Anil Naik (Race and Ethnicity)

Episode 7

We welcome Educator, Author, and Equity advisor Anil Naik to the show. Anil has Majored in Both History and Anthropology, he has also traveled to over 50 countries and spent extensive time in the Middle East, Asia, Europe and Africa. Anil currently teaches and resides in the Portland metro area. We enter a conversation around race and ethnicity following some of his classroom guidelines to Doing your best, Be compassionate, Be Curious & Open Minded, Be engaged, Listen to each other.

Topics:

• The importance of race and ethnic studies as a call to action right now with this global racism conversation.
• How does educating ourselves help the issues being raised in our society right now? 
• Media Influence? 
• The importance of understanding terminology (White Privilege, Defund the Police, anti-racist vs non-racist)?
• Listening and learning is an extremely important action to be taking right now. 
• If we were new to your race and ethnic studies course, what would be the first few things we discuss? Walls we would break down? acknowledgments we would make?
• Ground Rules: Do your best, Be compassionate, Be Curious & Open Minded, Be engaged, Listen to each other
• Moment of Recognition

Show Notes:

Courage is very much involved in doing anti-racism work “Get comfortable being uncomfortable.”

Bias/Implicit (Check your bias, our responsibility)

1. Bias is built over time, research suggests that at a very young age we begin to form it. unknowing, we aren’t entirely responsible for it,
2. We are responsible for addressing our bias (Part of unpacking privilege) 
3. We can’t necessarily control the first thought that comes to our head, but we can control the second, and we can control our actions and how we react to things.

Podcast/Books Mentioned in the show:

1. Anil Naik's Book (Unfettered; A Philosophy of Education): https://www.amazon.com/dp/1539587355/ref=cm_sw_r_oth_api_i_waK-EbV7QV0AX
2. Scene on Radio: Season 2;
3. Seeing White (14 part series)
4. Brene Brown; Unlocking Us
5. June 9th Ep. Austin Channing Brown
6. June 2nd Ep. Ibram X. Kendi

Austin Channing Brown - Book: “I am still here, Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness. (You Tube Show: nest question)

• White niceness doesn’t disprove the presence of racism.
• Niceness leads to the thinking that “racist” should only be reserved for the mean, hateful, intentional actions.
• “Relational” Defence- Bail out - “I can’t be racist, ask anyone who knows me, ask so and so they will tell you." "I have black friends."
• “The work of anti-racism is the work of becoming a better human to other humans.” 
• “Will you protect your own ego, or will you work to protect other people?”

Ibram X. Kendi- Book: "Stamped From the Beginning" (National Book Award) & “How To Be an Anti-Racist” &

• Bias/Defensive
• Anti-Racism
• Shame shouldn’t be a tool for anti-racism.
• Being anti-racist often leads back to policy, If a policy leads to inequities for POC it is a racist policy.  
• Admission-vulnerability.

Podcast Music: https://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music