Rod and Karen discuss the duality of working while black, Coronavirus News, Jay-Z calls MN governor, Chris Martin Palmer changes his mind about burning it all down, Anonymous returns, Donald Trump calls George Floyd’s brother, Mark Zuckerberg faces backlash from his own employees, Northam requires face coverings in VA, wrestling coach fired for mocking George Floyd death, white man speech at protest rally, Alan West wreck, celebs bail out protesters, That’s Ya’ll Man, White People News and Sword Ratchetness.
Twitter: @rodimusprime @SayDatAgain @TBGWT
Email: theblackguywhotips@gmail.com
Blog: www.theblackguywhotips.com
Voice Mail: 704-557-0186
Podcast (archive): Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:16:47 — 31.3MB)
Rod and Karen I am so grateful for your podcast. Rod, I know you mentioned in a previous episode that you are fortunate that your world is mostly black (paraphrasing) but unfortunately my experience is the opposite (my world is mostly white and I am a black woman). What you said at the beginning of the episode about not being able to be your true self at work has been my experience for 30+ years. And when you were talking about it I LOLed because my job got me an executive coach and in our first session when I asked for strategies I could use to improve my perception among the executives or to craft a personal brand that shapes me as a leader in their mind for promotion, all she could say is that I just need to be myself and that if I wasn’t authentic that it would be as suffocating as it feels wearing face masks all day during this pandemic. She clearly had no idea that not only had I been doing that my whole career but that it had been a NECESSITY to get to where I was today to even be talking to an executive coach.
Along those lines, I have been struggling with the other issue you mentioned at the beginning about having white friends and coworkers “check in†during the past 1-2 weeks. In many instances I am the ONLY black person my white friends and coworkers know, and this week my phone has been blowing up with texts and heart emojis and “check ins†and frankly it makes me angry. I know it’s more for them than for me, to relieve some of the guilt they are feeling right now, or to check off a box that they did something to show they are not one of the racists, but I it’s performative. I say it’s performative because this is literally the first time any of them have “checked in†on me and I have been pretty vocal in my social media about my feelings about all of these unjust murders dating back to Eric Gardner. I have a black son so I have also been vocal about it with my mom friends in that context (that I’m afraid for his future because of how society treats black men). So it makes me think that all this time either (1) they knew what was happening and didn’t really care until now or (2) they didn’t know or educate themselves about what was happening because they were only focused on their own experience. It’s been a little awakening about what these friendships really are because I’m realizing when they “check in†I don’t really feel comfortable sharing how I’m feeling, including the info I just shared with you! It has me rethinking my “world†in the middle of all of this not in a resentful or punishing way like you talked about before Rod (I chuckled at the Speed analogy) but more in a mental and emotional health kind of way because I wish there were people checking in who I could actually share how I’m feeling right now. Thank you again for your podcast. For years you guys have been my imaginary friends who I can vent with about this stuff and then turn around and laugh about it. I hope you know what a difference you’re making.
Hey Rod & Karen,
Listening to your show in the past was something I did to reward myself as was working to get through the week, but NOW… I find this show a necessity!!! I need to listen to you guys to get through the day. BTW… I had a humongous smile on my face when Rae Sunni asked you guys about your love story. Loved it!
-Stacie