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Olivia and Raven are black, blind women, passionate about shedding light on issues regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion. Get political and personal with them as they share their perspectives on living at the intersection of disabled, black, and women in the US.
Episodes
Monday May 17, 2021
Monday May 17, 2021
Raven honors Diane Nash, who was instrumental in organizing protests for desegregation, including the Freedom Rides, and voter registration campaigns that led to the Voting Rights Act in 1965.
References:
Six Unsung Heroines of the Civil Rights Movement
Social media: Twitter @I_squaredpod,
and our public Facebook group, Intersectional Insights.
Music credit: "Hard Boiled" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Thursday May 13, 2021
Thursday May 13, 2021
Olivia and Raven talk privilege again. This time, the focus is on entitlement, special treatment, and dismissing others’ needs and experiences.
Discussion Summary:
0:33: We’re revisiting the topic of privilege, and focusing on the ways people use it to oppress others.
01:30: The definition of privilege, how it’s linked to entitlement, and the meaning of phrases like “check your privilege,” and “examine your privilege.”
05:33: People who feel like they’re losing rights when folks in marginalized groups gain equal access, scarcity mentality and the minimum wage controversy, and fighting against inclusivity.
14:53: Comparing entitled people to resource-guarding dogs, and contrasting them with rats.
18:15: Believing everyone has a rightful place, certain people feeling entitled to having their narratives and needs centered, and losing the ability to look down on others.
21:53: The difference between getting by due to special treatment, and working toward the place you have in society, and critically questioning what people mean when they say they’re losing jobs to immigrants, or people who are marginalized.
28:22: The inability to relate to folks in marginalized communities who want to get ahead.
31:11: Thinking that accommodating the needs of others is special treatment.
33:41: The privilege of being a Native English speaker, and the entitlement of some American English speakers.
39:36: Outro.
Social media: Twitter @I_squaredpod,
and our public Facebook group, Intersectional Insights.
Music credits: Opening: Goestories - Noir Et Blanc Vie
Closing: First Class - DJ Williams
Monday May 10, 2021
Monday May 10, 2021
Raven talks about sci-fi author, Octavia Estelle Butler, whose novels explore global warming, women’s rights, political disparity, and challenged traditional gender identity.
References:
Why Octavia E Butler’s novels are so relevant today
Social media: Twitter @I_squaredpod,
and our public Facebook group, Intersectional Insights.
Music credit: "Hard Boiled" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Friday May 07, 2021
Friday May 07, 2021
Olivia and Raven share their thoughts and experiences regarding black history education in schools, the Eurocentric focus in history and humanities courses, and problems with, and ways to improve black history education.
Discussion Summary
00:32: There’s a difference in how West European cultures and black and other cultures are taught about in the classroom.
02:44: Disparities in the way European and black history is covered, and what’s historically important to white people is not what’s historically significant to black people.
07:48: Teaching black history in a way that prioritizes white people’s feelings, and many major events in black history aren’t talked about in the classroom.
12:39: Differences in how black people and white people are depicted in education, and why the way our history is taught affects the way we think of ourselves and how others see us.
#18:04: Statistics on black history education, and reasons to expand history curricula.
25:13: The 1776 commission, if teaching history accurately can tarnish the image of the US, and promoting history education from the Eurocentric perspective.
33:59: Tokenism in black history education, black history class is an insufficient solution on its own for increasing education, and disinterest in and problems with courses.
37:49: Using your voice to improve the way black history education is implemented.
41:27: Outro.
References:
Ivan Van Sertima
Ethnic studies can’t make up for whitewashed history in classrooms
‘The Humanity of Blackness' Missing From History Classes: How to Transform Black History Education
Social media: Twitter @I_squaredpod,
and our public Facebook group, Intersectional Insights.
Music credits: Opening: Goestories - Noir Et Blanc Vie
Closing: First Class - DJ Williams
Monday May 03, 2021
Monday May 03, 2021
Raven shares the history of Dr. Patricia Bath, a black ophthalmologist, who was a trailblazer in academic medicine, and invented the laserphaco Probe to treat cataracts.
Social media: Twitter @I_squaredpod,
and our public Facebook group, Intersectional Insights.
Music credit: "Hard Boiled" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Friday Apr 30, 2021
Friday Apr 30, 2021
Olivia and Raven share their thoughts on, and experiences regarding color blindness, intentional and unintentional racism, and they dive into why ignoring race is not a solution to racial discrimination.
Discussion Summary:
00:33: What is racial color blindness, and how does it perpetuate discrimination?
04:52: How color blindness works against inclusivity.
10:57: Ignoring the role racial discrimination plays in other people’s lives, and the attitude that talking about racial issues and differences is racist.
16:51: People believing racism is a thing of the past, and examples of present-day racism.
23:07: Color blindness as a defense mechanism.
25:35: Applying the intent behind racial color blindness to other cultural identities and forms of discrimination, and the double standard with openly identifying as black versus other racial and ethnic identities.
30:47: Whether or not labels unite us.
33:23: Not giving black people’s stories space because of color blindness, and the issue with people being under-educated about black and African history.
41:35: The issue some people have with black history courses.
42:57: Acknowledging color is part of changing how color is weaponized.
44:49: Outro.
References:
Color-Blindness Is Counterproductive
Colorblindness: the New Racism?
Social media: Twitter @I_squaredpod,
and our public Facebook group, Intersectional Insights.
Music credits: Opening: Goestories - Noir Et Blanc Vie
Closing: First Class - DJ Williams
Tuesday Apr 27, 2021
Tuesday Apr 27, 2021
Olivia honors Tarana Burke, who has empowered black women and youth, through founding the ‘me too’ movement and the nonprofit, JustBe Inc.
Social media: Twitter @I_squaredpod,
and our public Facebook group, Intersectional Insights.
Music credit: "Walking Along" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Thursday Apr 22, 2021
Thursday Apr 22, 2021
Olivia and Raven share their thoughts on cancel culture, its relevance to bigotry, free speech, and freedom to protest, and dive into several controversies that reference cancelling and accountability.
Discussion Summary:
00:32: What cancel culture is, and an example of incorrectly applying the term.
03:53: where the term “cancel” comes from, Consequences to Freedom of speech, and how cancel culture holds people accountable.
09:52: Accountability, ableism, and Sia’s film “music,” and being inclusive means doing away with certain types of idea expression.
15:12: The controversy over peaceful protesting by Collin Kaepernick.
19:38: Hypocrisy in advocating for free speech, while criticizing nonviolent protest and being against cancel culture.
22:56: Revisiting how others’ words influence our actions.
26:48: Uproar surrounding the discontinuation of six Dr. Seuss books, and why many more books, other media, and products will be held accountable for being insensitive or bigoted.
37:12: Outro.
Controversies referenced
White woman charged with calling 911 on Black birdwatcher in Central Park
Sia's 'Music' angers the autism community: 'I don't even know where to start'
Colin Kaepernick protests anthem over treatment of minorities
6 Dr. Seuss books won’t be published for racist images
'Eskimo Pie' has been officially renamed to 'Edy's Pie'
NFL's Redskins renamed as Washington Football Team for 2020 season
Social media: Twitter @I_squaredpod,
and our public Facebook group, Intersectional Insights.
Music credits: Opening: Goestories - Noir Et Blanc Vie
Closing: First Class - DJ Williams
Monday Apr 19, 2021
Monday Apr 19, 2021
For the first standalone Black Beauty Highlight, Raven shares a brief history of Bayard Rustin, who was a key advisor to Martin Luther King Jr. He was a gay civil rights activist and organizer, who protested for equality for many causes such as education, transportation, and employment.
References:
Who Designed the March on Washington?
Social media: Twitter @I_squaredpod,
and our public Facebook group, Intersectional Insights.
Music credit: "Hard Boiled" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Friday Apr 16, 2021
Friday Apr 16, 2021
Olivia and Raven discuss the influence language has on people’s attitudes, words having positive and negative impacts, and the roles everyday words have in everyday problems.
Discussion Summary:
0:33: Topic intro.
00:57: What sparked Raven’s passion for language and its impact.
02:17: How attitudes are formed, both positive and negative words have an impact, and where our attitudes come from.
06:16: Why it’s important to examine why we think the way we think, and adopting attitudes from people we admire or share common values with.
12:54: Confirmation bias.
15:56: The relationship between our attitudes, microaggressions, and how people are treated.
26:49: Word usage in English seems very limited compared to other languages, and the “I know who I am” argument for dismissing sensitivity to microaggressions.
31:48: Thinking critically, examining your own beliefs, and the value in understanding a perspective different #from the one you hold.
39:16: Conversations and idea expression influence attitudes, and in turn, influence prejudice and bias.
44:46: Our attitudes and the ways we discuss issues need to adjust as laws change, and how changing our words has a far-reaching impact.
50:28: The value in challenging your own perspective, and not feeling attacked or angered during a discussion about views.
59:11: Teaching children that their words have weight and to think through what they say, and the classroom, for children and adults alike, provides numerous opportunities to shape the way people use language.
1:02:13: Judging people based on their spelling versus judging idea expression.
1:07:57: Both the classroom and workplace can be opportunities for us to become more aware of how language influences attitudes.
1:09:18: Undermining the powerful process of verbal communication.
1:11:12: Outro.
Social media: Twitter @I_squaredpod,
and our public Facebook group, Intersectional Insights.
Music credits: Opening: Goestories - Noir Et Blanc Vie
Closing: First Class - DJ Williams