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"The idea of a colorblind society or what they call race neutral society ignores the whole history of this country." Michael Harriot welcomes educator and fellow podcast host at theGrio Black Podcast Network, Dr. Christina Greer to discuss "race neutral" admissions following The Supreme Court's decision to effectively outlaw affirmative action. The pair agree the concept of race neutrality is absurd and not realistic and claim that Asian Americans are being used as pawns by conservative Americans. They also discuss the importance of diverse classrooms and point out that eliminating policies meant to level the playing field is rooted in white supremacy.

"If white people thought we were violent, they'd stop treating us so poorly." Michael Harriot breaks down several white myths that are portrayed as fact throughout society. Things like white people's overwhelming support of pro-life policies and their patriotism. 

"It all started from stuntin'." Many of the items we use each day were created by Black people but were stolen and patented by White Americans. Michael Harriot clarifies why that practice was so common and explains that it still happens today, it's just been rebranded. 

"There are two Americas, a white one and an even whiter one." Michael Harriot takes us back to the years before the civil war and details some of the most racist laws you've likely never heard of. 

Music provided by Transition Music 

"There was no cookout holiday until Black people freed themselves on June 19th, 1865." Not only are we celebrating Juneteenth, but it's also theGrio Daily's One Year Anniversary! With this full rotation around the sun, Michael Harriot gives a quick Juneteenth history lesson and explains how the news in Galveston, Texas led to the cookout traditions Black people are famous for. 

Audio excerpt provided by The White House - June 17, 2021

Music provided by Transition Music 

Join Everyday Conversations on Race for Everyday People, the podcast that brings real talk and real change to the forefront.

In a society where race, culture, and identity are often sources of division, bridging the conversation on race and equity is imperative. By fostering open and honest dialogues, organizations can create safe spaces for employees to share their experiences and perspectives, ultimately leading to a more inclusive and equitable workplace.

Simma Lieberman, Sally Helgesen, and Mercedes Martin explored the importance of bridging the conversation on race and equity during their discussion. They acknowledged the challenges of fostering these dialogues and shared their experiences in navigating the complexities of identity, race, and belonging.

Sally reflected on her close relationships with African Americans throughout her life and the impact of their struggles on shaping her understanding of race and equity.

Mercedes, an Afro-Latina woman from Cuba, spoke about her purpose in helping organizations tackle diversity and inclusion by shifting mindsets and embracing collaboration.

In this episode, you will be able to:

● Discover the significance of uniting as a team to create an all-embracing workplace environment.

•Embrace the benefits of acknowledging various personal histories and experiences.

• Acquire tools for seeking common ground and defusing challenging situations to resolve conflicts and misunderstandings

● Explore the expansion of diversity beyond gender, focusing on race and values.

● Recognize the importance of appreciating different backgrounds and experiences.

● Understand the role of individual change in sustaining diversity and inclusion among leaders.

● Learn how to identify commonalities and navigate through difficult situations to overcome division and polarization.

During the episode, Sally Helgesen and Mercedes Martin shared their personal experiences and emphasized the importance of fostering a sense of belonging within the workplace. They discussed the power of embracing people's diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives in order to build stronger connections and more effective workforces. Simma Lieberman highlighted the need to support one another and rise together in the pursuit of inclusion and equity, sharing insights from both Sally's and Mercedes's experiences in the field.

Sally, Mercedes and Simma discuss the urgency of sustainable change and emphasize that in order to sustain change, it is necessary to start from within. They talk about the importance of transforming oneself along with the organization and how change management needs to involve everyone in the organization. They also talk about the fear of leadership in addressing diversity and inclusion, especially pertaining to race, and how it needs to start with a clear why and work with the leadership in understanding the need for change.

The key moments in this episode are:

00:01:13 - Introduction of Sally Helgesen   

00:02:26 - Introduction of Mercedes Martin  

00:06:49 - Sally Helgesen's motivation for writing "Rising Together"

00:09:53 - Introduction of Mercedes Martin's background and cultural identity

00:19:07 - Creating a Culture of Inclusion

00:22:23 - The Importance of Inclusive Leadership    

00:24:10 - Bridging the Conversation on Race and Equity

00:27:20 - Multiple Identities and Belonging   

00:35:33 - The Importance of Self-reflection

00:37:24 - Importance of Authentic Leadership for Inclusion

00:39:05 - Characteristics of Inclusive Leadership  

00:42:43 - Sustainable Change: Individual and Systemic Change

00:48:00 - Inhabiting the Middle Amidst Polarization      

Guest Bio

Sally Helgesen is a renowned expert on women's leadership and an internationally bestselling author, speaker, and leadership coach. Honored in Forbes as the world's premier expert on women's leadership, she has been inducted into the Thinkers 50 Hall of Fame, which recognizes influential leaders in the field of leadership worldwide. Ranked number three among the world's thought leaders by Global Gurus, Sally has recently released her book, Rising Together, which offers practical ways to build more inclusive relationships, teams, and workplaces.

Mercedes Martin is a native Spanish-speaking international executive coach and consultant from Cuba with a wealth of experience in global leadership, diversity, and sustainability development. Working with Fortune 50 companies such as PepsiCo, Proctor and Gamble, Shell Oil, and Kellogg's, Mercedes has helped senior leaders, women, and people of color rise in their careers. As the founder of Mercedes Martin and Company, she continues to focus on supporting leadership in rewiring their mindset and embracing conversations on diversity, equity, and belonging.

Host Bio

Simma Lieberman, The Inclusionist helps leaders create inclusive cultures. She is a consultant, speaker and facilitator and the host of the podcast, “Everyday Conversations on Race for Everyday People.”

Contact Simma@SimmaLieberman.com

Go to www.simmalieberman.com and www.raceconvo.com for more information

Simma is a member of and inspired by the global organization IAC (Inclusion Allies Coalition)

Connect with me:
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YouTube
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LinkedIn
Tiktok
Website

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"Pop music is what white poeple have cherry picked from Black culture and a lot of times it's detrimental to Black culture." Music journalist and theGrio writer Matthew Allen and Michael Harriot discuss the formula that is used to create pop music and highlight the Black people who pioneered the sound.

Music Credits: 

Song: “Black Steel in The Hour of Chaos”
Artist: Public Enemy 
Label: Def Jam Recordings
Producer: The Bomb Squad

Song: “What’s Going On?”
Artist: Marvin Gaye 
Label(s): Universal Music Group, Motown Records, Tamla Records
Producer: Marvin Gaye

Additional Music Provided By Transition Music 

"All American music is Black music." The focus on Black Music Month continues as music journalist and theGrio writer Matthew Allen joins Michael Harriot to analyze society's relationship with pop music and Black artists' influence on the genre. 

Music Credits: 

Song: “Hit Me Baby One More Time”
Artist: Britney Spears
Label: Jive Records
Producer(s): Max Martin, Rami

Song: “West End Blues”
Artist: Louis Armstrong
Label(s): Sony Music Entertainment, Okeh Records, Brunswick Records
Producer: Joe “King” Oliver

Song: “Carless Whispers”
Artist(s): Wham! featuring George Michael
Label(s): Epic Records, Columbia Records, Sony Music Entertainment
Producer(s): Jerry Wexler, George Michaels 

Song: “Nobody Loves Me But My Mother”
Artist: BB King
Label(s): Warner Bros. Classic, Alfred Music, ABC Records
Producer: Bill Szymczyk

Song: “Turkey in the Straw” 
Artist: George Washington Dixon
Label: Columbia Records
Producer: N/A

Additional Music Provided By Transition Music 

"They don't want to say they're anti-Black history or pro-white, they want to say they're for something that's classical." Concerned parents are flooding school board meetings demanding that their children receive a "classic education" but what are they actually saying? Michael Harriot is here to call out their racist requests.

Music Provided By Transition Music 

"Not all of us come from kings or queens." As we celebrate Black Music Month, Michael Harriot explains some of the original Grio(t)s in Black history, including Sister Rosetta Thorpe, the inventor of Rock n Roll. 

Original air date: 6/24/22

"When was that time that you could just be racist?" Michael Harriot dismantles the excuse that racist ideology is a product of time. He explains why being racist has nothing to do with the time period in which you were born but instead is simply rooted in white supremacy that lives in the past, present, and future.

Music Provided By Transition Music 

"What does reparations have to do with white people?" People love to use the post hoc fallacy against Black people and Michael Harriot explains why the assumption that one event preceded another event, so they must be related makes it easy to believe in racist policies.

Music Provided By Transition Music 

Scene on Radio is on an extended hiatus, but is on its way back. Host and producer John Biewen explains that the show has found a new home: the Kenan Institute for Ethics at Duke University.

"Colonizing is not just asking or suggesting people change things, it's changing things to benefit yourself." Michael Harriot helps you understand just how deep America's colonizing roots really go.