I used to think that if I befriended all backgrounds, avoided using clichés about people, and treated everyone the same, I would be considered an open-minded, non-biased, pro-people kind of person. I grew up in a hyper-race-conscious household (take that as you'd like), and my way of rebelling (of sorts) was to become a tad more liberal and question why many white people take it SO hard when their personal biases are highlighted and questioned.
I don't want to feel uncomfortable talking about race. I don't want my hair to bristle when I heard the term "white privilege." And I definitely don't want to be ignorant about how I can do my part to be culturally sensitive and inspire open-mindedness in others. If not just for me and the friends I will make in the future, for my son - a beautiful, social little person with a Latino father and a white mother.
This FB Live conversation with Susan O'Halloran (racebridgesstudio.com) reminded me just how easy it is to be ignorant about inclusivity, and I want to share it with everyone.
Why is race so hard to talk about? Why are we told to take it personally? If you've ever wondered just how culturally sensitive you are, do yourself a favor - watch it.