- The conversation is about uncomfortable topics and the podcast format
- The hosts discuss napping habits and personal experiences
- The conversation shifts to the topic of racism and its origins
- The discussion touches on the impact of racism on different races and the perpetuation of stereotypes and discrimination

- The speaker discusses experiences of microaggressions and direct racism faced by themselves and others
- They talk about how racism is taught and perpetuated through media, movies, and music
- The importance of actively fighting against racism, rather than just not being racist, is emphasized
- The impact of personal experiences and family attitudes towards race is also discussed, including the influence of past generations' experiences with racism

- The speaker discusses the racism and discrimination faced by their family members
- They talk about the importance of teaching their children about diversity and acceptance
- They share a story about a child's innocent question about skin color and the lack of proper response from the parent
- The speaker also mentions experiencing racism in dating situations, particularly regarding their hair

- The speaker discusses experiences of racism and discrimination, including a childhood memory of questioning interracial marriage
- They talk about the impact of representation and how it affects different people
- The conversation also touches on learning styles and how seeing something can influence belief and understanding

- The speaker discusses the impact of representation in media on racism and discrimination
- They mention examples of problematic representation, such as the movie "The Association of Magical Negroes"
- They emphasize the importance of understanding different perspectives and the power dynamics involved in racism
- The conversation also touches on the influence of belief systems and media on shaping attitudes towards race and ethnicity.

- The speaker discusses the power of those in charge to shape history and narratives
- They talk about the importance of learning and questioning aspects of reality
- They mention the significance of recognizing holidays like Juneteenth and the need to learn about Black history
- The conversation also includes lighthearted banter between the speakers about sleeping habits and waking up late

- The speaker discusses the need to give up personal comfort and safety to advance the human race
- They emphasize the importance of making a decision to stand up and make a change
- They compare the experience to preparing for a marathon and gaining a richer life perspective
- They encourage starting small and not being afraid to let it grow
- The importance of gaining a clearer lens to experience life more fully is highlighted
- The conversation ends with a call to share and interact with the podcast on social media

The conversation covers uncomfortable topics and the podcast format. The hosts discuss napping habits, experiences with racism, and the impact of media on perpetuating stereotypes. They emphasize the importance of actively fighting against racism and the need to teach children about diversity and acceptance. The conversation also touches on the influence of belief systems and media on shaping attitudes towards race and ethnicity. The speaker discusses the power of those in charge to shape history and narratives, and the importance of recognizing holidays like Juneteenth and learning about Black history. They encourage starting small and not being afraid to let it grow, and highlight the importance of gaining a clearer lens to experience life more fully. The conversation ends with a call to share and interact with the podcast on social media.

I don't know about you, but I never saw our conversations as uncomfortable.

I had the understanding of, well, if he's asking, he's wanting the truth.

Whether it's uncomfortable or actually gonna hit him upside the head, it is what it is, he asked for it.

I don't know, I think the uncomfortableness comes from kind of the whole idea behind this podcast is like, I don't know if it's okay if I ask this and not as my question, okay, but is me asking the question going to be perceived as okay.

Got your girl justice here hanging with Alex formerly known as the artist Al.

I always give you these glowing intros as the queen of say what radio.

Because I really, Yes, yes, because I still don't know what you want to go by and it's kind of like, do you want to be Al tonight?

You want to be A-Rod next week I don't know

never should speaking of shout outs we had our first shout out for the episodes, or for the episodes, as of late.

And actually on that note, before we get to season 2, if you got comments about what this nickname should be or my stage name, we're taking suggestions.

I understand how dangerous this statement is.

I am still trying to wake up just so you know

and listen just so the audience is clear the time right now is 9 21 pm justice what What time did you take your little tiger snooze?

It was just 1 of those where you're like, okay, I'm gonna watch this YouTube video and then I'm gonna go and like eat lunch or whatever.

That's right, welcome back, Welcome back.

I know we're not into the topic, but I'm not a napper.

I have always seen naps as something that is very unnecessary.

Either go to sleep or don't, because I'm always scared that I will not wake up in time.

I've napped like laying on stairs, all kinds.

Yeah, you know, you get into the zone, you're playing Barbies.

Obviously that's a staircase and you go down.

And I'll tell you what, like, I'm not generally a fan of like the 10 minute naps that people talk about, but I did 1 last week.

I was literally just sitting up mid sentence and fell asleep And my youngest daughter, she like pushed me and she's like, Hey, did you fall asleep for real?

But actually, I'm going to go ahead and shout out Natalie to my youngest daughter today was a big day for her.

Let me tell you, I was not ready for this.

I didn't think anything of it until we got there.

They hit that, I forget the name of it, but that graduation music, the dun, dun, dun, dun, dun.

And they all start walking down and the teachers are all like, you know, tearing up, like giving their little speeches and stuff.

Yeah, it didn't wreck me, but like it minorly bet me up.

Definitely put you in a different state of mind.

By then you were getting ready to get into Dreamland.

Yeah I was probably already in Dreamland at that point.

Yeah, so tonight I want to jump in a little bit deeper than we have, and really just not even dance around anything.

I would like to talk about racism tonight.

You should be recharged, are you kidding me?

So, oh man, there's so many layers to this.

The idea of racism is really a social construct, right?

Meaning us humans, we just made it into existence.

Lots of examples of different things we've done.

Racism is this, but when I really simplify it, it dumb-founds me because, and here's how I'll explain it in my mind, and this is the question.

There are people out there in 2024 that legitimately think the color of someone's skin dictates something about them and either makes them good or makes them bad.

There are groups dedicated to getting together to talk about this, and I don't understand it.

So I guess, from your perspective, from the black perspective, how do you hear this?

Like, just Can you walk me through this thought process and some of your experience?

So with it, the way I see it is like this, and people have said this many, many times, the construct kind of came about in early, not colonial, but even further back than that, where it was just, it needed to be like a hierarchy to subjugate a race or type of people, so to speak.

And that has just lasted throughout the ages.

It kind of goes with some people and their football teams.

I know that's a weird correlation, but some people like football teams because their dad like them or because their grandfather like them or whatnot.

It really isn't anything behind it, but that's what they know.

And a lot of the times the information that's given to them isn't in the best light, it isn't in the best frame or reference, but it is enough to antagonize a response that is rooted in fear of some sort.

And beyond that, it just continues just to be, oh, well, stay away from them, and you won't have to worry about this, which kind of just feeds into that narrative and the cycle because if you're never around them you can never debunk it.

So yeah, it's just meant to continue to make 1 particular race or not even 1, just races in general, feel like there's a caste system when it really has and always is more about who has more power, who has more money and access to it.

So it's just like if I can get you to pay attention to this.

Johnson, this quote is always hilarious to me.

If you can make the poorest white man hate a black man, he won't see you picking his pocket.

And again, I am paraphrasing this, but this is something that he actually said in like a conference or something of an official nature to like a press individual like he said this out like it wasn't the the quiet part was said very loud.

So, but most people don't see it that way.

The only thing that they see is that it's just taking things from them.

And in my, my experience, it's, it's been more of where I don't know you, but I will, you know, invade your space, I will touch your, try, ask to touch your hair.

And it's more in microaggressions towards me, whereas JD and, Jules from a cool black nerd have all experienced it in a more direct way when it comes to things like, you know, police and people holding their purse when it comes, when they are in the room and things like that, or walking down the street.

I believe I told it on a previous episode where things that I have not experienced, Dre D was always being like either pulled over by the cops for just no reason and stopped.

And I actually had a conversation with a with a friend of mine who is white as well telling me about

Drady has said this more than once I tend to collect white people that is what he has said and that still just cracks me up because I don't know how.

What was that term that Justice found another random white person?

1 of those was me so thank you for picking me up along the way.

But he was like and shout out to Lando on this he he was like we talked about the shared experiences thing and he said 1 of the shared experiences that he has had is kind of like the absence of most of the experiences that minorities and people of color have actually had to go through.

Specifically, 1 where he has been escorted out of a hood or like dangerous area by the police.

And when he said that I was like the what?

He's like yeah they were like you should not be here at this point in time and at this time of night we're gonna get you somewhere safe.

And he's just like I'm just here to buy weed Why are you bothering me?

So when he said that, I was like, damn, this is a criminal, but you know, all right.

Man, man, you said so much there and I really like the example of the football team.

So it's funny growing up in Chicago, I was always pushed, you know, bears this, bears that.

And I was probably like, I don't know, 13 or 14 years old and, you know, pretty ingrained into football and, you know, I had Bears jerseys and stuff.

And it was just because like, that's what you're supposed to do here.

And here, and ironically enough, like here, you're supposed to hate the Packers, right?

It was weird because I came to this realization and I was like, wait a minute, like we're like the Browns, but in like a large market, so we think we're better, right?

And it's really 1 of the worst run organizations in professional schools over history, right?

Like they're, they're so bad all the time, but that's, that's kind of what they are.

Like they, they ironically enough go back to history.

And it's just everyone, everyone's just ingrained in it.

I've actually heard that from a few people who have kind of like, not necessarily lived for a very long time in Chicago, but just kind of, I've been here for like 5 years or whatever.

And it's funny because even, so like in the sports world, right?

Like you'll take a Tom Brady who kind of transcends teams and you just appreciate watching him.

Travis Kelsey, all over the pop scene, right?

There are some people that transcend it, I guess is the best way to say it, but in general, people stick to their guns and it's so interesting.

There's this, I guess catchphrase out there, right?

Or slogan that says that racism is taught.

But like, where, how do you teach racism?

Well it's similar to what you were just saying about the bears.

It's just the things that are continuously shown and taught to you, you will parrot it after a while, whether you know it or not.

It isn't until you have a course of mind to kind of challenge the status quo that you've been seeing for God knows how long that you will tend to just move away from that or not engage with it.

But until then, that's what most people do.

For instance, the ISIS stuff, or the QAnon stuff, a lot of that when they are recruiting people, it is just a lot of stuff that's been bartering them.

And in the beginning, a majority of those people have said, who have seen the other side state or start out that I thought this stuff was crazy, but it was something that resonated with them at 1 point in time.

And they continued down the rabbit hole more and more and more.

But it was bombarded at them for so long.

And also, it's taught earlier on by other people unknowingly, just because of the system and the way that society is kind of set up, especially in the media.

There was a picture or story that ran and the picture for it was very telling.

There was a young lady in her sports team, it was a black woman, I'm assuming, but a person of color, let me say that, holding her head, because this was in Australia, so she could have been Aboriginal for all I know.

She was holding her head crying and her teammates were kind of around her comforting her.

And the headline read that the team will be punished for doping or they have to face the consequences of doping or whatever.

And what was completely funny was that it was just this picture where it looked like it was her who was caught and she was the only 1 doing it and everybody else was fine.

And in that 1 picture told so many words but didn't say anything, a teacher showed it to their class because they wanted to kind of open up the narrative to this and just ask the kids what they thought.

And they said, well, it looks like she's the 1 who was doing it.

And he delved a little bit deeper into it.

What do you think this says about people of color that they're bad?

It was really not necessarily eye-opening, but it was kind of a short bit into how this stuff just kind of throws at you news, magazines, if they still print them, newspapers, all that stuff.

What is shown to you and how it is shown in that light kind of goes to it.

And the biggest thing for it is stuff like movies or TV, even music.

Yeah, I agree because it's not like the kids are watching the news, right?

And we can see it so clearly there, but these tiny, seemingly tiny little details, I think we forget sometimes, I mean, big media doesn't forget how much these kids are sponges.

And they're taking in so much more than they're actually understanding, they're taking in themselves and able to even verbalize to you.

So to me, this takes like on the parents end, like active fighting, right?

Which I mean, kind of leads into the idea of Eber and Kendi talks so much about anti-racism, not just not being racist, but actively fighting against it.

It tends to be more of a thing where parents kind of go well they'll learn it and it's like no you have to teach them.

That's why we have so many people out here who don't wash their legs.

So yeah Another thing that I think is you have, and I've even seen this in my family, you have some people who have been affected in some way, shape or form by another person.

They've been hurt and they associated with the entire race.

Then you have others who have probably had the same yet worse but do not do that.

So it is a choice and it is something that is taught because after that I will never forget I have a great uncle, a great great uncle who had passed.

When I told him that I was dating someone who was not black, he was not having it.

And it was just because you know the white man has done this and that and I was like well you don't necessarily even know if he's white.

And is still like 1 of the most loving and caring people and so freaking smart.

When he tells me some of the stories that he encountered as somebody growing up in Alabama, even when we try to research like family history on his side.

We can't because once they go to a certain point, it literally starts to just say things like, you know, Negro child born or just, I won't say the expletive, but just child born.

And it's just like, okay, is this her or this him, you know, trying to figure that stuff out, with it.

And some of the stories that he has told me about having to get off the side of street, being spit on, being hemmed up, jacked up other family members, actually being lynched for talking back and things like that.

And still is just like, well, you know, they didn't know it was not necessarily their nature, but it was what they were told they were supposed to do.

And like I said, my great great uncle, which was a little bit older than him, maybe 5 years, 5 to 10 years or so, yeah, when he passed.

And you couldn't have told him anything that white people had done that was great.

And he was in the army and had to work alongside them and stuff.

But yeah, you couldn't, he would have this, this just, I don't know, just disappointment in them and just attributed to all of them.

Whereas my dad is just like, yeah, no, that's I don't believe that you and they would argue about it a lot.

And and probably both had these great points that went unheard because of the preconceived thoughts, right?

They had great, I won't say points on both sides, because I will be honest, my great-great-uncle would, he just would just, he was just mad.

And I think that was mainly where it was and hurt and just wanted retribution for stuff that had happened to him.

Whereas my dad was like, again, I cannot fault them for stuff that they were told that they were supposed to do.

Yeah, they were an asshole, but it was that person who was an asshole.

But points from perspective that makes sense.

It's, it's scary, I guess from my seat, trying to raise my kids in a, I'll call it a relatively diverse town.

It was much more diverse than where I grew up.

And that's, you know, I'm constantly picking places like our church for example.

I specifically selected to start when we were going to a new church it was this 1 because I knew I could see like in their posts and their videos and stuff I was watching online there was diversity and they did talk about it.

They would go into these like very specific topics and it was cool, but it's hard to, it's hard to manage when you're not around all the time.

I remember when, I mean, Gracie was probably 4 at the time.

We went down to Gulf Shores, Alabama, and we stopped at this legacy museum, and I've talked about that, Bryan Stevenson's right downtown, is it Birmingham, you think?

If you're in the area, check it out, the Legacy Museum.

There's this book I bought for Gracie called Don't Touch My Hair.

We read that book every night for weeks, right?

And just slowly opened up like these little conversations about why you shouldn't touch somebody's hair.

And we didn't even talk about race initially.

And I didn't really know if any of it was sinking in.

Because at the same time, I don't want anybody touching her hair.

But there was, oh, she was talking about bugs 1 day and there was, you know, some ant coming across.

And like we don't even have fire ants up here, but every ant they see they think is a bright red fire ant getting ready to come burn their skin off.

And Gracie said to me, she said, oh, this, this ant is a black ant, like the little girl in that book that we read.

And so it was, she was introduced to, I guess through that book, right?

And we know like in the black community, especially with black women, hair is a big deal and there's a lot of points.

We could probably do 3 or 4 episodes on that.

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The One About Racism.mp3