Simma Lieberman, Author at Race Convo

Episode 74: A Real Conversation on Black/Asian Unity with Lee Mun Wah and Dr. Joel Davis Brown

March 8, 2021 Simma Lieberman

In this conversation on race, Lee Mun Wah, a Chinese-American man, and Dr. Joel Davis Brown, an African-American man, talk about racism against Black and Asian people.

Key topics:

Stereotypes, and their root causes between African-Americans and Asians.
Lee Mun Wah recounts issues amongst men from different races and ethnicities when he produced the groundbreaking film on race, “Color of Fear”.
Mun Wah shares the stereotypes he heard about Black people when he grew up
Joel shares stereotypes he heard about Asians growing up from the people around him
The problems with Asians being considered “model minority” by white people.
Joel and Mun Wah talk agree that communities of color are missing the opportunity to talk to each other.
How white supremacists create, perpetuate and benefit from conflict and misunderstandings between Asian and Black people.
Why it’s important for Black and Asian people to not just focus on white people, but spend time becoming better allies against racism.
Early movements of third-world unity including Black people, Asians from different ethnicities, Native Americans, and LatinX people, as well as working in a coalition with progressive white people.
Racist, stereotypical messages immigrants get about other groups before they come to the US and how those messages cause stress, conflict, and racism.
The dangers of Black people being stereotyped as “model activists”.
What African-Americans and Asians can do to create unity, learn from each other, and show support to end racism

Lee Mun Wah is an internationally renowned Chinese American documentary filmmaker, author, poet, Asian folk teller, educator, community therapist, and master diversity trainer. He is the Executive Director of StirFry Seminars & Consulting, a diversity training company that provides educational tools and workshops on cross-cultural communication and awareness, mindful facilitation, and conflict mediation techniques. His first documentary film, Stolen Ground, about the experience of Asian Americans, won honorable mention at the San Francisco International Film Festival. His most famous film about racism, The Color of Fear, won the Gold Medal for Best Social Studies Documentary and in 1995, Oprah Winfrey did a one-hour special on Lee Mun Wah’s life and work that was seen by many. His latest film, If These Halls Could Talk, was just released. The film’s focus is on college students and their experience with racism and other diversity issues in higher education. Thousands of people from government and social service agencies, corporations and educational institutions have taken Lee Mun Wah’s workshops and partnered with Stirfry Seminars & Consulting on their diversity initiatives.

Dr. Joel A. Davis Brown is the Chief Visionary Officer of Pneumos LLC, a management consulting and coaching company based in San Francisco, USA, specializing in cultural intelligence, leadership, change management, and strategic storytelling. As a change agent, Joel works strategically with organizational leaders to cultivate innovative, creative, and adaptive environments where the cultural genius of everyone can be harnessed and leveraged successfully. In particular, Joel works with organizational clients to foster psychological safety, healing, belonging, and transformation. His work spans five continents and his mission is to facilitate liberation for every global citizen.

Best known for his critical analysis, creativity, humor, and an ability to build consensus, Joel has partnered with Fortune 500 Companies, non-profit organizations, and government agencies to help them achieve sustained growth and organizational breakthroughs. His clients have ranged from LinkedIn to the United Nations, and his “sweet spots” have included men’s leadership, LGBT inclusion, interpersonal dialogue, and intercultural communication.

Contact information:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Pneumos
Twitter: @joelabrown7
Website: www.pneumos.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedn.com/in/joelanthonybrown

Episode 73: From Drug Addiction to Revolutionary Fitness, a Black Women’s Journey

February 22, 2021 Simma Lieberman

In this Conversation on Race, I’m joined by Pam Grimm, who talks about her experiences as a a Black woman in the fitness world. She’s 62 years old, has been teaching fitness since she was in her 50’s and says it’s never too late to get in shape. In this episode, she shares why getting shape is so important for everyone, and especially women of color.

Pam has been in recovery from drug addiction since 1993. In 2013, she decided to focus on fitness. And I’m telling you, this woman is fit. She is the author of two books, “#empowered: 90 Days of Enlightenment” which offers encouragement and spiritual inspiration, and #empowered: A Gratitude and Affirmations Journal

She is a certified personal trainer with the International Sports Sciences Association, a certified Group X Instructor, and a certified lifestyle wellness coach.

Key topics:

Her story of recovering from drug addiction
Her journey from drug addiction to fitness instructor
Women and fitness
How to get fit in the virtual world
Her motto “Don’t let your head tell you what you can’t do”
How to get your body to move
Her thoughts on being a Black woman in her 60’s teaching fitness
Black women and body image
Why getting in shape is revolutionary for women, especially women of color
Health care disparities and medical myths about Black people
How self-care is a weapon against racist medical policies
How to get started now even during Covid

About Pam Grimm

Pam Grimm is a corporate fitness instructor and currently teaches classes for corporations and individuals.

She is also a personal trainer and a health & wellness coach. Her training focuses on strength, flexibility and balance in order for her clients to become the best version of themselves.

Contacts

www.pamgfitness.com

Instagram

Episode 72: Growing Up Bicultural; Deanna Singh

February 3, 2021 Simma Lieberman

In this conversation on race Deanna Singh talks with me about growing up Asian-Indian, and African-American in Wisconsin.

Key topics include:

Deanna’s experience with parents from two different cultures
What it was like to be one of only two kids of color in an all-white school
The beauty and joy of talking about race
First experience with overt racism at the age of five from another five-year-old
Impact of last four years with Trump et al young people of color and vision for the future
Founding a publishing company for books with children of color
Her life experience- the lynching of her great grandfather who was black, the aftermath of 9/11 on her family with a Sikh father who wears a turban, and the attack on the Sikh Temple in her area
Why she believes in the triumph of love and advice for going further

About Deanna Singh

Deanna Singh is a highly respected thought leader who travels the world motivating and educating audiences about living with joy and purpose. A gifted communicator, she is a champion to marginalized communities and an inspiration to all those who want to be agents of change in their work, lives, and society.

Singh earned her Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies from Fordham University, a Juris Doctorate from Georgetown University, a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and certification in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion from Cornell University. She has impacted the world as a speaker, a teacher, a principal, a leader of large foundations, a social entrepreneur, a businesswoman, an author, a publisher, and a mother.

Deanna Singh Contact Info:

Website

Facebook

Instagram

Episode 71: LeRon Barton on white riots at the Capitol building

January 15, 2021 Simma Lieberman

Leron Barton, author, speaker, and social media influencer joins me in this conversation on race to talk about his perspective as a Black man in the US on the Capitol riots.

Topics include:

White riot insanity at the Capitol
How white people’s insurrection demonstrated the history and present state of racism in the US- it’s still here
If the rioters had been Black most would be dead, but because they were almost all white they were allowed to take over the building, threaten lawmakers and physically attack cops and other people who tried to stop them
The attack on the Capitol is treason, sedition, and fascist
Why participants need to be prosecuted to the extent of the law and not allowed to continue
How some people in congress, law enforcement, and other government employees aided and abetted the rioters
Why some Black, Brown, Asian and Jewish people support the racist actions of Trump and the white racist insurrection
How individualism and the mindset of not caring about anyone else but oneself permeates the US culture and perpetuates the spread of COVID
The different experiences, opportunities, and outlooks between ADOS (African Descendants of Slaves,) and Black people from Africa

About LeRon Barton

LeRon L. Barton is a writer from Kansas City, MO currently living in San Francisco, Ca. A graduate of Paseo Academy of Fine Arts, LeRon is the author of two books, “Straight Dope: A 360 degree look into American Drug Culture” and “All We Really Need Is Love: Stories of Dating, Relationships, Heartbreak, and Marriage.” In addition to the books, LeRon is an essayist; whose topics cover racism, mass incarceration, politics, gender, and dating. These works have appeared in Salon, The Good Men Project, Elephant Journal, East Bay Times, and MoAD. LeRon has also given talks and speeches at TedX Wilson Park, University of San Francisco, Glide Methodist Church, been a guest of Al Jazeera’s The Stream, Story Corp, Dr. Vibe’s Do You Know What Time It Is podcast, and has participated in panel discussions on race and prison recidivism. In his spare time, LeRon mentors young men in San Francisco and loves to backpack around the world.

www.leronbarton.com

Socials:

Facebook.com/LeRonLBarton
Twitter.com/MainlineLeRon
Instagram.com/leronlbarton

Episode 70: Race, Racism and Hope in 2021

December 30, 2020 Simma Lieberman

In this conversation on race, I’m joined by Dr. Joel A. Davis Brown to talk about his hope for the future as a Black man, why he’ll take the Covid vaccine, advice for Joe Biden and more.

Key topics in this episode:

Why it’s important for Black and other BIPOC people to have hopes for the future
How Biden can make a difference if the Democrats get control of the senate and the consequences to democracy if they do not
The real reasons that Black people have concerns about the vaccine for COVID 19 and what needs to be done to allay those fears
Why Dr. Joel A. Davis Brown is ready for the Covid 19 vaccine
What to say to people who claim Joe Biden is a white supremacist
How not voting is often a sign of privilege
How to respond when someone says Kamala Harris doesn’t like Black people
The truth about the Black, LatinX and Jewish people who support Trump
Advice, music playlist and reading recommendations

Dr. Joel A. Davis

Dr. Joel A. Davis Brown Bio

Dr. Joel A. Davis Brown is the Chief Visionary Officer of Pneumos LLC, a management consulting and coaching company based in San Francisco, USA, specializing in cultural intelligence, leadership, change management, and strategic storytelling. As a change agent, Joel works strategically with organizational leaders to cultivate innovative, creative, and adaptive environments where the cultural genius of everyone can be harnessed and leveraged successfully. In particular, Joel works with organizational clients to foster psychological safety, healing, belonging, and transformation. His work spans five continents and his mission is to facilitate liberation for every global citizen.

Contact information:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Pneumos
Twitter: @joelabrown7
Website: www.pneumos.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedn.com/in/joelanthonybrown

Episode 69: Conversation on race with Lee Mun Wah and Howard Ross

December 11, 2020 Simma Lieberman

In this conversation on race I’m joined by Diversity pioneers and original thought leaders Lee Mun Wah and Howard Ross to talk about the current state of diversity, racism and white supremacy in the US today

Howard is known for his cutting edge work on implicit bias and Mun Wah made the ground breaking film on race, Color of Fear.

Key Topics:

Origins and current state of the Trump executive order banning diversity and inclusion training in the government and companies that do business with the government
Threats against Howard Ross and his family for his work in diversity, equity and inclusion
The content of the letter suspending Mun Wah’s training with the government calling diversity and inclusion unpatriotic, propaganda and unamerican.
Why diversity, equity, inclusion and conversations on race are more important now than ever in the current culture of the US and across the globe
How Black people and others protesting in the name of social justice are being shot, threatened and attacked
Overcoming resistance and fear of diversity, conversations on race and social justice
Whose lives matter? Do white lives matter more than Black lives? Do heterosexual lives matter more than LGBTQ lives
The fact that the media doesn’t mention the large numbers of Native American women who have disappeared, the lack of funds to help Native American communities and the high Covid death rate in that community
How issues of racism against LatinX, Asian and other people of color are often neglected, trivialized and ignored
Intercultural
Health care disparities that result in higher death rates for Black women during childbirth than white women
Howard and Mun Wah share experiences engaging in dialogues with white supremacists

Guests Bio

Howard Ross is a lifelong social justice advocate and the Founder of Cook Ross. He is considered one of the world’s seminal thought leaders on identifying and addressing Unconscious Bias. Howard authored the Washington Post best seller, Everyday Bias: Identifying and Navigating Unconscious Judgments in Our Daily Lives (published by Rowman and Littlefield in 2014) and ReInventing Diversity: Transforming Organizational Community to Strengthen People, Purpose and Performance, (published by Rowman and Littlefield in conjunction with SHRM in 2011). His new book, Our Search for Belonging: How the Need for Connection is Tearing Our Culture Apart (with JonRobert Tartaglione)

Episode 68: Black Skin/White Fear

November 19, 2020 Simma Lieberman

Amy Nickerson joins me for this Conversation on Race to talk about how racism traumatizes Black families.

Amy is an educational consultant who focuses on race and race relations. She is the author of the book, “HOW DO YOU SEE US?: Our Lived Realities of Being Viewed As a Threat.

This book details and analyzes what she and her family have seen and experienced as it relates to issues of law enforcement. This is not Black vs. Blue. This isn’t about sides – the black side or the blue side. This is not an attack on the overall institution of law enforcement. Nor is this a scathing rebuke of every white law enforcement officer. As Amy states in her book, “This is about my perspective, my innermost feelings about how I am viewed as a Black person in America, why I feel vulnerable around police officers, and how it got this way.” Amy Nickerson recounts numerous encounters with police officers as well as ordinary white citizens insistent on policing black people.

Amy shares her experience with race and racism as a Black woman, mother of three children including Hardy Nickerson Jr. a linebacker in the NFL and as the wife of former NFL player and now a coach, Hardy Nickerson.

Key topics:

No matter who you are, or how much money you have, if you are Black in the US your position and money will not protect you from racism, discrimination and being targeted by law enforcement and white racists.
Her first experience with racism in elementary school.
White policing of Black people by white people.
All too frequent experiences of the Nickerson family being accused of stealing the cars they drive, or not belonging in their own neighborhood.
Why white people often resent Black people being successful, or living their own lives, and how they try to sabotage Black success.
Justified fear that Black women have every time their children leave the house.
Challenges of being Black on vacation, having to tell her son, he couldn’t wear the clothes he liked because it could be dangerous.
How many white people view Black skin as a threat and justify racist actions.
Solutions to white policing of Black people everyday.

Bio for Amy Nickerson

Amy Nickerson is an author, speaker, educational consultant, and antiracism & social justice advocate. Her book How Do You See Us?, an Amazon bestselling new release, details her family’s harrowing accounts of encounters with police and the racism they often experience. Using their stories, Amy unpacks the long reach of racism in America, exploring how and why tensions continue to escalate. She addresses audiences ranging from local schools to the FBI National Academy, guiding conversations about race and social justice.

Married 31 years to husband Hardy, former NFL All-Pro linebacker and NFL/College coach, and having raised three student-athletes, Amy also possesses extensive knowledge and understanding of sports at the professional, college and high school levels. She is experienced in curriculum development and college instruction specializing in student-athletes’ experiences and the impact of structural forces and systemic racism on their lives. Amy holds two degrees from UC Berkeley – BA (Afro-American Studies/Social Sciences) and MA (Education – Cultural Studies of Sport in Education), and is a Board member and chair of the Education Committee for the Freedom Football League (FFL), a newly formed professional football league.

Contact info:

Book: How Do You See Us? Our Lived Realities of Being Viewed As a Threat

Episode 67: How Racism is a Health Hazard

November 7, 2020 Simma Lieberman

In this conversation on race, I’m joined by Dr. Elwood Watson, a Professor of History and African American Studies at East Tennessee State University. His areas of specialty are in 20th Century Post World War II U.S. History, African American History, African American Studies, Gender Studies, Popular Culture, and ethnographic studies.

Elwood is an author. His most recent book is “Keeping it Real,” essays on race and racism, white supremacy, and contemporary issue in the Black community.

Key topics:

First experience with racism at his first job
Donald Trump and white supremacy, antisemitism, homophobia
Violence against Black bodies
Self-hatred and internalized oppression in the Black community
Thoughts on Bill Maher and racism
The candidacy of Hillary Clinton and why she lost
How racism is a health hazard
The candidacy of Joe Biden
Sexuality in popular culture
Living, driving, jogging while Black

Dr. Elwood Watson

Dr. Elwood Watson is a professor of history, African American Studies, and Gender Studies at East Tennessee State University. He is the author of several books and articles. His latest work Performing American Masculinities: The 21st Century Man in Popular Culture published by Indiana University Press.

Links for Dr. Elwood Watson

LinkedIn

Book interview

Breonna Taylor

Ethnic Studies in Higher Ed

My book review

Episode 66: White Privilege Conference/Black Leadership

October 30, 2020 Simma Lieberman

Dr. Eddie Moore and Dr. Joe-Joe McManus join me on Everyday Conversations on Race to talk about white privilege, Black people and other people of color working with white people, and racial justice.

Dr. Moore founded the White Privilege Conference in 1999. Dr. McManus is a well-known award-winning educator and leader in the anti-racist, social justice movement in higher education for over twenty years.

Key Topics in this episode:

Eddie’s experience and challenges as a Black person leading and recruiting people for the White Privilege Conference
How he helps white people grow and better understand racism
The need for white anti-racists to support and follow Black leadership and learn from Black excellence/Black genius
How Joe-Joe a white Jewish/Irish man and Eddie an African American man started working together and build a strong friendship and working relationship based on trust and love.
Why many White people have a hard time hearing about race, racism and white privilege from BIPOC and listen better to white people
When white people and BIPOC people need to be in their own affinity groups to talk amongst themselves and when they need to come together and work in coalition and engage with each other
How the most successful social justice movements were people working across race and other differences in coalition and partnership
Ensuring that everyone has skin in the game, not just Black people
How to have more conversations on race

Dr. Joe-Joe McManus has established himself over more than 25 years as a leader at the intersections of leadership development, antiracism education, and inclusive excellence. He has held faculty, staff, and executive roles, including Chief Diversity Officer. He has served at an HBCU, an international university, an Ivy League institution, a religious based university, and at the public university system level.

Dr. Joe-Joe, as he is known, also has extensive public speaking, consulting, coaching, and advising experience across sectors.

Contact Information

Joe-Joe McManus, Ph.D.

phone: 508.982.3745

email: drjoejoe@outlook.com

website: www.drjoejoe.com

linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/drjoejoe

Dr. Eddie Moore, Jr., is recognized as one of the nation’s top motivational speakers and educators, especially for his work with students K–16. Eddie is the Founder/Program Director for the White Privilege Conference, and under his direction and inclusive relationship model, the conference has become one of the top national and international conferences for participants who want to move beyond dialogue and into action around issues of diversity, power, privilege, and leadership.

Contact information:
Twitter: @eddieknowsmoore
Instagram: eddiemoorejr
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/eddiemoorejr

Episode 65 : The War In Portland Oregon

October 16, 2020 Simma Lieberman

In this conversation on race, I’m joined by Kathleen Saadat veteran civil rights activist in Portland, Oregon.

Kathleen shares her observations on the demonstrations in Portland, the federal troop presence, tear gassing of demonstrators and controversies surrounding the Moms and the Dad with Leaf blowers.

Key Topics:

• The fact that there have been large numbers of Black people in Portland, Black clubs, and soul food restaurants in North and Northeast neighborhoods

• Sundown laws in Oregon but there were still Black people living there

• Protests in Portland, tear gas and attacks against protests

• Moms marching and dads coming with leaf blowers to stop the tear gas

• People who were committing violence were in the minority and mainly provocateurs

• Most protestors were peaceful

• The violence against Black people and minimization of the value of Black values

• The problem that agent provocateurs are seen as representing protestors

• How young people have been great at bringing people together for Black Lives Matter and social justice from different backgrounds and world views

• Importance of having a vision

• Why she hates cancel culture because people have been raised a certain way and we need to educate them

• Black people are a small number of people in the US and need to build coalitions • Kathleen Saadat’s vision for long-term change

• How to address the need for people to understand history and how government is supposed to work

• The need for a truth and reconciliation program in every state

• How we can bring people into the equality community

• Why self-righteousness is another form of violence

• Why we need conversations instead of just canceling people

• The danger of cancel culture

• Why we have to allow people to change

• Why the Ten Point Program of the Black Panther Party is still relevant

Bio for Kathleen Saadat

Kathleen Saadat has served Oregon’s LGBTQ community as a mentor and confidant for nearly 40 years. In 1976, she and six others organized Portland’s first gay rights march. Later, she worked with a team of city employees to craft the Portland’s civil rights ordinance, which prohibited discrimination against gay and lesbian people and discrimination based on legal source of income. In 1992, she served on the steering committee for the campaign against Ballot Measure 9, which, had it passed, would have rendered GLBTQ people second class citizens.

An activist and advocate for African American rights and the rights of other people of color, for women’s rights, and for economic justice for all, Kathleen was a planner and participant in Portland’s International Women’s Day Celebration..

Kathleen Saadat has received lifetime achievement awards from in recognition of her contributions to the efforts to “Keep Living the Dream” of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. She has been listed as one of “100 Who Lead in Oregon” by Oregon Business magazine.

She is a former member of the Oregon State University’s board of visitors for minority affairs.

Contact info for Kathleen Saadat

BanLon@msn.com

Simma Lieberman

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