Humanize

Junie Joseph is a dedicated advocate for human rights, particularly addressing racial inequality and systemic challenges through her work in law. Her perspective on these issues is deeply influenced by her personal experiences of facing danger and adversity, including life-threatening situations that have reinforced her resilience and commitment to justice. In this episode, Junie emphasizes the interconnectedness of issues like diversity, equity, inclusion, and economic disparity, arguing that they must be tackled holistically. Her legislative work, heavily informed by her time as a human rights officer in the Central African Republic, focuses on tenant rights, criminal justice reform, and environmental conservation, advocating for systemic changes that uplift marginalized communities.   (00:00:04) Equitable Society Advocacy for Environmental Sustainability (00:15:15) Advocacy for Marginalized Communities in Conflict (00:20:12) Advocating for Marginalized Communities Through Community Engagement (00:23:31) Advocating for Tenant Rights and Environmental Sustainability (00:36:04) Navigating Legislative Challenges for Social Change (00:37:57) Equity and Inclusion in Policy making Governance (00:44:19) Legislators and Activists Collaborating for Change (00:51:22) Systemic Change vs. Accountability in Policing (00:54:33) Equitable Systems: Addressing Racial Disparities (00:54:33) Striving for Equity and Transparency in Justice   Here are three key takeaways from the episode: 1. **Advocacy and Accountability**: Junie Joseph underlines the significance of advocacy and holding perpetrators accountable for crimes against vulnerable populations. She shares her experiences working in challenging environments and highlights the need for collective action to address systemic challenges. 2. **Inclusive Decision-Making**: Junie Joseph stresses the importance of having everyone at the table to find equitable solutions. She emphasizes the need for diverse voices to actively participate in policymaking processes rather than being mere observers. 3. **Balanced Approach to Reform**: Courthney Russell Jr and Junie Joseph discuss the need for accountability and transparency in the justice system, advocating for a balanced approach to reform that ensures equity for black and brown individuals. Junie Joseph's pragmatic approach to navigating challenges is evident in her quote: "An activist wants to go to full 100%, and if I go for 100%, the bill is going to die."   Learn more about Junie: https://www.junie4colorado.com   If you'd like to support us in continuing this work, we'd be honored if you'd consider donating here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast Just $5/month makes a huge difference!   Let's talk about it! Connect with us to continue the conversation:   Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com  

“I have made mistakes and I have paid the ultimate cost for them and I am still here.”   - Leon Kennedy III   We are absolutely floored by our conversation with Leon. Here is a man who, through the darkest times imaginable, has reached into the depths of his being to find strength, perseverance and hope.  Since his first incarceration at the age of 19 in Virginia, Leon has spent decades of his life behind bars in some of the U.S.'s most violent and corrupt prisons, while also battling a chronic neural disease. He was granted parole 3 years ago and lives with his wife in their home in Alabama, where he continues to fight for justice in America's corrupted incarceration system.      Listen to hear us talk about Leon's life-story from incarceration to freedom Mental & emotional fortitude  Lessons learned and chances given The violence and injustice of Alabama's prison system “Reaching back” to help those behind you U.S. incarceration system as modern day slavery The current lawsuit against Alabama's prison system — —---   Connect with Leon: Kennedyiiileon@gmail.com  lkiiispeaks@gmail.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leon.kennedyiii   Get Involved: https://www.dreamdefenders.org/ https://apaep.auburn.edu/ https://offenderalumniassociation.org/ https://alabamaappleseed.org/   If you'd like to support us in continuing this work, we'd be honored if you'd consider donating here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast    Let's talk about it! Connect with us and continue the conversation:   Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com  

What would it look like if every person in the U.S. was well versed in the history of racism? Today we are unpacking the Netflix adaptation of Ibram X. Kendi's “Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America”. This documentary is a must watch if you haven't already, and check out more of our recommended resources below.    Listen to hear us talk about: How denial operates White supremacy fails everyone Community and tribalism Historical opportunities for progress How do the problems of racism we are facing now compare to historical problems?    Resources mentioned:  Stamped From The Beginning (Netflix) Rustin (Netflix) ‘Fugitive Pedagogy' by Jarvis R. Givens The 1619 Project ‘Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents' by Isabel Wilkerson ‘Pedagogy of the Oppressed' by Paulo Freire   —-----------    If you'd like to support us in continuing this work, we'd be honored if you'd consider donating here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast    Let's talk about it! Connect with us and continue the conversation:   Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com

“We need to build community like our life depends on it.”  We are joined today by awe-inspiring Nana Boakye; local philantropist and community builder from Ghana to Boulder. Nana chanelled his passion for soccer into “Kick2Build” community organization, and in this episode we hear how and why he created this inclusive community, and how diversity is celebrated using sports and cultural arts.   Listen to hear us talk about: Community building as a long term responsibility   Race and intersectionality Capitalism & white supremacy culture  ‘Black' v. ‘African American' identity Community is the answer ------    Connect with Nana and Kick2Build: Instagram - Justboakye  Facebook - Nana K. Boakye www.kicktobuild.org    If you'd like to support us in continuing this work, we'd be honored if you'd consider donating here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast    Let's talk about it! Connect with us and continue the conversation: Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com  

Today we are unpacking some big themes from last week's episode with Dr. Roberto Montoya: “CRT is Race Consciousness”. Join us as we push into edgy territory; asking ‘scary' questions about race, expanding our comfort zones and as always, leading with love.   Listen to hear us talk about: The blindness privilege  The discomfort of cultural change  Allowing complex feelings  Cancel culture vs. curiosity culture Where we've come from, bringing in lineage  -------------    If you'd like to support us in continuing this work, we'd be honored if you'd consider donating here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast    Let's talk about it! Connect with us and continue the conversation:   Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com

This is such a special episode, we've been waiting 2 years to release it! Today we are talking all things CRT (Critical Race Theory) with Dr. Roberto Montoya, Associate VP of Partner Success for Hispanic Serving Institutions. Weaving poetry, personal experiences and academia, Dr. Montoya gives us an insightful framework to understand CRT, race consciousness and why having race explicit conversations are necessary for every single one of us to make sense of this world.   Listen to hear us talk about: How is race consciousness developed How CRT is weaponized The importance of knowing our own story  Centering dignity  How to call people into this work, through curiosity Understanding academic roots Critical race parenting Measuring institutional support    —-----------    If you'd like to support us in continuing this work, we'd be honored if you'd consider donating here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast    Let's talk about it! Connect with us and continue the conversation: Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com

Annnnnd we're back! Hitting the ground running. Today we're talking all things Barbie, human supremacy, and audacious love. This season is fresh, engaging and jam-packed with vulnerability - jump on in everyone, let's do this.    Listen to hear us talk about:  Why are we still giving Trump attention? Patriarchy, capitalism & white supremacy Going against the stream of societal conditioning  Activism, sacrifice and obligation THESE exciting sneak peaks of the upcoming season!  ---  If you'd like to support us in continuing this work, we'd be honored if you'd consider donating here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast    Let's talk about it! Connect with us to continue the conversation: Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast  Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast   Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com 

Originally released Jan 24, 2022: [Update, The CAAAS in now open!] What exactly IS radical inclusivity and what does it have to do with Critical Race Theory? On today's episode we're excited to be joined by Dr. Reiland Rabaka to dive into this with us and explain how radical inclusivity goes beyond race. Dr. Rabaka is a professor at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and the founder of the groundbreaking Center for African and African American Studies (The CAAAS) at CU. In this interview, we get a sneak peek as to how Dr. Rabaka's vision for radical inclusion is coming to life in the fall of 2022 with the opening of The CAAAS in Boulder. We're exploring:  The wide range of expressions of what it means to be African and what it means to be Black When education in school around race SHOULD be started The most difficult conversation Dr. Rabaka's mother had with him as a child Why he teaches critical white studies in his classes The Black Tax and how it affects us Dr. Rabaka's vision for The CAAAS and the role it will play in the Boulder community How he is teaching differently and in doing so all his classes end up full and waitlisted Hip hop feminism and how Dr. Rabaka teaches it in his classes And so much more!   Contact info for Dr. Rabaka:   https://www.colorado.edu/center/caaas/ https://www.colorado.edu/ethnicstudies/ https://www.colorado.edu/asmagazine/2021/10/27/du-bois-scholarly-legacy   If you'd like to support us in continuing this work, we'd be honored if you'd consider donating here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast    Let's talk about it! Connect with us and continue the conversation:   Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com

Originally released July 11, 2022: How do we distinguish between sadness and remorse and individual guilt? How do we teach the youth that you can feel shame for something your country did, without feeling responsible? We have all heard about the controversy surrounding Nikole Hannah-Jones and The 1619 Project. Now you can hear directly from Nikole herself. As an award winning investigative reporter for the New York Times and a Pulitzer Prize winner, she has a lot to bring to the table. Join us as we sit down together and discuss The 1619 Project, the social construct of racism in our country, and pushing boundaries.   We're exploring: Nikole's theory on shoe culture in Black communities and why it matters Learning to study culture from the inside, as well as the outside, to really understand where we are coming from What it means when we say race is a social construct The theory that Blackness was created to define whiteness and how it doesn't exist in a place where no one is white Nikole's experience of being disinvited from speaking at Middlesex School and how that has created the “noise” they were afraid her visit would create How we can all work together to dismantle the system, so that we ALL can rise What “hope” means and how it relates to action, and why both are important   And so much more!   Learn more about Nikole Hannah-Jones:  https://nikolehannahjones.com/about/   If you'd like to support us in continuing this work, we'd be honored if you'd consider donating here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast    Let's talk about it! Connect with us to continue the conversation:   Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com Cover art by: Kevin Soltau (Middlesex ‘97) Production by Kim Difillippo

Originally Released Dec 22, 2021: Are you wondering how a prep school-raised white girl from Boston and a Black man from Atlanta like us teamed up to collaborate on a mission to work towards progression to help dismantle systems of oppression? On today's episode, we're bringing you a “getting to know us” episode and diving into the yin and yang that is us, our stories, how we met, and what brought us together on this journey. We're exploring: The most important thing each of us learned from our families growing up that helped shape who we are today Courthney's biggest lessons from growing up in Atlanta that still serve him today The hardest time in his life and how he got through it Courthney's experience with homelessness as a medical student (and why he feels it was exactly what he needed) The pivot point for him as a doctor that led him to leave medicine and become an entrepreneur passionate about helping people escape poverty What led to Emily's awakening about her own privilege and how she became interested in social dynamics and working in and with poverty Why pushing past the fear of being wrong is so important in anti-racism work How we actually keep each other safe while doing this work And more! Resources: Courthney's businesses: A2H2Hope.org weup.org   Emily's Business: Refreshcommunication.com

We can't believe it, we've made it to the end of Season 4. What a year of absolutely mind-blowing conversations and guests. With gratitude and excitement, we leave you with these final reflections on dismantling white supremacy, sitting in discomfort, and doing the work.  Season 5 is coming to you soon in full force, we can't wait to see you there.    Listen to hear us talk about:  What gives us the right to be having these conversations?  The role of discomfort  Our favorite moments & guests from Season 4  Humility and gratitude, owning our mistakes  Having a growth mindset   -----------------------   If you'd like to support us in continuing this work, we'd be honored if you'd consider donating here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast    Let's talk about it! Connect with us to continue the conversation:   Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com

“I'm not here to reform. I'm here to abolish, I'm here to dismantle.” - Jocelyn Rodriguez  What does it mean to have a radical approach? For Joceyln Rodriguez, it's about pushing the norm, and often being the only one doing it. Today we're talking (surprize!) about dismantling white supremacy, this time with a focus on education & our value systems that surround it. We didn't want this conversation to end! Joceyln is an educator, entrepreneur, community advocate, and all-round powerhouse. Hope you enjoy this one as much as we did.    Listen to hear us talk about: Intersection of international education and social justice, identity  What does it mean to be radical?  The whole picture of education (housing, income, poverty) Dismantling systems that uphold characteristics of white supremacy  Being able to hold the greater picture in focus to sustain your activism Radical self-acceptance, self-love, and rest  Activist burnout  Being aware of our egos in activism; people's activism will look different to ours “Reaching back”: not leaving our communities behind, recognizing and using privilege  RESOURCES MENTIONED Bettina Love: https://bettinalove.com/  - Abolitionist Education  Harriet Tubman   ---- ----  If you'd like to support us in continuing this work, we'd be honored if you'd consider donating here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast    Let's talk about it! Connect with us to continue the conversation:   Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com

“Whoa whoa whoa - I'm not a white supremacist…” White supremacy is a pretty hard thing to talk about without all the defenses coming up and the conversation quickly ending. In this episode we talk about the difference between ‘being a white supremacist' and living in ‘white supremacy culture', what that means for our society, workplace, and how it holds us all back.  Listen to hear us talk about: Self-acceptance as a first step to recognizing our interconnectedness Worst case scenario if nothing changes in this country  The dangers of not addressing the past  What's the difference between ‘being a white supremacist' and ‘white supremacy culture'? Cancel culture and perfectionism  Wanting a diverse workplace, in theory vs. in practice   If you'd like to support us in continuing this work, we'd be honored if you'd consider donating here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast    Let's talk about it! Connect with us to continue the conversation:   Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com

We're weighing in on the heated debate erupting across our country in the wake of Tyre Nichols murder. Tyre, a black man, was pulled over and subsequently killed by black police officers. Is this racist? Let's ask better questions.  Our heartfelt condolences go out to Tyre's family and community.  Listen to hear us talk about: - Was this interaction racist? Embracing nuance.   - White supremacy is a cultural rather than enacted by a specific group  - Law enforcement system reform (unchecked power) - Police were created to catch slaves - Media & the decisions made around what is worthy of our nation's attention (economy of attention) - That's not ‘my' problem - I can't relate' - Reclaiming our humanity   RESOURCES MENTIONED 1619 Project  The 13th (History of Policing)   —-  If you'd like to support us in continuing this work, we'd be honored if you'd consider donating here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast    Let's talk about it! Connect with us to continue the conversation:   Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com

How does perfectionism undermine our activism? This conversation today is so important. We're with Dr. Melissa Bird, discussing how our fears of messing up and being judged impedes our activism, and how our shame and guilt are leading us to action instead of our intuition.    Dr. Melissa Bird has spent her major professional life creating events, workshops, and retreats that bring people together to create community and reconnect to themselves. She works to help people tear down the walls that are keeping them stuck through spiritual regeneration and facilitation of healing from within. Her unique life purpose is to use her talents as a healer to help others tap into their intuition so that they can harness their magic.   Listen to hear us talk about: Melissa's work with white female Christians  How perfectionism and hypervigilance perpetuate white supremacy Raising kids to notice how racism and privilege operate in their lives Being taught what to feel and not in touch with our intuition The dangers of being led by shame and guilt THESE tips for regrounding when you're feeling disconnected from yourself and your emotions.  Links: Melissa and James created The Mermaid's Garden to provide people a place based on the rule of radical welcome, where everyone is invited to sit at their table. https://www.themermaidsgardenoregon.com/   Website https://www.naturalbornrebel.com/ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5zJU-CK82JUTcwIDf6RSAQ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/birdgirl1001 Twitter https://twitter.com/birdgirl1001 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/birdgirl1001/ TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@birdgirl1001 LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-melissa-bird-016640199/ —-  If you'd like to support us in continuing this work, we'd be honored if you'd consider donating here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast    Let's talk about it! Connect with us to continue the conversation:   Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com

Anti-oppression work requires great introspection and learning of self and habits. According to Brenda Herrera Moreno, the role that we have to play in combating oppression is equivalent to the life journey of getting to know ourselves better.  In our conversation today, Brenda explains how white supremacy invisibilizes and intentionally creates distance from the systems it exploits and extracts. The journey is for people to see the paradigms that shape language, humor, and interpersonal relationships. As we look deeper, we can see that these are the same paradigms that inform policies, institutions and regulations. Once we see them, then we have the opportunity to find alternatives or antidotes. Brenda is the founder of ‘In.Visible Paradigms', an anti-oppression organization committed to informing and transforming white allies in order to deepen their commitment to the ‘work', community and movement of anti-oppression.  Listen to hear us talk about The ‘Great Unlearnings' that white participants experience when they start down this path What do we mean when we say ‘the work' Inherited ideologies that show up in everyday language The importance of spaces where white people can be held accountable Safety, comfort zones, reactivity Events that make white people jump into this work, without necessarily understanding the context of the movement they're apart of Analyzing power and privilege in comfort zones Windows of tolerance (how much we can handle before nervous system is activated) How ‘love' and ‘hate' are shaped systematically and historically. THESE activities from Brenda's ‘In.Visible Paradigm' program website: www.invisibleparadigms.com | Facebook and Instagram: @in.visibleparadigms  Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/invisible-paradigms   Personal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendahm/   RESOURCES Social Change Wheel 2.0: https://mncampuscompact.org/wp-content/uploads/large/sites/30/2020/07/IAMNCC-Social-Change-Wheel-2.0-Toolkit.pdf  Breakup Letter Dear ________, When you show up, I notice you ________. I _______________. Thank you for what you've shown me and committed to instead feel __________________________. I know we will cross paths and that's okay. Best, Your name Brenda's Example from podcast: Dear perfectionism, When you show up, I notice you override my body, I get caught up in self doubt and rigid thinking, you displace my ability to be present, and instead push me to set my value with my self worth. I want to practice lowering your voice and voice of urgency. Thank you for what you've shown me, I committed to instead feel detachment both in thinking and self healing. I know we make some cross paths and that's okay. Best, Brenda. Crush Letter Prompt: Dear _________, I've been putting this off for weeks now. I noticed I feel ______________writing to you. You have inspired me to_______________, your __[qualities]________ and __[ability]________ has taught me _________________. I look forward to getting to know you better. See you soon, Your name About In.Visible Paradigms In.Visible Paradigms is an anti-oppression organization that is committed to informing and transforming white community members to better integrate themselves into the anti-oppression community, work, and movement. About Brenda: Brenda identifies as an anti-oppression practitioner. Born in Mexico City, but partially raised in India, traveled the world, middle school in South Carolina, high school in Wales, and college in Massachusetts. After Hampshire College, Brenda experienced diverse roles in advocacy as a youth program coordinator at a refugee resettlement organization, later as a bilingual counselor for survivors and victims of intimate partner violence, and finally as a peer recovery coach.

The world is an intense place. We are bombarded with news of tragedies and injustices and many of us wonder, “what can I do?”, before we are swept back into our busy lives. Sirad Zahra joins us today to talk about the injustices that land on our own doorstep, and what we choose to do with them. Sirad Zahra, a founding member of MAAPB Mass Action Against Police Brutality. Sirad describes herself as “First generation American of African & South American-West Indian descent, labeled and experiencing life as an African-American woman in the Black experience of the United States. Living on the edge of the new generations of Peace after generations of terror, born on an echo of Revolution.” Listen to hear us talk about: Police brutality in the United States What we absorb as children from our parents' activism.  Reflecting on Emily and Sirad's elementary school years together, their early roots of humanitarianism What are the events or experiences that cut through to us enough to make us act?  How the ‘othering' of groups is used to perpetuate power structures  What would it look like if community activism was expected and built into our professional lives? Why support and encouragement go a long way in this work  To support Sirad's work, donate to MAAPB here: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/MassAction Find out more at www.MAAPB.org  FB/IG/Twitter/YouTube: @Maapb617  - If you'd like to support us in continuing this work, we'd be honored if you'd consider donating here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast  Let's talk about it! Connect with us to continue the conversation: Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast  Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast   Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com 

How do you tell your own story? Often when we think about our lives we focus on our shortcomings and struggle to see how all the parts of our story are weaved together. Adriana Ortiz believes that understanding our own story is critical to living a successful life, and she is dedicated to helping others do this.  Adri has been passionate about storytelling since she was a kid, finding that the literature she grew up with fell short in representing her layered life experiences. Join us for a fascinating conversation about storytelling, education & understanding the complex lives we live.   Listen to hear us talk about:  What is storytelling and why do we do it The problems with education; who benefits from our current curriculums & ways of teaching? Why is curiosity so important and how to cultivate it What is the difference between survival mode and thriving mode THIS one question that Adri opens with when she's interviewing people  Outside vs inside life - norms with your friends vs your family norms  How does Adri define success?   Connect with Adri: IG: @catchmesaying LinkedIn: LinkedIn.com/in/adrimaria   If you'd like to support us in continuing this work, we'd be honored if you'd consider donating here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast    Let's talk about it! Connect with us to continue the conversation: Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast  Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast   Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com

Each of us have different strategies when it comes to shifting people's perspectives. For last week's guest, Awa Diaw, it can be choosing to end the conversation when it no longer feels productive. For Humanize co-host, Courthney Russell Jr, it's diving even deeper into the heat. Join us as we deconstruct last week's episode with Awa about creating influence. We're diving deeper into how we do this in our daily conversations, and what we do with discomfort when it arises.  We're talking about: When is a conversation no longer productive? Stopping a conversation in its tracks because someone might say something they regret.  Courthney's strategies for creating maximum influence & shifting people's perspectives.  People having different thresholds for withstanding disrespect  A question that Courthney has always wanted to ask a white person, but never has before THESE biological cues in social situations that something is off, and it's time to step in DEI efforts in the business world, increasing productivity in workplaces How the U.S. economy is based on slavery & skin color  And much more!    Follow Awa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adiaw/       If you'd like to support us in continuing this work, we'd be honored if you'd consider donating here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast     Let's talk about it! Connect with us to continue the conversation:   Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast    Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast    Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com

We've got a fun role swap for you today: in this episode, we're bringing you an interview where we had the opportunity to be the guests! We were interviewed by the amazing Sage Hobbs and Erica Howard for their podcast Race, Culture, and Beyond: A Naked Conversation Series to explore friendship across race (which they share with us!)   Sage and Erica share our passion for doing antiracism work through real, honest—and even sometimes messy!—conversations. Join us as we explore together the lessons we've learned about ourselves and each other on this journey, our relationship “secret sauce,” and how the 4 of us feel about making a difference one conversation at a time.   We're sharing:   What we're listening to, reading, and binge watching lately (and a surprising sitcom favorite of Courthney's!) The concert from Emily's past that made Courthney want to work with her How we met and the birth of Humanize Courthney's legacy that he hopes to leave The powerful tool white folks can use (but often take for granted) to create change in DEI and antiracism   Connect with Sage and Erica at: https://sagebhobbs.com/ https://www.flyingcolorsllc.com/ @sagebhobbs on LinkedIn and Instagram @racecultureandbeyondpodcast on Instagram https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericayhoward/ for Erica's company on LinkedIn Children's Book: Ordinary people change the world Podcast: Race Culture and Beyond   If you'd like to support us in continuing this work, we'd be honored if you'd consider donating here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast    Let's talk about it! Connect with us to continue the conversation:   Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com

We know very well what change still needs to happen around race in the US, but what about abroad? Today we're bringing you a fascinating and unique perspective on this from Awa Diaw who is not only the Global Diversity and Inclusion Project Manager for Microsoft, but a Black woman born in Senegal, raised in the US, and now living in France.   Join us for this powerful episode as we break down Awa's experiences and observations as a Black American in Paris, how those compare to the treatment of non-American BIPOC in France, and some of her top tips for sparking change around DEI in white-led organizations.   We're exploring:   Some of the most fascinating lessons and bizarre observations from her journey A comparison of the education system in the United States vs France Why she loves doing this work in a tech company—like Microsoft—in particular THIS one approach Awa's seen work really well in influencing change in a white-led company that didn't involve focusing on the financial impact of improving their diversity Privilege and how she has experienced this very differently in France vs the US White supremacy in other countries and how it manifests And so much more!   Follow Awa on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adiaw/    If you'd like to support us in continuing this work, we'd be honored if you'd consider donating here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast    Let's talk about it! Connect with us to continue the conversation:   Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com

What's code switching? If you've ever found yourself changing who you are as a person in a given situation in order to gain acceptance, you've code switched. That need to shift how you show up in the world in order to adhere to a standard set by others is unfortunately a reality we live with and something our last guest, Imran Rehman, so poignantly brought up in episode 8.   In today's episode we're taking a deeper dive into this topic from our interview with Imran and breaking down what it means to code switch, why we've all been trained to do this (regardless of color), and the ways in which it actually dehumanizes us.   We're exploring: THIS common saying that Imran feels is “complete and utter rubbish” Several ways in which women are often expected to code switch as well as those for people of color  What it means to “talk white” and where professionalism standards need to be reset The powerful pep talk Emily got from Courthney lately that really helped her to realize where she'd been code shifting British colonialism and the fuss over Queen Elizabeth's death (and the reminders that this event should really be invoking) How the dynamic we have collaborating as a Black man and white woman doing this work together is so powerful   S4E8: The Wisdom of Community w/Imran RehmanS4E6: When Schools Fear ‘Noise': Learning From the Controversial Speech Cancellation at Middlesex School w/ Nikole Hannah-Jones   Get in touch with Imran: https://bekokoro.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/imranrehman/ https://twitter.com/ImsRehman https://www.instagram.com/bekokoronow/   If you'd like to support us in continuing this work, we'd be honored if you'd consider donating here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast    Let's talk about it! Connect with us to continue the conversation:   Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com  

Sometimes you read or hear about a situation that breaks your heart and you think, “How can those people DO that?! How do they live with themselves? I could never do that!” But could you?   As humans, we're exploring this idea that we all have the capacity to disconnect from other people so much that we treat them inhumanely. So in this episode, we're exploring why and how humans do this and how we can shift to humanizing others instead.   We're discussing: The inhumane separation of families at the US border during the Trump administration and the border agents involved The perspective shift Courthney embodies in order to hold a sense of humanization for all Reforming our current immigration system in the United States - what might that look like if it existed without dehumanizing immigrants? Why the border agents or the police officers, etc. aren't the ones to be demonizing for being involved in the inhumane treatment of others (and who to take the fight to instead) An update from each of us on the last couple of months during the break from the podcast And more!   If you'd like to support us in continuing this work and get access to exclusive content, become a Patron here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast    Let's talk about it! Connect with us to continue the conversation:   Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com

How do we create dialogue when there are such huge power differences in the room? How do we make sure we have different voices at the table and still work together?  Today we sit down with Imran Rehman, CEO of Kokoro, a web based company striving to effect change by building better environments for teams to thrive in.  Imran reaches to his childhood in London's East End and his upbringing of many communities joining together to inform his work.   We're Exploring   The aspect of Imran's childhood that helped form who he is now Recognizing what is the other side of praise and how it is detrimental to progress Using language of encouragement and learning to ask questions in place of praise What education really is The differences between a challenge, a problem, and a crisis, and how belonging is the key to all three Imran's simple starting point for psychological safety in the workplace  The importance of community and holding space Why temporal comparison is best way to help humans grow and improve The “Great Man Theory” and why we need to turn away from individual greatness Learn more about Imran Rehman:  https://bekokoro.com/, https://www.linkedin.com/in/imranrehman/, https://twitter.com/ImsRehman,  https://www.instagram.com/bekokoronow/    If you'd like to support us in continuing this work, we'd be honored if you'd consider donating here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast    Let's talk about it! Connect with us to continue the conversation:   Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com

We know the important place The 1619 Project takes in DEI work. Nikole Hannah-Jones' speech at a prominent elite school was canceled, but her message is definitely not. Join us as we break down our previous episode with Nikole and talk about the importance of using our platforms to enact change. We are digging deep into how we can use our past to change our future, what hope really means, and what it looks like to act.   We're exploring:   Why Nikole is prioritizing access to her platform for some The importance of learning to sit with others' uncomfortable emotions How feeling shame can be overwhelming but still be healing The ways that trauma can be passed from generation to generation, and what we need to do to heal Balancing a love of our country with the shame of its past What DEI work and parenting have in common Understanding the harm of inaction and what action really looks like   And so much more!   Learn more about Nikole Hannah-Jones: https://nikolehannahjones.com/about/   If you'd like to support us in continuing this work, we'd be honored if you'd consider donating here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast    Let's talk about it! Connect with us to continue the conversation:   Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com

How do we distinguish between sadness and remorse and individual guilt? How do we teach the youth that you can feel shame for something your country did, without feeling responsible? We have all heard about the controversy surrounding Nikole Hannah-Jones and The 1619 Project. Now you can hear directly from Nikole herself. As an award winning investigative reporter for the New York Times and a Pulitzer Prize winner, she has a lot to bring to the table. Join us as we sit down together and discuss The 1619 Project, the social construct of racism in our country, and pushing boundaries.   We're exploring: Nikole's theory on shoe culture in Black communities and why it matters Learning to study culture from the inside, as well as the outside, to really understand where we are coming from What it means when we say race is a social construct The theory that Blackness was created to define whiteness and how it doesn't exist in a place where no one is white Nikole's experience of being disinvited from speaking at Middlesex School and how that has created the “noise” they were afraid her visit would create How we can all work together to dismantle the system, so that we ALL can rise What “hope” means and how it relates to action, and why both are important   And so much more!   Learn more about Nikole Hannah-Jones:  https://nikolehannahjones.com/about/   If you'd like to support us in continuing this work, we'd be honored if you'd consider donating here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast    Let's talk about it! Connect with us to continue the conversation:   Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com Cover art by: Kevin Soltau (Middlesex ‘97) Production by Kim Difillippo

TW: Abortion   What is freedom? It's the 4th of July, and while we are grateful for our veterans who fought for our country's freedoms, we are finding it hard to celebrate when not all of us are truly free. On Friday, June 24, the Supreme court overturned Roe vs Wade and our hearts are HEAVY. Historically those with means have always been able to get safe abortions and always will, so while this ruling affects all of us, it disproportionately affects Black and Brown people living in poverty.   Today we're examining some of the implications of this ruling and its connections to history together.    We're exploring:   The “simpler times” theory and how it is all about control of others How Emily is struggling balancing her admiration for Ruth Bader Ginsberg with frustration What will happen when white women take a stand, and what issues will it highlight that we have ignored Getting uncomfortable in activism - it is not a spectator sport How the act of controlling someone else's body dehumanizes us The ways “leaving it to the states to decide” echos slavery and why it is the federal governments job to protect our rights Our continued fight for a country where we can all have freedom   If you'd like to support us in continuing this work, we'd be honored if you'd consider donating here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast    Let's talk about it! Connect with us to continue the conversation:   Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com

90% of the profits from Idelette's book, Recovering Racists, is going to different communities of color that have been oppressed and discriminated against. And she's doing a beautiful job of just asking where this money should go. This question got us on the topic of reparation and how it's synonymous with money in most people's minds. Join us as we break down our previous episode with Idelette, dive deep into using ONLY money as a form of reparation, touch on how we live in a culture where everything is so offensive and why we, as a society, being more worried about correct labeling than the actual work being done has got to change.   We're exploring: The event Courthney went to on Juneteenth this year What we hope the Juneteenth celebration will represent for freedom going forward Why excess money without a cause is a dangerous thing Emily's position as a white woman doing this work and a top question on her mind Why addressing education, healthcare, voting and political power should be seen as a form of reparation The drive behind Humanize and making sure that we are in the right position to be used as a solution How using ONLY money as a form of reparation is very dangerous Writing a letter to OUR ancestors, and the top questions we have for them And so much more!    If you'd like to support us in continuing this work, we'd be honored if you'd consider donating here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast    Let's talk about it! Connect with us to continue the conversation:   Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com

After being set up to live with privilege in South Africa, unsure of the world she was grown up in, our guest and author of the book Recovering Racists, Idelette McVicker, speaks to us about feeling like her soul was forgotten once she discovered the truth. She shares what it was like to live in the Apartheid, how it was created to separate people based on the color of their skin, the journey from where she was born to and the difference she is making because of it.   We're exploring: What Apartheid South Africa looked like How the title Recovering Racists came to be while searching for the meaning in this world What opened Idelette's eyes to a missing part of her soul  How a journey with her father to Germany connected the story in her own heart  Writing a letter to your ancestors and the TOP questions to ask And so much more!    If you'd like to support us in continuing this work, we'd be honored if you'd consider donating here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast    Let's talk about it! Connect with us to continue the conversation:   Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com   Mentioned in the show:   @unitedstreettours No future without forgiveness- Archbishop Desmond Tutu   Idelette's Work:   Website: http://www.idelette.com   INSTAGRAM: http://www/instagram.com/idelettemcvicker   FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/idelettemcvicker   TWITTER: http://www/twitter.com/idelette   FOUNDER: https://shelovesmagazine.com/ and http://www.dangerouswomen.org   PODCAST: Liberating Faith, a SheLoves podcast : https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/liberating-faith/id1614493806 

So many times since we started this podcast, we have been here discussing mass shootings and how we can really effect change.  Here we are again.  Today in the wake of the Buffalo grocery store shooting, we sit down and talk about the ongoing gun violence in the US and how centering hate is at the heart. This isn't about politics or political parties, but the situations at hand.  Let's dig in.   We're exploring:   How not addressing the issue of inequity in our country has made a terrifying situation our norm The difference between uncomfortable and unsafe, and why it is so important to have uncomfortable conversations Why it is critical that we see people as they are and appreciate our differences in order to fight the system How white supremacy culture wins by keeping people controlled via fear The message we send when society centers and amplifies a marginal hate perspective  What the poverty mindset is and how it normalizes ignorance, hate and survival How standing on ideology dehumanizing us  Our hope for our listeners to find spaces to come together and heal If you'd like to support us in continuing this work, we'd be honored if you'd consider donating here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast    Let's talk about it! Connect with us and continue the conversation:   Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com

It seems like we just started Humanize, but somehow we are already back for Season 4! We have lots in store for you, including an update on what we have each been up to and a preview of what we have planned for this season. We're looking into an international focus on DEI, and have some great guests and conversations to tune in to!   We're exploring:   The 1619 Project - we are digging into this book and cannot wait to share what we are learning How the system is holding us ALL back Looking at our country's history through a critical lens, and balancing that with our love for America DEI work that is happening in other countries, and how that compares to the United States What exclusive content you can you expect this season in our Patreon community   And so much more!!   The 1619 Project: https://1619education.org/?gclid=CjwKCAjw9-KTBhBcEiwAr19ig0ELSlrP3zSmJ6T_mJMuviThRzi6FX34RdNqpUliJPjwJlE0cAoEoxoC1XEQAvD_BwE   Philanthropiece: https://philanthropiece.org   If you'd like to support us in continuing this work, we'd be honored if you'd consider donating here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast    Let's talk about it! Connect with us and continue the conversation:   Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com

It's a wrap on Season 3! Join us today as we look back and unpack what this season has brought: the work we've done, the discomfort and pain we've faced, and the guests we've all learned from. Listen in as we detail some of the BIGGEST learning points that have settled in for each of us. We'll also utilize some prompts to reflect on how our Humanize workplace is measuring up on dismantling the characteristics of white supremacy culture. Thank YOU for tuning in this season and learning with us! We're exploring:  Steps you can take to bring in MORE diversity into your life How anger and pain can be a catalyst for action The importance of creating safe spaces for people of color and why that might be hard to do if you're white (but keep trying!) Our advice to white listeners seeking to do the work  The difference between clean and dirty anger and which one is actually useful for creating change Dismantling the system of urgency and why important work shouldn't be rushed Plus updates on what's to come!    Click below for the cards we used: https://www.spark-decks.com/product/practices-for-dismantling-racism/   Link for the Dismantling Racism Workbook: https://resourcegeneration.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/2016-dRworks-workbook.pdf   For our listeners in Colorado: https://www.unifyamerica.org/friends/colorado If you'd like to support us in continuing this work, we'd be honored if you'd consider donating here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast    Let's talk about it! Connect with us and continue the conversation:   Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com

Have you ever been on the receiving end of a supposedly well-intended — but actually incredibly offensive — comment, question, or microagression? Well today's guest, Nadia Ali, knows this feeling all too well. Nadia is the CEO and founder of Idea Labs in Action, a mission driven consulting firm designed to advance equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace and across communities. In today's episode, Nadia joins us to share her experience as a Pakistani-American Muslim woman, including the culture shock she felt moving from New Jersey to Colorado, some of the traumatic experiences of oppression and racism she's experienced at work and in her personal life, and why she feels it's particularly important for BIPOC to prioritize rest.   We're exploring:  The two things you NEED to ask yourself before asking someone you're curious about a question Dismantling the 40 hour work week standard, and why that reality is much more difficult to achieve for some than others The harmful stereotypes that the media perpetuates If any companies are “getting it right” when it comes to rest for their employees The steps that Idea Labs is taking to provide rest for women of color  And even more on the everyday realities of living with a marginalized identity in America   Support Nadia's Reflect. Rejoice. Recharge Retreat: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-woc-restoration-retreat   Learn more about Idea Labs in Action:  https://www.idealabsinaction.com/   Follow Nadia on Instagram: https://instagram.com/idealabsinaction  If you'd like to support us in continuing this work, we'd be honored if you'd consider donating here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast    Let's talk about it! Connect with us and continue the conversation:   Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com

The intersection between toxic masculinity and white supremacy is one that deserves another look, don't you think? On today's episode we dive back into the ideas discussed last week with artist, poet, and educator, Kyle ‘Guante' Tran Myhre. Join us as we further explore the violence of normality, the ways that white supremacy doesn't exclusively benefit whites, and why it's still a toxic system that needs to be dismantled.   We're exploring:  The need to redefine masculinity in society  Our country's foundation of white supremacy and what that means for dismantling it What “doing the work” looks like Why the culture within white supremacy makes it hard to admit you're in it and benefiting from it What's needed to achieve true liberation  How the access to power creates blindness  The fog that Courthney envisions white men live in every day Healthy vs toxic masculinity and if the white supremacist system we live in can ever be shifted into something healthy And much more!   If you'd like to support us in continuing this work, we'd be honored if you'd consider donating here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast    Let's talk about it! Connect with us and continue the conversation:   Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com

Poetry and art can move us in a way that lectures or courses cannot, am I right? THIS is why today's guest loves this medium and uses it so powerfully in his social activism work, particularly around white supremacy and toxic masculinity. In this episode, we're joined by poet, educator, and activist, Kyle ‘Guante' Tran Myhre, to break down the relationship between power and resistance, the MOST important tool for creating real change, and how he uses poetry so powerfully in his activism work. We're exploring: The idea of narrative strategy Kyle's experience growing up as a white-passing man, who is actually mixed race THIS key thing he uses to create change and facilitate hard conversations One of Kyle's favorite tools in his toolbox of relationship building and advocacy Why he prefers art and storytelling in activism rather than lecturing Balancing audacity with humility How white supremacy and toxic masculinity overlap and how they differ The thing about poetry/art that is so much more impactful than a new policy An exclusive sneak peek to a poem from Kyle's new sci-fi poetry book!   Pre order “Not a Lot of Reasons to Sing, but Enough” (2022 Button Poetry) http://www.guante.info   http://www.guante.info | Twitter: @elguante | IG: @guantesolo If you'd like to support us in continuing this work, we'd be honored if you'd consider donating here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast    Let's talk about it! Connect with us and continue the conversation:   Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com

Originally Released June 28, 2021 If you know better, you can do better. Join us in today's episode, where we're joined by writer, journalist, and antiracism coach, Courtney Napier, to explore the role our ancestors play in our lives as well as the illusions and fuckery of white supremacy that affects us all.   We're digging into: The “crack in the veneer” moment that changed everything for Courtney How white supremacy impacts white people as well as POC The kind of work that will lead to freedom (it's not what you think!) Pleasure vs conscience and its role in resisting oppression The illusions of white supremacy Why more Black and Brown women are starting businesses The difference between suffering and struggle And so much more! LINKS: www.courtneynapier.com   www.blackoaksociety.com  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/know-better-do-better-the-legacy-of-white-allyship-tickets-156738572289 www.instagram.com/courtney.has.words www.twitter.com/shehaswords   Narrative of a Life Fredrick Douglass, an American Slave: Frederick Douglass: https://www.tatteredcover.com/book/9780143107309 Case for Reparations: Ta-Nehisi Coates https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/06/the-case-for-reparations/361631/ Women Race and Class: Angela Davis https://www.tatteredcover.com/book/9780394713519 Essay by Audre Lorde: Uses of the Erotic, Erotic as Power: Audre Lorde White Beloveds: Black Lives Matter Is Not a Trend Its an Invitation to Our Own Freedom Too: https://plantedmoredeeply.wordpress.com/2020/06/28/white-beloveds-blacklivesmatter-is-not-a-trend-its-an-invitation-to-our-own-freedom-too/   Let's talk about it! Connect with us and continue the conversation: Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com

  Originally Released JAN 11, 2021 This episode is a fan favorite. So much happened last week in this country that we just had to create a bonus episode to share our conversation around it. For the first time in history, Georgia is blue with its first Black man as senator! And on the same day, hypocrisy and entitlement were on parade at the Capital as a mass of vastly white Trump supporters rioted and looted there. So on today's episode, we're breaking down the big questions we've seen about the riot, how racism was at play, and the Georgia Senate election. We're exploring: The burden of progression and where it has always been placed Why this coup attempt was NOT like the BLM movement and how it was related to racism How white privilege was on display at the Capital during the riot The massive role Stacey Abrams played in the election last week Why the riot happened the way it did The chapter from the Trump book we as individuals pushing towards dismantling the system can take And more! Connect with us and continue the conversation: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizedpodcast.com

When you hear a lot of conversations around racism and white supremacy, it can be easy to assume that it's just a Black and white thing. But we don't believe that's true, and in today's episode we're debriefing last week's conversation with Dr. Reiland Rabaka where we discussed this as well as radical inclusivity and critical race theory. Join us as we take a deeper dive into the importance of culture and relationships in this conversation, African culture, and the idea of racelessness.   We're exploring: Why creating something like Dr. Rabaka's Center for African and African American Studies is so important The thing that generally really drives BIPOC to stay in one place for a long time (it's not money!) Why language is such a powerful thing, particularly to marginalized communities Some of our favorite qualities about African culture The difference between academics and intellectuals And more!   If you'd like to support us in continuing this work, we'd be honored if you'd consider becoming a patron here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast    Let's talk about it! Connect with us and continue the conversation:   Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com

What exactly IS radical inclusivity and what does it have to do with Critical Race Theory? On today's episode we're excited to be joined by Dr. Reiland Rabaka to dive into this with us and explain how radical inclusivity goes beyond race. Dr. Rabaka is a professor at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and the founder of the groundbreaking Center for African and African American Studies (The CAAAS) at CU. In this interview, we get a sneak peek as to how Dr. Rabaka's vision for radical inclusion is coming to life in the fall of 2022 with the opening of The CAAAS in Boulder. We're exploring:   The wide range of expressions of what it means to be African and what it means to be Black When education in school around race SHOULD be started The most difficult conversation Dr. Rabaka's mother had with him as a child Why he teaches critical white studies in his classes The Black Tax and how it affects us Dr. Rabaka's vision for The CAAAS and the role it will play in the Boulder community How he is teaching differently and in doing so all his classes end up full and waitlisted Hip hop feminism and how Dr. Rabaka teaches it in his classes And so much more!   Contact info for Dr. Rabaka:   https://www.colorado.edu/center/caaas/ https://www.colorado.edu/ethnicstudies/ https://www.colorado.edu/asmagazine/2021/10/27/du-bois-scholarly-legacy   If you'd like to support us in continuing this work, we'd be honored if you'd consider donating here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast    Let's talk about it! Connect with us and continue the conversation:   Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com

Whether it's COVID, fires or floods, when you really look at who's affected the most in the US, there's a glaring difference there between white people and BIPOC and it isn't just access to medical care that's to blame. In today's episode, we're diving deeper into our last episode with Vani Tangella, a race equity specialist with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, where we discussed how trauma affects race conversations and experiences. Join us as we unpack the myth of access in the US, the often overlooked ways it makes a big difference, and why we need to put more focus on increasing equity in the face of climate-related disasters.   We're diving into: Social capital and how it affects access to Americans What it means to be an “other” in the face of a natural disaster How we can create climate related disaster recovery that's more equitable What more equitable treatment of communities, whether marginalized or not, BEFORE a disaster would mean for the outcomes and recovery Metabolizing trauma: why it's so important and how the lack of access to it comes into play for many Black and Brown bodies And more!   If you'd like to support us in continuing this work, we'd be honored if you'd consider donating here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast    Let's talk about it! Connect with us and continue the conversation:   Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com

We all carry with us our own traumas (including intergenerational ones), but how do we each continue to show up and do this work when that's the reality for us? Today, we're exploring this with Vani Tangella, the Racial Equity Specialist at the Colorado Department of Health and Environment. Join us as we unpack what it means to show up in a conversation about race or equity, the inner work to be done for the most effective race conversations, the myth of access in the US, and the importance of staying embodied.    We're exploring: Vani's realization, as a 9 year old immigrant to the US from India, that the world had given her rose-colored glasses about what life held for them here Her first experiences feeling like “the other” and where she continued to discover inequities here The barriers to effective DEI consulting in businesses and what needs to happen to change that How and why Vani brings the head, body, and heart into racial equity trainings What it looks like to really show up and do your inner work Her favorite tips for you to move further into really doing this work in a trauma-informed system And more!   If you'd like to support us in continuing this work, we'd be honored if you'd consider donating here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast    Let's talk about it! Connect with us and continue the conversation:   Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com

Holiday get-togethers can be tough for a lot of reasons, and if your family is often vocal about their opinions around race or something else that you feel opposingly passionate about, it can be extra hard. But if you've been wondering how to NOT stay silent this holiday in the most effective and loving ways, this episode is for you! We're joined by 2 legendary return guests, Shiquita Yarbrough and Pedro Silva, to break this down for you today and teach you how to have these tough conversations in a way that creates more understanding and connection, how to choose the right moments to speak up, and why it's so important to not stay silent this holiday season.   We're exploring: How to invite your family to discuss these things One of Shiquita's favorite ways to soften tough conversations like these and why this method is so powerful The BEST form of communication and  Some of Pedro's top recommended questions you can ask family members when these conversations come up so that you can deepen the conversation and learn from each other Battling the “blood is thicker than water” mentality and why it can keep you stuck One of the biggest tools of control in this country, how to watch out for it in these tough conversations, and the most POWERFUL tool to use instead THIS question to ask yourself before you engage in one of these tough conversations to keep you grounded and the conversation more effective And more! If you'd like to support us in continuing this work, we'd be honored if you'd consider donating here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast    Let's talk about it! Connect with us and continue the conversation:   Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com

We're mixing it up for you again today with a behind the scenes episode! Our episode on the Kyle Rittenhouse acquittal (season 3, episode 8) has been weighing heavily on our hearts, so we've brought a special return guest on today to help us tease this out. Join us as Darrie Matthew Burrage does some podcast therapy with us, facilitates our processing of the episode, and gives you a behind the scenes look of what it means to be human doing podcast work.We're exploring: Our concerns about the episode and what we want you to know A debate on the ethical obligations of thought leaders Why DEI work is so difficult A BTS of how we approach each episode that we do Balance in this work   Darrie's Contact information:   https://www.facebook.com/darrie.m.burrage https://www.instagram.com/darrie_be/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrie-matthew-burrage-31631314/   If you'd like to support us in continuing this work, we'd be honored if you'd consider donating here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast    Let's talk about it! Connect with us and continue the conversation:   Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com

Have you ever learned something and wondered, why weren't we taught this in school? And what would our interactions and lives be like if we were? So in today's episode (which marks one year bringing this podcast to you!) we're debriefing our interview with Patricia on uncovering suppressed history, exploring how our lives are informed by the history presented to us, the effect suppressed history has on our everyday lives, and reflecting on what we've learned in the past year of doing this work together.   We're exploring: A powerful story from Courthney's of the moment he made the shift to live and fight from a place of  love instead of fear How oppression has become even more dangerous in some ways today vs historically The disturbing thing about how (and why) history can be suppressed Core goodness in humans vs THIS other powerful core motivator The singular goal of several large systems in the US, and the effort it took to create them (and what's needed to dismantle them) What we need to combat the hostility that is still present in this culture ONE question that's still very much alive in the US, but shouldn't be And more!   If you'd like to support us in continuing this work, we'd be honored if you'd consider donating here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast    Let's talk about it! Connect with us and continue the conversation:   Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com

We're disrupting our normal order of episodes this week to bring you a fiery, WTF?! conversation around the Kyle Rittenhouse case. In this episode, Courthney and Emily tease apart this case and his acquittal as well as the underlying issues at play. Join us for this conversation as we examine questions related to white supremacy culture in the US, the role fear has played in this case, and explore where the victims lie in this situation.   We're exploring: What happened and the results of Rittenhouse's trial Where this becomes a story about race (it's not just how you think!) If and how Rittenhouse has become a victim through his trial Where we feel the attention SHOULD be in this case The glaring Black/white issue going on in the US RIGHT NOW we feel should be getting the attention instead of Rittenhouse Why we don't think this case is a white supremacist issue Where privilege was on parade at the Blake protest Rittenhouse was involved in And more! If you'd like to support us in continuing this work, we'd be honored if you'd consider donating here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast    Let's talk about it! Connect with us and continue the conversation: Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com

They say history is written by the victors. But uncovering the stories from those on the other side is so important. Today, we're joined by Patricia Raybon, an award-winning author, essayist, and novelist who writes top-rated books at the daring intersection of faith and race. Together, we're breaking down a side of Colorado in the 1920s that even many locals were never taught about; a piece of suppressed history. Join us to explore THIS unspoken side of history, the evolution of white supremacy culture in the US, and the systems in our recent history that people don't want to talk about.   We're exploring: Patricia's experience growing up in a Black family in the 1960s in Colorado The ways the definition of white supremacy has changed Why BIPOC have historically embraced white supremacy culture How and why the pandemic brought an unexpected feeling of safety for many BIPOC The surprising prevalence of Ku Klux Klan members in Colorado in the 20s, and their impact on local government And more! Website: https://www.patriciaraybon.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/PatriciaRaybon or  @Patricia Raybon Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patricia.raybon/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patriciaraybon/   All That Is Secret: https://www.tatteredcover.com/book/9781496458384 My First White Friend: https://www.patriciaraybon.com/mybooks/healing-racial-hurt/   If you'd like to support us in continuing this work, we'd be honored if you'd consider donating here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast    Let's talk about it! Connect with us and continue the conversation: Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com

Our words matter, and there's a lot of debate over how we should talk about people, and a lot of fear around causing offense. Should you say “a homeless man” or “a man experiencing homelessness”, for example? Today's mini episode was inspired by the phrase, “the vulnerable,” that Courthney uses often and it turns out he and Emily had differing opinions about this! We're fired up to talk to you all about it in this episode as we break it down from both sides, muddy up the waters, and help you get some clarity moving forward.   We're exploring: What really aggravates Courthney about this issue The most important thing that's missing in this conversation Where positionality and authenticity play a role in the language we use Why “getting it right” shouldn't be the main focus here Where your energy should REALLY be focused in this issue And more!   If you'd like to support us in continuing this work, we'd be honored if you'd consider donating here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast    Let's talk about it! Connect with us and continue the conversation: Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com

In today's episode, we're debriefing last week's conversation with Shiquita Yarbrough, the first Black person to run for city council in Longmont, Colorado. We're diving deeper into power, ego, and tokenism, why the conversation around these topics is so important, and different ways that DEI work can show up in a business.   We're exploring: Why it's important for us all to understand how each other defines power when in conversation around it The controversy around Middlesex School and Dr. Nikole Hannah-Jones Where cancel culture plays a role in the struggle for corporate transparency The new reality of corporations Why proper representation in places of power is so crucial, and how it can actually look different than you think And more!   If you'd like to support us in continuing this work, we'd be honored if you'd consider donating here: https://www.patreon.com/thehumanizepodcast    Let's talk about it! Connect with us and continue the conversation: Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com

Talk of representation and the importance of bringing more diversity into positions of power is everywhere. But why is it so important that it actually starts to happen? And what barriers are standing in the way of what diversity there is actually making a difference?   In today's episode, our guest is Shiquita Yarbrough, who is running for a historic position as the first Black person to run for city counsel in Longmont, Colorado. We're discussing power, freedom, and representation, as well as why it's so important to keep representation as a focus and some common issues around its implementation.   We're exploring: Shiquita's historic candidacy and what called her to get into politics Her first experiences with racism and tokenism as a Black woman The fundamental misunderstanding of power How we are seeing performative attempts at representation in large companies and what's REALLY going on What companies need to do FIRST before they focus on increasing representation and diversity on their boards Shiquita's advice for people of power on a board when you are looking to increase representation the RIGHT way And more!   Let's talk about it! Connect with us and continue the conversation: Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com

Want to know more about how to cultivate skills and competencies around ACTUALLY being in hard conversations on race and social justice? If so, you're going to love our new “mini” episodes! In this first “mini” episode for you, we're breaking down where defensiveness shows up in social justice conversations, why it hinders the progress that can be made, and how to minimize it in ourselves and others.   We're exploring: What's REALLY going on when we get defensive How Emily has brought mindfulness in to combat her own defensiveness Why refocusing conversations on guilt is NOT where we should be focusing (and why it's so harmful) Two questions to ask yourself when you find yourself getting defensive What helps Courthney stay connected to a conversation when he feels things are getting heated and defensive One of the most important steps in facilitating a group conversation around race and social justice And more!   Let's talk about it! Connect with us and continue the conversation: Instagram: https://instagram.com/thehumanizepodcast Facebook: https://facebook.com/thehumanizepodcast  Email: info@thehumanizepodcast.com