Why is it so hard to write a new story about black Americans?
In 2010, I moved to New Orleans and, for the first time in my life, began to hear the story of black America from the mouths of black Americans. And I’m not talking about trained experts who were up on a stage or behind a lectern. I’m talking about everyday people who became neighbors, elders and friends. People who changed my life by encouraging me to reevaluate all the stories I was carrying about black Americans.
“White Guy Talks Race” came about after the world learned of Ahmaud Arbery’s murder. In talking with a New Orleans friend of mine, a retired judge, I asked, “What else can I do?” “Tell your stories,” he said. So here we are. You won’t find any answers here; any new labels for centuries-old problems; nor any attempts to cancel people, ideas and stories. What you will find are stories about this white guy’s work to put down all I was taught about Blacks, so I could begin to see the truth about them, about America and about me.
Posts on Race
How the wisdom of the pointing finger might help today’s conversations about race
Several times in the past week, I've found myself in [...]
What I learned about race, New Orleans and myself from my very own Karen moment
I was a white guy who "got" race. Until I [...]
When it comes to race, change is as much about personal practice as political action
There's a lot of good journalism out there right now [...]
Moving forward in a world without RBG
"Ruth is gone and we grieve." So eulogized Chief Justice [...]
I wish it would rain in America
It's raining in Plano, Texas as I write these words. [...]
This-n-that on slowing down
We're barely half-way through 2020 and a lot of us [...]