Uncomfortable Conversations With a Black Man

by Emmanuel Acho

However, the longest-lasting pandemic in this country is a virus not of the body but of the mind, and it’s called racism.

I believe an important part of the cure, maybe the most crucial part of it, is to talk to each other.

And if you have more empathy and are more gracious, then you’ll be less judgmental.

Everything great is birthed through discomfort.

Again, unconscious prejudices can manifest as racist actions, that’s the whole problem. But I think it’s important to start here, with the fact that you don’t even have to know you’re racist for the damage to be done.

Everyone, and I mean everyone, has biases. It’s the job of empathetic and considerate people not to let them dictate actions that harm others.

Instead of being color blind, be introspective.

if you see something, say something.

“You can’t shackle and chain someone for hundreds of years, liberate them to compete freely with the rest and still justly believe that you’ve been fair.”

This country won’t change in a significant way until the majority of white Americans acknowledge and address their white privilege.

Do good work, but don’t make the mistake of caring more about your intentions than about the impact of your intentions, or seeking out gratitude or praise.

being an ally means showing up.