have you ever been on one of those moving walkways that have airports so
moving walkways that have airports so
moving walkways that have airports so like you know you’re you’re at the
like you know you’re you’re at the
like you know you’re you’re at the airport so you’re trying to catch your
airport so you’re trying to catch your
airport so you’re trying to catch your flight so you’re probably walking pretty
flight so you’re probably walking pretty
flight so you’re probably walking pretty fast you’ve got your suitcase with the
fast you’ve got your suitcase with the
fast you’ve got your suitcase with the handle pulled up in your book at it and
handle pulled up in your book at it and
handle pulled up in your book at it and then you come to this moving walkway
then you come to this moving walkway
then you come to this moving walkway it’s like a conveyor belt for humans
it’s like a conveyor belt for humans
it’s like a conveyor belt for humans sometime to call them people movers and
sometime to call them people movers and
sometime to call them people movers and now if you step onto that moving walkway
now if you step onto that moving walkway
now if you step onto that moving walkway you have the speed of your fast walking
you have the speed of your fast walking
you have the speed of your fast walking plus the speed of the moving walkway so
plus the speed of the moving walkway so
plus the speed of the moving walkway so it’s more like you’re running with no
it’s more like you’re running with no
it’s more like you’re running with no additional effort or you could decide
additional effort or you could decide
additional effort or you could decide just to stand still and you’d be moving
just to stand still and you’d be moving
just to stand still and you’d be moving forward all the same well culture is
forward all the same well culture is
forward all the same well culture is like a moving walkway the great conveyor
like a moving walkway the great conveyor
like a moving walkway the great conveyor belt of human history has brought us to
belt of human history has brought us to
belt of human history has brought us to this particular time and place and now
this particular time and place and now
this particular time and place and now whether we like it or not every one of
whether we like it or not every one of
whether we like it or not every one of our actions our forward motion on that
our actions our forward motion on that
our actions our forward motion on that walkway there’s no such thing as being
walkway there’s no such thing as being
walkway there’s no such thing as being unaffected or uninvolved with the moving
unaffected or uninvolved with the moving
unaffected or uninvolved with the moving walkway of human history everything we
walkway of human history everything we
walkway of human history everything we do somehow either embodies or iterates
do somehow either embodies or iterates
do somehow either embodies or iterates up from all of the inherited history of
up from all of the inherited history of
up from all of the inherited history of where we live so where do we live
where we live so where do we live
where we live so where do we live in the 1920s Kansas City was a true
in the 1920s Kansas City was a true
in the 1920s Kansas City was a true cattle town most of the city’s activity
cattle town most of the city’s activity
cattle town most of the city’s activity was centered around the cattle yards
was centered around the cattle yards
was centered around the cattle yards what’s now West Bottoms and downtown but
what’s now West Bottoms and downtown but
what’s now West Bottoms and downtown but one man had a dream that would change
one man had a dream that would change
one man had a dream that would change all that so JC Nichols bought a pig farm
all that so JC Nichols bought a pig farm
all that so JC Nichols bought a pig farm out in the boonies and built the
out in the boonies and built the
out in the boonies and built the country’s first shopping mall intended
country’s first shopping mall intended
country’s first shopping mall intended for transport by automobile the Country
for transport by automobile the Country
for transport by automobile the Country Club Plaza and once he successfully
Club Plaza and once he successfully
Club Plaza and once he successfully lured people to his then quite suburban
lured people to his then quite suburban
lured people to his then quite suburban shopping district he set about creating
shopping district he set about creating
shopping district he set about creating the surrounding residential areas the
the surrounding residential areas the
the surrounding residential areas the Country Club district an area that he
Country Club district an area that he
Country Club district an area that he envisioned should be full of mansions
envisioned should be full of mansions
envisioned should be full of mansions and golf courses and oak trees that
and golf courses and oak trees that
and golf courses and oak trees that should look like they’ve been there for
should look like they’ve been there for
should look like they’ve been there for hundreds of years
hundreds of years
hundreds of years but of course JC Nichols was moving on
but of course JC Nichols was moving on
but of course JC Nichols was moving on this great conveyor belt of human
this great conveyor belt of human
this great conveyor belt of human history just the same so the way he
history just the same so the way he
history just the same so the way he would go about populating and creating
would go about populating and creating
would go about populating and creating his idyllic suburbia would be very much
his idyllic suburbia would be very much
his idyllic suburbia would be very much circumscribed by that moving walkway in
circumscribed by that moving walkway in
circumscribed by that moving walkway in the 1920s the idea of the fabled
the 1920s the idea of the fabled
the 1920s the idea of the fabled dangerous black man was fairly new
dangerous black man was fairly new
dangerous black man was fairly new previously during slavery black folks
previously during slavery black folks
previously during slavery black folks had been considered inferior human
had been considered inferior human
had been considered inferior human beings objects of pity in need of
beings objects of pity in need of
beings objects of pity in need of religion and white folks to uplift them
religion and white folks to uplift them
religion and white folks to uplift them but if the turn of the century one false
but if the turn of the century one false
but if the turn of the century one false destructive narrative would be exchanged
destructive narrative would be exchanged
destructive narrative would be exchanged for another why to disrupt the
for another why to disrupt the
for another why to disrupt the organization of white and black labor in
organization of white and black labor in
organization of white and black labor in the south especially and to suit the
the south especially and to suit the
the south especially and to suit the needs of political parties so at the
needs of political parties so at the
needs of political parties so at the turn of the century propaganda flew off
turn of the century propaganda flew off
turn of the century propaganda flew off the presses depicting black bodies as
the presses depicting black bodies as
the presses depicting black bodies as sexually rabid and incredibly violent
sexually rabid and incredibly violent
sexually rabid and incredibly violent this false destructive narrative is the
this false destructive narrative is the
this false destructive narrative is the same narrative that we live with today
same narrative that we live with today
same narrative that we live with today and that also impacted JC Nichols it’s
and that also impacted JC Nichols it’s
and that also impacted JC Nichols it’s the reason JC Nichols created his
the reason JC Nichols created his
the reason JC Nichols created his idyllic suburbia as a white haven apart
by way of JC Nichols Kansas City set the
by way of JC Nichols Kansas City set the gold standard for racial discrimination
gold standard for racial discrimination
gold standard for racial discrimination and housing he created these racially
and housing he created these racially
and housing he created these racially restrictive housing covenants that said
restrictive housing covenants that said
restrictive housing covenants that said that only white people could buy or sell
that only white people could buy or sell
that only white people could buy or sell in his neighborhoods and language in
in his neighborhoods and language in
in his neighborhoods and language in these covenants was so tight was so
these covenants was so tight was so
these covenants was so tight was so strong that they became practically
strong that they became practically
strong that they became practically impossible to remove and they became
impossible to remove and they became
impossible to remove and they became nationally renowned real estate
nationally renowned real estate
nationally renowned real estate developers from all over came to JC
developers from all over came to JC
developers from all over came to JC Nichols to ask for template so they
Nichols to ask for template so they
Nichols to ask for template so they could duplicate his efforts in their
could duplicate his efforts in their
could duplicate his efforts in their cities so that means if you’re not from
cities so that means if you’re not from
cities so that means if you’re not from Kansas City this goes for you too and
Kansas City this goes for you too and
Kansas City this goes for you too and what was the purpose of all
what was the purpose of all
what was the purpose of all that it was her that white people could
that it was her that white people could
that it was her that white people could live in white neighborhoods and I’m
live in white neighborhoods and I’m
live in white neighborhoods and I’m quoting here from an ad could live in
quoting here from an ad could live in
quoting here from an ad could live in white neighborhoods full of quote
white neighborhoods full of quote
white neighborhoods full of quote desirable associations and free from
desirable associations and free from
desirable associations and free from less desirable less white associations
the real estate product made available
the real estate product made available to black folks in Kansas City was
to black folks in Kansas City was
to black folks in Kansas City was extremely different due to legal
extremely different due to legal
extremely different due to legal discrimination and lending practices
discrimination and lending practices
discrimination and lending practices called redlining black folks were forced
called redlining black folks were forced
called redlining black folks were forced to work with illegitimate mortgage
to work with illegitimate mortgage
to work with illegitimate mortgage lender or to work with under-the-table
lender or to work with under-the-table
lender or to work with under-the-table deals to purchase property in the very
deals to purchase property in the very
deals to purchase property in the very few neighborhoods where they were
few neighborhoods where they were
few neighborhoods where they were allowed to do so oftentimes these deals
allowed to do so oftentimes these deals
allowed to do so oftentimes these deals came with astronomical interest rates
came with astronomical interest rates
came with astronomical interest rates which then led to foreclosure on the
which then led to foreclosure on the
which then led to foreclosure on the properties they bought after foreclosure
properties they bought after foreclosure
properties they bought after foreclosure properties would be then returned to
properties would be then returned to
properties would be then returned to their illegitimate mortgage lenders then
their illegitimate mortgage lenders then
their illegitimate mortgage lenders then turned over the prices inflated or they
turned over the prices inflated or they
turned over the prices inflated or they would be turned into rental properties
what then became the black side of town
what then became the black side of town fell into decay for a variety of reasons
fell into decay for a variety of reasons
fell into decay for a variety of reasons that I want you to pay attention to the
that I want you to pay attention to the
that I want you to pay attention to the black side of town turned fell into
black side of town turned fell into
black side of town turned fell into decay because of a proliferation of
decay because of a proliferation of
decay because of a proliferation of absentee landlords a proliferation of
absentee landlords a proliferation of
absentee landlords a proliferation of rental properties because of a system of
rental properties because of a system of
rental properties because of a system of property appraisal that explicitly
property appraisal that explicitly
property appraisal that explicitly favors white folks to this day and
favors white folks to this day and
favors white folks to this day and because of lack of available jobs and
because of lack of available jobs and
because of lack of available jobs and opportunities for advancement for black
opportunities for advancement for black
opportunities for advancement for black folks in Kansas City because black folks
folks in Kansas City because black folks
folks in Kansas City because black folks didn’t have access to the wonderful
didn’t have access to the wonderful
didn’t have access to the wonderful vehicle for wealth accumulation by
vehicle for wealth accumulation by
vehicle for wealth accumulation by growing equity in your house in a
growing equity in your house in a
growing equity in your house in a property that is growing in property
property that is growing in property
property that is growing in property value whereas white folks and JC Nichols
value whereas white folks and JC Nichols
value whereas white folks and JC Nichols idyllic suburbia had this great sublime
idyllic suburbia had this great sublime
idyllic suburbia had this great sublime vehicle many folks living in what is now
vehicle many folks living in what is now
vehicle many folks living in what is now Prairie Village in Kansas City the
Prairie Village in Kansas City the
Prairie Village in Kansas City the suburban area had benefited from
suburban area had benefited from
suburban area had benefited from subsidized mortgages fees via the GI
subsidized mortgages fees via the GI
subsidized mortgages fees via the GI Bill and dirt-cheap mortgage
Bill and dirt-cheap mortgage
Bill and dirt-cheap mortgage and then benefited from steadily rising
and then benefited from steadily rising
and then benefited from steadily rising property values they were able to
property values they were able to
property values they were able to accumulate all this great wealth and
accumulate all this great wealth and
accumulate all this great wealth and black folks living in the black side of
black folks living in the black side of
black folks living in the black side of town in Kansas City did not have access
town in Kansas City did not have access
town in Kansas City did not have access to that vehicle for wealth accumulation
to that vehicle for wealth accumulation
to that vehicle for wealth accumulation and this is the moving walkway on which
and this is the moving walkway on which
and this is the moving walkway on which we now move forward it was intentionally
we now move forward it was intentionally
we now move forward it was intentionally put on this trajectory and only with
put on this trajectory and only with
put on this trajectory and only with commensurate intentionality can we
commensurate intentionality can we
commensurate intentionality can we change the trajectory of the human
change the trajectory of the human
change the trajectory of the human historical walkway I remember the first
historical walkway I remember the first
historical walkway I remember the first time I started to understand this
time I started to understand this
time I started to understand this history about where I live and where I
history about where I live and where I
history about where I live and where I grew up it was in an anthropology class
grew up it was in an anthropology class
grew up it was in an anthropology class at college and at that moment when I
at college and at that moment when I
at college and at that moment when I started to see this moving walkway
started to see this moving walkway
started to see this moving walkway started to see this trajectory I decided
started to see this trajectory I decided
started to see this trajectory I decided I wanted to do something to change it so
I wanted to do something to change it so
I wanted to do something to change it so I decided I would link up with a local
I decided I would link up with a local
I decided I would link up with a local cinematographer and start to create
cinematographer and start to create
cinematographer and start to create videos and podcasts for the purpose of
videos and podcasts for the purpose of
videos and podcasts for the purpose of busting stereotypes of humanizing
busting stereotypes of humanizing
busting stereotypes of humanizing difference of contextualizing the
difference of contextualizing the
difference of contextualizing the present in this past and I learned a few
present in this past and I learned a few
present in this past and I learned a few lessons along the way that I want to
lessons along the way that I want to
lessons along the way that I want to share with you first I learned that it’s
share with you first I learned that it’s
share with you first I learned that it’s very hard to make a living doing
very hard to make a living doing
very hard to make a living doing documentary and podcast production who
documentary and podcast production who
documentary and podcast production who knew
second I learned that Kansas City is way
second I learned that Kansas City is way more racist than I ever could have
more racist than I ever could have
more racist than I ever could have imagined I grew up here and I had this
imagined I grew up here and I had this
imagined I grew up here and I had this this sort of mythos that oh well we’re
this sort of mythos that oh well we’re
this sort of mythos that oh well we’re out the south so we can’t be racist or
out the south so we can’t be racist or
out the south so we can’t be racist or at least not as racist as them I can’t
at least not as racist as them I can’t
at least not as racist as them I can’t tell you how many conversations I’ve had
tell you how many conversations I’ve had
tell you how many conversations I’ve had with black people who said they would
with black people who said they would
with black people who said they would prefer the outright racism of the south
prefer the outright racism of the south
prefer the outright racism of the south to the veiled Midwest nice racism of
to the veiled Midwest nice racism of
to the veiled Midwest nice racism of Kansas City what one friend put it to me
Kansas City what one friend put it to me
Kansas City what one friend put it to me this way and he’s from Alabama he said
this way and he’s from Alabama he said
this way and he’s from Alabama he said that there if he as a black man walked
that there if he as a black man walked
that there if he as a black man walked up to a white guy he would know pretty
up to a white guy he would know pretty
up to a white guy he would know pretty quickly whether that person was racist
quickly whether that person was racist
quickly whether that person was racist or not but here in Kansas City he said
or not but here in Kansas City he said
or not but here in Kansas City he said it was like he meets white people like
it was like he meets white people like
it was like he meets white people like myself and he’s like okay this person
myself and he’s like okay this person
myself and he’s like okay this person racist no no I don’t know this person’s
racist no no I don’t know this person’s
racist no no I don’t know this person’s racist or not and thirdly most
racist or not and thirdly most
racist or not and thirdly most importantly from my work and anti racism
importantly from my work and anti racism
importantly from my work and anti racism I’ve learned that it will take me the
I’ve learned that it will take me the
I’ve learned that it will take me the rest of my life to undo the built-in
rest of my life to undo the built-in
rest of my life to undo the built-in bias and inherited racism of history
bias and inherited racism of history
bias and inherited racism of history that lives inside of me and like I said
that lives inside of me and like I said
that lives inside of me and like I said I’ve been doing this this anti racism
I’ve been doing this this anti racism
I’ve been doing this this anti racism documentary in podcast production for
documentary in podcast production for
documentary in podcast production for four or five years now
four or five years now
four or five years now so there’s many occasions where I’ve
so there’s many occasions where I’ve
so there’s many occasions where I’ve thought man I am just one woke white guy
but without fail something will happen
but without fail something will happen to remind me that I have so far to go
to remind me that I have so far to go
to remind me that I have so far to go maybe I’ll be in a room of friends and
maybe I’ll be in a room of friends and
maybe I’ll be in a room of friends and I’ll say something egregiously biased
I’ll say something egregiously biased
I’ll say something egregiously biased and they will be good enough friends
and they will be good enough friends
and they will be good enough friends strong enough friends to call me on my
strong enough friends to call me on my
strong enough friends to call me on my words or maybe I’ll catch myself maybe
words or maybe I’ll catch myself maybe
words or maybe I’ll catch myself maybe I’ll be walking down the street as a
I’ll be walking down the street as a
I’ll be walking down the street as a black man in front of me and I’ll think
black man in front of me and I’ll think
black man in front of me and I’ll think man that guy is up to no good when in
man that guy is up to no good when in
man that guy is up to no good when in reality I have zero indication of what
reality I have zero indication of what
reality I have zero indication of what that person is up to it all it’s crucial
that person is up to it all it’s crucial
that person is up to it all it’s crucial for me to remain humble and teachable
for me to remain humble and teachable
for me to remain humble and teachable and honest about the fact that I will
and honest about the fact that I will
and honest about the fact that I will never be an expert when it comes to race
never be an expert when it comes to race
never be an expert when it comes to race and really I think the greatest work
and really I think the greatest work
and really I think the greatest work that I will ever achieve is unraveling
that I will ever achieve is unraveling
that I will ever achieve is unraveling my own racism and bias there’s a couple
my own racism and bias there’s a couple
my own racism and bias there’s a couple ways that I try to do that on a regular
ways that I try to do that on a regular
ways that I try to do that on a regular basis one I try to get out of my white
basis one I try to get out of my white
basis one I try to get out of my white bubble I try to make sure that I am
bubble I try to make sure that I am
bubble I try to make sure that I am exposed to a variety of types of people
exposed to a variety of types of people
exposed to a variety of types of people of opinions and perspectives I love
of opinions and perspectives I love
of opinions and perspectives I love going to spaces where I’m the minority
going to spaces where I’m the minority
going to spaces where I’m the minority and to with folks permission in my
and to with folks permission in my
and to with folks permission in my auntie’s anti-racism work I hold myself
auntie’s anti-racism work I hold myself
auntie’s anti-racism work I hold myself accountable to people of color in my
accountable to people of color in my
accountable to people of color in my life like this talk yesterday I was
life like this talk yesterday I was
life like this talk yesterday I was meeting with a friend
meeting with a friend
meeting with a friend running through portion of this talk
running through portion of this talk
running through portion of this talk with him to see like hey does this sound
with him to see like hey does this sound
with him to see like hey does this sound good to you am i am i off-base here is
good to you am i am i off-base here is
good to you am i am i off-base here is it’s wrong what are your thoughts and
it’s wrong what are your thoughts and
it’s wrong what are your thoughts and then three I listen to people I don’t
then three I listen to people I don’t
then three I listen to people I don’t doubt the validity of their experience
doubt the validity of their experience
doubt the validity of their experience with oppression and racism and the
with oppression and racism and the
with oppression and racism and the fourth thing that I do I want to tell a
fourth thing that I do I want to tell a
fourth thing that I do I want to tell a little story to illustrate its story
little story to illustrate its story
little story to illustrate its story from the very first documentary series
from the very first documentary series
from the very first documentary series that I ever worked on it was in
that I ever worked on it was in
that I ever worked on it was in partnership with kCPT well so pick the
partnership with kCPT well so pick the
partnership with kCPT well so pick the local PBS station
local PBS station
local PBS station it’s called your fellow Americans you
it’s called your fellow Americans you
it’s called your fellow Americans you can look it up on YouTube everyone
can look it up on YouTube everyone
can look it up on YouTube everyone should look it up on YouTube I was
should look it up on YouTube I was
should look it up on YouTube I was interviewing this the 7 year old black
interviewing this the 7 year old black
interviewing this the 7 year old black lady really amazing woman who had
lady really amazing woman who had
lady really amazing woman who had marched in the civil rights movement she
marched in the civil rights movement she
marched in the civil rights movement she had been jailed when she was pregnant
had been jailed when she was pregnant
had been jailed when she was pregnant with her first daughter and then after
with her first daughter and then after
with her first daughter and then after integration she had taught white people
integration she had taught white people
integration she had taught white people how to be a racially
how to be a racially
how to be a racially at a local college where she lived in
at a local college where she lived in
at a local college where she lived in Nebraska so of course when I interviewed
Nebraska so of course when I interviewed
Nebraska so of course when I interviewed her I asked her about all those things
her I asked her about all those things
her I asked her about all those things and I asked her but had things had
and I asked her but had things had
and I asked her but had things had changed over time but the very last
changed over time but the very last
changed over time but the very last question I asked her was for me as a
question I asked her was for me as a
question I asked her was for me as a white person who wants to be about
white person who wants to be about
white person who wants to be about creating a more equitable future who
creating a more equitable future who
creating a more equitable future who wants to go about the business of
wants to go about the business of
wants to go about the business of changing the trajectory of this walkway
changing the trajectory of this walkway
changing the trajectory of this walkway of history that were on I asked her what
of history that were on I asked her what
of history that were on I asked her what should I do
should I do
should I do I knew she was the expert she had done
I knew she was the expert she had done
I knew she was the expert she had done all this anti-racism work and I’ll never
all this anti-racism work and I’ll never
all this anti-racism work and I’ll never forget her answer she looked at me and
forget her answer she looked at me and
forget her answer she looked at me and said I know how to survive racism I’ve
said I know how to survive racism I’ve
said I know how to survive racism I’ve done in my whole life take a look at
done in my whole life take a look at
done in my whole life take a look at what racism is costing you think about
what racism is costing you think about
what racism is costing you think about how racism affecting you and your life
how racism affecting you and your life
how racism affecting you and your life experience then you’ll get pissed off
experience then you’ll get pissed off
experience then you’ll get pissed off and then you’ll go fix it there’s one
and then you’ll go fix it there’s one
and then you’ll go fix it there’s one crucial difference between the moving
crucial difference between the moving
crucial difference between the moving walkway and an airport and a great
walkway and an airport and a great
walkway and an airport and a great moving walkway of human history the
moving walkway of human history the
moving walkway of human history the moving walkway at an airport is powered
moving walkway at an airport is powered
moving walkway at an airport is powered by motors machines our moving walkway is
by motors machines our moving walkway is
by motors machines our moving walkway is powered by us we have power and agency
powered by us we have power and agency
powered by us we have power and agency to change the trajectory of human
to change the trajectory of human
to change the trajectory of human history if we will but take racism
history if we will but take racism
history if we will but take racism personally thank you
personally thank you
personally thank you [Applause]
”
Be First to Comment