Systematic racism, police brutality, and social injustice are just a few of the many harsh realities that people of color face in society. For too long, these issues have not been properly addressed. A good first step to tackling these issues is to have an open conversation about them and also listen to those that experience these injustices firsthand. Lauren Messiah joins the podcast today to discuss the Black Lives Matter movement, her experiences as a black female founder, and how she plans to use her position as the EO Los Angeles chapter president to make a dent in the world. Lauren has been featured in the New York Times, Vogue, The Wall Street Journal, and was one of YouTube’s Women to Watch. Listen in.

Timestamped show notes 03:11 - Emotional overload 05:12 - Lauren shares her experiences dealing with microaggressions 06:07 - Racism is not always overt 07:27 - “I’m protesting for basic human rights that black people don’t have” 08:59 - Lauren shares her thoughts on how she can enact change as EO Los Angeles president 10:30 - Some people don’t even recognize the racism behind their words 12:41 - The starting line starts further back 14:24 - Lauren succinctly explains why “All Lives Matter” is detrimental to the conversation 15:15 - Lauren shares a story of racial profiling and injustice 18:26 - Identify the problem, understand the issues, and work towards a solution 22:39 - “It’s not about creating divide, it’s about finding a solution to the problem” 24:11 - Be open, don’t be argumentative, and LISTEN 24:41 - Lauren shares some resources on educating yourself on the issues 27:26 - Expanding perspectives and broadening viewpoints 30:27 - Don’t just stay silent, open the conversation by asking “How are you doing” 31:12 - Lauren talks about how she is planning to use her position to make a difference 34:43 - “Get in the Room” challenge - Lauren’s challenge to tackle the mindset that women should act or dress a certain way 37:38 - Get in the room, then shake it up 41:50 - People just look at the “what” and don’t dig beyond at the “why” 45:34 - Lauren talks about how the pandemic has affected her 46:57 - Understand what really matters, get back to the basics

Links Lauren’s Website: https://laurenmessiah.com/ Black Lives Matter: https://blacklivesmatter.com/

Resources On-demand Video Services

• Kimberly Jones (Youtube)
• Trevor Noah (Youtube)
• The 13th (Netflix)
• When They See Us (Netflix)
• Say Her Name: The Life and Death of Sandra Bland (HBO)
• Just Mercy (Amazon Prime Video)

Instagram

• Luvvie