black&: a sister/brother podcast
It’s with absolute pride that I present black&, a sister/brother podcast!
My sister April and I searched in vain for a podcast that gives a frank but accessible black perspective on the complicated, uncomfortable and, at times, painful effects of race and racism in this country. So, we produced our own!
©️ Black& 2019
This podcast focuses on current events and social issues, through the lens of race and racism. We engage in frank and honest discussion, speaking largely to white people who are looking to dismantle racist systems.
We come from a family of civil rights activists, authors, and lecturers, so needless to say, anti-racism and racial equity work are in our blood.
All of the conversations we have on black& will be examined through the lens of five Fundamental Truths about Racism, or FTRs:
White people benefitting from white supremacy at the expense of black people is racism; and this applies to all white people.
The term “racist” shouldn’t be considered a slur or conversation-ender.
It’s white people’s responsibility to fix racism.
When discussing race, it’s white people’s responsibility to listen.
The FTRs apply to April and Johnathan, by virtue of the role white supremacy plays in our half-whiteness.
We say what many are afraid to say, and explore racism and whiteness in a frank, open, and what we hope is an approachable way.
Our podcast is called black& because, in the context of exploring our identities, April and I found ourselves repeatedly stating that we were “black and” any number of other wide-ranging social, demographic, and professional categorizations. We are black&:
siblings,
half-white,
Mississippi-born
Lancaster, PA raised
Philadelphia residents
elder- and young-millennial
part higher education attorney
part art historian and history buff
part diversity and equity consultant
well-read, optimistic, and opinionated
Together, we are all of these things, but in the eyes of our fellow Americans, first and foremost we are black. Because of the leading role race and racism plays in this country, race informs all that we do. True to that reality, it informs every conversation we have on black&.
I can’t imagine hosting a podcast with anyone other than April. She is one of the most intelligent, thoughtful, and introspective people I know. She is wise beyond her years. We don’t agree on everything, but as you’ll hear in Episode 1, we have and will always challenge and pushed each other.
Remember, the best way to support our new project is to rate, review, subscribe, and share with your friends. We hope you enjoy black& as much as we’ve enjoying producing it!
