When it comes to being more empathetic with other humans that are different from us, Lauren Nile feels that she could put together a five-day PowerPoint presentation with 1000 bullet points, yet nothing would be as impactful as experiencing discrimination or harassment first-hand or seeing someone we love go through it. She believes that we need to go out there and be curious and make an effort to get the closest we can to walk in their shoes. Once we see their humanity, it is almost impossible to hold on to the prejudices against them.

Lauren Nile is an Author, Keynote Speaker, Organizational Development Trainer, Consultant, and Retreat Facilitator. Her primary goal in working with groups is to increase participants' self-awareness and emotional intelligence. She is a former VoiceAmerica.com and The Wisdom in The Middle host. Lauren was named one of the 2019 Outstanding Voices of Palm Springs and received the 2019 Greater Palm Springs Pride Spirit of Stonewall Advocate of the Year Award. Lauren holds a BA in Philosophy from the University of New Orleans, an MA in Philosophy from the University of Connecticut, and a JD from Cornell University School of Law. 

In this episode, we had a wonderful conversation about oppression, acceptance, and empathy. Lauren shared her brilliant take on intersectionality and enlightened us with her kind wisdom. We discussed our society's ongoing transformations and what is missing to reach equality. Lauren also shared her experience coming out to her family, how they reacted, and her experience as an LGBTQ community member in the late '70s. 

Some Questions We Ask:

• Could you tell us a bit about you, your experience, and your life? (7:30)
• We would love to hear about how coming out was for you. (17:20)
• How do we educate young people to avoid sticking to beliefs that won't let them accept others with a different sexual orientation than theirs? (24:30)
• What is the intersectional nature of your experience around race and sexual orientation? (32:45)
• What can we do to be advocates for the LGBTQ community? (44:06)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• Lauren describes how it was to grow up in the segregated South as a Black person (9:05)
• We need to be curious; that is how the world changes (15:01)
• The impact of not being accepted by their families for trans people (22:05)
• Lauren shares her priceless view on intersectionality (32:27)
• Lauren's list of 9 essential items to be an advocate for the LGBTQ community (44:07)

Resources:

• Lauren N. Nile website
• Book: Lauren N. Nile - RACE: My Story & Humanity's Bottom Line
• The Faith of Humanity Podcast with Lauren Nile
• What I Want White People To Know And Do - Lauren N. Nile
• Race And Racism: Going to the Core Workshop - Lauren N. Nile and Bridget Sampson
• The Family Acceptance Project, San Francisco State University
• Book: Isabel Wilkerson - The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration

Connect with Lauren:

• LinkedIn

Connect with Jackie and Bridget:

• Instagram
• Website 
• How to Be a True Ally Course Registration
• Facebook
• Community Facebook Group
• YouTube

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