4 Ways to Have Healthy Conversations About Race | Afrika Afeni Mills | TED

Learning how to have productive conversations about race is a necessary part of the human experience. Educator Afrika Afeni Mills says the best place to start is in the classroom -- because the earlier these skills are taught, the fewer biases there are to unlearn. She shares four actionable lessons to help people overcome their fear and take on these conversations at any age.
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• 4 Ways to Have Healthy...
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[@stickman4087]

I feel like if you're not racist you have no reason to be uncomfortable or afraid to talk about race. As a black man I have a lot of white friends and I talk to them about race all the time, it's not that hard. I've thought about the racism thing for a long time and I've come to the conclusion that when you get down to it racial pride is the root of racism. It's okay to love yourself, but it's not your race that makes you who you are. Once you really come to terms with that I don't think it's possible to be racist. Society has trained us to identify with our physical attributes as if that's all we are, because most great thinkers of today deny the existence of a soul, this is key. I was taught to believe that I'm a black man named Danny. But no, I'm a person named Danny that happens to be a black man. And I am much more than that. It's only when we lose sight of what we truly are that we get wrapped up in things like skin colour and start to fall into this narrow minded thinking that your skin somehow makes you better than another person. There's a reason that pride is the devil's favourite sin

[@user-gk3et8kf8c]

You are absolutely right Danny. Thank you!

[@user-ee6eh7zd7n]

I am a Japanese yellow man. And I’ve been really struggling and feeling kinda concerned about the race problems. I have been doubting myself if I am not a racist. But your words made me feel little relieved. Like it’s not the color of skin, it’s who you are that matters most, you know. Thank you.

[@delix8869]

That’s why black people tend to be the most racist now a days. They only care about themselves and people who look like them and they talk about “black pride” as if it’s their whole entire personality.

[@Matt-kt9nm]

I agree.

[@kinsmed]

I can't believe we had to wait well into the 21st Century to even ask the question.

[@MarykeL72]

I must say this is a very sore point in South Africa. We have a brilliant Facebook group allowing each race to ask another questions. There is always some aspect of anger coming through in a select few. I find this group a true reflection of South Afrikans. We have humour and curiosity about each race. BUT we always have someone stirring the angry pot.... is that fear?

[@TransparencyandMerit]

What is your response to someone saying South Africa is a racial vendetta nation?

[@funnytv-1631]

Find some silence as you allow yourself to rest. Don’t give away all your waking hours to noise. This is not a stolen moment. It has always belonged to you. Even if your own time is only available to you as you fall asleep, enjoy it as if you are floating on a gentle lake of solitude. Stay with yourself in the quiet. Indulge in it like you are nestling into a soft blanket.

[@hsmd4533]

That’s beautiful

[@actually_keeping_it_real]

For those who are wondering what the supposed "healthy" part of this conversation is, it's that the only possible way to explain the difference in the behavior and performance of the different groups, is past and present oppression. The problem with that explanation is you see the same demographic stratification in which groups do well and not so well, repeated almost everywhere you go. And groups with current and past discrimination raising to the top regardless. Explanations that fit the data much better are available, but those will get you censored and cancelled immediately.

[@toddchavez8274]

I highly doubt these take into account cultural cross-pollination in ways that may not be compatible with the host culture. Such things can transmit from the food people eat to the small habits they carry to the turns of phrase they use, etc.

[@hsmd4533]

Thank you for the summary of the video’s premise. I figured as much and it’s sad that I was correct.

[@pabloalvez915]

Uruguayan here. The US views on race relations aren't the same than those in LATAM. Blacks and Whites weren't raised separately, what happened was the upper echelon of society was too exclusive, not accepting anyone not wealthy enough to be a part of the system. Other than that, Whites and Blacks were getting married and forming families just like anywhere else in the world. By the way, my girlfriend is from Guinea. Much Love from Montevideo, Uruguay 🇺🇾❤️

[@chimera9818]

Because Americans can’t comprehend relationships between groups besides what they decide are a thing are a thing

[@invox9490]

If you could just stop making it part of EVERY conversation on th internet... That would be a start.

[@hsmd4533]

And on TV, and in books, and in movies, and at work…

[@Bergstromoliver]

A Human Race.

[@andycordy5190]

This is enormously helpful. If we think we can overcome racism just by being nice to one another we are fooling ourselves. The observation of difference is automatic in humans and it takes energy to recognise that diversity is a delight and not, of itself, a reason to be defensive. As is broadly stated here, opening our perspectives and gathering links to others is a scaffolding to help our understanding. The human experience is of learning. If we choose to close that off we enter a dangerous spiral of misunderstanding and disorientation. Nobody wants to be regarded as ignorant but ignorance is the very foundation of racism and we must find ways to desensitise the fears people hold and replenish their natural hunger for understanding.

[@knurmia]

Good instructions on how to lose your job as an educator in most Southern states in the US. Most of these states have law(s) in place that prevent talking about race with the students, because children might become upset.

[@hutchphilpot6870]

Social discourse is imperative to not only understanding one another, but in my opinion the single most important key to human survival. The day we can’t talk any longer, is the way we seal our fate as a species. It may not seem true looking at single snapshots in time. But when you realize how gradually we came to even exist you could see how we may be living the beginning of the end, or even worse.

[@user-rr9or5dk4m]

The timing is now

[@TheChuDragon]

Nothing powerful was said. Basically could have just said " talking about race is uncomfortable but we have to do it" it's true.

[@mbergamin16]

Many of recent TED talks have been disappointing

[@TheChuDragon]

Afrika did mention the reason why. It's fear. We are living in a time if intellectual fascism enforced by this very platform. You say the "wrong" thing and you become ostracized. She herself probably didn't say anything powerful due to the same fear.

[@curiedesteenlee4283]

Thank you for your wonderful speech. I appreciate it. Let's always be humane. Spread love even with different race ♡

[@kellimickens6697]

❤️🖤💚

[@nadahmekhlef7948]

❤❤❤😊😊😊🎉🎉🎉

[@osamaaltutunji7726]

Its an american only issue

[@DougKoper]

In my understanding of race, is that we are all the human race. Skin color was only an adaptation to higher sun light. We are all in the same family tree.

[@toddchavez8274]

Yes but you’re ignoring cultural context.

[@zm23f]

😂😂 F nonsense! Yeah Men and women are all the same they are all human. cats dogs elephants and whales are no difference, they are all animals 😂😂

[@hsmd4533]

We will never know. Any studies that would show differences would be quashed.

[@triple_gem_shining]

❤

[@raidenyvelina8558]

do the commentors saying they wish bipoc would stop doing ted talks about race realize they are in fact part of the reason those ted talks continue? stupid AND racist, that's sad.

[@hsmd4533]

Why? Why does race have to be central to everything we do?