No sooner did we all feel the relief of the George Floyd verdict last week, that even more Black Americans were needlessly shot and killed by police officers. It’s upsetting, it’s infuriating, it’s terrifying. And we all need speak up and work toward the long overdue, morally essential change that’s needed to create a more equitable future for all of our kids.
So we’re wanted to rerun this wonderful 2020 interview with Rene Syler, a veteran broadcast journalist, witty author, prolific public speaker and Black mom of two. She offers incredibly thoughtful insight and guidance on speaking up about racism, especially if you don’t know where to start, and how to identify it in ways you might not have considered.
If you’ve heard this interview, it’s a perfect time for a refresher; or if it’s new to you, we hope you’ll get a lot out of it. It’s every bit as relevant as it was last summer. Or as Rene put it when we spoke, “Here we are. Again.”
Take a listen right now, and be sure you’re subscribed to the Spawned Parenting Podcast on Apple Podcasts so you never miss an episode.
Some of Rene’s Recommendations
Read: White Fragility by Robin d’Angelo, which she’s discussing now in her Tough Topics Book Club online
Listen to: Malcolm Gladwell’s Revisionist History podcast
Follow: @MichaelHarriot on Twitter
Watch: Just Mercy, starting Michael B Jordan, Jamie Foxx, and Brie Larsen
And of course you can follow Rene at @GoodEnufMother on Twitter, on Instagram, and on her personal Facebook page for all the good unfiltered political talk. And humor! Also check out Communicators Academy, where she coaches others to be better public speakers too.
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Thank you to our awesome sponsors for their support
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Image: © Kristen Chase for Cool Mom Picks
We’re also happy for the support of Star Stable Entertainment, makers of the popular Star Stable Online and The Soul Riders trilogy of books — as you can see, Kristen’s daughter is a massive fan! They’ve just launched the final installment in the series: Soul Riders: Darkness Falling, which combines friendship, magic, horses, and a powerful message about how readers can be the heroes in their own adventures.
They’ve also launched Read.Write.Unite, a series of writing masterclasses on YouTube lead by last week’s Spawned guest, Helena Dahlgren. (It’s a great interview if you haven’t listened yet.) They’re even hosting a short story competition, in which one lucky young winner will have their story turned into an Instagram comic.
To learn more about the writing masterclass, visit Star Stable’s YouTube channel or @StarStableOnline on Instagram. You can purchase Soul Riders: Darkness Falling, along with the other two books in the trilogy from Amazon
Top image: Kalea Morgan via Unsplash
