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Latest Episodes:

18: Factual Manipulation: Who Controls History? Jul 31, 2019

Show notes

Did you take the information in your textbooks as the be-all and end-all of everything when you were in school? Have you ever really thought about that? Have you ever wondered who actually controls history, especially in our schools, and online?

In past episodes of the podcast, we have often discussed the diversity of narratives in this country, and the importance of understanding the viewpoint of the minority. Today, we are asking a very interesting question. We would like to know what happens when the institutions that we take for granted to educate us, or the places we go to find out facts, actually control that narrative for us?

Public education is not necessarily just there to teach us how to think and how to be. Tune into this episode of the Dear White Women podcast, to learn about the real purpose of public education, and to discover what happens when institutions actively try to remove historical facts from the school curriculum.

Show Highlights:

An interesting example of a recent attempt by conservatives in Michigan, in 2018, to remove the information about climate change, Roe V. Wade, gay rights, and the KKK from the school's social studies curriculum.
Misasha's friend from Harvard, who grew up in the South, had never been taught about the Japanese internment camps in America during WW2.
It's important to acknowledge that we're getting a filter on our view of history.
The difference between a republic and democratic forms of government.
The United States of America is actually a Constitutional Democratic Republic.
In a democracy, the majority can impose its will on the minority.
There's a new movement in the current government called The Problem Solver's Caucus, started by a group called No Labels.
Climate change and the new curriculum.
Slavery was economically linked to the Civil War.
The results of the research done by the Southern Poverty Law Center about the curriculum standard in different states.
Whitewashing history to hide some of the truth about systemic issues, some of which still exist today.
Harassment often begins behind the scenes in the Wikipedia digital backrooms.

Links:

Email us at hello@dearwhitewomen.com

17: Raising Black and Bi-Racial Children as a White Mom with Debbie Scheer Jul 24, 2019

Show notes

Raising kids can be really hard at times. And as a white mom raising black kids, it's a uniquely challenging experience.

Debbie Scheer is Sara and Misasha's guest on the show today. Debbie is a humorist, a speaker, an MC, and a woman-about-town in Denver. She has presence, intelligence, observational skills, and she's also a white mom raising two adopted boys, one black, and one bi-racial.

The Dear White Women Podcast is not just about race, identity, and discussions around who we are, and how we show up in the world. It is about having difficult conversations which make Sara, Misasha, and you, the listeners, a bit uncomfortable.

Today, Debbie brings a really cool angle to the discussion because she's really funny.

Tune into this episode of Dear White Women to learn about the difficulties of being a white mom raising black and mixed kids, and about using humor to help hard conversations.

Show Highlights:

Debbie explains why the kind of topics covered on this show are so near and dear to her heart.
Debbie talks about the latest post she made on Facebook about raising black boys.
The way that the response of society has changed towards Debbie's son as he has grown from a baby to twelve-year-old boy.
It's difficult for moms to protect their black or mixed kids from the realities of society.
Sometimes overt racism is easier to deal with than microaggressions.
The difficulties of dealing with white friends' implicit bias.
Having a conversation with friends about race and white privilege can really be tough.
Using book clubs as a platform to get people to engage in hard conversations.
Some techniques to get hard and in-depth conversations about race off the ground.
Using humor effectively to deal with touchy subjects can be tricky.
Looking at white women who are 'convenient activists'.
Moving from social media engagements to having in-person conversations.

16: Concentration Camps: The Humanitarian Crisis at Our Border Jul 17, 2019

Show notes

Are you aware of the horrors that are going on in concentration camps at our borders? And did you know that although kids are dying there and families are being separated, our government is still pushing for this under the not-so-hidden agenda of white supremacy? Be prepared to open your hearts today, because it is possible to have an impact, and to bring about some change, just by having a conversation about it. And although today's topic is a heavy one, there are ways to get involved and assist.

Fundamentally, we are all humans. Yet, sometimes, we become so numbed by stark headlines and horribly graphic visuals in movies that things feel far away and we tend to forget that we're actually talking about real people. So we really need to think about the way that we would want to be treated as human beings, should the situation ever arise that we would need to leave this country and go somewhere else. Tune into this episode of Dear White Women to find out about the history of concentration camps in America and about the humanitarian crisis that is happening currently at our borders.

Show Highlights:

Henry Wirz was the only member of the former Confederacy's military who was ever charged for war crimes.
Prisoner of war camps first started hundreds, if not thousands of years ago.
Henry Wirz was charged with conspiracy to commit murder because he gave the prisoners sub-human living conditions.
Why the Union (the North) would not commit to troop exchanges with the South unless black soldiers were included.
It was more important to the Confederacy to treat black men as property than to obtain the return of their own troops.
Concentration camps are places of forced relocations of civilians to detention, on the basis of group identity.
What is happening currently on our southern border.
The devastating effects that these border camps are having on the children.
The humanitarian crisis that we are facing right now.
The way that the Trump administration has changed the rules.
Something really has to change. We each have to think about what we can do.

Links and resources:

Email us at hello@dearwhitewomen.com

An excerpt from an article in the Atlantic called A Crime By Any Other Name, by Adam Serwer, was used as preparation for today's discussion.

BONUS - Banning Discrimination Against Natural Hair Jul 14, 2019

Show notes

We have a special bonus episode today, about some big news coming from the state of California.

We're talking about hair. In today's bonus episode, we will be discussing a ban on discrimination against natural hair that was recently passed in California. The act banning this discrimination was introduced by the Democratic senator, Holly Mitchell, and it is changing the course of history in America. Tune in now, to find out more.

We also have an already-recorded episode coming up, where we're talking about the history of black hair in America. That will be followed by a second part, which will come out later this summer, featuring some of the very popular first-person narratives.

Show Highlights:

On Wednesday, July 3rd, Gavin Newsom, the Governor of California, signed into law the Crown Act.
The Crown Act makes California the first state to ban workplace and school discrimination against black people for wearing hairstyles such as braids, twists, and locks.
The act was introduced by the Democratic senator, Holly Mitchell, a black woman from Los Angeles who wears her hair in locks.
California is the first state to explicitly state that those hairstyles are associated with race.
Hairstyles which were previously defined as professional have historically been founded on a Eurocentric model, based on straight hair.
People who don't have European features feel that they need to fit the Eurocentric model in order to be considered professional.
Professional women also sometimes feel that they have to fit the masculine norm in order to be considered professional.
What Gavin Newsom had to say about the discrimination that black Americans face.
The beauty company, Dove is part of a coalition pushing for more hairstyle protections.
Barbershop Books has just been featured in the New York Times and they are adding a layer of involvement into the importance of black barbershops in the United States, this time focusing on the literacy of black boys.
And... The US Women's National Soccer Team beat the Netherlands in the FIFA World Cup! But we're still fighting for equal pay...

Links:

Barbershop Books https://barbershopbooks.org/

15: SCOTUS 101 - 2 Issues That Could Limit Your Rights in 2020 Jul 10, 2019

Show notes

Today we bring you 2 hot issues coming out of the Supreme Court, as of the end of June: 1) the citizenship question on the 2020 census and 2) gerrymandering and how voting districts are going to be drawn in the future.

The first timely topic is the inclusion of the citizenship question on the 2020 census and Supreme Court rule that the census will NOT be including that question, based on the grounds that the Administration had given a legitimate reason for the inclusion of that question.

The second ruling relates to gerrymandering and the control level for partisan gerrymandering, and we'll also refresh your memory on the origin of that word.

These decisions are crucial to the future of our democracy, and matters for everyone who has the power to vote because it could effectively reduce our voting power.

Hang in there with us on this as we unpack these issues. We promise this is a lot more exciting than it sounds, plus we want you to be informed as we head into the 2020 elections.

Show Highlights:

The census asks many questions about the family. The question of citizenship status has never been asked before, for a variety of reasons. A lot of them relate to potential discrimination.
This question has been in lower courts, or Federal courts, that exist in various states. This question was most recently in federal courts in New York and Maryland, and was finally heard by the Supreme Court during their spring term.
The why: in a partly unanimous opinion, the Court said that the Trump administration's Department of Commerce could not add this citizenship question for now. The Administration's justification for adding the question was to enforce the Voting Rights Act.
The Voting Rights Act was signed in to law by President Lyndon B. Johnson back in 1965, and that was in order to help overcome the legal barriers of the state and local levels that prevented black Americans from exercising their right to vote, as guaranteed by the 15th Amendment to the Constitution. It was allowing the right for not just white men to vote, and it's expanded along the way to protect the rights for non-English speaking American citizens, as well.
Although the Administration's justification was to enforce the Voting Rights Act, the Supreme Court felt that the pretext was a lie, offered after the fact, to justify adding the question rather than a real reason for making that decision.
It didn't say you could never add this question, but come back to us with a better reason and we'll consider it.
From the President's recent tweets, it appears that he is trying to find a "legally available path".
"Legally available path" is lawyer-speak for 'we are probably going to try and make up something that we are not sure we have the precedent for, but we're gonna argue it anyway'.
Gerrymandering is not new and has been done since the founding of our nation because politicians and people in power have tried to intentionally manipulate the boundaries of election districts to stifle their opponents power and keep themselves in office.
For as long as gerrymandering has existed, there have been opponents of this practice that say it is anti-democratic and unconstitutional.
The basic explanation of gerrymandering is when voting districts are re-drawn to benefit one party over another in elections.
Some historians trace the origin of the word "gerrymandering" of partisan map-making to Patrick Henry, who was said to have drawn a Virginia house district for the First Congressional Election back in 1789 in order to ensure that he won. He wanted to defeat James Madison.
The practice takes its name from another figure from the Revolution, Elbridge Gerry, who later served as James Madison's Vice-President. The reason is because when he was Governor of Massachusetts in 1812, Mr. Gerry signed a bill allowing his party to draw State Senate districts that were meant to favor its candidates over the rival, the Federalists.
One particular district looked like a salamander, so a Boston editorial cartoonist drew it with a head and claws, and labeled it a "Gerrymander".
What the Supreme Court ruled at the end of June was that Federal judges have no authority to correct partisan gerrymandering.
Federal judges can't come in and look at a district that's being challenged, and say, 'Mm, we don't agree'.
This allows politicians to keep drawing electoral districts that entrench their power, unless state law or congress prevents them from doing so.
This was a very close decision, 5:4, which is why who your Justices are on the Supreme Court is crucial.
There is such disparity across state laws that there will be no uniform standard.
This decision has ramifications for the redistricting process for federal, state, and local levels.
Because this comes with the 2020 census on the horizon, the census requires maps across the US to be redrawn to reflect shifts in population. So, this census opens up the opportunity to have these districts redrawn in an even more partisan manner, because map makers now aren't going to be checked by the Court, and because Republicans currently control most State houses, they had the most to lose had the lower court rulings been upheld, and the most to gain now that they have the ability to redraw those maps.
This is not a Republican issue, and it's not a Democrat issue. Both parties have used gerrymandering to their advantage at one point or another.
Gerrymandering is just one piece of a much broader GOP offensive to rig the system in their favor.
Voter ID laws have created significant barriers to voting for many black and hispanic voters.
Getting felons and ex-felons eligibility to vote has been such a hot issue because of the racial makeup and largely what party they're affiliated with, which is heavily black and Democratic.

Links and Resources:

https://www.dearwhitewomen.com/

Email: hello@dearwhitewomen.com

Article:

The Washington Post released a Reddit post regarding gerrymandering:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/03/01/this-is-the-best-explanation-of-gerrymandering-you-will-ever-see/?utm_term=.961d79bf1ce8

Magazine:

The Week

https://www.theweek.com

14: When Does Character Matter? Case Studies of Tiger Woods and LeBron James Jul 03, 2019

Show notes

Have you ever thought about why character matters? And have you ever wondered what it is that makes people influential and powerful? Today we're talking about Tiger Woods and LeBron James, two very influential people who have been in the news a lot, and they were recently named by Time Magazine as two of the 100 most influential people of the year.

The bigger question to ask is really why everyone seems to be okay with Tiger Woods now that he's won the Master's again, even though he treats women poorly and he repeatedly cheated on his wife? And why do people think Tiger is the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) but not LeBron? Tune into this episode of Dear White Women to hear Sara and Misasha's conversation about why this might be.

Show Highlights:

Tiger Woods was a serial cheater who admitted to having numerous affairs while married to his wife, Elin Nordegren. There were reports of more than 120 women!
Time Magazine makes it clear that although it's often seen as an honor to appear on their list, entrants are recognized for "changing the world regardless of the consequences of their actions.
There's a huge difference in the ways that Tiger and LeBron are approaching social justice.
There was a lot of non-comment from Tiger Woods on the specific issues that he was being asked about in the media.
Staying silent about issues of social justice actually speaks volumes.
LeBron has been a very open critic about issues of social justice. He has used his voice on social media to raise consciousness about these issues.
LeBron James has referenced Muhammed Ali, Jim Brown, Bill Russell, and Jackie Robinson as athletes who previously spoke up for equality and change with no concerns about the consequences.
LeBron's popularity has fallen as a result of him standing up for what he believes in.
LeBron has built a public school in Cleveland, called I Promise. It is operated by the school district and it reaches a wide range of diverse students.
Through the school, LeBron is leaving behind a powerful legacy which goes beyond his own skill on the court.
The difference in the superstars' characters shows up in the way that they engage with their audience on social media.

Links and Resources:

https://www.dearwhitewomen.com/

Email: Hello@dearwhitewomen.com

13: Black Maternal Healthcare: Racial Disparities in the US Healthcare System Jun 26, 2019

Show notes

Are you aware of the racial disparity that exists in the US healthcare system? And did you know that some people are actually dying unnecessarily as a result? Today, Sara talks to Dr. Monique Rainford, an OB/GYN from Jamaica, who recently did a phenomenal TEDx talk, called America's Maternal Nightmare, about black maternal health in America. In her talk, Dr. Rainford peeled back the layers and very clearly revealed the disparities that exist within the US healthcare system, particularly when it comes to black maternal health.

According to statistics, the health of African American women is worse than that of white American women. Dr. Rainford is an advocate for health equality and well-being for black American women.

Tune in to this episode of Dear White Women to find out about the effects of racism on women's health, and to learn why the disparity exists here in America, what can be done to overcome implicit bias, and what healthcare providers can do to enhance the kind of care that they are providing.

Show Highlights:

Some really shocking statistics that the average American might not be aware of - these really blew Dr. Rainford's mind!
How Dr. Rainford was able to gain a good understanding of why the disparity exists here in America.
Even the world-famous tennis player, Serena Williams, had a lot of difficulties when she was having her baby.
We need to uncover our implicit biases because we all have them.
People have implicit, or unconscious bias, so well-intentioned healthcare providers may give substandard care to someone because of their race, without even realizing that they are biased.
Having a good relationship with your doctor can really have a positive impact on a patient's standard of care.
Everybody delivering healthcare should be aware of and understand implicit bias, and they should deliver excellent health care to everyone, in spite of their biases.
So many African American women, who have done everything that they could have possibly done to advocate for themselves, have ended up dying because they were ignored by their healthcare providers.
African American women in America are three to four times more likely to have maternal deaths than white women, and 60% of these deaths are preventable.
Dr. Rainford discusses what individuals can do to improve their health outcomes and prevent unnecessary deaths.
The knowledge-based emergency tool kits that were introduced and implemented in California led to a 55% reduction in the maternal mortality rate.
There is hope, but it takes each one of us speaking up and participating in order to drive improvements.

Links and Resources:

https://www.dearwhitewomen.com/

Email: Hello@dearwhitewomen.com

For the Harvard University implicit associations tests, go to https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html

Dr. Rainford's TEDx Talk - America's Maternal Nightmare

Dr. Monique Rainford's book, Please God Send Me A Husband, is available on her website, or from Amazon.

Contact Dr. Monique Rainford's Website: www.moniquerainford.com

Contact Dr. Monique Rainford about speaking or coaching email: drmoniquerainford@gmail.com

12: Hate in America, Pt. 2: The Current Resurgence of Hate Jun 19, 2019

Show notes

Today, we continue with our conversation about the Ku Klux Klan, the history of hate in America, and why we're seeing the current resurgence of hate groups. There is so much wrapped up in all of this, so it is really very important for us to understand why it happened, and also, what might be happening now.

Fraternal organization structures, like the Freemasons, started becoming very popular in the late 1800s and the first part of the 1900s. In fact, they were so popular that it was suggested that at one point as much as 40% of the adult population of America held membership to at least one organization or fraternal order. At the time, the KKK was becoming more organized as a hate group and was looking for ways to establish itself and grow its base, so it started infiltrating these organizations.

It is understandable that the KKK began to affiliate with these fraternal organization structures because this really ties into the sense of belonging that is so important to all of us as humans. And what we choose to be affiliated with is really important for us to consider, because with hate groups on the rise right now, there is clearly a gap in our collective sense of belonging and meaning in this country.

Tune into today's episode of Dear White Women to learn more about the second and third waves of the KKK being in power, to understand why and how this is showing up in today's culture, and to find out what you can do to address the hate that is currently on the rise in our society.

Show Highlights:

Why the KKK started affiliating with fraternal organizations.
How people's need for belonging translated into a way for the KKK to become monetized.
The aggressive sales pitch that the Klan used to appeal to white Protestants.
How the Klan exploited the fears of the nation with their 'mission of social vigilance'.
At the time when women were fighting for their rights, the Klan was going after women looking for independence, as they claimed to stand for pure womanhood.
Why the membership of the KKK started dropping in the 1930s.
What brought the second wave of the KKK to an end.
The Klan, as it appears today, consists of four different organizations.
How the FBI managed to infiltrate the KKK in 1965.
Along came David Duke, who founded a branch of the KKK in 1975.
The cycle of hate and the cycle of hate trying to gain more power through our political system does not stop. It's important for us to be aware of it and also to protect ourselves from it emotionally, while not becoming desensitized to it.
Mass immigration seems to precede each wave of hatred and of the KKK coming to power.
Why it's so important to address the hate that is currently arising.

Links and Resources:

Email: Hello@dearwhitewomen.com

Southern Poverty Law Center

Books mentioned:

Hooded Empire: The Ku Klux Klan in Colorado by Robert Alan Goldberg

The documentary series, Eyes on the Prize

Reconstruction: America After the Civil War by Henry Lewis Gates Jr.

11: Hate in America, Part 1: The History of the Ku Klux Klan Jun 12, 2019

Show notes

It's interesting to know that in 2018, there was a 50% increase in the number of hate groups in America. Currently, the Southern Poverty Law Center is tracking more than 1000 hate groups, so hate is certainly not a thing of the past. In fact, it has actually increased in recent years. So, there is a lot to talk about when it comes to the history of hate in America and why we are seeing the current resurgence.

Today, we're doing the first of two episodes on the topic. We will be taking a look at the history of hate through the lens of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) - America's first Terrorist organization. It's very important for us to understand how it happened in the past, and also to understand what might be happening now.

Most of us tend to associate the KKK, one of America's original hate groups, with violence, hoods, and burning crosses, and we tend not to think about them hating different religions, especially Catholics. Tune into this episode of Dear White Women, to find out about the history of the KKK - where it started, and how it came to be what it is today.

Show Highlights:

The three periods of significant strength for the KKK in American history.
The event that marked the start of the KKK in 1865.
Why it's very important to understand how the KKK came into being the very first time around.
Hate is the opposite of thriving, yet it can still create a sense of meaning for some people.
The KKK originally started out with the idea of scaring people, not harming them.
The history around the political situation that the KKK was initially fighting against.
Who the Scalawags and the Carpetbaggers really were, and how they were used in an attempt to influence Southern politics.
What caused the KKK to turn violent.
What happened during the period of Reconstruction, immediately after the Civil War.
The period of Reconstruction was actually a time of re-enslavement of black people.
Why the dominance of the KKK came to an end after the Civil Rights Act was passed in 1871.
Hate organizations don't always hate what they're known for.
What hate is really about - so you can see it for what it is.
We really need to connect with people in a more holistic way, particularly around issues of fear, hurt and anger. People need to know that they are seen and heard.

Links:

https://www.dearwhitewomen.com/

Email: Hello@dearwhitewomen.com

You can find us on Facebook and Instagram @ Dear White Women Podcast, and on Twitter @ DWW Podcast.

Southern Poverty Law Center website: https://www.splcenter.org/

10: Equal Pay Day: The Reality of Gender Parity Jun 05, 2019

Show notes

As women, it's important for us to advocate for other women, but it's difficult for us to do that if we're unaware of other women's experiences. According to statistics only 62% of Americans even believe that there is a pay gap between men and women, but data shows there is. When it comes to women's equality there seems to be a lack of awareness all across the board.

Today, Sara and Misasha discuss the current issues with equal pay, discrepancies women experience in the workplace, and the need to take collective action. To learn more about what you can do to close the gap of inequality and speak up for other women, tune into this episode of Dear White Women.

Show Highlights:

What is Equal Pay Day 2019
Different subgroups that impact when their equal pay day falls
The lack of awareness America has in regards to the pay disparity
Navigating making a change when people don't recognize the need for change
The effectiveness of recording pay data and having public accountability
Disclosing pay gaps and why social pressure is beneficial
How the "lean in" movement has defined views of women in the work place
What happens in a "lean in" circle
Being authentic in a predominantly men's world
Professional systems that don't recognize women's differences
Creating a system that collectively benefits women
Recognizing discrimination in different industries

Links:

https://www.dearwhitewomen.com

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