Let's Talk About Race

The history of gun use in America has not been a very positive one for black people. Philip Smith, President of the National African American Gun Association (NAAGA), wants to change that. I sit down with him to talk about his organization, the politics of being a black gun owner in America, and why he thinks he has been so successful in growing its membership. 

What exactly does the term Latinx mean, and should we use it? Is it all inclusive, or specific to certain individuals? Does everyone agree on its usage? To get to the root of these answers, I spoke with Dr. Cristobal Salinas, researcher and author on the use of the term Latinx

Can a good stereotype be harmful? According to Asian American author, law professor and current president of Queens College, Frank Wu, it most certainly can be. In this conversation with Professor Wu, I learn about the history of the "model minority myth", and how a term used to ostensibly compliment Asian Americans has in fact much more sinister intentions. 

Despite being portrayed as a minority that often achieves high levels of education and wealth, many Asian Americans feel they are in fact being discriminated against in the college admissions process — particularly around subjective qualifiers like personality. To understand this perspective, I spoke with Swan Lee, the co-founder of the Asian American Coalition for Education (AACE), the group whose recent allegation resulted in an investigation by the Department of Justice into the potentially discriminatory admissions practices at Yale. 

In this episode, I sit down with Corey Pegues, a 21-year veteran of the NYPD, acclaimed author, and a member of the Grand Council of Guardians, a nationwide organization of Black law enforcers. We talk about racism in policing, minority representation and where he saw success during his tenure policing some of NYPD's most violent precincts. 

Indian, or Native American, or  Indigenous people? How should one speak about the people who first inhabited this land? What are the issues they face, and what lessons can we learn from them? To understand more, I spoke with the President of The National Congress of American Indians, Fawn Sharp, to talk Native American representation, climate change, and the importance of truth and reconciliation in 2020. 

The Chiefs. The Indians. The Redskins. The Blackhawks. The use of Native American iconography is entrenched in US sports, from pro leagues down to the high school level. In light of the recent retirement of the Redskins name for the now Washington Football Team, I sit down with Blackfeet tribal nation member— and grandson to the logo's designer–– Donnie Wetzel Jr., to talk representation of Native Americans in sports. 

When we hear the term "systemic racism" in policing, what does that mean exactly? What is the evidence for it? Are police really more racist, or are they just the most noticeable actors in a racist system? I talk with Senior Research Analyst at The Sentencing Project, Dr. Nazgol Ghandnoosh to try and answer these questions, as well as understand more about the various levels at which race and criminal justice intersect. 

The first in a series of discussions with experts on policing in America, I sit down with Emeritus Professor and Representative to the United Nations on the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, Dr. Phil Reichel, to discuss the history of slave patrols, modern policing, and what makes the American criminal justice unique. 

Do you know where the term "Caucasian" comes from? Or that true "Caucasians" are considered to be "Black" in Russia? Did you know that the term "white" was once subdivided into many different races of whiteness? To understand more about America's complex and ever-changing relationship with Whiteness, I sit down with the author of "The History of White People", and esteemed Professor Emerita from Princeton University, Nell Irvin Painter.

What does it mean to be "Black" in America vs. being "African American"? What similarities do the experiences have, and where do they diverge? To answer the question, I have 3 guests from Haiti and Nigeria explain what the Americanexperience is like for Black people who weren't born here. 

If a white person writes a 'black' joke, but a black person delivers it, is that okay? And who decides if it is or it isn't? Does Kanye have a responsibility to the larger black community to be responsible for his words? Is serving watermelon offensive? All this and more with my guests Diamond Richardson and Maddy Halyard, colleagues from Harvard Business School.