What Conservatives - and Liberals - Get Wrong About Antiracism

Ibram X. Kendi on What Conservatives - and Liberals - Get Wrong About Antiracism

“What if instead of a feelings advocacy we had an outcome advocacy that put equitable outcomes before our guilt and anguish?” wrote Ibram X. Kendi in his 2019 book “How to Be an Antiracist.” “What if we focused our human and fiscal resources on changing power and policy to actually make society, not just our feelings, better?”

This months podcast is an interview of Ibram X. Kendi by Ezra Klein which to me is one of the most insightful and educational conversations with Dr. Kendi that I’ve heard to date. Ezra has really internalized the deeper focus of Kendi’s book and asks good hard questions about the work. He helps try to get past the surface level actions and get to the heart of what Kendi is truly asking for people to drive change on.

This one came as a recommendation to me, and I’m truly grateful that it did. I hope you enjoy it as well.

Suggested discussion questions (if you need something to start the conversation):

• What does it mean to drive radical change? And do you think we’re being radical enough?

• Dr. Kendi’s position is that if you support policies that reduce racial inequality you are being antiracist; if you aren’t, you’re being racist. Do you agree?

• It’s hard to make real change. Why do you think it’s so hard?