Podcasts about Waking Up White

Debby Irving is a racial justice educator and award-winning author of Waking Up White: Finding Myself in the Story of Race, . Ten years and 275,000-copies later, Waking Up White continues to impact communities all over the country to break through the colorblind and saviorism syndromes of the white experience of racism. The book has been widely read and Educational Study Guides and facilitated workshops have been designed around it. Debby designed the book to read like a memoir yet include educational conversation prompts at the end of each chapter. And, as she hoped and anticipated, educators and book groups adopted Waking Up White to take on this challenging issue. Since publication, Irving has seen interest in understanding racism skyrocket in predominantly white communities, often at the urging of community members of color who use Irving's book as an entrée to how racism operates. As she unpacks her own long-held beliefs about colorblindness, being a good person, and wanting to help people of color, she reveals how each of these well-intentioned mindsets actually perpetuated her ill-conceived ideas about race. Debby will discuss why and how she herself has changed the way she talks about racism, works in racially mixed groups, and understands the racial justice movement as a whole. https://www.audible.com/pd/Waking-Up-White-and-Finding-Myself-in-the-Story-of-Race-Audiobook/B01EINR1M4 https://www.debbyirving.com/the-book/ Joining Debby Irving is Laura Shmishkiss, an equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) consultant and coach who has committed her life to advancing social and racial justice. She brings 25 years of experience as an organizational leader, trainer, educator and activist in nonprofit organizations and schools. She specializes in equity-based training and facilitation; leadership coaching and development; antiracist practice and organizing; program and curriculum design; EDI strategic planning; and organizational culture development. Throughout her career, Laura has held many leadership roles within the nonprofit and education sectors. Most recently, Laura served as co-Executive Director at Center for Racial Justice in Education, a nonprofit organization that trains educators to dismantle racism wherever children learn. Laura earned a Master's Degree in Public Administration from Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs, a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology from Colby College, and a teaching certification from San Francisco State University. She holds an ACC coaching certification through the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and is also a trained herbalist. https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurashmishkiss

This is a newly-recorded interview with Debbie Irving, looking back over the last ten years since the publication of her memoir "Waking Up White: and finding myself in the Story of Race."

From 2014 - Debbie Irving, author of "Waking up White: and finding myself in the Story of Race." The book is a remarkably honest memoir about Irving's realization (in adulthood) that she had harbored all kinds of racist attitudes that she never realized were there. The book also explores the reality of systemic racism. (Tomorrow, we'll have a newly-recorded interview with Irving in which she looks back over the past ten years.)

When Waking Up White: And Finding Myself in the Story of Race launched in January 2014, author Debby Irving provided a “Racism 101” for white people and a rare exposé on whiteness for people of color.  It was the book she wished someone had handed her decades ago. “Like most white Americans, I completely misunderstood what racism was and how it had always been operating in my life and in my white community.” Irving designed the book to read like a memoir yet include educational conversation prompts at the end of each chapter. And, as she hoped and anticipated, educators and book groups adopted Waking Up White to take on this challenging issue. She planned to devote two years to marketing her story to book groups and educators. What Irving did not anticipate was the national eruption of racial and gender tensions that would make daily headlines, driving white communities to her story. With escalating demand for the book, keynote speeches, and related workshops, Irving instead has continued to help educate and inform church groups of many denominations, well known businesses, country clubs, schools of all levels and other community action groups from coast to coast. In the five years since publication, Irving has seen interest in understanding racism skyrocket in predominantly white communities, often at the urging of community members of color who use Irving's book as an entrée to how racism operates. “We are in an immensely teachable moment in which many white people are understanding for the first time just how misled they've been about America's purported level playing field,” explains Irving.  In Waking Up White, Irving her own life to explore the everyday systemic racism that goes largely unnoticed yet perpetuates long-held racialized belief systems. By sharing her sometimes cringe-worthy struggle to understand racism and racial tensions, she offers a fresh perspective on bias, stereotypes, manners, and tolerance. As she unpacks her own long-held beliefs about colorblindness, being a good person, and wanting to help people of color, she reveals how each of these well-intentioned mindsets actually perpetuated her ill-conceived ideas about race. In both the book and in workshops, Irving explains why and how she herself has changed the way she talks about racism, works in racially mixed groups, and understands the racial justice movement as a whole.  Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/arroe-collins-unplugged-totally-uncut--994165/support.

Author and racial justice educator Debby Irving couldn't find a publisher in 2014 for Waking Up White: Finding Myself in the Story of Race, because no one in the industry really understood what a white racial identity memoir would look like.  So she self-published this very readable, very relatable and very successful book that is "...a remarkable and, at times, emotionally searing look at one white woman's struggle to understand racism. It is part memoir and part guide to changing how we think about race...one of the most important books on race in recent memory. “ (Readers and Writers Journal). It has since been also published as an audiobook, earning close to five stars on Audible.  The lifespan of Waking Up White follows a particularly intense historic arc in the ongoing movement for racial justice.   Ten years and 275,000-copies later, Waking Up White continues to impact communities all over the country to break through the colorblind and saviorism syndromes of the white experience of racism.  The book has been read by countless book clubs, campus reads, town reads, DEI reads, church reads, families, the Presbyterian Church, and Regional Read in La Crosse Wisconsin, among many others. It is the Episcopal Church Sacred Ground core book. Educational Study Guides and facilitated workshops have been designed around it.  It is a “life changing book you won't be able to put down,” according to Katie Couric Media. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/arroe-collins-like-it-s-live--4113802/support.

Sadly, race remains one of the most divisive issues in our country. Nevertheless, many of us are yet to fully understand the challenges people of color face on an ongoing basis even today. Debby Irving is joining us once again to share her brave, unflinching journey from white oblivion to white awareness openly chronicled in her book, Waking Up White and Finding Myself in the Story of Race. This is not only a riveting tale of the building awareness that led to Debby's personal wake up call; the book also provides a fascinating look at racial denial and our society's secret acceptance of white privilege. If you care about equality and social justice, you won't want to miss this thought-provoking discussion. Ms. Irving's book provides the mirror to open and honest reflection and it's up to each of us to bring racial consciousness into our minds and into our hearts.

In episode 1970, Andrew talks to Debby Irving, author of WAKING UP WHITE, about how she discovered herself and the story of American racial injustice.Debby Irving brings to racial justice the perspective of working in non-profit organizations and education for 25 years before understanding racism as systemic or her own whiteness as an obstacle to grappling with it. Despite attending diversity workshops and even heading a diversity committee during these years, she struggled to make sense of racial dynamics she could feel but not explain. At the age of 48, a Wheelock College graduate school course titled Racial and Cultural Identities finally gave her the answers she'd been looking for, launching her on a journey of discovery. Debby now devotes herself to working with people exploring the impact whiteness can have on perception, problem solving, system design, culture shifting, creating racially diverse work teams and communities, and individual and collective human development. Her New York Times bestseller, Waking Up White, tells the story of how she went from well-meaning to well-doing. Her book, workshops, keynotes, community dialogs, TED Talk, online videos, blog, and frequent media commentary have become staples in the national discourse on the role of “good” white people in perpetuating racism. A graduate of the Winsor School in Boston, she holds a BA in History from Kenyon College and an MBA from Simmons College.Keen On is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best known broadcasters and commentators. In addition to presenting KEEN ON, he is the host of the long-running How To Fix Democracy show. He is also the author of four prescient books about digital technology: CULT OF THE AMATEUR, DIGITAL VERTIGO, THE INTERNET IS NOT THE ANSWER and HOW TO FIX THE FUTURE. Andrew lives in San Francisco, is married to Cassandra Knight, Google's VP of Litigation & Discovery, and has two grown children. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe

Are you uncomfortable talking about race? That's the question that the Hillview United Methodist Church and other congregations in Idaho have been asking each other, hoping to create some honest and open dialogue about race and racism.

Roger Moreano, founder and president of Bridges 4 Justice (and former staff member at Carthage College) talks about Racism. He will be facilitating a so-called Courageous Conversation about racism this Thursday evening at Kenosha's Civil War Museum. - -- The program finishes out with an excerpt from a 2014 interview with Debby Irving, author of a memoir called "Waking Up White- and finding myself in the story of race."

Part one: Writer Wendy Sanford reveals the origins of her memoir about friendship across race and class and her evolving relationship and collaboration with Mary Norman. Part two: Wendy Sanford reads from These Walls Between us https://www.wendysanford-thesewallsbetweenus.com/ Part three: a SoundSlice from Northern London Hear Wendy talk about the groundbreaking women's health book, "Our Bodies, Ourselves" https://soundcloud.com/peterson-thomas-toscano/female-body?si=6d70fddacd444dd19a0a20097fccb038&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing Like One of the Family by Alice Childress https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803100105640;jsessionid=0E3320BF5ACFAC24E87D4B10EB60ED19 The Bubble&Squeak theme song is Worthless. by The jellyrox from the album Bang and a whimper. You can find it on iTunes, Spotify, of wherever you listen to music. To find more great music and new podcasts visit www.rockcandyrecordings.com Feel free to say hi to me Twitter. @p2son Praise for The Walls Between Us: “These Walls Between Us is a powerful book with an important lesson that we all must learn in trying to understand others.” —Reverend John Reynolds, author of The Fight for Freedom: A Memoir of My Years in the Civil Rights Movement “A tender, honest, cringeworthy, and powerful read.” —Debby Irving, Author of Waking Up White, and Finding Myself in the Story of Race "I've never read a memoir that is so consistently courageous." —George Lakey, Author of Dancing with History: A Life for Peace and Justice “Wendy Sanford is doing the work that only she can do!” —Byllye Avery, Founder, Black Women's Health Imperative.

After 25 years as a senior leader in tech, Karen Catlin saw a decline in the numbers of women in tech. Frustrated but galvanized, Karen became an author and coach focusing on helping women navigate the male-dominated tech industry and coaching men to be better allies. In this episode, Karen gives us 10 tips to be better allies. Subscribe!  Time-stamped show notes are below.  If you would like to learn more about today's topic: Better Allies: Everyday Actions to Create More Inclusive, Engaging Workplaces Karen Catlin's list of 50 privileges Waking Up White by Debby Irving 20 Books to Help Break the Bias for a More Gender Equal World 1:28 Introduction of Karen Catlin 5:12 What to do if a woman's idea is hijacked in a meeting 8:09 How to understand your own privilege 14:11 How to talk to people who are resistant to change 17:09 Advocate by finding common ground and describing your own learning journey 19:27 Allies will make mistakes 21:47 How to avoid “Just Like Me Networks” 26:52 How White women can be better allies for Black and other women of color 34:42 Practice makes perfect

You know around here we love a good “Dear…” title, especially when it starts with “Dear White Women.” That's why we were excited to sit down with this week's guests because Kimberlee's book title alone had us at “Dear White Women” (for obvious reasons, friends).  Her full book title is “Dear White Women, Please Come Home: Hand Me Your Bias and I'll Show You Our Connection” and once we started reading it, we couldn't put it down, due to its unique format and powerful message.   And this week, we have not only Kimberlee Williams, who is the author of the book we'll be talking about, but we also have Debby Irving, the author of Waking Up White, which was one of the first books Sara read when we started this podcast - and who is also Kimberlee's forward writer and publisher.  Together, we unpack why the title (of course), reactions to this book, cross-racial friendships, and so much more.    What to listen for:  What makes interracial friendships between women possible? Why Debby, as a White woman, offered her partnership and platform to help get Kimberlee's message out to the world All about the unique structure of Kimberlee's book   ​​About the Author, Kimberlee Williams:   ​​Hailing from the nation's capital with huge hair, a million-watt smile, and contagious laughter, Kimberlee Yolanda Williams has had a heart for the perceived underdog for as long as she can remember. From her earliest years, Kimberlee's experiences unfolded in communities filled with diversity of every kind, where gatherings around topics of equity and inclusion were explored with courageous authenticity. She grew up thinking engaging across differences was something everyone wanted to do and knew how to do. So why didn't they do it? As an educator, DEI administrator, consultant, workshop leader, speaker, and certified life and health coach, she has found herself in a variety of U.S. cities. With each new context she increasingly understood what held people back from crossing social divisions. Kimberlee found herself able to consciously place herself in the center of these divisions, in particular racial dynamics, and support people across the racial spectrum in stepping closer to one another. Kimberlee is first and foremost a humanist, a deep believer in what is possible when humanity is centered. Her mix of authenticity and raw truth gives permission for those around her to choose progress over perfection and bring their full selves into the room. She is known for finding humor and challenge at just the right moments, and like the best of coaches, leaning in and pushing audiences just enough to believe in the potential she sees. Her approach of connection and compassion is what makes a consultation feel like a conversation with your best friend, a workshop feel like a workout with your favorite trainer, and a presentation feel like a present from your closest confidant.  Kimberlee received a B.A. in Foreign Language Education from the University of Maryland (go Terps!) and an M.S. in Education from Dominican University. She currently lives in Seattle with her partner, where they refuel by being in community (with other folks of color), reading and reading some more, and relaxing near any body of water. In addition to all of the above, Kimberlee is a daughter, a granddaughter, a sister, a cousin, an aunt, a niece, a dancer, an avid learner of languages (five to date), a free spirit, an empath, and now a writer. Dear White Woman, Please Come Home is Kimberlee's attempt to share with readers what her clients, workshop attendees, and audience members have felt for years. She always brings her full self, her DC flare, her sass, and her humor. She's the best friend you didn't know you had.   About Debby Irving:    Debby Irving brings to racial justice the perspective of working in non-profit organizations and education for 25 years before understanding racism as systemic or her own whiteness as an obstacle to grappling with it. Despite attending diversity workshops and even heading a diversity committee during these years, she struggled to make sense of racial dynamics she could feel but not explain. At the age of 48, a Wheelock College graduate school course titled Racial and Cultural Identities finally gave her the answers she'd been looking for, launching her on a journey of discovery. Debby now devotes herself to working with people exploring the impact whiteness can have on perception, problem solving, system design, culture shifting, creating racially diverse work teams and communities, and individual and collective human development. Her New York Times bestseller, Waking Up White, tells the story of how she went from well-meaning to well-doing. Her book, workshops, keynotes, community dialogs, TED Talk, online videos, blog, and frequent media commentary have become staples in the national discourse on the role of “good” white people in perpetuating racism. A graduate of the Winsor School in Boston, she holds a BA in History from Kenyon College and an MBA from Simmons College. For more on Debby, visit: https://www.debbyirving.com/about/ 

For Martin Luther King Day- Debby Irving discusses her book "Waking up White - and Finding Myself in the Story of Race"

This week on “Newsmakers” we discuss racism as a public health crisis. Host Ezra Wall speaks with folks from the La Crosse Waking Up White Collaborative ahead of the upcoming White Privilege Symposium taking place December 3 and 4 in La Crosse. We hear from Diana DiazGranados of Better Together and Alyssa Gostonczik from the Waking Up White steering committee.

Debby Irving spent the first few chapters of her life outside Boston in a town not so different from Sonoma. After a long career in non-profits she decided to pursue a masters degree where she ended up exploring the roots of her upbringing in an unexpected and illuminating way. The discoveries she made informed her award-winning book, "Waking Up White," which chronicle her journey towards a better understanding of race in America. In our conversation we discuss some of the history of discrimination in America, the challenges we all face, and some enlightening possibilities for self-discovery and improvement.

“For the master's tools will never dismantle the master's house. They may allow us to temporarily beat him at his own game, but they will never enable us to bring about genuine change. Racism and homophobia are real conditions of all our lives in this place and time. I urge each one of us here to reach down into that deep place of knowledge inside herself and touch that terror and loathing of any difference that lives here. See whose face it wears. Then the personal as the political can begin to illuminate all our choices.” Audre Lorde  In today's episode of Two Wives and A SPARK, we (Rachel and Lia Rosen) make a contrast between what our childhood was like and how one of us felt like that childhood was stolen from her. Lots of food for thought in this episode.    We are trying to create a world that we haven't seen; one that does not exist yet: one without racism. We describe what we've experienced since we have been together and how we see race as a couple.    Resources mentioned: Waking Up White, by Debby Irving White Fragility, by Robin DiAngelo To learn more about the phenomenal Audre Lorde, you can visit this link and check out the National Museum of African American History and Culture   If you're curious, here's more information on S.P.A.R.K. products and services.  We'd love to hear from you!  Let's connect on Instagram or via email (twowivesandaspark@gmail.com).    And check out our site: www.twowivesandaspark.com 

Debby Irving's memoir, "Waking Up White: And Finding Myself in the Story of Race," has become a must-read for folks engaged in racial justice work and diversity, equity and inclusion transformation. In this episode of Intentionally Act Now, Dr. Atyia Martin, CEO and Founder of All Aces, Inc., sits down with Debby to discuss her book and both of their ongoing racial equity journeys – how they began and where they are now. Changing consciousness arises as a central theme of this discussion but only as the first step of a much longer and transformative process. Join us on IntentionallyAct.com to share your comments, questions and thoughts on this discussion!

How do you get your white friends and family to see that systemic racism is real and pervasive in America? Stan and Dan talk about strategies for getting those closest to you to "wake up" and take action.

Rev. Anne Kirchmier talks to her friend, Sobi Walton, about racism. Sobi shares her experiences as an African-American woman in the military and in daily life in America. She also shares resources and her own ideas about creating change. Timestamps: 0:00-2:55: Introduction 2:56-20:19: Sobi and Anne's Conversation 2:56-3:08: How are you? 3:48-5:32: What is the current situation pertaining to racism like for you, your family, and your congregation? 6:17-8:07: How have you, in your life or your family's life, experienced racism? 8:29-14:18: What can White Christians do to be allies? 14:31-17:24: What gives you hope? 18:03-20:19: Joint Prayer, the Lord's Prayer 20:19-21:25: Conclusion Referenced in this episode: A Class Divided - Frontline (Jane Elliot's “Blue Eyes/ Brown Eyes” Exercise): https://youtu.be/1mcCLm_LwpE Of One Blood: How Did We Get Here? Race is an Idea - Part 1 by Yvita Marcus Learn more and order: https://www.ofonebloodbook.com/about-the-book/ Waking Up White by Debby Irving: https://debbyirving.com/the-book/ Learn more about racism and ways to fight it: https://www.naacpldf.org/ https://episcopalchurch.org/responding-to-racist-violence Get information on how to register to vote where you live: https://vote.gov/ Wherever you are in your faith journey, we are here to support you in any way: http://www.standrews-episcopal.org/ https://www.facebook.com/standrewsnewportnews/

From 2014 comes an especially thought-provoking conversation about race and racism - and about the racist attitudes that many of us may be harboring without even knowing it. Debby Irving's book is titled "Waking Up White- and Finding Myself in the Story of Race."

Sarah and Garrett discuss Waking Up White by Debby Irving. You can find more information on Debby Irving's work and the book here: https://debbyirving.com/the-book/Support the show (http://paypal.me/textualintercourse)

"It takes a lot of skill to be a human being." Debby Irving is a racial justice educator and the author of Waking Up White. In this episode, Debby shares the power of the Process and how it can change the trajectory of your life. Halfway through the Process, Debby had a recurring vision in which she saw how much love she has in her heart for others and how this love was meant to be shared with the world. After leaving the Process, Debby's vision began to guide her life. She started graduate school where enrolled in a course called Racial and Cultural Identities. With all of the 'big-hearted-ness' she'd found at the Process, she opened to a new understanding of white identity, oppression, and racial injustice. Her heart grew heavy with this understanding. Upon leaving school, Debby knew she must heal the heaviness in her heart by diving into the work of anti-racism and activism. Debby travels the country, leading workshops and presentations. She explores the impact white skin can have on perception. And, she guides people on how to help themselves and others change misconceptions and attitudes. Debby shares her journey of seeing the world through her own white-skewed belief system in order to question the racial disparities she could see and feel. Find out more about Debby and her work here. Subscribe on iTunes.

In this week’s episode, Katie talks to Racial Justice Educator and author of Waking Up White and Finding Myself in the Story of Race, Debby Irving. Katie and Debby open up about recognizing and examining their own privilege, everyday habits to cultivate to build racial equity, and resources to enrich your child’s education around matters of race. Later, Katie welcomes Dr. Margaret Hagerman, Assistant Professor of Sociology at Mississippi State University and author of White Kids: Growing Up with Privilege in a Racially Divided America, who discussed that even with good intentions, the choices that we make for our children can widen the racial divide.  Crib Notes: https://debbyirving.com/ - Debby Irving’s website https://debbyirving.com/the-book/ - Waking Up White and Finding Myself in the Story of Race by Debby Irving. https://debbyirving.com/recommended-resources/ - Resources list https://www.eddiemoorejr.com/ - Dr. Eddie Moore Jr. https://www.whiteprivilegeconference.com/ - The White Privilege Conference https://www.eddiemoorejr.com/21daychallenge - 21 Day Racial Equity Challenge https://robindiangelo.com/ - Robin DiAngelo, author of White Fragility https://www.margarethagerman.com/ - Dr. Margaret Hagerman’s website https://www.margarethagerman.com/research.html - Research studies https://nyupress.org/9781479803682/white-kids/ - White Kids: Growing Up with Privilege in a Racially Divided America - by Dr. Margaret Hagerman

An inspiring conversation with the Rev. Randy Harris, pastor of Highland Presbyterian Church in Winston-Salem, NC, a predominantly white church that is confronting their own white privilege and working against racism. Randy gives positive, concrete suggestions of ways white congregations can "do the work" we are called to do, which begins by refusing to hit the snooze button and wake up to the reality of white privilege and black oppression.Some suggested books for church groups to read together:Debbie Irving, Waking Up White, and Finding Myself in the Story of RaceDaniel Hill and Brenda Salter McNeill, White Awake: An Honest Look at What It Means to Be WhiteEric Mason, John M. Perkins, et. al., Woke Church: An Urgent Call for Christians in America to Confront Racism and InjusticeLatasha Morrison, Jennie Allen, et. al., Be the Bridge: Pursuing God's Heart for Racial ReconciliationJemar Tisby, The Color of Compromise: The Truth About the American Church's Complicity in Racism

Ernest and Caylee answer what RestoreOKC is and why it exists. Listen to the incredible story of this organization's founding, as it demonstrates the power of asking good questions and a community's ability to restore itself from within. Book Suggestions: The New Jim Crow: https://newjimcrow.com/ Waking Up White: https://debbyirving.com/the-book/ Ghettoside: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/100077/ghettoside-by-jill-leovy/ Website and Socials: https://www.restoreokc.org/ https://www.facebook.com/RestoreOklahomaCity/ https://www.instagram.com/restore.okc/ https://twitter.com/restoreokc?lang=en

Racism in America.How to speak to your children about prejudice and how young those conversations should start. We sit down with a panel of women who answer our uncertainties over raising kids during this climate. Our panelists: Elizabeth McCorvey, Asheville therapistDanae Aicher, Rainbow Community Schools Equity DirectorPunam Medina, Colorful Pages CoalitionWhat they suggest to introduce to your children to make them more aware of the world around them, plus the work you should be doing on yourself.List of recommended resources: Scene On Radio Seeing WhiteWaking Up White by Debby IrvingWhite Fragility by Robin DiAngeloStamped by Ibram Kendi and Jason Reynolds (good for kids maybe 10 and up as well as adults)How To Be An Antiracist by Ibram KendiFind us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts. Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE, rate and review!Want more mommy talk? Click here to join our AnchorMoms Facebook group!AnchorMOMS: The Podcast is a product of WLOS News 13 of Asheville, N.C.

The country appears ready to have a real conversation about systemic racism. Today I'm talking with Debbie Irving, the author of Waking Up White. She's a 60 year old white woman who has had an epiphany about race in America. Her book is enlightening. The conversation is interesting. I hope you will listen. Her book published in 2014, is available where books and audio books are sold.

Are you looking for a French immersion program in France? This episode will help you think through some of the things you should consider before making your choice. I must point that this episode NOT sponsored by any language school, my guests are making recommendations based on their experience and preferences only. My guests Janice and Caroline recount their experiences and what they consider the positives and negatives of language programs. Janice Chung has been a teacher and school principal and is now retired. She has a lot of insightful experiences about what makes a good learning experience. That's why I thought she would be a great guest to talk about French immersion programs. Janice also has a blog where she shared more details about all her experiences with French language schools in France. My second guest on the podcast is Caroline Stanford who studied at two French immersion programs. One in Tours and on in Besançon, both medium-sized cities in France. Language Schools Discussed in this Episode Ecoles des 3 ponts near Lyon Janice started going there years ago and keeps returning. The experience is great because you're speaking French 24/7 and class size is small. There are 3 hour of classes in the morning, then either free time to do homework, or cooking classes, or visits. They center the experience around student's needs. If a student is having difficulties with a particular concept, they create lessons to address it. That's very different from schools where they follow the book and don't deviate. For this school you take a short test online to decide what's an appropriate level for you. But on the first day you also get evaluated and then they place you in a class. Accent Français in Montpellier Here you have a couple of hours of class every day. It's not as student-centered as the previous one, but there are games, activities, you pair-up with other students. There's a whole range of things you can do. Janice would be happy to go back. But because you don't stay in the same place as all the other students, you spend more time without anyone to converse with. Also, because there are students from all over the world and they each come with their unique accent and sometimes it's hard to understand their French for that reason. Generally speaking you want to be in an environment that encourages taking risks and using what you know. Alliance Française in Paris Janice had a difficult time at Alliance Français in Paris even though she had taken some of their classes in Toronto. She was placed in a class that was too difficult. There were 10-12 students but the teacher responded to only a few students and did a poor job at encouraging participation from some students. Alliance is a highly structured type of class. They follow a set curriculum that is very teacher-directed with too little interaction with the students. Janice never tried to do phone conversation in French, but she went to a few meetups in Toronto. This was not deep enough for her style of learning. Centre de Linguistique pour les Étrangers (CLE) in Tours Caroline loved this small intimate school where she studied for a whole month in the summer. She loved the fact that there were only between 4 and 10 people per group. Students attend from all over the world. This is in the center of Tours in an old house. The school connected them with a host family where they continued to speak French in the evening. Centre de Linguistique Appliqué in Besançon This is geared towards intermediate or advanced learner, a bigger school with class size between 10 and 20. They did grammar, literature, linguistics, European Union, film, history, lots of topics. For the European Union class students had to make oral presentations. At this school you could take the DELF exam. It is a test that puts you on a scale for French proficiency. It is required for foreign nationals to enroll in French universities. Staying with a host family is wonderful, it gives you a chance to get to know the culture. The university dorm experience is not plush. Most students go home on the week-ends because students don't go far away from home for college in France. General tips for people who want to learn French Put yourself in situations where you'll need to speak French: Visit small towns and villages where you won't be surrounded by people who use English every day. Instead of flying or taking the train within France, use a ride-sharing service like Blablacar where you're more likely to talk to locals. Stay in a Bed & Breakfast or Youth Hostel where you'll meet plenty of French people who have minimal English. Understand that in large touristy cities in France many people you will interact with would rather speak English with you. They want to make you comfortable and it might be faster than taking your order in hesitant French. It is very common for language learners to take classes for years and still be unable to speak. That's because learning grammar is one thing. Memorizing vocabulary is pretty easy. Using the language to converse is much more difficult. You should probably seek out French immersion programs where the emphasis is on conversation and on the student doing most of the talking. Take advantage of the ability to explore other parts of France if you can. You don't need to study all the time! Join Us in France in the news! Article about Join Us in France in the AARP Magazine. There was also an article in the France-Amérique Magazine. Book recommended in this episode: Waking Up White by Debbie Irving   Email | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter   Did you get my VoiceMap Paris tours yet? They are designed for people who want to see the best of Paris neighborhoods and put what they are looking at into historical context. There are so many great stories in Paris. Don't walk right past them without having a clue what happened there! You can buy them directly from the VoiceMap app or click here to order activation codes at the podcast listener discount price.   Discussed in this Episode Ecoles des 3 ponts near Lyon [05:53] Accent Français in Montpellier [10:00] Alliance Française in Paris [12:10] Centre de Linguistique pour les Étrangers (CLE) in Tours [20:28] The DELF certification [25:25] Staying at a University dorm in France [31:20] Thank you patrons and how you can support the show [34:03] Join Us in France reviews in two magazines [37:32] Annie's take on the current civil unrest in the US [39:12] Update on the Covid-19 situation in France [43:38] Reopening borders [45:24] Support the Show Tip Your Guide Extras Patreon Audio Tours Merchandise If you enjoyed this episode, you should also listen to related episode(s): Survival French with Todd Newman, Episode 30 Categories: France How To, French Culture

Black Lives Matter. Every damn day. Donate Here: NAACP: https://www.naacp.org/campaigns/we-are-done-dying/ Color of Change: https://colorofchange.org/ ArchCity Defenders: https://www.archcitydefenders.org/ KC Community Bail Fund: https://www.kccommunitybailfund.com/ Education: https://8cantwait.org/ https://www.cbsnews.com/news/say-their-names-people-injured-killed-police-officer-involved-incidents/ https://blacklivesmatter.com/ Waking Up White by Debby Irving: https://debbyirving.com/the-book/ Eloquent Rage by Brittney Cooper: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250112576 Influencers/Podcast: Under the Arch Podcast: https://www.archcitydefenders.org/under-the-arch-podcast-episode-1/ Black in the Garden Podcast: https://toppodcast.com/podcast_feeds/black-in-the-garden/ Plant Kween: https://www.instagram.com/plantkween/ Check Your Privilege: https://www.instagram.com/ckyourprivilege/ Aycee Brown: https://www.instagram.com/ayceebrown/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/loudmouthpod/support

Debby Irving, author of “Waking Up White,” on what whites need to know about racial equality. Ashley Harrington, Center for Responsible Lending on minority-owned businesses. Gillian Sandstrom, Univ of Essex, on missing strangers. Stacy Wolf of Princeton Univ on “Beyond Broadway: The Pleasure and Promise of Musical Theatre Across America.” Kristen Wenz, global expert on human rights and development, on birth certificates.

We start our Weekend Grab Bag with some follow-ups on stories throughout the week, including an update to our disinformation episode. Lucas points to two stories related to his Oh This Small World mini-episode addressed to his fellow white people: a disturbing piece from the New York Times about armed "protesters" in Texas, and an article on the cancellation of the legislative session in Michigan. For listeners - especially white listeners - interested in further exploring how whiteness and white supremacy influence every aspect of American life, Lucas recommends Debby Irving's memoir "Waking Up White."Next, Antoinette does a deep-dive into all things Animal Crossing, using a recent Atlantic piece as a jumping-off point to investigate what the game - and its popularity - says about where we are as a country.Speaking of where we are as a country, we next dive into the numbers this week, and they're harrowing. A good resource for keeping track of what's happening with COVID-19 across America: the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. Here in Texas, meanwhile, this week saw the highest single-day hike in coronavirus deaths, two weeks after Gov. Abbott's announced partial "reopen." The economic news is no better, including record unemployment and a volatile week on the stock market. We talk about what it all means, and where we go from here.Finally, it's Friday, which means Antoinette and Lucas give their recs for what to watch, listen to, or read this weekend to stay grounded.Antoinette sticks with the Animal Crossing theme, recommending the game or the Pocket Camp version for iPad and iPhone. She also recs some Spotify playlists: lofi hip hop and Throwback Jams. Meanwhile, Lucas, in a rare break from Antoinette, suggests tuning into Netflix's Love is Blind if you haven't already (though he has recommendations within that recommendation). Let us know what you're listening to/watching/reading. We're on IG and Twitter @OhThisWorldPod or email us at ohthisworldpod@gmail.com. Stay safe and healthy this weekend and we'll see you next week!This episode was recorded on Friday, May 15, 2020.

Sources:https://beingblackatschool.orgKelly Wickham Hurst: Founder, Executive DirectorKelly is also the creator/writer of an excellent blog/website: http://www.kellywickham.com/mochamommaAdditional reading recommendations:Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves by Louise Derman-Sparks and Julie Olsen EdwardsWhat If All the Kids Are White?: Anti-Bias Multicultural Education with Young Children and Families (Early Childhood Education Series) by Louise Derman-Sparks , Patricia G. Ramsey, et al.Waking Up White: and Finding Myself in the Story of Race by Debby Irving

All proceeds from tonight will go to the following Black non-men: https://www.patreon.com/BGIM https://www.paypal.me/KimberleeWilliams261 Https://www.gofundme.com/f/nia-wilsons-support-team bit.ly/thefullset Karen Fleshman Esq. she/hers is an activist, attorney, single soccer mom, and founder of Racy Conversations, with a mission to inspire the antiracist generation. She is the author of "White Women, We Need to Talk: Doing Our Part to End Racism" to be published by Sounds True in 2021. Debby Irving brings to racial justice the perspective of working as a community organizer and educator for 25 years without understanding racism as a systemic issue or her own whiteness as an obstacle to grappling with it. As general manager of Boston's Dance Umbrella and First Night, and later as a classroom teacher in Cambridge, Massachusetts, she struggled to make sense of tensions she could feel but not explain in racially mixed settings. In 2009, a graduate school course, Racial and Cultural Identities, gave her the answers she'd been looking for and launched her on a journey of discovery. Debby now devotes herself to working with white people exploring the impact white skin can have on perception, problem-solving, and engaging in racial justice work. A graduate of the Winsor School in Boston, she holds a BA from Kenyon College and an MBA from Simmons College. Her book, Waking Up White, tells the story of how she went from well-meaning to well-doing and how she unpacked her own long-held beliefs about color blindness, being a good person, and wanting to help people of color. She reveals how each of these well-intentioned mindsets actually perpetuated her ill-conceived ideas about race. Originally recorded April 28 2020 ----- DiDi Delgado is creating change (unapologetically). http://linktr.ee/thedididelgado https://thedididelgado.com/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-full-set-podcast/support

Zach chats with Race2Dinner co-founders Regina Jackson and Saira Rao about the genesis of Race2D, how exactly its dinners take place, their experiences running it and so much more. This episode features explicit language. Listener discretion is advised!Connect with Saira on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram, and connect with Regina on Twitter.Interested in learning more about Race2Dinner? Check out their website.Follow Race2Dinner on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.Find out how the CDC suggests you wash your hands by clicking here.Help food banks respond to COVID-19. Learn more at FeedingAmerica.org.Visit our website.TRANSCRIPTZach: What's up, y'all? Now, look, you know that we try to keep it clean on Living Corporate, but every now and then we have folks come on who are impassioned, and we are not ones to censor anybody if we really believe in the heart of what it is that they're saying and the mission that they're doing. So the conversation you're about to hear does contain some harsh language, so listener discretion is advised. Catch y'all next time.What's up, y'all? It's Zach with Living Corporate, and you know what we do. We're having real talk in a corporate world. How do we do that? We talk to black and brown entrepreneurs, executives, activists... let me see here, what else? Public servants, creatives, artists, influencers, educators, you know what I'm saying? Anybody who is black and brown or an aspirational ally. We try to have them on the podcast and have real conversations, right? These real conversations are centering underrepresented and marginalized voices. We're having conversations that often go unhad or whispered in a corner. We're trying to have those out loud and on a digital platform so that they can be accessible to everybody, and we do this weekly, and we have dope dope dope dope DOPE guests. So today we have two guests at the same time, yo, at the same time. Saira Rao and Regina Jackson. Yo, so let me--so I got these two bios here, y'all. Y'all know what we do. You know I try to read the bios just so y'all can have an idea of what's going on, then we get into it. So here we go. Saira Rao grew up in Richmond, Virginia, the daughter of Indian immigrants. For forty years, she wasted her precious time aspiring to be white and accepted by dominant white society, a futile task for anyone not born with white skin. Several years ago, Saira began the painful process of dismantling her own internalized oppression. Saira is a lawyer-by-training, a former congressional candidate, a published novelist and an entrepreneur. Now, look here, if y'all don't recognize what kind of podcast this is about to be by the bio that I read that they gave me, listen, I'ma just go ahead and drop the Flex bomb right now. It's about to be spicy in here. Now we'll go ahead and go Regina. Now, born in 1950, Regina remembers an America where everything was in Black and white. Burned into her memory are; the beatings and horrific treatment of civil rights workers throughout the South, the Goodman, Chaney & Schwerner murders, the murder of Viola Liuzzo, the murder of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the murders of President John Kennedy and his brother Robert. The violence perpetrated on innocent people going about their lives by white people, it is these memories that drive Regina to push for real change in America, which is why she co-founded Race2Dinner. Saira and Regina, welcome to the show. How are y'all doing?Regina: You know, I'm doing great. Saira?Saira: I'm doing pretty well, thank you.Zach: So I read some bios, but can we get into y'all's own stories as to why Race2Dinner came to be and how?Saira: Well, like my bio said, I ran for Congress exactly two years ago, and I ran in--we live in Denver, which is a predominantly white city, and I ran on an explicitly anti-racism [platform] about the racism within the Democratic Party, which, you know, we know there's--the Republican Party's entire platform is racism, but there's ample racism within the Democratic Party. And so, you know, what I found was a long line of white ladies wanting to have coffees, breakfasts, lunches and dinners with me, and 99.9% of the time it was for them to tell me very indignantly that it's not them, "not all white women," and then they tick off all their civil rights accomplishments in the past and their safety pins and how awesome they are, and really just telling me about how I had them wrong, that they were individual--you know, "Stop painting all white people as the same," and so, anyway, I had to do those because I was running for office and I needed to [?]. After I lost in June of 2018, I became a big target of sort of the alt-right, Breitbart, Fox, those places, and the invitations for these lunches and dinners didn't dissipate as I had hoped. They just got more and more and more. And I continued to do these lunches and dinners in good faith, recognizing by the way I was not just out hours and hours of my time. It also took a tremendous toll on my mental health. And by the way, these ladies never picked up the bill. And I was, you know, paying for dinner [?] for babysitting because I have two small children. Anyway, that's when last December this happened with Regina.Regina: So when Saira ran for office, I immediately fell in love with her because she was talking about racism that doesn't get talked about in the United States, and she was talking very provocatively about racism. She wasn't being nice. She wasn't not using the white privilege and white people. I mean, she was talking it, so I immediately volunteered for her campaign. I worked on her campaign and got to know Saira, and I was like, "Wow, I really like this woman." So I had had a white friend who said to me--she said, you know, "I'm just over Saira. She hates white people, and I'm just gonna be done with her," and then in the next breath she says to me, "But if you can arrange it, I'd like to go to lunch with her to talk about it." So I talked to [Saira] and Saira said to me--she said, "You know what, Regina? I'm not doing that anymore," she said, "But I'll tell you what. If she wants to have a dinner and invite some of her white lady friends and you do it with me," she said, "I'd be happy to do that," and thus was born Race2Dinner.Zach: Wow. It's--okay, so let's talk a little bit about, Regina, the exchange that you had. Why do you believe that your friend at the time said that Saira hates white people?Regina: Well, because Saira was saying she hated white people. [everyone laughs]Saira: [laughing] No, I didn't. I didn't say that. No.Zach: [hold on a minute there playa sfx, laughing]Regina: Okay, it's up for debate. [laughs]Saira: No, I literally never said that. So the thing about this particular woman was that I said that Beto O'Rourke is a white savior, and she was one of these women who was, like, obsessed with Beto O'Rourke and went to Texas to volunteer for Beto O'Rourke, and I said, you know, Beto O'Rourke is a white savior, and I also donated to his campaign, and if I lived in Texas I would vote for him. You can actually, you know, hold various things to be true.Zach: At the same time, yeah.Saira: At the same time, and so that's what sent her over the edge. And that's actually--at the dinner she brought that up as the thing that sent her over the edge, and she, you know, got really angry when I wouldn't budge on the fact that Beto O'Rourke is a white savior. Frankly, I think Beto O'Rourke might acknowledge himself that he's a white savior. And so, anyway, she cried. She got super mad. She did all the stuff that white ladies too.Regina: This is a white woman who called herself my friend. She thanked me for, you know, teaching her about racism and helping her to be a non-racist. She told me how much she loved me all the time, blah blah blah. When we started our Race2Dinner website and we decided to do a Patreon, you know, where people sign up for $5 a month or $12 a month. This white woman, who had told me--she's a widow, never had any children--that her income after her husband died is $200,000 a year, and I said, "Will you sign up for our Patreon?" She told me to put it [?] on Facebook. Needless to say, we are no longer friends, 'cause she talks the talk but she doesn't want to walk the walk.Zach: So you're saying she has over 200--I'm sorry, but I'm shocked, 'cause I come from humble beginnings, right? And I'm not from Denver. Like, I'm from the South. So, like, you said--just to go back a second, you said her income is over $200,000 a year?Saira: Yeah, and she won't spend $60 a year on our labor, on our writing. She wanted us to put it on Facebook for free.Regina: And see, we have really been talking about that issue, how white people don't want to see black and brown women especially paid for our work. Now, you know, they'll pay $40,000 to go hear--what's her name?Saira: Glennon Doyle.Regina: Yeah, Glennon Doyle, but they can't pay us for our labor in a personal, private, small group conversation?Saira: That includes dinner and booze.Regina: That's more white people nonsense, and I'm not having it.Zach: I mean, at a certain point you're just like [what more do you want from me? sfx] You know? Like, what is this? Like, what are we doing? Like, y'all see this effort. Y'all know that it's valuable. Recognize it financially. And y'all know that the way this system is built--capitalistically--that we need the bread to survive, so come on. Like, come up off. So I hear that, and it's interesting, 'cause Race2Dinner, it reminds me--and I want y'all to walk me through this format, 'cause I've been to a couple of events like this where, like, you get together over dinner and you talk about quote-unquote culture. I want to understand though. Like, talk to me about the format of Race2Dinner, how it works, and just how it's set up.Regina: Okay. Well, one of the first things I think there is to recognize is that most white people don't even know that they [?], okay? In the book "Waking Up White" by Debbie Irving, she talks about white culture, and us as non-white people, we recognize it because we have had to live it in order to, like you say, survive. It's perfection. It's being nice to everybody.Saira: It's talking about nothing.Regina: Yeah, don't talk about hard stuff. Don't upset people. You know, that's the culture that we were all raised in, and they still want to just talk nice, and we say, "You know what?" The other thing is they're all in their feelings. "You made me feel." Can we curse on this show?Zach: Yes, absolutely. Go ahead.Regina: [laughs] And I love to say, "Fuck your feelings." [Zach laughs] That's between you and your universe. That has nothing to do with me, but they are always up in their feelings, and that's one of the things--in Race2Dinner, if you have to cry, you have to leave the room. Zach: Really? If you start to cry, you are [?] from the table?Saira: Yeah, cry or get really angry. But to answer your question about painting a picture for you. So, you know, why is it dinners? People say is it "Why is it dinners? Why can't you do conferences and keynotes?" Blah blah blah. Here's what we know about white women. White women are devoted to being nice and polite, and there's nothing more impolite than getting up and leaving the dinner table, period. The setting is a beautiful dinner table in a woman's house where she's serving dinner and she's pouring wine. And so this is the white woman's happy place and safe place, a dinner party with other white women, right? And, you know, every once in a while maybe they go to dinner parties where there's A black woman or An Asian woman or A Latina woman, but, like, you know, they feel very comfortable, so they come in and kiss kiss, "Oh, my God, how are you? You look great, you look great," the whole nine yards. And then they sit down, and instead of "Oh, my God. What are your kids doing this summer for summer camp? Oh, my God. My husband's irritating me." We just--it's very, very much like this. Like, everyone go around the table and say why you're here, and you literally have, like, a minute or two to do that. 'Cause early on we were like, "Why are you here?" And they would just, like, pull out their resume and start telling us about how they volunteered at Planned Parenthood and they went to a Black Lives Matter rally and whatever, and so--anyway, after that, the next question is "Please go around the table and name one way in which your racism has presented itself in an action that you've done recently," and then they basically fall out of their chair. Like, you might see pee come down their legs, because it's like... they can't leave. They all want to freak out and run out of the room, but they can't because they've got this nice beef tenderloin and a glass of Chardonnay sitting there and it would be rude as fuck to do that. So then they have to actually do that.Regina: And we used to--we just changed that format, because we used to [have] everybody introduce themselves, and then we'd talk about our background and why we were there, and what we found is we would have two or three women in every dinner who would not say a freaking word. You know, the lurkers. So we finally said, "This is not okay. If people are going to be here, they need to engage." So we make everybody talk about, you know, "This is why I'm here, and this is how I notice racism in myself."Saira: In myself. So, you know, you go to one of these, like, liberal white person dinner parties, and they're sitting around for hours trashing Donald Trump and trashing the Republicans and talking about--like, they pat themselves on the back. It's like the Backpatting Olympics, right? Who is the most awesome white person in the room? This is a place--and by the way, they try. So, like, at the last dinner party--and look, these are not bad people. We've got to break down this false binary of racist bad, not racist good. That shuts down the conversation. But there's a white lady there who's lovely and [?], and we asked her "What is the racist thing you've done?" And she starts rambling, and then she says, you know, a friend of hers ends every conversation with "Me love you long time." And all the other women were like, "What?" And I was like, "No, no, no. How are YOU racist? Stop deflecting it to your friend." In that case, which she could have easily said--but she didn't, she can't [?] anything else--is "I'm racist because I've never shut that down." So that's the silence is complicity. So all this, like, "The Republicans are bad," what about you? Like, what are you doing? Like, what are you doing? Like, silence is complicity, you know? And even though the Republicans are quote "bad," white America allowed this to go on. Donald Trump didn't invent racism. He just capitalized on it.Regina: That was my turning point, this whole Make America Great nonsense. I'm like, "No. I'm done with white people nonsense. I'm done." You know, they need to step up and call a thing and be the wonderful people that they seem to think they are.Zach: And Regina, so your profile, the fact that you were--you know, like, you were active. Like, you was moving around during the civil rights movement and you're still here in 2020. So, like, have you ever had situations where people have, like, either alluded to or told you to, like, get over it or it was a really long time ago or times have changed, and if so, like, how do you react or respond in those situations?Regina: You know, I don't think anybody would tell me that. [everybody laughs] But I have [this?] attitude. You know how us black women can give off that "Don't fuck with me today?" Zach: Yes. [everybody laughing]Regina: [?] going on generally 24/7. It's like--[to this day sfx] So not today, not ever. Not having it.Zach: Oh, my goodness. I love it. The spice. The energy on this podcast, it's reached incredible levels, and we're really just, like, still in the beginning. So when it comes to--and even, like, honestly, like, the tone of this conversation, right, the unapologetic, like, very to the point manner in which y'all are speaking and in which, like, I see, like, your website communicates as well as your online personas. I'm curious about what feedback or critique you get when it comes to, like, the idea of civility, right? 'Cause I feel like even today there's a lot of folks who are still, like, really hanging their shingle on civility, and they use it almost, like, as a cudgel to, like, silence voices. I'm curious as to how y'all respond to that.Saira: That's what it is. Calls for civility is calls for silencing. And I'm just curious, when has--so civility is code for being nice, right? When has nice saved people of color [?]? Like, was niceness there to save Trayvon Martin? Is being nice saving the brown and black people who are dying in concentration camps around the country? Is niceness [saving?] the Palestinians, upon whom we are, you know, aiding [Israel? and dropping bombs upon them?] Like, being nice is code for doing whatever the fuck you want to oppress people and not getting called out for it. That's what being nice is.Regina: Exactly. And remember that Dr. King said that white [moderates,] they would rather have order than justice. You know what? I'm not about order. Fuck your rules, okay? Fuck hurting your feelings. Fuck being nice. Let's talk the real deal. Let's talk about how you're hurting black and brown children, how black boys and girls get treated in school, how black people are being [?] out of their communities onto the streets by gentrification? Let's talk about all that, and if it requires me to be nice, then it ain't happening.Saira: Yeah, you know what's super not nice? Stop and Frisk. You know what's super not nice? The Muslim ban. You know what's super not nice? These concentration camps. And so I'll tell you what though, Zach, is, you know, before I even ran for Congress I spent a year, 2017, going the civil way. I went to the University of Virginia, and at that time most of my [?] in life were friends that I had met at the University of Virginia, overwhelmingly white women. By the way, like, I was in an all-white sorority and I wore [Laura Ashley?]. So I used to think that I was a white woman. [?] And I tried. You know, I did dinners with these friends. I cried, they cried. I made them--you know, I patted them on the back. I massaged their feet. I think I might have painted a toenail or two. I mean, I did all the nice, civil things, and every single time--it was, like, straight out of an SNL skit... which, by the way, SNL is also a toxic, white, liberal mess, but it was, you know, "We don't like your tone. You just seem really angry." My favorite from one of these women was "What are you doing? You're completely alienating everyone." And I said to her, "Who's everyone?" And I said, "Are you unaware that there are people of color who actually are in agreement with what I'm saying?" And she was like, "Oh, I never thought of that," because she literally--the only people of color [she knows?] were me, one--and she's a nurse, so a couple of her colleagues. She has a black woman colleague and a brown woman colleague, and she said to me, "Well, I asked them, and they said that they think you're crazy, and, like, [that?] racism is untrue." And I'm like, "They're not [safe?] to say that. You're, like, their boss," you know? And somebody said--it's very funny. They're like, "If you're white and you have a brown or black friend who doesn't talk about white people, then you don't have a brown or black friend." Regina: I was gonna say, now, my big thing, I started working, volunteering, mentoring in a high school about six years ago, and I would--the woman who ran the program and started the program woudl tell me all the time that I hurt her feelings. You know, everything you say hurts their feelings, and I sounded like I was angry, and I just started saying, "You know what? I'm mad as hell, and I could give a shit about your feelings, so deal with it." She finally resigned, and I [?], and now the program is being run by people of color.Saira: Yeah. And by the way, like, of course we're angry. I'm sorry. Like, white women literally go batshit crazy if their spin class instructor is 5 minutes late. Go fucking crazy, right? They're angry and it's fine, like, that's fine, but we're not supposed to be angry about systemic oppression. We're not allowed to be angry about that, but they can be angry about a yoga instructor or a spin class instructor being 5 minutes late. It just goes to show you they don't care--it's not only that they don't care, they actively are fine with being participants in this. They just don't want you to call them out for it, and in some ways that's the difference between Republican woman and Democratic women, the 50% that voted for Donald Trump versus the one who kind of sat idly by on let Donald Trump win, you know? Do you know how many white liberal women I know who voted for Hillary Clinton, but their husbands voted for Donald Trump, and they didn't speak a word [?] Hillary Clinton. They didn't put a Hillary Clinton sign in their yard. When I would come into their house they would be like, "You can't talk about Hillary Clinton here because of So-and-so." So what's the difference between the husband who is voting for Donald Trump and the wife who is silent? Nothing. You know, feasance versus non-feasance. It's all the same thing. Not acting is acting.Zach: And so I'm curious, like, again, the delivery of this, and even with the [criticism?] that you've received like "You're not being nice" or "It's not being [?]" or whatever the case may be, and yet Race2Dinner is a whole organization. Like, y'all are an active organization, so clearly--Regina: That's the other thing [?]. These white women want to say, "Well, what do we do with our money?" It's like, "It's not your business. Do you go into Nordstroms and say, "What do you do with your money?" We're not a non-profit. This is a business."Zach: And so I'm curious. Like, it seems as if your approach was so off-putting and alienating that your business would not be viable, and yet it is, right? [Both: Yeah.] So talk me through--Saira: That's a good question. You just asked the question "Why?" One woman put it to us like this not too long ago, and I think this is it. She said a lot of stuff. She's the woman who said to us--I said at this dinner, particularly dinner, you all don't see Regina and I as your [equals.] You don't see our humanity. You do not see our children and grandchildren as your children and grandchildren's equals. You don't see their humanity. 7 out of the 8 of them just shook their head. "Oh, my God. Wrong, wrong, wrong," right? Woman to my left, you know, God bless her, she paused before she spoke and she said, "You know what? I'm not gonna lie. I don't. I don't see the two of you as my equal. I don't see your humanity. I don't see your children and your grandchildren, Regina, as equal to mine," and there was a collective gasp, right? Like, they couldn't believe it, and then little by little they were like, "Yeah. I mean, that's right," and at the end of the dinner this woman said, "I feel such a sense of relief. I feel relieved," because white supremacy kills everybody, including white people. It's like a disease. It's toxic and it kills you. And she said, "This is the first time I've been able to actually acknowledge this to myself, say it out loud, say it in a room full of my peers and say it front of the people that I harm every [day?]," and I think that's it right there. She articulated why we're able to get people to come to these dinners, because it is a relief for them, at least, you know, the ones who are willing to accept it and come in with fully open minds and leave their fragility at the [door.] I think it's a relief.Regina: And, you know, one of the things that I want white women to do--and I don't know why it's so hard, but it is, is to just step up when you see injustice, when you see racism, when you hear it, call that shit out and let things fall where they fall. They never do that. They're always dependent on us to be the ones calling it out, and I'm like, "Y'all started this shit. Get in here and stop it." Saira: Right, just like men created and benefit from misogyny, so men have to dismantle misogyny. We can't. Women cannot. Similarly, white people created and benefit from white supremacy, so they're the ones who have to do it. So this is--by the way, we don't allow for other women of color in the room, because the one time we did--it was a Chicago dinner. There was another Indian woman in the room, and so, you know, she's a member of the community. These are people that she sees at pick-up and drop-off at her kid's school. Every time we were speaking, looking at her and waiting to see and asking, "Well, do you feel like this? Do you feel like this?" It was a deeply unsafe space for her, just like my nurse friend asking her women of color colleagues if they felt like that. That's not safe, right? So we don't want to put other women of color in a situation where they're answering to white women in that room because it's not safe for them.Zach: In y'all's experience of having this organization, this [business?], and facilitating these dinners, like, what has been the most eye-opening experience?Regina: My most eye-opening experience is we had a dinner with several white women, 8, and maybe 4 of them had adopted children of color, okay? Black children, and we had one young woman--I would say she was maybe in her 30s. She had adopted a young black boy. This woman had the audacity to say that if her family and friends said something racist or harmful to or about her child--Saira: In front of her child.Regina: In front of her child! She did not correct them because they loved him. That's the biggest [?] I've ever heard in my life, and if I could've taken that kid away from her I would have done it.Zach: And so then--you know, a piece recently came out--and Saira, this was something that you actually tweeted about. I believe it was someone who actually attended a Race2Dinner event, and they said, you know, "Most folks don't like Saira."Saira: Well, she said, "A lot of people hate Saira." [everyone laughs]Regina: And I'm like, "There, it's out there. We can get over it." [laughing] Saira: Yeah.Zach: And so I'm curious about what does it to look like--like, what does it look like to continue to do this work in light of those types of critiques? Like, where do you get your strength and resilience from to continue this type of work?Saira: It's not easy. I'll say Regina's a big source of strength and a big source of resilience for me. Here's the deal. It's a process, right? And I would be completely lying if I said it didn't bother me when--you know, look, I've gotten used to most of it. I've gotten used to the white supremacist trolls. I've gotten used to the Nazis. What I do not enjoy is getting doxxed. That happened over the weekend by a white woman in Abu Dhabi. Doxxed me and my family, so put out our private information and tried to send Nazis to come hurt my family. I do not enjoy that. I don't enjoy that my children get left out of things, you know, because their moms hate my guts. I don't like that. It's uncomfortable a little bit to run into these old friends of mine around town, and I know what they think of me and I know what they say about me. I don't love that, but, you know, besides that, it's okay. It sounds really weird. Like, I'm actually okay, because I realized that I was filling my life with a lot of nonsense, and how many times--I mean, you know, I was thinking back on this because we're working on a bunch of stuff, but I've had to, like, dig deep, how many times--I was at a party once in college with these friends. It wasn't even a party. It was a dinner, right? And I couldn't leave because it would have been rude to leave. And it was two white women sitting across from me who were not really close friends, me, and then this white woman to my left who was a very good friend, and one white woman said to the other--her last name is an Asian last name but she's white, and she said, "Oh, my God. When I got the letter in the mail that you were gonna be my roommate, I freaked out and I said to my parents, "What have I done in my life to deserve an [Asian?] roommate?"" And they started laughing, and they were like, "And look, it turned out great!" And my friend to the left of me, she was laughing too, and I was just sitting there stunned, and I said, "Hey, you guys. I'm Asian," and then they all took another sip of their [beer?], like, spit it out laughing, and they go, "Oh, yeah, but you're not one of those kind of Asians." And I said, "No, I am. I'm actually 100%--" They go, "You know, like, the accent and, like, the weird food--"Zach: Weird food?Saira: Yeah, "And the smelly, weird food," and I looked to my friend, and she just sat there and was laughing with them, and so I did what I had always done, which I started laughing too. So I sold myself down the river and I upheld--that's how [people of color?] uphold white supremacy is I laughed as well and I let it go. How many of those experiences have I had in my life? I cannot even count them. There are too many to count, and so I'm living an honest life, and you know what that means, living an honest life? If that [means I'm hated?], so be it. Hate me.Regina: You know, as a black woman, I have learned many, many years ago that the only way I can sruvive is I affirm myself on a daily basis. I know who I am. I know what is okay with me. I know what's not okay. So when people start talking shit, "Regina's this, that and the other--" And I tell my mentees that. The best way to have a good life is know who you are. Affirm yourself, and when you get crap from anybody else, you don't have to own that because you know who you are.Saira: Yeah. And Zach, just further to that by the way, I'm trying to start affirming myself because Regina really truly is the most [evolved?] person I know. I think a big part of why a lot of people come at me--and it's all kinds of people. It's not just white people. It's black people, it's Indian people, it's Latino people. It's I'm the first generation of the "model minority" born and raised in this country, right? So we're new, and we're supposed to stay in our lane, and we're supposed to be extremely grateful and not call out white supremacy because we are the model minority. So there's something extremely jarring to have an Asian lady in the middle of Colorado speaking like this. I think that's a big part of it too. I mean, lots and lots and lots and lots of South Asian people really hate my guts.Regina: They just want her to shut up.Saira: You know? They will say--I had [?] Indian people say to me, "Stop talking about Black Lives Matter," and I was like, "They know that there's a Muslim ban. Like, they know." So I'm so confused. I mean, you're called Apu how many times a week? You're called [?] how many times? And they're just, like, pretending like it didn't happen. And really funny, the only Indian/South Asian PAC didn't invite me to their gala in 2018 when I was running for Congress, and so [Andrew Yang?] actually invited me to go as his guest. And so I went. I flew out and I get there, and it's 8 other--something like that, 8 other--South Asians all [?]. By the way, they're all, like, super white platforms and [?], and I show up with Andrew and everyone's literally like, "Who the fuck brought her?" Like, "Why did you all bring her?" I mean, it was just really funny. I mean, it's funny "haha," but yeah, like, my own people hate my guts. Regina: You will love this. Saira says at our dinners, "I'm anti-black and all of you are racist," and I go, "Guess what? Black people know that." We know that every immigrant group thinks they're better than us. We know everybody would rather be whatever than black. That's not news.Saira: So we talk about. So I just want to add that one last thing to what Regina said. You know, we'll say, "Who's racist in this room?" And most of the time no one raises their hand except for me, and they're like, "Wait, what?" And [I'm like?] "[I'm Asian?], so I've been trained institutionally to be anti-black," and then they'll look at Regina because then the next step--you know, Step 1 is dividing and conquering, and they look at Regina like, "Oh, my God. Look. You've got an anti-black colleague here." Regina's like, "All Asians are anti-black." Like, if I'm asking white people to acknowledge their own institutional bigotry, it would be wildly hypocritical of me and completely lack of self-aware if I wasn't able and unwilling to do that myself.Zach: And so it's interesting because, like--I just find it all so very intriguing, because, like, the closer we get--and I'm continuing to have conversations about the fact that November is coming up, and, like, the closer that we get to November, it's interesting that we're, like--a lot of us are still kind of moving, like, business as usual, but--Regina: I know! It's scary.Zach: It's really strange, right? Like, even though, like, we remember all of the chaos, like, that happened four years ago, like, in and outside the workplace. I recall the work day--Regina: [?] the election.Saira: We know that. We know that.Zach: Right, and so it's just strange to me that, like, even from a diversity, equity and inclusion perspective that we're not really talking about that. Like, we're not preparing--Regina: Yeah. Where is the [Congressional Black Causus?] Where the fuck are they? [everyone laughing]Zach: Oh, my gosh. This has been--oh, man, this is great. But no, I find it really curious, I find it really curious. So Race2Dinner, it's white women attending the dinners, and then you both are facilitating the dinner. What do you believe it is about--like, 'cause typically we talk about gender equity and we're rarely intersectional. We rarely talk in [?]. We typically just say "men and women," and the default of course there is white women. It seems as if there's still a lot of work to be done when it comes to white women understanding their place when it comes to understanding diversity, equity and inclusion and how they fit in this role and, like, what power they wield, and I'm curious, why do you think there's still a reticence to engage that? Even from, like, just an intellectual exercise?Regina: Well, you know, I like to say, first of all, you all--everything you've made has been on the backs of black people. Let's get that out there first, okay? So that's the first thing they need to understand. They wouldn't have what they have today if black people had not fought and died [in] the civil rights movement. So that's the first thing I want to say. The second thing, when we talk about intersectionality, we're really talking about black women and their intersection of both race and sex. So white women--this is what we try to say. You know, the foot of patriarchy is on your neck just like it's on yours. You want to continue earning 75 cents for every dollar the white man earns? Fine. But if you want ever to have equity, enjoy the same rights that white males do, you better come and join us, because we've been fighting this for a long time, and we're gonna continue to fight it with or without you, but they also have the proximity to the power. They have the proximity to the money. These are their fathers, their uncles, their brothers, their sons. So that's why they need to be engaged in this.Saira: Well, and the reason, you know, they always pick whiteness over gender is because they're benefiting greatly from whiteness, and so they've been born and raised--but they would never say that, right? That's the lack of honesty and transparency. They've been born and raised to see themselves as the greatest victims on the planet because they are below white men. So that's it. That's where their analysis of inequity--that's where it stops. It starts and stops on them being the biggest victims on the planet, and as a result they erase women of color. We don't even exist in their minds. I'll tell you what, Zach. Use this whole hoopla around the 19th Amendment 100-Year anniversary this year. It's a great window into white feminism. Susan Becky Anthony totally fucked black women, right? So the 19th Amendment [was not?] the women's right to vote. That was the white women's right to vote. And so we're not--like, black and brown women are not celebrating the 19th Amendment, but you would think all of these freaking white suits all over the place running around and talking about how this was, you know, the year that women [?]--that's not true, and there's a direct line between Susan B. Anthony and Nancy Pelosi who regularly throws her women of color colleagues under the bus, starting with Maxine Waters and every member of the squad. So I'm tired of it. I'm tired of white women, you know, lumping all women's rights together. That's not true. That's just not true.Regina: And they know it.Saira: They know it. They're pretending like they don't know it.Regina: See, the biggest issue that we have is them pretending that they don't know shit. They're here to pretend like they don't know how bad it is for women of color. They know. They're gonna pretend like, you know, we're all treated equally. They know. So I want them to stop pretending and tell the fucking truth.Saira: We ask every dinner--this is well over 100 white women around the country--how many of you would trade places with me or Regina? Guess how many of them have raised their hands. Guess.Zach: Zero.Regina: The first dinner. No, one from the first dinner, remember? That we filmed?Saira: Yeah. I mean, it's between zero to one. So they were [?] about that, so they know. They know. So they first tell us that they wouldn't trade places with us because they're better than we are, and then they'll all say--they stopped doing this though because we put an end to this nonsense--"I'm just hear to listen and learn. I'm just here to learn." You already know because you wrote the book about white supremacy. You had it optioned [?]. You've made every film. It's won every Oscar. It's been exported to every country around the world. It's been translated into every language. And you're asking us to explain the book that you wrote? Like, I'm so--that's bullshit. That's bullshit, and we are not [?]--that's fine, that's the way it is, but we're not here for it. We're not here for your stupid ass lies.Regina: That's right.Zach: [laughs]Regina: We can tell you can't wait to have dinner with us, right?Zach: No, no, I'm here for it. I'm here for it. I actually have some mentors that would love this, and actually what I really want to do is I want to give y'all space. So we'll make sure we'll put all your information in the show notes, but I want to give you actually some space, like, to plug all your information. Where can [they learn?] more, how people can sign up, all of that.Saira: Race2Dinner, R-A-C-E-2-dinner.com, and find me on Twitter--I'm Tweeting quite often--@sairasameerarao. Regina: Regina Jackson. I'm on Twitter @ReginaJacksonMe... I think. You know, I'm old. I don't know all this stuff. [both laugh] But we have a couple of great people working with us who schedule all of our dinners, and you can reach them through the website. And also we have a Race2Dinner Facebook page, and Race2Dinner is on Twitter, and Race2Dinner is on Instagram.Saira: And we're also, Zach, starting to do corporate executive teams, so boards and executive teams, because they seem to need it because diversity and inclusion is a big hoax, as you know, and, like, 95% of diversity and inclusion is run by white women. And hey, companies, white women are not diverse and are not inclusive. Regina: Well, and where do you think they get their information about racism?Saira: Yeah.[Flex bomb sfx]Saira: What we've heard from a lot of--like, the three non-white diversity and inclusion officers in the country have talked to us and said, you know, "How great would it be if you two could come in and say the things to the board and my colleagues that we can't say without getting fired?" They can get fired. We can say the shit they can't.Regina: And I just had this conversation with my husband yesterday. We've got some things going on in Colorado with our judiciary. The office of the Supreme Court in Colorado has nine black employees out of 260 something, and none of those are at a management level. So we were having this conversation and I said to him, "You know, Gary, me and Saira, we can talk shit 'cause we don't have to answer to anybody. I don't have to keep a job. We don't have to play politics. We get to just call a thing a thing." Saira: And I think ultimately, if we want to blow a little smoke up our bums, I think that people kind of like us at these dinners.Regina: I could care. [laughs]Saira: No, no, but he's asking why they [?].Regina: Oh, yeah. They want to be our friends. They want black and brown people to like them. And this is really interesting. I just--while we're talking about this, I just got a three-page letter from a white woman friend of mine--[I've known?] her probably 40 years--who is married to a black man, and in the letter she wanted--she had read The Guardian and she wanted to know about if we were gonna take on the issue of how white women that are married to black women are treated in black women spaces, okay? So that's what she wrote me about, and I talked to my husband and I said, "Here's the issue. We can't trust you." I said, "When 53% of [white women] voted for Donald Trump, and then they want to tell us, "Oh, we're in your corner," we can't trust you." So until we can trust you, I doubt that we're gonna accept you.Saira: Yeah, and Regina said that at one dinner last summer. You know, we were talking about trust, and one of the women said, "Well, that hurts my feelings. You mean to tell me you don't trust any of us in this room?" And she goes, "No, I do." She goes, "I trust Saira with my life," but she goes, "I don't trust the rest of you bitches." [both laughing]Regina: You know, it is what it is. In order to be trusted you have to be trustworthy, and white women have not proven themselves to be that.Saira: Not just that, they've proven themselves to NOT be that.Regina: Yeah.Zach: And so then, you know, in some of the pieces that I read about Race2Dinner, I know that there are executive leaders who are white women who attend Race2Dinner, and I'm curious about, from your perspective, what is it that you're seeing leaders are doing or not doing that is hampering inclusiveness and equity in their respective workforces?Saira: We just had a dinner in Chicago, what, like, two weeks ago, and I would say this was one of those--you were asking what were sort of the most poignant moments, well, this was one of the more poignant moments for me because we kind of saw the whole ecosystem at play. So this woman is a nurse in Chicago, and she said--and she, like, got teary, and she said a month earlier she was in a meeting with 9 other white women nurses and doctors and their boss, who's a white guy. A doctor, okay? A doctor. These are people who deal with brown and black lives all the time. And he said that the big thing they need to tackle in 2020 [was?] hiring foreign-born doctors, and she said, "Well, guess what I did?" And we were like, "We know what you did. Nothing, right?" So she said, "I went through the whole thing in my head. "Maybe he didn't mean it." But she was like, "No, all the foreign-born people that we've been hiring, Norwegian and French doctors. We had been hiring brown and black doctors." And she said, "I didn't say anything. I didn't say a word." And I said, "Did anyone else?" And she said no. So that to me was like, "Oh, my God." And I said, "[?] that. So you just upheld--what you all, the ten of you white women did, was every bit as toxic as what the white guy did."Regina: And harmful.Saira: And harmful. And so, you know, I said, "What if you broke the cycle there? What if you had said something?" And then Regina of course said, which is true, "Here are some of the ramifications. Let's play this out. You could have been fired, right? They would make up an excuse to fire you. "You've become a troublemaker" or whatever. You become demoted. You're ghosted. All the stuff that we've experienced, but they would think twice before saying and doing this harmful stuff the next time. Like, using your voice in these professional settings is so important because it moves the needle in a way that [?] they can actually move the needle. And, you know, she totally got it. Meanwhile, white lady to her right does exactly what they always do 'cause they need to set themselves apart. She goes, "Ugh, I can't believe that you did that. I would never do that." I was like, "No, no, no. Like, let's back it up. Of course you would, and you do, so why do you feel--" She goes, "Well, I know that you think that it's not possible that I'm not like that," and I was like, "You're all like that by training, you know?" And so, anyway, it was the need to separate herself from, you know, classic white woman behavior, and what was great is the other women at the table did come after that woman and say, "Come on, you know that we all do this. We're all silent at dinner tables. We're all silent in executive meetings."Regina: Exactly. One of the things that I make sure that I tell women, this is just the beginning. If you are going to be in this work, #1: It's work. You will be doing this for the rest of your life. #2: If you expect to gain anything, boy, are you wrong. You're gonna lose. You're gonna lose relationships. You're gonna lose jobs. You're gonna lose friends. This is not a winning game. It's not a winning game for us, and it's definitely not a winning game for white people.Zach: Oooh. See, I don't have sound effects for, like, spiciness. That's why I've been dropping that Flex bomb from time to time, but I will say this has been incredible. Before we let y'all go, any parting words?Regina: I want to shout-out to Genevieve and Lisa.Saira: The two white women who work with us.Regina: Yep.Zach: Come on, white ladies. [air horns sfx]Regina: Thank you for having us on this show, and I'm looking forward to listening to this interview.Zach: We're looking forward to everybody hearing it. Y'all, yo, now, I told y'all at the top of this it was gonna be spicy, so y'all don't--don't be emailing me with your complaints. You want to see the manager? I'm the manager. Y'all know we are unbought and unbossed, okay?Regina: That manager stuff doesn't work with me, so I get you. [laughs]Zach: Yes. No, it's not. All the emails go to me, Ade and Aaron, so we not--nope. [laughs] Y'all, this has been--man, this has been a dope conversation. You've been listening to the co-founders of Race2Dinner, and just thank y'all, thank y'all. Saira Rao, Regina Jackson. Make sure you check us out on Instagram @LivingCorporate, on Twitter @LivingCorp_Pod. Just Google us, you know what I'm saying? If you look up Living Corporate we're gonna pop up there. SEO is strong enough, okay? Check us out on all of our domains, www.living-corporate--please say the dash--dot com, livingcorporate.co, livingcorporate.us, livingcorporate.org, livingcorporate.net. We got all the different domains, y'all, we just don't have livingcorporate.com yet. Like, Australia owns livingcorporate.com, but one day we're gonna get that domain too. And shoot, if you have questions just make sure you just DM us. DMs are wide open. You don't have to follow us back. We're thirsty like that. Just hit us up. You can also email us at livingcorporatepodcast@gmail.com. Until next time, this again has been Zach, and you've been listening to Regina Jackson and Saira Rao, co-founders of Race2Dinner. Make sure y'all check out the information in your show notes, and make sure you sign up and go to have a racy conversation. All right, y'all. Peace.

Jason Gregory, writer and producer of the film Waking Up White Who is Jason Gregory? Jason D. Gregory is a recent film production MFA graduate from the University of Central Florida’s Nicholson School of Communication and Media (Go Knights!). As a child, he recalls that his friends wanted to “be like Mike,” while Gregory’s dream was to “be like Spike.”   He received his undergraduate degree in film from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2002 and during his studies, Gregory was selected, twice, as a participant in the Zora Neale Hurston/Richard Wright Writer’s Workshop.   In 2010, Gregory founded his own Telly-award-winning, multicultural advertising agency, Gregory Media Group, LLC. Yet, he still yearned for the “business of show.”   Jason Gregory took the plunge to chase his childhood dream and in 2016 enrolled in the MFA film production program where he immediately began writing his thesis project, Waking Up White. Filmed as a television pilot, Waking Up White is the story of a Black family that wakes up White and has 30 days to determine if they’d rather return to their cultural roots or stick with the “new skin” they’re in. Since its development, the pilot script for has been selected as a 2018 Quarterfinalist in ScreenCraft’s Film Fund and Pilot Launch TV Script competitions and a 2018 Semifinalist in the WeScreenplay Television Competition. The television pilot has recently been submitted to various local, national and international film festivals, while also garnering local and regional media coverage.   And because of his commitment to nurturing and mentoring the next generation of filmmakers, Gregory was recently appointed as the president of the Orlando Urban Film Festival; a festival dedicated to promoting and supporting minority films and filmmakers.   In 2018, Gregory was selected to participate in the National Association of Television Producers and Executive’s (NATPE) first Emerging Producers Workshop, where thirteen “emerging producers” where brought together to discuss the future of unscripted, reality television programming. As a result of that workshop, Gregory and the other producers formed 13 Brains; an unscripted, reality television “think tank.” Under the mentorship of Scott Sternberg Productions, 13 Brains develops unscripted, TV concepts and pitches them to networks and streaming platforms. Since its establishment in 2018, 13 Brains has successfully sold its first concept to Netflix, and continues to cultivate and pitch additional programming.   As a graduate student, Gregory was the recipient of the 2019 College of Arts and Humanities Graduate Student Teaching Award and the inaugural Nicholson School of Communication and Media’s Outstanding Teaching Graduate Programs Award. He was nominated for his commitment to teaching his students to “fail their way to success” and is honored to have received both awards.   In 2019, Gregory completed another childhood dream and joined UCF’s English department as a scriptwriting lecturer. In this position, he will continue to mold, mentor and challenge his students to find their voice through the art of scriptwriting.   Finally, Gregory has been married to his wife, Monique, whom he affectionally calls “the girl next door”, for 16 years and they reside in Oviedo, Florida with their two sons, Austin and Miles.   Key Questions answered by Jason Gregory: How to write a winning screenplay Advice Jason has for creatives Is an MFA necessary Why it’s OK to start your dream job later in life Best piece of advice Jason has received Jason’s definition of success Who inspires Jason and why A habit that’s helped Jason on his journey What Jason wants his legacy to be   Jason Gregory Discusses: Writing vs Producing Understanding the game Fears writers grapple with Age and following one’s dream     Key Takeaways from Jason Gregory:   You’re never too old to pursue your dreams The older you are the more life experiences you will have to draw from There are many free options to learn and study on the internet Keep at it, don’t stop Take calculated risks Be consistent     Listen on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Stitcher and Google Play Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): https://funnybrowngirl.libsyn.com/rss   Announcements If you’re looking for a community of supportive creative entrepreneurs to elevate your journey to the next level, join me here: https://funnybrowngirl.com/facebook Subscribe to my newsletter of creative resources, including opportunities and fellowships at https://funnybrowngirl.com/subscribe    Social Media Info Connect on Instagram:   Jason Gregory – @jaydgreg FunnyBrownGirl – @funnybrowngirl    Resources for Film and Screenwriting Episodic Labs: https://episodiclab.staymacro.com/   Script Lab: https://360.thescriptlab.com/   Script Anatomy: https://www.scriptanatomy.com/ Black List: blcklst.com List of 2020 screenwriting competitions: https://www.wgfoundation.org/fellowship-writing-programs-for-screenwriters-masterlist   Ultimate Film Budget Guide: https://nofilmschool.com/film-budget-template   Screen writing course I took for the Issa Rae competition: https://www.coursera.org/learn/script-writing   #CreativeBreakthrough #CreativeBreakthroughPodcast #CreativeHustler  

Episode 43: From Advertising to Film: Jason Gregory on Waking Up White (Part 1 of 2 episodes)   This week’s guest: Jason Gregory, writer and producer of the film Waking Up White   Who is Jason Gregory? Jason D. Gregory is a recent film production MFA graduate from the University of Central Florida’s Nicholson School of Communication and Media (Go Knights!). As a child, he recalls that his friends wanted to “be like Mike,” while Gregory’s dream was to “be like Spike.”   He received his undergraduate degree in film from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2002 and during his studies, Gregory was selected, twice, as a participant in the Zora Neale Hurston/Richard Wright Writer’s Workshop.   In 2010, Gregory founded his own Telly-award-winning, multicultural advertising agency, Gregory Media Group, LLC. Yet, he still yearned for the “business of show.”   Jason Gregory took the plunge to chase his childhood dream and in 2016 enrolled in the MFA film production program where he immediately began writing his thesis project, Waking Up White. Filmed as a television pilot, Waking Up White is the story of a Black family that wakes up White and has 30 days to determine if they’d rather return to their cultural roots or stick with the “new skin” they’re in. Since its development, the pilot script for has been selected as a 2018 Quarterfinalist in ScreenCraft’s Film Fund and Pilot Launch TV Script competitions and a 2018 Semifinalist in the WeScreenplay Television Competition. The television pilot has recently been submitted to various local, national and international film festivals, while also garnering local and regional media coverage.   And because of his commitment to nurturing and mentoring the next generation of filmmakers, Gregory was recently appointed as the president of the Orlando Urban Film Festival; a festival dedicated to promoting and supporting minority films and filmmakers.   In 2018, Gregory was selected to participate in the National Association of Television Producers and Executive’s (NATPE) first Emerging Producers Workshop, where thirteen “emerging producers” where brought together to discuss the future of unscripted, reality television programming. As a result of that workshop, Gregory and the other producers formed 13 Brains; an unscripted, reality television “think tank.” Under the mentorship of Scott Sternberg Productions, 13 Brains develops unscripted, TV concepts and pitches them to networks and streaming platforms. Since its establishment in 2018, 13 Brains has successfully sold its first concept to Netflix, and continues to cultivate and pitch additional programming.   As a graduate student, Gregory was the recipient of the 2019 College of Arts and Humanities Graduate Student Teaching Award and the inaugural Nicholson School of Communication and Media’s Outstanding Teaching Graduate Programs Award. He was nominated for his commitment to teaching his students to “fail their way to success” and is honored to have received both awards.   In 2019, Gregory completed another childhood dream and joined UCF’s English department as a scriptwriting lecturer. In this position, he will continue to mold, mentor and challenge his students to find their voice through the art of scriptwriting.   Finally, Gregory has been married to his wife, Monique, whom he affectionally calls “the girl next door”, for 16 years and they reside in Oviedo, Florida with their two sons, Austin and Miles.   Key Questions answered by Jason Gregory: How did Jason’s creative journey begin? What are the challenges to being a creative entrepreneur? How did Jason build up his own advertising firm? Why Jason decided to get an MFA? Why is UCF a strong film school? How did Jason come up with the thesis of Waking Up White?   Jason Gregory Discusses: Opening up his own ad shop Challenges of the unknown Pursuing a film degree How Jason balanced his time in Grad school while still running his ad shop Crafting his story How Jason strengthens his writing muscle How Jason stays motivated How to find a mentor and what to look for     Key Takeaways from Jason Gregory:   Develop a positive reputation in the field Create a team of people you can depend on Make note of your personal experiences Write every single day Take calculated risks Fail your way to success Find a mentor     Listen on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Stitcher and Google Play Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed): https://funnybrowngirl.libsyn.com/rss   Announcements If you’re looking for a community of supportive creative entrepreneurs to elevate your journey to the next level, join me here: https://funnybrowngirl.com/facebook Subscribe to my newsletter of creative resources, including opportunities and fellowships at https://funnybrowngirl.com/subscribe    Social Media Info Connect on Instagram:   Jason Gregory – @jaydgreg FunnyBrownGirl – @funnybrowngirl    Resources for Film and Screenwriting Episodic Labs: https://episodiclab.staymacro.com/   Script Lab: https://360.thescriptlab.com/   Script Anatomy: https://www.scriptanatomy.com/ Black List: blcklst.com List of 2020 screenwriting competitions: https://www.wgfoundation.org/fellowship-writing-programs-for-screenwriters-masterlist   Ultimate Film Budget Guide: https://nofilmschool.com/film-budget-template   Screen writing course I took for the Issa Rae competition: https://www.coursera.org/learn/script-writing   #CreativeBreakthrough #CreativeBreakthroughPodcast #CreativeHustler

Debby Irving brings to racial justice the perspective of working as a community organizer and classroom teacher for 25 years without understanding racism as a systemic issue or her own whiteness as an obstacle to grappling with it. As general manager of Boston’s Dance Umbrella and First Night, and later as a classroom teacher in Cambridge, Massachusetts, she struggled to make sense of tensions she could feel but not explain in racially mixed settings. In 2009, a graduate school course, Racial and Cultural Identities, gave her the answers she’d been looking for and launched her on a journey of discovery. Debby now devotes herself to working with white people exploring the impact white skin can have on perception, problem-solving, and engaging in racial justice work. A graduate of the Winsor School in Boston, she holds a BA from Kenyon College and an MBA from Simmons College. Her first book, Waking Up White, tells the story of how she went from well-meaning to well-doing.

ML's idea of luxury living is punctured, she understands why rich people go crazy and she talks about the book "Waking Up White and the Story of Race".

Waking Up White is the book Debby Irving wishes someone had handed her decades ago. By sharing her sometimes cringe-worthy struggle to understand racism and racial tensions, she offers a fresh perspective on bias, stereotypes, manners, and tolerance. As she unpacks her own long-held beliefs about colorblindness, being a good person, and wanting to help people of color, she reveals how each of these well-intentioned mindsets actually perpetuated her ill-conceived ideas about race. She also explains why and how she’s changed the way she talks about racism, works in racially mixed groups, and understands the racial justice movement as a whole.

Debby Irving is a racial justice educator, author, and public speaker. A community organizer and classroom teacher for 25 years, Debby Irving grappled with racial injustice without understanding racism as a systemic issue or her own whiteness as an obstacle to it. As general manager of Boston’s Dance Umbrella and First Night, and later as […] The post Waking Up White: An Interview & Conversation with Author Debby Irving appeared first on Restorative Justice On The Rise.

It started out as a topic for a Master's Thesis. But it's evolved into a television show pilot and a conversation about race in America. Meet Jason Gregory: creator, writer and producer of Waking Up White. And there's a "what would you do" question for everyone to answer.

THURSDAY 02.07.2019 Opossum smarts? Orlando Apollos. How to take over a meeting. Ryan grows a beard in 2 days. Russ the detective. RRR - Rapper. Queen Savannah the Gator Entertainer. Tell the boss something!! Cars For The Cure. Waking Up White. Monster Sports.

This week's episode shines the spotlight on the representation of women on our big screens, little screens, conference daises, and bookshelves. It's worth taking some time to consider the messages we receive from all forms of entertainment and education and whether we are getting a balanced view of the world. If you come to the realization that your bookshelf needs more female authors on it, never fear, we have a list of some favorite female authors and books. Check them out! Tweet your favorites to @UnravelingPink and we'll add them to the list.
 Resources in this episode:
 Molly Flatt, The Guardian, "Is The Future Female? Fixing Sci-Fi's Women Problem." Check out: Molly Flatt's "A Darker Wave," Kassandra Khaw’s "There are Wolves in These Woods," Madeline Ashby’s "The Cure For Jetlag," Liz Williams’ "In the God Fields." 
Jodi Picoult, "Small Great Things"
 Debby Irving, "Waking Up White" 
Karen Catlin, "Present! A Techie's Guide to Public Speaking"
 Ed Yong, 4/19/2018, "When Will the Gender Gap in Science Disappear?"
 Emma Pierson, 8/5/2014 "In Science, It Matters That Women Come Last" 
The Unraveling Pink's Brain Trust List of fav female authors and books:
 Arundhati Roy, "God of Small Things"
 Ntozage Shange, "for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf" 
Curtis Sittenfeld
 Doris Kearns Goodwin
 Loung Ung, "First They Killed My Father"
 Ayn Rand
 Kate Germano, "Fight Like A Girl"
 Julie Kratz, "ONE: How Male Allies Support Women for Gender Equality" 
Amy Waninger, "Network Beyond Bias: Making Diversity a Competitive Advantage for Your Career"
 Jennifer Brown, "Inclusion: Diversity, The New Workplace & the Will to Change"
 Iris Bohnet, "What Works: Gender Equality by Design"
 Another list of favorite female-authored business books
: Shona Brown and Kathleen M. Eisenhardt, "Competing on the Edge:  Strategy as Structured Chaos"
 Andrea Kates, "Find Your Next: Using the Business Genome Approach to Find your Company's Next Competitive Edge" 
Angeles Arrien, "The Four-Fold Way: Walking the Paths of Warrior, Teacher, Healer and Visionary"
 Rayona Sharpnack, "Trade Up: Five Steps for Redesigning Your Leadership and Your Life from the Inside Out"
 Gail Larsen, "Transformational Speaking: If You Want to Change the World, Tell a Better Story"

Lutze Segu, PhD student at the Social Justice Institute at UBC, is my guest for this riveting episode - the Fourth instalment on Feminism. She's been a social justice organizer and social worker for over 6 years, and took the time to speak to me about all things critical race theory, intersectionality, #metoo, patriarchy and consent! I want to thank her for taking the time and emotional labour to teach me about my privilege (time and time again), radical inclusion, #blacklivesmatter and social justice. Bottom line: Empathy is good - but we got work to do. Check out Lutze's Twitter @FeministGriote References: Kimberlé Crenshaw, American civil rights advocate and a leading scholar of critical race theory: @sandylocks on Twitter Debby Irving, "Waking Up White": www.debbyirving.com --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/runningwildwithchristine/support

Podcast Description Emily Kaminsky is a white-bread, mid-life, mid-career, cishet, married mom of three living in Massachusetts. She grew up in Maryland and spent time working in international development in the former Soviet Union and living in Vermont working in microenterprise finance. Now in Massachusetts, she works for a community development financial institution; there, she is a member of our racial equity working group and organize book groups on social justice topics that often focus on race. Outside of work, her passions range from environmental issues to human rights concerns.  Emily runs a local litter-busting chapter of Keep Massachusetts Beautiful, am the chair of the school PTO, participate in immigrant protection/rights organization actions with the Cosecha Movement, and support community-led permaculture and youth development efforts in Kenya. Currently, she is diving deep into herself, trying to discover where she fits in this world; part of that work includes discovering what it means to be white while working for social justice. Aligning her values with her actions as a privileged white person is near impossible. At every turn, she finds myself complicit in one injustice or another. She found my work and #causeascene recently as part of her journey.   Additional Resources Here are a few resources that she turned to on the subject of whiteness, privilege and history."Waking Up White" by Debby Irving (http://www.debbyirving.com/)"White Fragility" by Robin DiAngelo (https://robindiangelo.com/)"Invisible Backpack" by Peggy McIntosh (http://racialequitytools.org/resourcefiles/mcintosh.pdf)Community Change Inc. (http://www.communitychangeinc.org/)Race Forward (https://www.raceforward.org/)Zinn Education Project (https://www.howardzinn.org/related-projects/zinn-education-project/) and Zinn's "People's History of the United States""Seeing White" series by Scene on Radio (http://www.sceneonradio.org/seeing-white/)"Race the Power of Illusion" by PBS (http://www.pbs.org/race/000_About/002_04-about-02.htm)  Twitter Emily Kaminsky Become a #causeascene Podcast sponsor because disruption and innovation are products of individuals who take bold steps in order to shift the collective and challenge the status quo.Learn more >All music for the #causeascene podcast is composed and produced by Chaos, Chao Pack, and Listen on SoundCloud. Listen to more great #causeascene podcasts full podcast list >

Debby Irving is a racial justice educator, author, and public speaker.  A community organizer and classroom teacher for 25 years, Debby Irving grappled with racial injustice without understanding racism as a systemic issue or her own whiteness as an obstacle to it. As general manager of Boston’s Dance Umbrella and First Night, and later as an elementary school teacher in Cambridge, Massachusetts, she struggled to make sense of racial tensions she could feel but could not explain. In 2009, Debby took a graduate school course, Racial and Cultural Identities, which gave her the answers she’d been looking for and launched her on a journey of discovery. Now, speaking and leading workshops around the country, Debby devotes herself to exploring the impact white skin can have on perception, problem solving, and creating culturally inclusive communities. A graduate of the Winsor School in Boston, she holds a BA from Kenyon College and an MBA from Simmons College. Her first book, Waking Up White, tells the story of how she went from well-meaning to well-doing. https://www.themainemag.com/radio/radio-guests/debby-irving/

In this episode, we hear from Peggy McIntosh, author of, White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack, and also Debby Irving, author of Waking Up White. Both guests reflect on why they feel it is important to make whiteness visible.

In this episode, we hear from Peggy McIntosh, author of, White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack, and also Debby Irving, author of Waking Up White. Both guests reflect on why they feel it is important to make whiteness visible. 

Clark Pfaff speaks about his epiphany on what people of color go through on a day to day basis unlike white dominant culture. A very candid conversation about white privilege.

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."-Nelson Mandela Join Amy from AmyLeo.com as she speaks with social change agent Debby Irving. Tune in for a truly transformative exploration based on some shocking historical facts (not opinions) regarding the topics of social justice and systemic inequality. In this episode, you will learn the real history behind the G.I. Bill, social security, redlining, affirmative action, mass incarceration, and more! How does this affect you? With more knowledge, you will be better equipped to make a real difference in our society, instead of innocently perpetuating the status quo. For instance, after listening to today's show, you will be better prepared to answer questions like "Why Should I Care?". Learn more at www.debbyiriving.com and don't forget to pick up Debby's book "Waking Up White" here: http://www.debbyirving.com/the-book/ --- Other resources mentioned: Books: The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson Songs available on iTunes, Spotify, etc. White Privilege by Macklemore Black and White Thinking by Amy Leo Other projects: One Solution, www.onesolutionglobal.org You Are Not So Smart, https://youarenotsosmart.com ( For Backfire Effect & Confirmation Bias Research)

January 15, 2017. Ministerial Intern Otto O'Connor in his Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend sermon offers reflections on his process of "waking up white." A sermon that pulls no punches, Otto encourages us to examine our unconscious biases, to move beyond them and become active participants in dismantling racial injustices.

Race is one of the most divisive issues in this country. And it’s the most hidden and least discussed … that is, among whites. Debby Irving is joining us to share her brave, unflinching journey from white oblivion to white awareness openly chronicled in her book, Waking Up White and Finding Myself in the Story of Race. It has just been released in audio format so you will want to check it out. This is not only a riveting tale of the building awareness that led to Debby’s personal wake up call; the book provides a fascinating look at racial denial and our society’s secret acceptance of white privilege. If you care about equality and social justice, you won’t want to miss this thought-provoking discussion. Ms. Irving’s book provides the mirror to open and honest reflection and it’s up to each of us to bring racial consciousness into our minds and our hearts.

Five years ago, Egyptians took to the streets in protest of the dictatorship. But today, many experts say Egypt is not much better off.

Waking Up White The Black Lives Matter movement has been a wake-up call to white America. When did you wake up to issues of race in your own life? How have those early experiences helped or hindered your re-awakening in this new moment in the quest for racial justice. Rev. John Buehrens, Senior Minister Rev. Alyson Jacks, Associate Minister Richard Davis, Worship Associate Dr. Mark Sumner, Music Director Reiko Oda Lane, organist Eric Shackelford, soloist Judy Payne, Trustee Jonathan Silk, OOS, Sound & Worship Archives/Podcast

Waking Up White The Black Lives Matter movement has been a wake-up call to white America. When did you wake up to issues of race in your own life? How have those early experiences helped or hindered your re-awakening in this new moment in the quest for racial justice. Rev. John Buehrens, Senior Minister Rev. Alyson Jacks, Associate Minister Richard Davis, Worship Associate Dr. Mark Sumner, Music Director Reiko Oda Lane, organist Eric Shackelford, soloist Judy Payne, Trustee Jonathan Silk, OOS, Sound & Worship Archives/Podcast

Join Jeanne Catherine, Jen Lucas and Amy Leo to discuss how thought and consciousness shape our experience of race and our interactions in community.This conversation looks at some of the structures in our world and how human beings misunderstand each other. Learn how we limit our ability to see separate realities or expand what you think you know about racism.This conversation is shared with peace and compassion for ourselves and each other.Find out more about the speakers: http://www.divineplay.com/about-2/meet-the-team/

Hear a woman's discovery about race, a game to help kids can become agents for good around the world, the history of meteorology, and more.

Racial justice educator Debby Irving discusses the interpersonal dynamics of racism—especially in friendships, in “white spaces” like schools and offices, and even around the dinner table. Debby gives concrete suggestions on how to shift these dynamics in useful ways. The post Waking Up White (Part 2) with Debby Irving appeared first on Safe Space Radio.

Debby Irving is a racial justice educator and author of the book Waking Up White. She talks about the way her world was shaken when she began understanding the extent to which her whiteness has been crucial to her success in life. She also details the ways in which her new ability to engage in ...read more » The post Waking Up White (Part 1) with Debby Irving appeared first on Safe Space Radio.

Tune in when Patricia interviews Debbie Irving, a white, Boton-based racial justice educator and author of Waking Up White: And Finding Myself in the Story of Race. She has written the book she wishes someone had handed her years ago: a story-based Racism 101 for white people. Its narrative memoir format provides a mainstream read that gives white readers the basics needed to access complex understandings about racism. Similarly, many people of color yearn for authentic, informed dialogue about racism with white friends,family and colleagues. Debby will discuss the touch point she provides in her book for examining differences and paints a clear picture of why the first step in addressing cross-cultural issues of an y kind is understanding one's own culture.

Tune in when Patricia interviews Debbie Irving, a white, Boton-based racial justice educator and author of Waking Up White: And Finding Myself in the Story of Race. She has written the book she wishes someone had handed her years ago: a story-based Racism 101 for white people. Its narrative memoir format provides a mainstream read that gives white readers the basics needed to access complex understandings about racism. Similarly, many people of color yearn for authentic, informed dialogue about racism with white friends,family and colleagues. Debby will discuss the touch point she provides in her book for examining differences and paints a clear picture of why the first step in addressing cross-cultural issues of an y kind is understanding one's own culture.

Debby Irving is a white woman, raised in Winchester, Massachusetts during the socially turbulent 1960s and ‘70s. After a blissfully sheltered, upper-middle-class suburban childhood, she found myself simultaneously intrigued and horrified by the racial divide she observed in Boston. From 1984 to 2009 her work in urban neighborhoods and schools left her feeling helpless. Why did people live so differently along racial lines? Why were student outcomes so divergent? Why did she get so jumpy when talking to a person of color? Where did the fear of saying something stupid or offensive come from, and why couldn’t she make it go away? The more Debby tried to understand racial dynamics, the more confused she became. She knew there was an elephant in the room, she just didn’t know it was her! In her book, Waking Up White, the story of her two-steps-forward-one-step back journey away from racial ignorance. She continues to study racism and strategies for its undoing while working to educate other white people confused and frustrated by racism. She remembers these feelings all too well and is passionate about transforming anxiety and inaction into empowerment and action, be it for an individual or an organization. For more on Debby visit www.debbyirving.com

Race is one of the most divisive issues in this country. And it's the most hidden and least discussed … that is, among whites. Debby Irving is joining us to share her brave, unflinching journey from white oblivion to white awareness openly chronicled in her newly released book, Waking Up White and Finding Myself in the Story of Race. This is not only a riveting tale of the building awareness that led to Debby's personal wake up call; the book provides a fascinating look at racial denial and our society's secret acceptance of white privilege. If you care about equality and social justice, you won't want to miss this thought-provoking discussion. Ms. Irving's book provides the mirror to open and honest reflection and it's up to each of us to bring racial consciousness into our minds and our hearts.