i just watched this TED talk by a woman called Mellody Hobson on the introduction of a topic she called 'Colour Braveness' While the focus of the clip is very much from a 'The American Dream' point of view, and so doesn't necessarily have the end point i would focus on [become a CEO of a company!] there are some interesting and helpful points she raises and so it is well worth a viewing... Some [...]
One of the most insidious forms of racism or paternalism is to take the voice of another away from them. I do not intend to speak for black people in this post and so rob them of their own dignity and humanity. You see, I am white and so I can only ever speak as a white male. While I can resist speaking for another I can choose to speak with another so adding strength [...]
yesterday as we drove to park our car before work, tbV and i saw some traffic cops putting a white piece of paper on a parked car... immediately we jumped to the conclusion that it was a parking ticket and went to that place you go to when you see a cop sticking a ticket on a car [even when it's not yours] - Urgh, shtupidt cop! or some rendition of that... as we drove [...]
i came across that proverb this morning and it blew me away. i remember hanging out with my uncle John Fee [my mom's british brother] a few years ago when they came to visit us in South Africa and we had met up a bunch of times in life, although i was generally of the seen-and-not-heard age and so we didn't engage in much meaningful conversation... and then this day he was in the lounge [...]
As a nation we are celebrating 20 years of democracy and while there is still a lot that has to be done in this country of ours that bears the horrible scars of Apartheid, I am still proud that we are here. It means something because at least we are not where we used to be. There are still many conversations that still need to be had, of course and the sooner we get talking, [...]
Every day we wake up we have a world of opportunity ahead of us [within our particular context, although if you are reading this on a computer, tablet or phone then your choice options are pretty huge compared to most] - there are a whole bunch of things that are set that we cannot affect, but there are also a whole bunch of choices and changes that we can definitely make. Each morning when I [...]
Would you notice if they were yours? Wow, heart tug video of the weekend... Would i have done any better? is the question of the moment... Do i look? Do i engage? Do i take the time to hear and share a story, or even a meal? Not every time necessarily... but some time. And at the very least do i at least acknowledge the person'ness of the person? Wo!
Would you notice if they were yours? Wow, heart tug video of the weekend... Would i have done any better? is the question of the moment... Do i look? Do i engage? Do i take the time to hear and share a story, or even a meal? Not every time necessarily... but some time. And at the very least do i at least acknowledge the person'ness of the person? Wo!
Sometimes good intentions aren't enough. Take the New York Police Department, who in an attempt to foster better relations with the public decided on this great plan: "Do you have a photo with a member of the NYPD? Tweet us & tag it #myNYPD. It may be featured on our Facebook," the department posted on its NYPD News Twitter feed, hoping to fuel a feel-good, low-cost public relations campaign. Or how about that time in [...]
Having a read through a post on this blog and having a little chat about it on Facebook, I got offered a chance to offer my opinion. And since I love talking, not race relations, but people relations I really couldn’t pass up the opportunity. Please know that the little irks below are meant to help and enhance not bring down or hurt. So dearest non-melanin-having folk, here are a few little tips to help [...]