Everyday Racism is Closer Than You Think

While most of us feel outrage at bigotry and racism that gets highlighted in the news, many of us feel an abstract anger because we don't see ourselves or people we love in the victims.

When I lead workshops and share examples of racism from my own life, my students say they have a better understanding of what had felt abstract to them. They know me, so their feelings about what happened to me aren't hypothetical.

My friend and colleague Shannon Mitchell, owner of Shealo Glo and co-host of the Women Connected in Wisdom podcast, called me recently after having been profiled and questioned about her right to use a space she had rented for her business. A white man, who had nothing to do with her use of the space, called the cops on her team, and they were unable to complete her photo session.

I asked her to talk about the incident and how this casual, everyday racism gets in the way of Black folks and other people of color just living our lives.