Know Better Do Better

Many people don't know that the civil rights being fought for in the 1960s were actually a reality a century earlier, in the 1860s, for a few short years. Immediately after slavery, Black Americans saw integrated schooling, Black officials elected to office, and social and economic advancement. However, all of this progress was met with such fury, we forget it was ever made at all. Too many histor...

Frederick Douglass, the former slave who escaped, bought his freedom, and went on to change the course of history. Douglass played a pivotal role in making the Emancipation Proclamation a reality, bringing about the Union victory in the civil war, and bringing down the institution of slavery for good. This is the second episode of the Black History Month series. Enjoy! Your listen next list: Shoul...

Myths and misconceptions abound. If you're relying on what you learned over a decade ago in school, you probably don't have your facts straight about slavery— how it began, grew, and changed over time. As we walk through five big ideas, you'll learn the major milestones spanning over 200 foundational years in US history. Your listen next list: Juneteenth— All the Stuff No One Ever Taught You on Ap...

We've all heard the awkward, "He's Bl- umm... African American." But it is it actually rude to say Black? In this episode, I explain the surprising reasons why it may actually be more rude to avoid saying Black. Your listen next list: Is It Racially Insensitive or Racist? Apathy or Hate? on Apple & Spotify A Teachable Moment for White Allies: Learn the Felt Impact of Your Words on Apple &...

What's wrong with how we view race? Well, on both sides of the partisan divide, how we view race can perpetuate racism. Totally embracing race ("Race is an important part of who you are") comes with serious consequences for people of color, and so does totally rejecting race ("Let's just not see color"). Full-transparency: no matter which side you're on, my hope is that you'll gain a better unders...

If racial categories were created for purposes of oppression, then why keep it? Shouldn’t we get rid of this thing? That's what a lot of people are asking. You're going to need to know where you stand: embrace race or reject race? I'll be honest - there are strengths and weaknesses on both sides of this debate. In this episode, I break it all down and unpack the key points. Related episodes: 91. D...

To understand the concept of race, there are 3 essential facts (unanimously agreed upon by experts) that you need to know, and in this episode, you'll learn them all. We unpack what race is, what race isn't, and whether race is real or not. Because before we can form opinions about antiracism, we need to get our facts straight about race. Your listen next list: Microaggressions in 15 Minutes on Ap...

Did you know MLK was mentored by Ghandi? Did you know that he was very controversial within the Black community? Or that he turned people away from his demonstrations if they weren't committed enough to nonviolence? What about his denunciation of the Black Power movement and personal thoughts on Malcolm X? There's a lot to learn about MLK that they didn’t teach you in school. It's time we set thin...

A clear, concise run-through of the dos and don'ts of common terms related to race. We're focusing on terms (like minority, BIPOC, microaggression, and more) that are misused, controversial, and/ or misunderstood. Your listen next list: Microaggressions in 15 Minutes on Apple and Spotify Systemic Racism 101 on Apple and Spotify (The Original, Extended Episode) Important Terms You Should Know on Ap...

In this episode, I share about my experience in predominantly-white environments and navigate the murky waters of tokenism, this time, from a very different angle. Your listen next list: How Antiracists Unintentionally Amplify the Impacts of Racism on Apple & Spotify CRT's Most Loved & Hated Teaching on Apple & Spotify How to Cure Racism's Psychological Effects, 30 Min Deep Dive on App...

A clear, concise lesson on what tokenism really is. What actually counts as tokenism? How can you spot tokenism in all of its different forms? Why do I take issue with how many people define and identify tokenism? In this deep dive, I cover all of the bases. Your listen next list: A Thorough Debunking of The Racial Bias Test on Apple and Spotify Sources: White Rage by Carol Anderson; Oxford dictio...

I'll teach you a simple practice that will help you navigate conflict in cross-racial friendships. If you're wanting to build healthy, resilient relationships that can hold up to conflict, I've got you covered. Your listen next list: What People of Color Need From Their White Friends Apple & Spotify What People of Color Need from Their White Friends (PART 2- Q&A) on Apple & Spotify How...

A clear, concise lesson on what intersectionality actually is. Fast facts. What does it actually mean? How do so many people get it wrong? And why is it so controversial? I've got you covered. Your listen next list: Intersectionality in 30 Min: The Deep Dive on Apple & Spotify The All-Important Debate: Individual Vs. Group Identity on Apple & Spotify Source: Intersectionality, explained by...

By now, you're familiar with racism's seemingly-inescapable psychological effects (hypervigilance, fear of being discriminated against, fear of being stereotyped), but I've been holding out on you. In this long-awaited deep-dive, I * finally* reveal the solution— and it's one you never could've guessed. A Slew of Mentioned/ Related Episodes: Intro to Stereotype Threat on Apple & Spotify How An...

The Changemaker is now Know Better Do Better. (Don't worry, nothing's changed but the name!) With new episodes every Tuesday and Thursday, it'll leave you better informed, better inspired, and better equipped to make a difference.

There's one final crucial detail that you need to know about the Implicit Association Test. And yes, you'll be getting two episodes each week now-- hooray! Your listen next list: 91. A Thorough Debunking of the Racial Bias Test on Apple or Spotify 92. Everyone's Wrong About Racial Bias on Apple or Spotify Source: The Quick Fix by Jesse Singal; Vox, "For years, this popular test measured anyone’s r...

The most popular understanding of racial bias is so backwards. We have been led to believe racial bias is lurking in the depths of our minds and somehow wholly absent from our lives. Yeah, that's not exactly how it works. Your racial bias is subtle, but not invisible. It has real effects. That means it's findable, and it's even kind of treatable. Learn how to actually assess your own levels of rac...

The Implicit Association Test sold us all on a neat story that wasn't totally right. As it turns out, the test that introduced the concept of implicit bias to the world is kind of a sham. The IAT doesn't actually measure prejudice; it's been debunked and rejected by experts; and the test's creators have even backtracked on all of their original claims... but for some reason, it seems like nobody k...

A concerning op-ed revealed that “three quarters of white people don’t have any non-white friends.” Why is this? What are the most shocking stats? And what should you do? Your listen next list: Why Aren't We Talking About White Flight? on Apple & Spotify Diversifying Your Social Circle– the Dos and Don’ts on Apple & Spotify Source: Washington Post, Three quarters of whites don't have any n...

White flight is as relevant now as it's ever been. We're living through its lasting effects. And on top of that, in current day we're seeing it take on new forms. No one seems to know about it, but researchers have noted a recent reversal. White flight is changing direction. Your listen next list: All the Stuff No One Ever Taught You About Intersectionality on Apple & Spotify Important Terms Y...

This question is notorious. It's asked by well-meaning white people who are unknowningly unloading their own wrong assumptions. What's so wrong with this question? Why is it so common? And how should you talk with people of color about race instead? Your listen next list: When & How To Talk With People of Color About Race on Apple & Spotify Do You Know the Shocking Hidden Impact of Stereot...

It's a plain fact that Black Americans don't live as long as non-Black Americans, but there's much debate about what's shaving years off our lives. One increasingly popular theory is that these premature deaths may be caused by the chronic stress of racism. With the issue being chronic stress, there's something we can do about this. Your listen next list: The Racial Wealth Gap Has Hardly Budged Si...

Racism wastes Black people's time and steals Black people's time in ways you could never guess. Across multiple areas of life, time just might be one of the greatest hidden costs of racism. Your listen next list: Why Colorism Is Just As Serious As Racism on Apple & Spotify Learn Critical Race Theory in 20 Minutes on Apple & Spotify Source: Discrimination isn't just infuriating. It steals B...

That saying about Black people "working twice as hard to get half as far" is way too real. In this episode, you'll learn why "just working harder" isn't the magical fix that people think it is. In some cases, it actually makes things much worse. There's a phenomenon called over-efforting: as it turns out, Black people really do tend to work twice as hard, and it really is getting them half as far....

You've probably heard the basics and "impact over intent," but there's more you should know about microaggressions. Learn why I believe that impact should be the primary focus, but not the sole focus, and why intent is a helpful piece of the puzzle. By walking you through personal examples and the most common viewpoints, this quick explainer will help you with hashing out conflict. Listen next: Wh...