Why We Need Awareness w/ Jovian Zayne

From Woke to Work: The Anti-Racist Journey

This year will be hard to forget, not only have we witnessed a pandemic unfold in front of our eyes, but also social movements that arise in the middle of chaos. The Black Lives Matter movement is especially highlighted, as unfortunate events triggered the rage of the already exhausted black community, who got the support of recently “woke” non-black allies. Awareness is just the first step of the anti-racism journey. On today’s episode, Kamala is joined by an inspiring leader, speaker and black woman, Jovian Zayne, to chat about the role of awareness around racism in the American society. Listen to the perspectives of these two women in this new episode, as they discuss what they are expecting from true allies to fight alongside the black community for the creation of a more just reality.

Jump straight into:

• (0:46) - The perfect year for a pandemic and the sudden (yet awfully late) national realization of racial injustice - “White people finally looked up and realized all at once: Damn... This country is racist!”
• (10:32) - Awareness opens your eyes, now, open your mind to different narratives - “There is a persistent issue of police violence, specifically against communities of color and even more specifically against black people.”
• (22:03) - Accept uncomfortable truths to start important conversations - “There are ways to deepen your awareness that don't require fully unloading every question that you have about race on the next black person that you see.”
• (25:15) - How Black Lives Matter has empowered and raised the voices of an entire community - “The idea that it makes some people so incensed to hear those three words together is because it actually does call out all of American history.”
• (37:30) - The problem with forced diversity and black representation - “We need the conversation that happens after the change and the commitment that comes after it. That's a pretty important step in the process, but not the whole process.”
• (42:36 ) - Dealing with non-believers of a very evident problem - “It's such a beautiful time to try to be an anti-racist. Is popular, it is on trend, is accessible and available.”

Resources

• OnPurpose Movement
• How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram Kendi
• Share the Mic Now
• The Power of Vulnerability by Brené Brown
• Brené with Austin Channing Brown on I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness
• Reese Whiterspoon’s conversation with Austin Channing Brown
• We Will Not Cancel Us by Adrienne Maree Brown

Thanks for tuning in! Don’t forget to follow Kamala on Instagram to learn more. Subscribe, rate and share this podcast so more people can find it, let’s spread the word!

From Woke to Work is a show produced and hosted by Kamala Avila-Salmon in partnership with Julian Lewis and TJ Bonaventura at StudioPod. Edited at Nodalab, art by Tommy Gómez, and music produced by davecantrap.