Episode 51 - A word with our listeners...

The topic of discussion for months has been the global pandemic. Overnight, the discussion changed to something that quite frankly has been right under our noses all along: Racial Inequality in the United States. Over the past week we’ve seen a lot of brands taking action and delivering strong messages of solidarity with our communities.

In taking the time to reflect on how we can make a difference towards ending the racial injustice in America, we’ve decided to take this week off from our typical content. This week we encourage a different call-to-action. We’ve compiled a list of resources to get involved. Everything from organizations to donate to, articles, books to share with children, videos and other items. These will be linked in the show notes that you can find at mojomedialabs.com/podcast.

Continue to stay safe and we’ll be back soon.

These Brands Are Speaking Out Against Racism on Social Media

When the Covid-19 pandemic hit the U.S., brands quickly stepped up to reassure frightened Americans that they were there for them. In countless campaigns, brands let the public know that they were helping by donating money, making masks and giving consumers grace periods on things like utility and mortgage payments.

But when black Americans are being killed—whether by police as in the case of Minnesota’s George Floyd, who was suffocated by a white police officer who pinned him down by kneeling on his neck on Monday, or in incidents like the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, who was chased and fatally shot by three white neighbors while out on a run in his Georgia neighborhood on Feb. 23—the silence of the corporate world can be deafening.

U.S. Businesses Must Take Meaningful Action Against Racism

The American Psychological Association has declared that we are living in a racism pandemic, which brings with it tragedy and injustice. Everyone, including U.S. businesses, must do their duty to be a part of the change and solution. The Harvard Business Review covers some common missteps to avoid when participating in the conversation.

"Millions of Black people and their allies are hurting. And these issues are not ones that organizations or their leaders — from CEOs at the top of the hierarchy to team managers on the frontline — can ignore."

Where to Donate

Minnesota Freedom Fund (Donate here)

Campaign Zero (Donate here)

Books to Read

"Freedom Is a Constant Struggle" by Angela Davis

"The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander

"Born a Crime" by Trevor Noah

Podcasts to Listen to

1619 by the New York Times

About Race

Momentum: a Race Forward Podcast

The Diversity Gap

Books to Share with Children

"My People" by Langston Hughes

"Homemade Love" by bell hooks

"Momma, Did You Hear the News" by Sanya Whitaker Gragg

"We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices" edited by Wade Hudson & Cheryl Willis Hudson

"Shades of Black" by Sandra L. Pinkney & Myles C. Pinkney

"Not My Idea" by Anastasia Higginbotham

Videos to Watch

13th (Stream on Netflix)

If Beale Street Could Talk (Stream on Hulu)

I am Not Your Negro (Rent on YouTube)

The Hate U Give (Stream on Hulu)

See You Yesterday (Stream on Netflix)

Source: Thanks to Trainual for providing some of these resources.