Who do you picture when you hear the word "veteran"? If you picture someone white, you're not alone.

Today we spend some time sharing the military history and stories of marginalized groups, including Black Americans, Japanese Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans. These groups often were the most decorated in combat but faced segregation and disparate treatment while part of the active military, and, upon returning home, found themselves the target of racism, persecution, or worse.

If these stories are new to you too, we invite you to listen, so we can stop history from continuing to repeat itself.

Help us celebrate all of our veterans on this Veterans Day. Thank you for your service.

What to listen for:

• Specific stories of Black veterans being persecuted, even after fighting to secure freedoms that they did not benefit from – from post-Civil War, during the Red Summer, and through World War II
• How the G.I. Bill, which was meant to help all veterans, specifically excluded Black Americans from many of its provisions.
• The forming of the 442nd Regiment of Japanese-Americans during World War II (spoiler alert: started from a PR perspective).
• How Latinos and Native Americans fought in non-segregated units, and their different military experiences as a result.

Want to learn more?

PDF: Lynching in America - Targeting Black Veterans

Fighting for Democracy - Japanese Americans

Fighting for Democracy - Latino & Native Americans

Red Summer of 1919: How Black WWI Vets Fought Back Against Racist Mobs

Neglected at Home After Serving Abroad: The Story of Black Women Veterans

The Tragic Forgotten History of Black Military Veterans

The Struggle of Black Veterans

How the GI Bill's Promise Was Denied to a Million Black WWII Veterans

442nd Regimental Combat Team

PLUS, support us through Patreon! Learn about our virtual community – and you're welcome to join.

Like what you hear? Don't miss another episode and subscribe!

Catch up on more commentary between episodes by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter – and even more opinions and resources if you join our email list.

It's the day after the election if you're listening to this as we roll episodes out. It's been One Heck Of A Year, and we want to give you this gift of breathwork and a reminder of how to be an ally when we are all still feeling overwhelmed by it all.

This episode is dedicated to pushing through the discomfort, committing to the fight, and includes a special bonus at the end: an anti-racism breathwork experience from Jenny Peni, to help you process and feel a little more grounded and able to do what you need to do.

Have questions, comments, or concerns? Email us at [email protected]

What to listen for:

• White fatigue. It's what we're calling the effect of the incredible yet overwhelming amount of resources, suggestions, and places to support that are emerging now.
• How people in a position of influence can undermine the effort by deflecting. Hear our thoughts on Drew Brees, and why we agree this was never about the flag.
• What we might be doing that can help, or hurt, the people we run into in the supermarket.
• The difference between an ally and a co-conspirator – and which we want to be.
• A few tips and our resources on how to move from "not racist" to being anti-racist, including how to talk to your kids about race.

PLUS, support us through Patreon! Learn about our virtual community – and you're welcome to join.

Like what you hear? Don't miss another episode and subscribe!

Catch up on more commentary between episodes by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter – and even more opinions and resources if you join our email list.

Are any of you feeling like we are - maybe a little anxious now seven months into COVID with various degrees of lockdown, with a very uncertain election layered on top of that?

If you're listening to this live, we have one week until Nov 3 election day; we may have a week or several weeks more until we find out the results of that presidential election.

We are bringing you a few tools to cope with election anxiety.

Questions? Comments? Contact us at [email protected]

What to listen for:

• A set of tips from Dr Sue Varma
• • Guidelines on when and how to take in the news
  • Permission to stop talking politics to preserve our sanity
  • How to address these times of anxiety with our children
• A special meditation with Lisa Guyman, giving you a sense of who you are, and how you can center and ground yourself during these times.

About Sue: Dr. Sue Varma is a board-certified psychiatrist, a Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at New York University (NYU) Langone Health, and a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. Dr. Varma was the medical director to the 9/11 mental health program at NYU Langone. She has been a national mental health contributor over the last 13 years on all the major networks. Dr. Varma has recently participated in over 100 media interviews on national trauma during quarantine. She is the recipient of the inaugural Sharecare Emmy in 2019 for her creation of a digital series on depression. She is now sharing mental health awareness and education on Instagram.

About Lisa: Lisa Guyman is a spiritual educator, Certified Chopra Primordial Sound Meditation Instructor and Reiki Master who helps her clients and students recognize their personal power and their ability to heal themselves. Also a published author and recording artist, Lisa uses her spiritual knowledge to assist her clients and students in reconnecting with spirit and returning to themselves.

Like what you hear? Support us through Patreon!

Don't miss another episode and subscribe to the podcast!

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter – and don't miss our new anti-racism action calendar by joining our email list.

If we want sponsorship, we must remain non-partisan and can't talk about political affiliation. We're here to say that we aren't seeking sponsorship on those terms, and we don't believe talking about voting for Biden in 2020 means we are partisan – we believe we are voting FOR HUMANITY.

This may be an explicit episode, so if you've got kids who can't hear the f-bomb, maybe put your headphones on.

Questions? Comments? Contact us at [email protected]

RESOURCES YOU NEED TO HAVE:

• Hotline to the Election Protection network: https://866ourvote.org/ or call 866-OUR-VOTE if you see something or have a question.

WHAT TO LISTEN FOR:

• Why we don't think this is a partisan episode - we aren't voting against someone, we are voting FOR humanity
• Our thoughts on key issues to remember while voting
• Technical tips relating to the act of voting

Like what you hear? Support us through Patreon!

Don't miss another episode and subscribe to the podcast!

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter – and don't miss our new anti-racism action calendar by joining our email list.

In Episode 83, we met and heard the story of Marcus Bullock, who is currently a CEO, and a formerly incarcerated individual. The first part of the conversation painted the picture of his time entering and spent in prison - something we bet most of you hadn't heard firsthand about before.

But here's the thing. 95% of incarcerated individuals DO make it out of prison, so how is the American system setting people up for success - or for failure, as the case may be?

These are citizens we're talking about, even though some of their basic rights are stripped away from them as a result of their time in prison. But these missing rights along with the stigma and societal setup make it very, very difficult to ever fully re-integrate into society. Should we really all be defined by our worst mistake, forever?

Listen in to the conclusion of our two-part interview with Marcus Bullock to hear more truths about the US prison system - and so much more.

Questions? Comments? Contact us at [email protected]

What to listen for in Part Two:

• The medical care within prison, and how our society's linkage of medical insurance to jobs inherently prevents returning citizens from getting the care they need

• What it takes to get a job, when so many people ask you if you've been convicted of a felony in the last few years

• The work that Flikshop is doing to restore connection and hope to those who are in prison

• The humanity that continues to link us together, regardless of what bad decisions we've made

About Marcus Bullock:

Marcus Bullock is an entrepreneur, justice reform advocate, and TED speaker. Following his 2004 release from prison, he launched a construction business that grew to employ other returning citizens. Bullock is the Founder and CEO of Flikshop, Inc., a software company that builds tools to help incarcerated people stay connected to their families and build community. He also founded the Flikshop School of Business, a program that teaches returning citizens life skills and entrepreneurship via computer coding and software development.

Marcus is an inaugural cohort member of Techstars Anywhere 2018 and John Legend's Unlocked Futures business accelerators. He was selected as one of The Root's 2019 100 Most Influential African Americans in the U.S. He is also a member of the Justice Policy Institute's board of directors, Advisory Board member for Princeton University's Prison Teaching Initiative, and serves as an advisor to the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business and Aspen Institute's Opportunity Youth Incentive Fund. Married with two children, Marcus' story has received coverage from Forbes, CNN, Washington Post, Black Enterprise, and NPR.

Venture: Flikshop is the tech platform that allows family members to connect easily with their incarcerated loved ones. The Flikshop app is famously known as the Instagram for prisons, allowing users the ability to send personalized pictures and messages delivered as postcards to any person in any cell in the US.

Website: http://www.flikshop.com/

Like what you hear? Support us through Patreon!

Don't miss another episode and subscribe to the podcast!

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter – and don't miss our new anti-racism action calendar by joining our email list.

Have you ever had someone who has been incarcerated over for dinner, to learn about their story? Or, if you knew that someone was in prison, does that frighten you enough to stay away?

Whatever you think about "law & order," 95% of incarcerated people do leave prison and rejoin society. What is being done to help support them, instead of making it more difficult to succeed post-incarceration?

If any of these questions have intrigued you - at any level - we encourage you to take some time to listen to this special two-part series, where we interview someone who helps us answer all of these questions and more. Introducing Marcus Bullock, the CEO of Flikshop.

What to listen for in Part One:

• The proper terminology to refer to someone who has spent time in prison
• What does it feel like to stand in front of a judge, and end up going to adult maximum-security prison as a 15-year-old boy?
• The connections that kept Marcus going through eight years of incarceration, and which inspired the creation of his current company
• His interactions with other prisoners and the misconceptions people have of the motivation to get out and succeed
• … and subscribe to the show to make sure you don't miss Part Two, where we will talk about life after prison.

About Marcus Bullock:

Marcus Bullock is an entrepreneur, justice reform advocate, and TED speaker. Following his 2004 release from prison, he launched a construction business that grew to employ other returning citizens. Bullock is the Founder and CEO of Flikshop, Inc., a software company that builds tools to help incarcerated people stay connected to their families and build community. He also founded the Flikshop School of Business, a program that teaches returning citizens life skills and entrepreneurship via computer coding and software development.

Marcus is an inaugural cohort member of Techstars Anywhere 2018 and John Legend's Unlocked Futures business accelerators. He was selected as one of The Root's 2019 100 Most Influential African Americans in the U.S. He is also a member of the Justice Policy Institute's board of directors, Advisory Board member for Princeton University's Prison Teaching Initiative, and serves as an advisor to the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business and Aspen Institute's Opportunity Youth Incentive Fund. Married with two children, Marcus' story has received coverage from Forbes, CNN, Washington Post, Black Enterprise, and NPR.

Venture: Flikshop is the tech platform that allows family members to connect easily with their incarcerated loved ones. The Flikshop app is famously known as the Instagram for prisons, allowing users the ability to send personalized pictures and messages delivered as postcards to any person in any cell in the US.

Website: http://ww.flikshop.com/

Like what you hear? Support us through Patreon!

Don't miss another episode and subscribe to the podcast!

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter – and don't miss our new anti-racism action calendar by joining our email list.

With conversations about race being at the front of our minds, and being aware of the incredibly difficult and dangerous reality of being a Black transgender individual, we wanted to bring you a conversation with two people who live this reality.

Jaime Jara is an old friend who is very public about the work she and her transgender daughter do for advocacy and normalizing identity, so we get to include her as a White parent's perspective.

Nikole Parker is a Black transgender woman, who is the TransAction Florida Project Coordinator, assisting with Equality Florida's statewide Transgender Inclusion Initiative, and a stakeholder and community relations manager for the onePULSE Foundation, so not only speaks from personal experience but also from all she sees in her work community.

We have a bunch of resources listed below. And, do you want books you can read with your kids with transgender, non-binary, and gender-expansive characters? We have a list of titles for elementary and middle-school aged children, so drop us an email and we'll send it to you!

Questions or comments? Email [email protected]

What to listen for:

• Words NOT to use when referring to transgender individuals
• What it's like going through the transition process.
• Distressing statistics, including that 40% of homeless kids are LGBTQ - and 58% of trans kids in unsupportive households die by suicide vs 4% in supportive homes.
• The growth that comes with being the parent of a transgender child.
• Specific challenges facing Black transgender individuals, both in society and within the Black community.

About Nikole:

Nikole Parker is a transgender woman of Black, Puerto Rican & Italian descent. She was born and raised in Orlando, Florida and at the age of 19, left her job and home to begin her transition. After 3 years of black-market hormones, and unsafe lifestyle practices she came back to Orlando to restart her life. Nikole's passion is advocating for the rights and dignity of the transgender and gender-nonconforming community.Nikole is currently with the onePULSE Foundation as the Director of Stakeholder & Community Relations. Nikole also works for Equality Florida's TransAction Program as a Project Coordinator. She also is the Co-Founder, Director of Operations for Gender Advancement Project(GAP).She has sat on various non-profit boards within the community, including the LGBT+ Center Board of Directors, the Orlando United Assistance Center Advisory Board, TransAction Advisory Council, Spektrum Health Board of Directors and Peer Support Space Board of Directors. In addition to her work with the onePULSE Foundation, Nikole co-leads the work of the Orlando Trans Collective, a collaborative group of transgender and gender non-conforming leaders of color who focus on community building and advocacy efforts for the Central Florida transgender community. In 2018, Nikole was honored with the Humanitarian of the Year award by the Miss Glamorous Pageant. Nikole was also was recognized as one of Watermark's Most Remarkable People of 2018 for her work with the onePULSE Foundation and her ongoing advocacy and empowerment of the transgender community. In 2019, Nikole was recognized by Congressman Darren Soto for LGBT+ Pride Month and her biography was read into the Congressional Record.She hopes to encourage open dialogue on transgender issues and educate individuals from the community on healthy and safe ways to undergo a transition, finding self-care practices and providing resources so black-market hormones and unsafe lifestyles can be avoided.

About Jaime:

Jaime Jara is a woman who wears many hats. A native New Yorker, she navigates daily life in Florida with her husband, 3 kids, and a plethora of furbabies. She lends her voice and perspective as a parent of a transgender child to shed light on the challenges faced by the trans community. Jaime is an active member of the national LGBTQ organizations, Mama Dragons and PFLAG, who aim to empower and support parents of LGBTQ children. After a long stint in corporate America, Jaime is putting her graduate degree to good use by starting her second career as an educator. She has been a guest speaker in schools, participated on panels and in research studies, and has appeared on television to advocate for transgender acceptance and inclusion. She has penned numerous essays about her journey with her trans child. Jaime aspires to be signing copies of her bestselling novel one day when she finally slows down enough to write it.

You can follow her journey with her family on Instagram @ Jaidonna19.

Resources:

PFLAG National

Mama Dragons

National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network (NQTTCN)

Trans Lifeline - 1-877-565-8860

Human Rights Campaign

Stand With Trans

Black Trans Advocacy Coalition

Trevor Project Lifeline - 1-866-488-7386

GLAAD

Like what you hear? Support us through Patreon!

Don't miss another episode and subscribe to the podcast!

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter – and don't miss our new anti-racism action calendar by joining our email list.

Pop quiz: you're reading an article, and someone refers to "a stereotypical mother." What image comes to mind? We are betting that the answer is NOT a Black, single, adoptive mother of two young children - which is why we are grateful to bring you a conversation WITH someone who is exactly that.

We are both mothers, and given that our show is called Dear White Women, chances are there are a number of you who are or would think about becoming a mother, so given our way of highlighting narratives you might not have considered before, here it is clearly: motherhood in the United States is intrinsically linked with Whiteness.

And it's time we confront that stereotype and break it down because there are MANY models of motherhood that are normal - and especially given how much this country is in desperate need of love, nurturing, and the willingness to fight for our children, we need to celebrate all of the mother figures in this country.

Listen in for some concrete takeaways and action items to implement right now, regardless of who you are.

Have questions, comments, or concerns? Email us at [email protected].

What to listen for:

• Specific things that White parents can do within the school system to build equity

• The difference between Black adoption and "traditional" adoption as White parents often understand it

• Breaking down stereotypes around the foster care system, babies born to addicts, and perhaps the biggest stereotypes of all-around Black parenthood in the United States.

• Why it's important to learn about culture in cross-race adoptions, as it will enable you to be the best parent you can be while addressing the race and culturally specific needs of your children.

About Nefertiti Austin:

Author and memoirist, Nefertiti Austin writes about the erasure of diverse voices in motherhood in the critically acclaimed Motherhood So White: A Memoir of Race, Gender and Parenting in America. Her work around this topic has appeared in the "New York Times", "Washington Post", "Huffington Post", "MUTHA", "Gen Medium", and many other publications. She was the subject of an article on race and adoption in "The Atlantic" and appeared on numerous shows/podcasts and radio programs, including "The Today Show", "1A with Joshua Johnson", and NPR. Nefertiti is the proud adoptive mother of two children and lives in Los Angeles, CA. Find her at https://nefertitiaustin.com/

Like what you hear? Support us through Patreon!

Don't miss another episode and subscribe to the podcast!

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter – and don't miss our new anti-racism action calendar by joining our email list.

Have you ever followed someone on Instagram just because of how their feed looks?

And when you look at social media, and how people portray themselves, do you judge? Even quietly, to yourself?

My dad always said not to get a facial piercing because people would judge; now imagine people of color who are judged by the color of their skin, their appearance, before they even have a chance to say a word.

Today we are talking about what's happening in the fashion industry with regards to Black Lives Matter. Even if you aren't yourself into high fashion, you'll appreciate what our conversation partner, fellow biracial woman - half Black half White Hope McGrath has to say about labels - both fashion labels and the ones we put on ourselves and each other when we ask "what ARE you?"- and how we can make choices that will help shift the tide when it comes to providing role models and access points for little girls and boys who don't look like the leggy skinny White models that used to be the only thing we'd see.

What to listen for:

• Why Hope is both optimistic and sad about fashion's newfound focus on #blacklivesmatter
• Some of the organizations that are instrumental in pushing for change in fashion's approach to diversity, including the Fifteen Percent Pledge, and the Kelly Initiative
• Which companies have launched offensive products or inappropriate campaigns, and what we think we as individuals can do about them. Boycott H&M, for example.
• How this country is not used to seeing the biracial identity beyond Black and White, and is completely confused about how to handle people like Kamala Harris. Who, in our opinion, should be able to identify herself however she damn well pleases.

Questions? Comments? Contact us at [email protected]

About Hope:

Hope McGrath is a creative entrepreneur & coach who is a catalyst for positive change. As a two-decade fashion industry veteran, throughout her career Hope as worked with top designers and artists producing cover 150+ fashion shows and cutting-edge art exhibitions in New York City. Hope McGrath is a Certified Transformational Coach and the host of the Radiant Mix podcast, which celebrated the mixed experience, where she combines her love of fashion, wellness, arts & culture, psychology, spirituality, and social consciousness into her work. As a biracial woman, Hope McGrath aims to use her voice to elevate, educate and spread unity through her own unique form of creative social activism. She is the co-founder of the Tropical Transformation Wellness Retreats and is a proud Brooklyn mom and wife of a visionary artist.

Where to find Hope:

Hope McGrath

Radiant Mix

Instagram:

@hopemcgrath

@radiantmix

And importantly, here is the information for her new digital course!

Hope is launching a new digital course for multiracial women and feminine allies that embrace diversity, heal from toxic relationships, loneliness and deep sense of unfulfillment. She will be offering sacred tools and teachings so they can love themselves, live life with purpose, passion and style while opening themselves up for authentic love. To inquire about this course, email her at [email protected].

We are tired. You are tired. We see it in the stats, we hear it in your stories.

This wasn't necessarily the episode we planned to air this week, but it's one we hope you listen to - especially when you tell yourself that things feel too hard.

We'll be interviewing the current reigning Miss Hawaii USA® 2020 - Samantha Neyland - about her Juneteenth activism and what it was like being the first Black Teen Hawaii and Black Ms. Hawaii.

We'll also talk way more personally about the impact Chadwick Boseman had on Misasha's family, and on so many other Black individuals who needed inspiration, about the disappointing though expected decline in interest in Black Lives Matter, and about performative allyship vs real change.

Misasha makes Sara cry in this one. You'll want to listen.

Questions? Comments? Contact us at [email protected].