Evolving Diversity Podcast

Do you worry about getting a fine, or do you worry about being incarcerated because of your color?

What happens to you when you’re pulled over? Do you worry about getting a fine, or do you worry about being incarcerated because of your color?

Shawnta Marie shares her story about being pulled over in her luxury SUV, not 1 or 2 times, but 4 times in a single 10-hour road trip. What was the response of friends and family? Victim Blaming. 

Main Ideas

Why Shawnta Marie shared the story when she did. 

• Why we need to create a safe space for racial conversations
• How you can create safe spaces for those in your workplace
• What may surprise you when you start sharing your stories

How can we support and be better allies in closing the race gap?

• Hosting vulnerable conversations 
• Being aware that people sharing their stories may trigger or re-ignite trauma
• Making sure to observe your own thoughts/opinions

Where does real empathy come from?

• Learning about what your fellow humans are watching and listening to
• Getting to know more about Black culture

KEY Thoughts

6’18  There's just nothing, not even a hidden piece to this. You were simply in a high traffic area and being pulled over. Four different states, four different police officers, inside of ten hours. I’m trying to embrace what that would feel like.

9’01 I heard someone tell a personal story, in a very large setting, about being a Black man being pulled over. After I left that session, I said to myself, I have a story like that.

13’01 A friend of mine who's Black has said I am so sick of being the Black friend  who has suddenly become the voice of Black people and the explainer of all things Black to my White friends and I have hit some version of Black friend fatigue. Have you heard or seen some of that going on for you or your friends?

17’51 We all live the same life, but we live it differently, right? Culturally, there are differences. And that's okay, learn them, understand them. Invite yourself to be open to learning what it's really like to be Black in America without judgment, without defensiveness, just with the expectation to learn and observe.

Links

Hamilton Think Tank: https://www.hamiltonthinktank.com

Discussion on the tension in our country and how to diffuse it

In this conversation, Carol tackles what’s in the current headlines.  During one of the most contentious elections of our lifetimes, where the tension in our country is palpable, Carol invites Amy Herman, author of Visual Intelligence back to have one of the more difficult and enlightening conversations ever had on Evolving Diversity.  

Amy and Carol discuss the very tense Brianna Taylor case and how the impact of her murder not bearing any charges against the police that wrongfully shot her, has left not just blacks, but people of all walks of life shocked and speechless. 

Carol and Amy discuss the question raised by TEDx Speaker Nita Moseby Tyler who asks   What if white people led the charge to end racism? What a conversation starter. Asking how things would be different. 

They continue to peel back the very realization that you may or may not be aware of, that racism is baked into the infrastructure of our society and what we need to do to finally move past this once and for all. 

How to heal our society is one of the main ideas of this conversation, and we ask you, who do you know that needs to hear this conversation.  Please share with those you love, and share with us how we can support you through these, dare to say unprecedented times. 

Main Ideas

How to really communicate more effectively in all situations

• Stop, look, listen, and think about what you want to say. 
• How to have a constructive dialogue
• How do we draw lines around our expressions of empathy?
• Where do we go with the outrage and make it productive energy?
• How to Ask the questions of others with purpose and meaning. 
• How to see places where we can step in past the outrage? But before the next event?

How to ask people who may need help, in a better way. 

• A genuine way to offer help in a way the empowers instead of deflates 
• For example, should you ask someone who’s handicapped if they need help or should you just help them
• How to show up genuinely, authentically, and in a disarming way

Miracles are happening Every day we just need to stop and listen 

• How do you see Miracles?
• What can we do to help spread this message?
• Stop : Listen : then speak and be super direct with how you deliver your message

Key Thoughts

1:33- What if White people led the charge to end racism? How is that for a conversation? Yep, she started it. And I'm so glad she did. Because it really led us,  us being Amy and I, into having today's conversation that says, Who are we as white people, which we both are.  What's our rule? How do we enter into this rule in a way that doesn't cause more harm, but also doesn't sit back on the sidelines saying, Well, I hope they figure it out. 

2:13- I have been walking around all day as if I was gut-punched at the outrage that I am feeling and know that I can only feel a fraction of what the black community must be feeling because of that decision by the grand jury not to indict this simple message is Briana Taylor's life and her murder do not warrant police officers accountable for killing her.

7:41- What Nita is talking about is how are you standing on the outside, just watching. When there is injustice all around, how are you just watching this happen, and not getting involved? 

8:07- Where were all the white people who said I'm not a racist, but didn't stand up and say, wait a minute, why am I going? Why do I even involve myself? 

28:07- Do you see places where we can step in past the outrage? But before the next event?

Yes. I'm gonna say this in the most nonpartisan way I can. That place is called the voting booth.

29:24- Going to leave you with this. When you put something in the hands of black women, we will get it done. And don't you know their candidate won?

Links

Hamilton Think Tank: https://www.hamiltonthinktank.com

Amy Herman’s book: Visual Intelligence  https://www.amazon.com/Visual-Intelligence-Sharpen-Perception-Change/dp/0544947126

Robin DiAngelo’s book: White Fragility  Source of White Women’s Tears conversation https://www.amazon.com/White-Fragility-People-About-Racism/dp/0807047414/ref=sr_1_3?crid=UWFI1ZZOPK3J&dchild=1&keywords=white+fragility&sprefix=white+fra%2Caps%2C182&sr=8-3  

TEDx Talk by Nita Moseby Tyler: https://www.ted.com/talks/nita_mosby_tyler_what_if_white_people_led_the_charge_to_end_racism?language=en

Incredible conversation on the knowing your origin

In this episode, Carol speaks with Liz Caraballo and her son, Justin Blanks, about Justin’s experience as a multiracial man in America. They begin by discussing the moment when Justin realized that he was perceived differently because of the color of his skin. Justin explains that he doesn’t get as many questions as he used to. He thinks that this is a product of a diverse environment, as well as a world that is changing for the better.

As the conversation continues, Carol and Justin touch on a number of subjects, including Justin’s interest in criminal justice and how it stems from his role as a mediator growing up. Because he was multiracial, Justin often straddled group-related lines, specifically when it came to sports. This experience cultivated a desire to help others and a willingness to solve problems that serves him to this day.

After asking about Justin’s experience, Carol dives into the general, and timely, subject of institutional and personal racism. Justin speaks about specific reforms that he’d like to see, such as a weekly mindset check-in for officers, as well as his response to a friend that was unwilling to watch the Netflix documentary, ‘13TH,’ because of ignorance and a fear of having to pick a side.

In the end, Justin states that he’s hopeful for the future because he sees a greater opportunity to ask important questions that will lead to lasting change. Liz echoes his feelings and encourages parents to support their children no matter the circumstance. Family, and more specifically, love, will always prevail.

Main Ideas

Experience creates a worldview

• Minorities face questions and problems that white individuals may not even perceive
• Even within groups, there is a diversity of opinion and the daily struggle
• Be comfortable with yourself. You’re perfect in who you are

Race is a poor primary identifier

• Shades of gray create an opportunity for understanding
• Referring to someone in a non-racial way is both more personal and challenging
• Color does not tell the whole story

Education is the key to lasting peace

• An open mind will only be effective when combined with action
• Important issues must be kept at the forefront of the conversation
• Mediation and understanding help close the gaps between others

Ignorance is not a race problem, it’s a people problem

• Institutions AND people need to be willing to change
• Comfort is not an excuse for ignorance
• Just because an opinion is different doesn’t mean that it’s wrong

Support changes everything

• Officers must receive more situational and mental training
• Love and family can always prevail over hardship
• We must remove the boundaries on what is possible

Key Thoughts

15:40- I am somebody who helps people and figures out problems. I do it by talking to as many people as I can, figuring out what the specific problem is, and making sure we're all working towards the solution. I can be that middleman to fix it. I really like that. - Justin 

17:32- I may not agree with everything my friend was saying, but the fact that he was open and willing to talk to me about it made me feel very good. - Justin

27:36- Some people are happy with where they're at and they don't want anything to change. They’re  not willing to  open up for other people, to change themselves and for our world to change, which is very sad. - Justin

29:14- I don't know that I would describe the space between black and white as the gray area. What I would describe it as what Justin and I represent, is all of this. All of the shades in between black and white.- Liz

33:47- If you wouldn't refer to their race if they were white, then why do you refer to their race if they're anything else? - Carol

35:18-  You're not going to change, I told myself, so you got to be happy with what you got. And to me, more recently, that finally became enough. I'm happy in my own skin. - Justin

42:56- My greatest fear is diversity fatigue - that everyone will  just get tired of the conversation because they feel powerless to do anything about it and it all goes back to the way  it was. Only now, it's worse because now, all of these disenfranchised people are left with a sense of true disempowerment. The moment they had for change, came and went. - Carol

44:54-  I hope, if any of my friends have any questions of how I grew up, or what it's like to be multiracial, I hope they feel comfortable to ask me. - Justin

Links

Hamilton Think Tank: https://www.hamiltonthinktank.com

Netflix movie 13th: https://www.netflix.com/watch/80091741?trackId=13752289&tctx=0%2C0%2Cd99a675e0a8542eaacffe3ceac6ce903080f10a5%3A649f64df1f478b121111907f32b3f08ed8e8b818%2Cd99a675e0a8542eaacffe3ceac6ce903080f10a5%3A649f64df1f478b121111907f32b3f08ed8e8b818%2Cunknown%2C

How sorting through Bias can help us communicate more effectively

In Episode 2, Carol invites Amy Herman, best-selling author of Visual Intelligence, to join her in a dive deep into Amy’s unique work - revealing bias by exploring fine art. For the past two decades, Amy worked with the New York Police, the FBI, French National Police, Department of Defense, Interpol, and many fortune 500 companies.

Visual intelligence is the ability to filter out all of the noise and to really concentrate on what we need to see, and reacting appropriately. During this conversation, you will learn while sharpening your perception will change your life. 

Carol and Amy discuss the difference between the different types of bias and how they affect our behaviors, our reactions and our ability to perceive reality. 

Main Ideas 

Introduction to Visual Intelligence

• Introduction to Amy Herman and her unique work
• Defining Visual Intelligence
• How Visual Intelligence actually shapes and improve your life

The Different Types of Bias 

• Affinity Bias
• Anchor Bias
• Confirmation Bias
• Cognitive Bias

Getting the Full picture 

• What am I being influenced by
• Being aware of your surroundings, and fighting the temptation to jump to conclusions
• How you can become more aware of what biases you may have unintentionally, and not attaching judgment
• Being aware of your own projections

Key Thoughts

09:18 - We are all susceptible to the anchoring bias - the human tendency to believe the first thing we see or hear is true. And in our world of  24-hour news cycles and social media and Snapchat and instant messaging, we fall victim to this. We hear something and we say, “Oh, it's an outrage.” However, before we jump to conclusions, and I realize not every situation allows us the luxury to stop, look, and listen. But I want you to be able to say, “No, I didn't fall victim to the anchor bias. I looked at the facts, and this is what I gleaned from the situation.” - Amy  

11:13 - Confirmation biases are dangerous because you want to fit a square peg into a square hole and sometimes that hole is octagonal. You want to go in with an open mind, you don't want to go in saying, been there done that and this is going to be one more. - Amy 

The last bias that I deal with is implicit bias, often called cognitive bias, unconscious bias. It dictates that we act a certain way, according to long-held assumptions about people's people, group ideas, and we don't even realize we're being affected by it. That's why they call it unconscious or implicit, we don't even realize that it's there. My feeling about implicit bias is yes, it's dangerous, but it's no more dangerous than confirmation bias or the anchoring bias because, in all three, you can end up in the wrong place unintentionally.” - Amy

15:00 - My hope is that through the art of perception, I give people the confidence to look in the mirror and say,
“This is what I do well and this is what I don't do so well and what I need to work on.” - Amy 

16:05 - The idea of affinity bias, it is what it's what it sounds like - we gravitate towards people like ourselves in appearance, ideas, belief, and behaviors. It's understandable because we feel most comfortable with people like ourselves. I tell people that to overcome affinity bias, you're really going to enrich your world because multiple perspectives make for a more enriching life. - Amy

17:57 - We have a house rule that at least once every three movies we watch has subtitles, it’s such different storytelling. - Carol

25:03 - What I'm saying is, we're seeing three seconds of a video, you don't know what happened in the 60 seconds before that clip of the video, and you don't know what happened in the 60 seconds after. And so we have to resist the urge to pull things out of context because that fosters anchor bias and can lead to conclusions that just aren't true. - Amy

LINKS: 

www.HamiltonThinkTank.com

Amy Hermans Best Selling book <--Click Here

Welcome to the first Episode of Evolving Diversity with your host Carol Hamilton!

This podcast is the place where guests are invited to express themselves freely and share their glorious, diverse selves. Be ready to laugh, shed a tear, or even join in a virtual hug with Carol and her guests as they explore ways to keep Evolving Diversity. 

Episode one is with Christy and Daryle Wilson, a mixed-race, married couple of two years. With courageous transparency, they share their moments of joy, moments of awkward discovery as well as encounters with social injustice. Each story is told with what they gleaned from those experiences, and what you may learn from them as well. 

As the conversation continues they also share in some comedic situations between the two families, who have two very different styles of social gatherings. Daryle shares his perspective of visiting Christy’s family for holidays, and the comic whirlwind that he was thrust into.  Christy shares her view of visiting Daryle’s family in Detroit where she experienced a much different situation ultimately leading her to find peace in the flow.  The conversation will find you laughing with Carol as you become a fly on the wall in both comedic, and heartwarming scenes.  

Main Ideas 

The Evolving Diversity Podcast

• Introduction to Carol Hamilton 
• A place to share stories about diversity and acceptance
• A place where fun and sometimes awkward conversations abound

The DEIB Landscape

• D - Diversity
• E - Equity 
• I - Inclusion
• B - Belonging 

Where is mixed raced being tolerated more? 

• Is it staring at a younger age, because of the internet
• How different parts of the United States have completely different perspectives on interracial couples still today
• Closing the gap on interracial couples as something that is out of the ordinary 

How have things changed

• The challenges of marriage in general
• What happens when you add the mixed-race component 
• The awkwardness that does often arise in public 

What’s important ultimately 

• How do we feel around each other
• Tolerance and patience 
• LOVE is a beautiful thing

Key Quotes

01:40- “I like stretch ideas because they start us thinking, and that’s what this podcast is all about. I want to bring on people I know as well as those I haven’t met yet, and just have conversations.” - Carol 

03-10- “What is DEIB?  Let’s make sure we’ve got our terms straight, D is diversity. E is equity. I is inclusion, and B is belonging.” - Carol  

06:00- “Carol, I think if I was 20 years old, it probably would be a little harder because sometimes you can see judgment on people’s faces. Or you can see, like a disapproving look”. - Christy

16:25- “I think that’s something important to pay attention to, the concept that there are people out there saying, Well, I’m either with blacks and against police, or against blacks and for police. That polarization scares me.” - Carol

27:02- “Looking at things in a totally different lens. I think challenging individuals to do that, is the

best way for us to help. Because maybe call me naive or whatever, I think that there’s goodness in everybody. And I think sometimes folks just need to be challenged to be able to look at things differently in order for them to see the other perspective. I think  it might help change the way that they feel about certain things, or open them up, at least to understanding,” - Daryle

38:34- “I don’t think this [our love] has anything to do with race at all. I think when I knew I wanted to get married and I wanted to marry him, it had nothing to do with black or white. I just really liked the way I felt when I was around him.” -Christy

LINKS: 

www.HamiltonThinkTank.com

Netflix Movie 13

Welcome to Evolving Diversity with your host Carol Hamilton. This podcast is the place where guests are invited to express themselves freely and share their glorious, diverse selves. Be ready to laugh, shed a tear, or even join in a virtual hug with Carol and her guests as they explore ways to keep Evolving Diversity.