So where do we go from here? Can we ultimately heal the deep wounds and achieve an anti-racist future? Our subjects weigh in.
“Do I see an anti-racist future? Absolutely. I have hope.”
-Peter Limata
For Peter Limata, watching his kids, seeing the way they learn and embrace anti-racist practices makes him optimistic. “Do I see an anti-racist future? Absolutely. I have hope.”
Watch PETER LIMATA’s full Black Truth Video HERE.
“Do I think in my lifetime that I will see an anti-racist culture? Yes, I think I’ll see a form of it. It’s going to be messy because that’s the only way this country knows how to be.”
-George McCalman
Even George McCalman thinks such a future is possible. “Do I think in my lifetime that I will see an anti-racist culture? Yes, I think I’ll see a form of it. It’s going to be messy because that’s the only way this country knows how to be. So it’s not going to be tidy. And part of this process is basically unraveling this false narrative of American perfection.”
Watch george mccalman’s full Black Truth Video here.
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History isn’t a story, solidified in amber—something for us to simply admire or memorize. It’s context. It is the outline that allows the present to be truly visible.
From microaggressions to blatant acts of outright racism, each of our subjects has come up against the reality of trying to succeed within a white supremecist system, and, for better or worse, that has professionally shaped who and where they are today.
On May 25th, 2020, George Floyd was murdered by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who handcuffed him and kneeled on his neck until he died. The brutal, 8-minute-long-video was beamed to nearly every single phone on the planet.
“There are things that Black people are sharing—they are being more vulnerable with themselves, asking for advocacy, asking for non-Black people, particularly white people to come in and do the work and to keep moving forward,” says Dr. Akilah Cadet.
Black joy is both a celebration and an act of resistance—a blowing defeat to a system that is designed to keep happiness and success just out of reach for entire communities of people. We talked to our subjects about how they find joy, how they express it, and how they share it.
After the past four years of in-your-face hate and blatant incompetence, it can be easy for those who don’t have battle of discrimination and white supremecy on a daily baisis to feel like the war has been won. But for many, it’s just another opportunity for injustices to go into hiding, and for allies to take their foot off the gas.
There is no talking about Black Truth without wading deep into the realities of racism. From the persistent sting of microaggressions to the gut punch of hate speech, each subject has a unique—but sadly familiar—story to share.
When advocacy is built in to everything you do—work, relationships, parenting—self-care isn’t an indulgence, it’s an act of survival. Our subjects reveal what keeps them sane and showing up every day—from trashy reality TV to shopping to sharing stories with others.
So where do we go from here? Can we ultimately heal the deep wounds and achieve an anti-racist future? Our subjects weigh in.