I’ve been dedicating time to fleshing out my education. Much of my life is white-centered. To play a part in a future that is equitable and inclusive, I need to educate myself about others’ experiences.
Here’s a roundup of things that impacted my thinking, my beliefs, and my actions. I try to be careful about what I consume; I want to be inspired and motivated. I am always watching and reading with an eye to how something is constructed. Books, podcasts, and movies come up often in my coaching sessions as examples.
Podcast
I believe that when we connect and empathize, we can change. Art and writing help us get into someone else’s point of view. The 1619 Project podcast hosted by Nikole Hannah-Jones has had a huge impact on my understanding and feeling of the United States.
Each episode is rich and dense, and took time for me to process. I think I have to go back and listen to the whole six-part series again! It was originally a long-form piece in the New York Times Magazine, and I am grateful they made it into a podcast.
Movies
Black Art: In the Absence of Light is a wonderful documentary on HBO This film offers another way to fill in the gaps about Black people’s contribution to art and life in the United States. When I saw The Pieces That I Am documentary about Toni Morrison, I loved all the art that they included. Black Art feels like a follow-up to educate me on Black American artists.
My book group added on a film group. We meet a couple of Fridays a month to discuss a movie. I have loved watching movies from outside the US. This helps me feel a sense of place, people, and story.
Two of our recent international film faves:
You Will Die at 20 is a gorgeous Sudanese film about a boy who has a curse on his life. The title is way more doomy than the film!
Adam is a Moroccan film featuring two women whose lives are changed when they open up to one another. Gorgeous, simply gorgeous.
Books
Me and White Supremacy by Layla F Saad A few of us met weekly from November through February to discuss chapters from this book. Journal prompts accompany the chapters to help readers get specific and personal about their own implicit biases. The conversations in our group led us to question a lot about ourselves and our role in dismantling everyday racism.
And speaking of my book group, we just read Arranged Marriage by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni and are now reading The Moor’s Account by Laila Lalami.
There’s so much more but that’s enough for now. I hope what you are consuming is contributing to your creativity and to the evolution of the planet. Share what you are loving and learning below.
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