it's not weak to change your mind!
Been too long again. 1/ my latest recs: 'The Shocking Truth of Racism in British Schools' from @guardian's Today in Focus https://www.theguardian.com/news/audio/2020/jul/23/the-shocking-truth-of-racism-in-british-schools Microaggressions, racist slurs, playground bullying, teacher apathy, biased interpretations of behaviour.
One for those of us who think the UK doesn't have the problems of the US. Heartbreaking & infuriating stories from young people and parents. I really hope that my friends who are teachers have the decency to stand up for kids, & evolve school policies that oppress black children
Timestamps!
12:00 - 14:15 Dad reports racist name-calling, nothing done, students internalise ideas
16:32 - 17:36 Woman 'addresses' her bully and reflects on repeated microaggressions' power to escalate
21:04 - 25:21 Erasive curriculum, 'not seeing race' attitude, school policies
12:00 - 14:15 Dad reports racist name-calling, nothing done, students internalise ideas
16:32 - 17:36 Woman 'addresses' her bully and reflects on repeated microaggressions' power to escalate
21:04 - 25:21 Erasive curriculum, 'not seeing race' attitude, school policies
2nd: 'The Book of Statues' from @serial's Nice White Parents https://open.spotify.com/episode/7FyDHkNWQFnahJx7aUjDx0?si=pDBDNRYfTZegH6cwrYWlFQ First ep of series about public schools, diversity, integration, money... So many good intentions with negative impacts. Narrative & complex so hard to pick 'points', but moments that made me
16:59 - 24:10 Tension with white & black parents' approaches to fundraising, new white parents blindside & steamroller black parents with 'good intentions'
37:53 - 41:30 Cues/codes as to what languages 'have value'
41:30 - 47:45 White parents blindly excluding Black parents
37:53 - 41:30 Cues/codes as to what languages 'have value'
41:30 - 47:45 White parents blindly excluding Black parents
This next one is one of those miniseries that you *keep* thinking about months, even years later. I've re-listened a couple of times, and always get something new. Follows on nicely from last recommendation Nice White Parents but it is VERY different.
It's the Ron Brown school 4 part miniseries from @NPRCodeSwitch from 2017 (and a follow-up ep in 2018) https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2017/10/18/558104287/a-year-of-love-and-struggle-in-a-new-high-school?t=1598795417702 A new school starts with a central idea of love and compassion, academics and social support/pastoral care are equal in importance.
Firstly I'll stress that really these eps need to be listened to in full, and in order. It's a complex experiment, with staff, students, community learning and adapting. Diff threads weave in and out and benefit from reflection. Butttt for essential listening... time codes follow
P1 3:18 - 4:42 School's premise, based on majority black male staff (2% of teachers in US), restorative justice rather than suspension or trad 'punishments'
17:41 - 31:10 To learn, you need to be in class. How Ron Brown keeps kids in class & juggles social needs
17:41 - 31:10 To learn, you need to be in class. How Ron Brown keeps kids in class & juggles social needs
P2 7:16 - 13:05 year group far behind expected literacy and mathematics grades / abilities. "What was happening in your middle school" teacher wonders. Found myself thinking about Ijeoma Oluo's So You Want To Talk About Race and all the ways black kids (particularly boys) are...
disadvantaged in education. Huge one - teacher bias. Reading 'bad' behaviours as dangerous, reading complex feelings as acting out, or overlooking entirely. Not acknowledging positive behaviour or achievements. Results: suspension, mistrust, damage to self-esteem, vicious circle.
For a broader and deeper explanation than my tweet-length reduction, please read her chapter on the school-to-prison pipeline, pp.115-127
Back to CS but evolving the theme: external factors like poverty & trauma impacting school success.
P2 14:30 - 20:30 Two teachers' diff p.o.v.s
P3 is pretty heavy on achieving grades
P4 is reporters' discussion. Is the school working?
Review a year later - insightful catch up!
P2 14:30 - 20:30 Two teachers' diff p.o.v.s
P3 is pretty heavy on achieving grades
P4 is reporters' discussion. Is the school working?
Review a year later - insightful catch up!
P4 - What I find really interesting having just heard Nice White Parents is this section:
6:26 - 9:17 Socio-economic diversity impacting students' success, argues essentially that mixed economic classes, parent involvement etc can benefit whole class -> integration is helpful
6:26 - 9:17 Socio-economic diversity impacting students' success, argues essentially that mixed economic classes, parent involvement etc can benefit whole class -> integration is helpful
What I think is fascinating is that Ron Brown is *not* really these things, but the school in Nice White Parents *is*, and is trying to be *the most* integrated. But it ends up with the active, richer parents taking over, and some kids still losing out!
Two very different but complimentary series about public schools in America and how education intersects with race and poverty and social care and basically everything.
New recommended listening! It should come as no surprise that @NPRCodeSwitch would make it on here multiple times. This time: The Protests Heard Round the World https://www.npr.org/2020/09/15/913353564/the-protests-heard-round-the-world kind of a comparison of US/UK protests, policing & reparations.
Focus is the toppling of Colston's statue in Bristol. What that statue represented to local black residents, how they feel now, how counter-protesters reacted, what the city is planning to do with the plinth and other offensive historic sites across town.
Honestly, I would suggest listening to the whole episode, it really draws from a lot of great contributors but VITAL listening:
17:18 - 20:30 stats about deaths in custody for different races, distrust, guns, (what sounds like) honest insight from Bristol's police commander
17:18 - 20:30 stats about deaths in custody for different races, distrust, guns, (what sounds like) honest insight from Bristol's police commander
20:31 - 25:10 'policing by consent' - I like the idea - keeping peace, minimising harm - but I'm not sure how much its actually used, especially when it's so subjective. Complex feelings around police's 'how would we look doing this' stance
32:20 - 33:44 "My concern about symbolic acts is they're more often about the emotional gratification of members of oppressor groups... than they are about the status of oppressed groups" honesty from Mayor @MarvinJRees that forces us to consider our own comfort
Next! I'm a big believer in consuming culture made by people different to you. It doesn't always have to be educational or critical like these 
in fact it should also just be fun chat & interview shows to just learn & absorb what people outside of your immediate social 
in fact it should also just be fun chat & interview shows to just learn & absorb what people outside of your immediate social
bubble enjoy and talk about with their mates. 1st cos you could hear about an amazing film or book that wasn't on your radar, 2nd so next time you have more context for convos & jokes, 3rd so you don't only hear about black/oppressed lives on the news
In fact, I found #OkayNowListen off the back of bingeing all of #Insecure and listening to Issa Rae interviews (that ep here https://open.spotify.com/episode/1mVzFWlVI2OTvVAi9QaakH - joyful)
but this particular ep rec *is* more serious: Are You Protecting Black Women Or... https://open.spotify.com/episode/5IPbEgOkdM3xCphphwuVJG
but this particular ep rec *is* more serious: Are You Protecting Black Women Or... https://open.spotify.com/episode/5IPbEgOkdM3xCphphwuVJG
4:13 - 5:40 hypocrisy that white kids (and adults) get to be flawed and make mistakes and that isn't a prison or death sentence for them, their black counterparts have to be 'perfect victims' to be taken seriously
16:00 onwards - how to look after ourselves & others
16:00 onwards - how to look after ourselves & others
when the world is so painful, when to escape from reality & when to engage & fight (esp. online).
I'm aware that I am not black & I can't know the extra layer of trauma and pain that Scottie & Sylvia feel, but I think this ep can be universally helpful, both to inform & advise
I'm aware that I am not black & I can't know the extra layer of trauma and pain that Scottie & Sylvia feel, but I think this ep can be universally helpful, both to inform & advise
We all have this layer of anxiety just from the pandemic atm. That has maybe disrupted or removed your work, maybe that has given you financial stress. Then + being in the USA and feeling unsafely led by those in power + the election, then + being a woman
which adds its own layer of insecurity & oppression, then + being black or from a minority population. I think it's important for us all to realise all these interacting layers of stress that different groups of people are experiencing right now, so we can treat each other with
patience & respect & kindness. Then also these gals just have great tips about how to destress & when to take a mo before hitting out on Twitter, & how to be an ally. Phew! In short, this show is always great & funny & usually joyful, but this serious ep is just as important 
