July 24 - 30, 2020

In honor of Juneteenth 2020, I've committed to educating myself on systemic racism, discrimination, and bias. Every day from June 19, 2020 to June 18, 2021, I will read an article or book chapter, listen to a podcast, watch a movie or documentary, view a webinar, or do something substantive to educate myself in these areas. As part of that commitment, I will post to this blog each Friday with a list of what I've done over the past week as well as any pertinent thoughts or reflections.

Today's post covers the week of July 24-30, 2020.

History of the Black Experience (July 23)

Dr. Leonard Moore covers the Civil Rights Movement, beginning just after World War II with the attempt of Heman Marion Sweatt to enroll in law school at UT-Austin. Other topics include school integration after Brown v. Board of Education, the murder of Emmett Till, Robert Williams's strategy of meeting violence with violence, and the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Total lecture time is 85 minutes.

Five Ways Intersectionality Affects Diversity and Inclusion at Work

The topic of intersectionality is discussed in this 3-5 read by Adwoa Bagalini of the World Economic Forum. Companies that fail to address discrimination across multiple dimensions face higher staff turnover and increased sexual harassment, among other problems.

The Trauma of Systemic Racism is Killing Black Women

In this 15 minute TED Talk, T. Morgan Dixon and Vanessa Garrison, founders of Girl Trek, share their inspiring idea of creating healthy communities through walking. Black women die of preventable diseases at a higher rate than anyone else in the US population. Dixon and Garrison argue that the burden of systemic racism carried by these women contributes to obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. Girl Trek gathers together women to walk not only for the physical health benefits, but the mental health benefits of socialization and community building.

America's Cities Are Staggeringly Unequal

This 5-7 minute read from The Atlantic discusses the gaps in wages and education between whites and non-whites in urban areas. Prior to the 2009 economic recession, economic growth was positively correlated with racial integration in America's largest cities. Over the last decade, however, wage and education gaps have widened in cities that have grown that fastest.

How to Give Children Joy, Even During a Pandemic

In this short New York Times op-ed by Esau McCaulley, the author writes openly about the balancing act of exposing children to the dangers of the pandemic vs. letting them have uncomplicated joy. He writes that the choice of telling children dangerous truths vs. letting them be young and free has long faced the Black community, and that COVID has "introduced all of America to what it is like to be perceived as a problem merely by our presence."

What Makes a Good Interaction Between Divided Groups?

This 10 minute read uses Gordon Allport's theory on reducing prejudice and social tension to evaluate current organizations and interactions between divided groups. Having a skilled facilitator, sharing goals and a sense of interdependence, and equal status all prove helpful in bridging these gaps.

After Being Called Out for Racism, What Comes Next?

From the NPR podcast Code Switch, this 42 minute episode discuses anti-Black racism from within the Muslim community. A Palestinian supermarket owner in Minneapolis is forced to reckon with the racist social media posts of his daughter and enlists the advice of his Black Imam.