You can help stop the violence against young black men | Verna Myers | TEDxBeaconStreet
-
0:17 - 0:20I was on a long road trip this summer,
-
0:20 - 0:23and I was having
a wonderful time listening -
0:23 - 0:28to the amazing Isabela Wilkerson's
"The Warmth of Other Suns." -
0:28 - 0:35It documents six million black folks
fleeing the South from 1915 to 1970 -
0:37 - 0:41looking for a respite
from all the brutality -
0:41 - 0:45and trying to get to a better opportunity
up North, -
0:45 - 0:49and it was filled with stories
of the resilience and the brilliance -
0:49 - 0:51of African-Americans,
-
0:51 - 0:56and it was also really hard to hear
all the stories of the horrors -
0:56 - 0:59and the humility,
and all the humiliations. -
1:01 - 1:06It was especially hard to hear
about the beatings and the burnings -
1:06 - 1:08and the lynchings of black men.
-
1:08 - 1:11And I said, "You know,
this is a little deep. -
1:11 - 1:15I need a break.
I'm going to turn on the radio." -
1:16 - 1:18I turned it on, and there it was:
-
1:18 - 1:21Ferguson, Missouri,
-
1:21 - 1:23Michael Brown,
-
1:23 - 1:2518-year-old black man,
-
1:25 - 1:31unarmed, shot by a white police officer,
laid on the ground dead, -
1:31 - 1:34blood running for four hours
-
1:35 - 1:40while his grandmother and little children
and his neighbors watched in horror, -
1:40 - 1:42and I thought,
-
1:43 - 1:45here it is again.
-
1:46 - 1:49This violence, this brutality
against black men -
1:49 - 1:52has been going on for centuries.
-
1:52 - 1:57I mean, it's the same story.
It's just different names. -
1:57 - 2:00It could have been Amadou Diallo.
-
2:02 - 2:04It could have been Sean Bell.
-
2:05 - 2:07It could have been Oscar Grant.
-
2:09 - 2:11It could have been Trayvon Martin.
-
2:12 - 2:15This violence, this brutality,
-
2:15 - 2:18is really something that's part
of our national psyche. -
2:18 - 2:21It's part of our collective history.
-
2:21 - 2:23What are we going to do about it?
-
2:24 - 2:27And I know
that we've actually got to demand -
2:27 - 2:29justice for Ferguson, Missouri,
-
2:29 - 2:31and I don't know what they're going to do
-
2:31 - 2:34when they come back from Grand Jury,
I don't know, -
2:34 - 2:36but I do know
that the people who are responsible -
2:36 - 2:38have to be held accountable
-
2:38 - 2:41and the institutions
have to held responsible as well, -
2:41 - 2:44and there's probably training
that has to happen with police officers -
2:44 - 2:47and there need to be more monitoring
of these events, -
2:47 - 2:49and we need new laws,
-
2:49 - 2:52but I want to know what are we going to do
-
2:52 - 2:55about the Ferguson that's in us?
-
2:56 - 3:00You know that part of us
that still crosses the street, -
3:02 - 3:04locks the doors,
-
3:04 - 3:06clutches the purses,
-
3:06 - 3:08when we see young black men?
-
3:08 - 3:10That part.
-
3:11 - 3:15I mean, I know we're not
shooting people down in the street, -
3:15 - 3:19but I'm saying that the same stereotypes
and prejudices -
3:19 - 3:22that fuel those kinds of tragic incidents
-
3:22 - 3:24are in us.
-
3:24 - 3:27We've been schooled in them as well.
-
3:28 - 3:34I believe that we can stop
these types of incidents, -
3:35 - 3:37these Fergusons from happening,
-
3:38 - 3:42by looking within
and being willing to change ourselves. -
3:43 - 3:46So I have a call to action for you.
-
3:46 - 3:50There are three things that I want
to offer us today to think about -
3:50 - 3:54as ways to stop Ferguson
from happening again; -
3:55 - 3:58three things that I think will help us
-
3:58 - 4:01reform our images of young black men;
-
4:01 - 4:06three things that I'm hoping
will not only protect them -
4:06 - 4:10but will open the world
so that they can thrive. -
4:10 - 4:12Can you imagine that?
-
4:12 - 4:16Can you imagine our country
embracing young black men, -
4:16 - 4:21seeing them as part of our future,
giving them that kind of openness, -
4:21 - 4:24that kind of grace we give
to people we love? -
4:25 - 4:27How much better would our lives be?
-
4:27 - 4:29How much better would our country be?
-
4:29 - 4:32Let me just start with number one.
-
4:33 - 4:35We've got to get out of denial.
-
4:38 - 4:40Stop trying to be good people.
-
4:40 - 4:42We need real people.
-
4:42 - 4:44You know, I do a lot of diversity work,
-
4:44 - 4:47and people will come up to me
at the beginning of the workshop. -
4:47 - 4:51They're like, "Oh, Ms. Diversity Lady,
we're so glad you're here" -- -
4:51 - 4:53(Laughter) --
-
4:53 - 4:55"but we don't have a biased bone
in our body." -
4:56 - 4:58And I'm like, "Really?
-
4:58 - 5:02Because I do this work every day,
and I see all my biases." -
5:02 - 5:05I mean, not too long ago, I was on a plane
-
5:05 - 5:10and I heard the voice of a woman pilot
coming over the P.A. system, -
5:10 - 5:12and I was just so excited, so thrilled.
-
5:12 - 5:15I was like, "Yes, women,
we are rocking it. -
5:15 - 5:17We are now in the stratosphere."
-
5:17 - 5:21It was all good, and then it started
getting turbulent and bumpy, -
5:21 - 5:22and I was like,
-
5:22 - 5:24"I hope she can drive."
-
5:24 - 5:26(Laughter)
-
5:26 - 5:27I know. Right.
-
5:27 - 5:29But it's not even like
I knew that was a bias -
5:29 - 5:33until I was coming back on the other leg
and there's always a guy driving -
5:33 - 5:35and it's often turbulent and bumpy,
-
5:35 - 5:37and I've never questioned
the confidence of the male driver. -
5:37 - 5:39The pilot is good.
-
5:39 - 5:41Now, here's the problem.
-
5:43 - 5:48If you ask me explicitly,
I would say, "Female pilot: awesome." -
5:49 - 5:53But it appears that when things get funky
and a little troublesome, a little risky, -
5:54 - 5:57I lean on a bias that I didn't even know
that I had. -
5:57 - 6:00You know, fast-moving planes in the sky,
-
6:00 - 6:02I want a guy.
-
6:02 - 6:04That's my default.
-
6:04 - 6:06Men are my default.
-
6:07 - 6:09Who is your default?
-
6:10 - 6:12Who do you trust?
-
6:12 - 6:14Who are you afraid of?
-
6:14 - 6:17Who do you implicitly feel connected to?
-
6:17 - 6:20Who do you run away from?
-
6:20 - 6:23I'm going to tell you
what we have learned. -
6:23 - 6:28The implicit association test,
which measures unconscious bias, -
6:29 - 6:30you can go online and take it.
-
6:30 - 6:33Five million people have taken it.
-
6:33 - 6:35Turns out, our default is white.
-
6:36 - 6:38We like white people.
-
6:39 - 6:41We prefer white.
What do I mean by that? -
6:41 - 6:46When people are shown images
of black men and white men, -
6:46 - 6:50we are more quickly able to associate
-
6:50 - 6:55that picture with a positive word,
that white person with a positive word, -
6:55 - 6:57than we are
when we are trying to associate -
6:57 - 7:00positive with a black face,
and vice versa. -
7:01 - 7:03When we see a black face,
-
7:03 - 7:07it is easier for us to connect
black with negative -
7:09 - 7:11than it is white with negative.
-
7:11 - 7:16Seventy percent of white people
taking that test prefer white. -
7:18 - 7:21Fifty percent of black people
taking that test prefer white. -
7:22 - 7:26You see, we were all outside
when the contamination came down. -
7:28 - 7:33What do we do about the fact
that our brain automatically associates? -
7:35 - 7:40You know, one of the things
that you probably are thinking about, -
7:40 - 7:42and you're probably like, you know what,
-
7:42 - 7:46I'm just going to double down
on my color blindness. -
7:46 - 7:48Yes, I'm going to recommit to that.
-
7:48 - 7:50I'm going to suggest to you, no.
-
7:50 - 7:53We've gone about as far as we can go
trying to make a difference -
7:53 - 7:55trying to not see color.
-
7:55 - 7:57The problem was never that we saw color.
-
7:57 - 7:59It was what we did when we saw the color.
-
7:59 - 8:01It's a false ideal.
-
8:03 - 8:06And while we're busy
pretending not to see, -
8:06 - 8:09we are not being aware of the ways
in which racial difference -
8:09 - 8:15is changing people's possibilities,
that's keeping them from thriving, -
8:15 - 8:19and sometimes it's causing
them an early death. -
8:20 - 8:25So in fact, what the scientists
are telling us is, no way. -
8:25 - 8:28Don't even think about color blindness.
-
8:28 - 8:30In fact, what they're suggesting is,
-
8:30 - 8:34stare at awesome black people.
-
8:35 - 8:37(Laughter)
-
8:37 - 8:41Look at them directly in their faces
and memorize them, -
8:42 - 8:47because when we look at awesome folks
who are black, -
8:47 - 8:49it helps to dissociate
-
8:50 - 8:54the association that happens
automatically in our brain. -
8:55 - 9:00Why do you think I'm showing you
these beautiful black men behind me? -
9:02 - 9:04There were so many, I had to cut them.
-
9:04 - 9:06Okay, so here's the thing:
-
9:06 - 9:10I'm trying to reset your automatic
associations about who black men are. -
9:11 - 9:13I'm trying to remind you
-
9:14 - 9:19that young black men
grow up to be amazing human beings -
9:19 - 9:23who have changed our lives
and made them better. -
9:24 - 9:26So here's the thing.
-
9:27 - 9:30The other possibility in science,
-
9:30 - 9:33and it's only temporarily changing
our automatic assumptions, -
9:33 - 9:35but one thing we know
-
9:35 - 9:40is that if you take a white person
who is odious that you know, -
9:40 - 9:43and stick it up next to a person of color,
-
9:43 - 9:45a black person, who is fabulous,
-
9:45 - 9:48then that sometimes actually
causes us to disassociate too. -
9:49 - 9:52So think Jeffrey Dahmer and Colin Powell.
-
9:54 - 9:56Just stare at them, right?
(Laughter) -
9:56 - 9:59But these are the things.
So go looking for your bias. -
9:59 - 10:03Please, please, just get out of denial
and go looking for disconfirming data -
10:03 - 10:08that will prove that in fact
your old stereotypes are wrong. -
10:08 - 10:10Okay, so that's number one: number two,
-
10:10 - 10:14what I'm going to say is move toward
young black men instead of away from them. -
10:14 - 10:17It's not the hardest thing to do,
-
10:17 - 10:20but it's also one of these things
-
10:21 - 10:23where you have to be conscious
and intentional about it. -
10:23 - 10:28You know, I was in a Wall Street area
one time several years ago -
10:28 - 10:31when I was with a colleague of mine,
and she's really wonderful -
10:31 - 10:34and she does diversity work with me
and she's a woman of color, she's Korean. -
10:34 - 10:36We were outside, it was late at night,
-
10:36 - 10:39and we were wondering
where we were going, we were lost. -
10:39 - 10:43And I saw this person across the street,
and I was thinking, "Oh great, black guy." -
10:43 - 10:46I was going toward him
without even thinking about it. -
10:46 - 10:49And she was like,
"Oh, that's interesting." -
10:49 - 10:52The guy across the street,
he was a black guy. -
10:52 - 10:56I think black guys generally
know where they're going. -
10:56 - 10:59I don't know why exactly I think that,
but that's what I think. -
10:59 - 11:05So she was saying,
"Oh, you were going, 'Yay, a black guy'?" -
11:05 - 11:08She said, "I was going,
'Ooh, a black guy.'" -
11:08 - 11:11Other direction. Same need,
same guy, same clothes, -
11:11 - 11:15same time, same street,
different reaction. -
11:15 - 11:17And she said, "I feel so bad.
I'm a diversity consultant. -
11:17 - 11:20I did the black guy thing.
I'm a woman of color. Oh my God!" -
11:20 - 11:24And I said, "You know what? Please.
We really need to relax about this." -
11:24 - 11:28I mean, you've got to realize
I go way back with black guys. -
11:28 - 11:30(Laughter)
-
11:31 - 11:34My dad is a black guy.
You see what I'm saying? -
11:34 - 11:37I've got a 6'5" black guy son.
I was married to a black guy. -
11:37 - 11:40My black guy thing is so wide and so deep
-
11:40 - 11:44that I can pretty much sort
and figure out who that black guy is, -
11:44 - 11:47and he was my black guy.
-
11:47 - 11:50He said, "Yes, ladies, I know
where you're going. I'll take you there." -
11:51 - 11:54You know, biases are the stories
we make up about people -
11:54 - 11:57before we know who they actually are.
-
11:57 - 11:59But how are we going to know who they are
-
11:59 - 12:03when we've been told to avoid
and be afraid of them? -
12:03 - 12:07So I'm going to tell you
to walk toward your discomfort. -
12:08 - 12:11And I'm not asking you
to take any crazy risks. -
12:11 - 12:14I'm saying, just do an inventory,
-
12:15 - 12:19expand your social
and professional circles. -
12:20 - 12:22Who's in your circle?
-
12:22 - 12:24Who's missing?
-
12:24 - 12:27How many authentic relationships
-
12:28 - 12:33do you have with young black people,
folks, men, women? -
12:35 - 12:39Or any other major difference
from who you are -
12:39 - 12:42and how you roll, so to speak?
-
12:42 - 12:45Because, you know what?
Just look around your periphery. -
12:45 - 12:48There may be somebody at work,
in your classroom, -
12:48 - 12:51in your house of worship, somewhere,
there's some black young guy there. -
12:51 - 12:53And you're nice. You say hi.
-
12:53 - 12:56I'm saying go deeper, closer, further,
-
12:56 - 12:59and build the kinds of relationships,
-
12:59 - 13:04the kinds of friendships that actually
cause you to see the holistic person -
13:04 - 13:07and to really go against the stereotypes.
-
13:08 - 13:09I know some of you are out there,
-
13:09 - 13:13I know because I have some white friends
in particular that will say, -
13:13 - 13:15"You have no idea how awkward I am.
-
13:15 - 13:18Like, I don't think
this is going to work for me. -
13:18 - 13:19I'm sure I'm going to blow this."
-
13:19 - 13:23Okay, maybe, but this thing
is not about perfection. -
13:23 - 13:25It's about connection.
-
13:25 - 13:30And you're not going to get comfortable
before you get uncomfortable. -
13:30 - 13:32I mean, you just have to do it.
-
13:32 - 13:34And young black men, what I'm saying is
-
13:34 - 13:39if someone comes your way, genuinely
and authentically, take the invitation. -
13:39 - 13:42Not everyone is out to get you.
-
13:42 - 13:45Go looking for those people
who can see your humanity. -
13:45 - 13:49You know, it's the empathy
and the compassion -
13:49 - 13:54that comes out of having relationships
with people who are different from you. -
13:54 - 13:56Something really powerful
and beautiful happens: -
13:56 - 13:59you start to realize that they are you,
-
13:59 - 14:01that they are part of you,
-
14:01 - 14:04that they are you in your family,
-
14:05 - 14:08and then we cease to be bystanders
-
14:08 - 14:12and we become actors,
we become advocates, -
14:12 - 14:14and we become allies.
-
14:15 - 14:19So go away from your comfort
into a bigger, brighter thing, -
14:20 - 14:24because that is how we will stop
another Ferguson from happening. -
14:25 - 14:27That's how we create a community
-
14:27 - 14:30where everybody,
especially young black men, can thrive. -
14:30 - 14:33So this last thing is going to be harder,
-
14:33 - 14:37and I know it, but I'm just
going to put it out there anyway. -
14:37 - 14:41When we see something, we have to have
the courage to say something, -
14:41 - 14:44even to the people we love.
-
14:45 - 14:48You know, it's holidays
and it's going to be a time -
14:48 - 14:52when we're sitting around the table
and having a good time. -
14:52 - 14:54Many of us, anyways, will be in holidays,
-
14:54 - 14:58and you've got to listen
to the conversations around the table. -
15:00 - 15:02You start to say things like,
-
15:03 - 15:05"Grandma's a bigot."
-
15:05 - 15:08(Laughter)
-
15:08 - 15:11"Uncle Joe is racist."
-
15:11 - 15:15And you know, we love Grandma
and we love Uncle Joe. We do. -
15:15 - 15:21We know they're "good people",
but what they're saying is wrong. -
15:22 - 15:27And we need to be able to say something,
because you know who else is at the table? -
15:29 - 15:32The children are at the table.
-
15:32 - 15:37And we wonder why these biases don't die,
and move from generation to generation? -
15:37 - 15:40Because we're not saying anything.
-
15:41 - 15:46We've got to be willing to say, "Grandma,
we don't call people that anymore." -
15:47 - 15:51"Uncle Joe, it isn't true
that he deserved that. -
15:52 - 15:55No one deserves that."
-
15:55 - 15:58And we've got to be willing
-
15:58 - 16:03to not shelter our children
from the ugliness of racism -
16:03 - 16:07when black parents don't have
the luxury to do so, -
16:07 - 16:10especially those who have
young black sons. -
16:11 - 16:15We've got to take our lovely darlings,
our future, -
16:15 - 16:22and we've got to tell them we have
an amazing country with incredible ideals, -
16:22 - 16:26we have worked incredibly hard,
and we have made some progress, -
16:26 - 16:28but we are not done.
-
16:28 - 16:32We still have in us this old stuff
-
16:33 - 16:36about superiority and it is causing us
-
16:36 - 16:39to embed those further
into our institutions -
16:39 - 16:41and our society and generations,
-
16:41 - 16:44and it is making for despair
-
16:44 - 16:51and disparities and a devastating
devaluing of young black men. -
16:52 - 16:54We still struggle, you have to tell them,
-
16:54 - 16:57with seeing both the color
-
16:57 - 17:00and the character of young black men,
-
17:00 - 17:04but that you, and you expect them,
-
17:05 - 17:09to be part of the forces of change
in this society -
17:09 - 17:15that will stand against injustice
and is willing, above all other things, -
17:16 - 17:23to make a society where young black men
can be seen for all of who they are. -
17:26 - 17:29So many amazing black men,
-
17:30 - 17:37those who are the most amazing
statesmen that have ever lived, -
17:39 - 17:42brave soldiers,
-
17:43 - 17:45awesome, hardworking laborers.
-
17:46 - 17:50These are people
who are powerful preachers. -
17:51 - 17:55They are incredible scientists
and artists and writers. -
17:57 - 18:00They are dynamic comedians.
-
18:01 - 18:04They are doting grandpas,
-
18:06 - 18:08caring sons.
-
18:09 - 18:12They are strong fathers,
-
18:14 - 18:18and they are young men
with dreams of their own. -
18:19 - 18:20Thank you.
-
18:20 - 18:23(Applause)
- Title:
- You can help stop the violence against young black men | Verna Myers | TEDxBeaconStreet
- Description:
-
This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. Our biases can be dangerous, even deadly — as we've seen in the cases of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and Eric Garner, in Staten Island, New York. Diversity advocate Vernā Myers looks closely at some of the subconscious attitudes we hold toward out-groups. She makes a plea to all people: Acknowledge your biases. Then move toward, not away from, the groups that make you uncomfortable. In a funny, impassioned, important talk, she shows us how.
- Video Language:
- English
- Team:
- closed TED
- Project:
- TEDxTalks
- Duration:
- 18:46