Cassandra Carter, Long Island Girl, Speaker, African American and Human Being

I believe most people everywhere are decent folks who just want the same thing: shelter, food, education and some enjoyment.  But why then do we look down on certain groups? And how do we begin to address systemic racism? How can we make honest and sincere connections with people who look differently than us? Cassandra is a long time Facebook friend with a fascinating perspective. she offers some great insights on the topic of race. If you’re white like me, I urge you to listen to our conversation, and listen with the intention to learn, not necessarily to respond.

From the Podcast:

“I had three strikes against me: I was black, I was a woman and I’m overweight.”

“The first day of teaching class I knew I had to establish my authority right away. So I had them take out a piece of paper and I took out a piece of paper…. from then on, the love I had with my class of students was extraordinary.”

“The bible says you should test the spirit by the spirit.”

“We, as black people, are taught how to interaction with white people. But white people are never taught how to interact with us.”

“Our story never gets told, we have to hold it all in. It makes us angry, it makes us sick, it messes with our immune system.”

“My best friend, who is white, says I give her a safe space to talk about race. I will always make it safe for people to talk to me about race.”

“Please, when you talk to a black person about race, understand it can be very emotional for them. All you have to do is attentively listen. We need to be able to tell you these things. Just really listen with the purpose of listening, not replying.”

Connect with Cassandra on Linked In

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