Beyond Race Podcast: Recent Episodes
Brian Gillet & VJ Smith
Beyond Race Podcast presents a weekly conversation that is frank, provocative yet friendly about sensitive topics around race, social issues and politics.
Brian and VJ welcome their first listener guest – Nik! They discuss Nik’s experiences living in 3 different countries, family, favorite episodes, media, racism and diversity training at home and work.
VJ and Brian welcome awarding winning writer Toni Ann Johnson for a lively conversation about her new novella Homegoing and her challenges with growing up in one of the few Black families in the predominantly white suburb of Monroe, New York.
VJ & Brian explore the disturbing death of a 13-year-old Latino boy, the violent history of racism against Latinx people and the lethal split-second decision standard.
VJ & Brian discuss the history and question the future of the police institution in America. Unconscionable police brutalities dictate that change needs to happen in order to save lives. Our intent is to educate and make us all think about what “To Protect and To Serve” should mean in our country.
VJ & Brian discuss the trial and verdict of George Floyd's murderer. We share our thoughts about the trial, the verdict and the great lengths the prosecution has had to go to gain people's awareness and understanding.
VJ and Brian talk about the new wave of voter suppression laws that are sweeping states across the country under the guise of "Voter ID Laws" and making America "safe" against voter "fraud". Buckle up and Hang on for this one!!!
VJ & Brian have an engagingly moving conversation with Rev. Aldana Allen, Pastor of the
Providence United Methodist Church in Western North Carolina. The Reverend is making a name for himself in bridging racial divides as he leads a primarily white congregation.
https://www.pumc-salisbury.org/
This week, VJ & Brian talk to author of "10,000 Miles With My Dead Father's Ashes" Devin Galaudet. Devin is also the Editor and Publisher of the well-established, "In The Know Traveler" series of websites, and also publishes several other travel-inspired websites.
We talk to Devin about his Baha'i faith and how that faith brought him to a feeling of peace, tranquility and how his faith enhances his acceptance of all races.
https://devingalaudet.com
https://www.amazon.com/Devin-Galaudet/e/B079P8S6JJ%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share
VJ & Brian talk about learning skill sets that have been proven to get through to people set in their beliefs. These tips could well put you on your way to convincing others that racism is real.
VJ & Brian talk about words and expressions that are considered offensive. We explore their origins and talk about whether they're still considered offensive or perhaps have become so diluted through time they have come to mean something else. There are others on our list that started out innocently and people have made them offensive. Do YOU use any of them?
VJ & Brian recount the tragic and unjust details that led to the murder of young Breonna Taylor. It's been a year and very little has changed. Why is that?
Listen in as VJ & Brian continue their lively conversation with the ever fascinating, author, blogger and podcaster Ally Henny. Be sure to check out her podcast too, Combing the Roots.
VJ & Brian Talk with author, speaker, blogger and podcaster Ally Henny about racism from her perspective.
Listen in as VJ and Brian talk about their top picks for Black Leaders to watch in '21. Do you agree? Do you disagree? Let us know what YOU think!!
Listen in as we continue honoring Black History Month with Guest Speaker and Film Enthusiast, Allan Halcrow, as he takes us through the history of Blacks in film and Hollywood's treatment of them.
Listen in and learn as VJ & Brian talk about the amazing female pioneers of American song who helped lead the way for Black performers of today. They sang the blues, they helped make jazz mainstream, they be-bopped and became mainstream in the process.
VJ and Brian start out celebrating Black History Month by VJ giving us a brief history of how it came into being and then we talk about what it would take to make Congress to look like the demographic makeup of this country. We then spend some time on two new shining examples that just joined Congress, Rep Cori Bush and Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock.
Listen to VJ & Brian discuss bias in the media. What’s happened to critical thinking skills? How do you wade through the facts and the propaganda? Who do you believe? WHAT do you believe?
VJ & Brian discuss the horrifying events of January 6th and how tepid the response was towards the insurrectionists that attacked the US Capitol. The insurrectionists were white; if they had been black the response would have been much more swift and violent.
In this episode VJ & Brian Talk about Dr. King and his legacy. We tackle it from a different perspective and address why Dr. King's life, message and purpose was far more encompassing than just race and why we should be looking at him through a much broader lens.
In this first episode of 2021, VJ & Brian talk about Cabinet nominations and dissect a New York Times editorial piece by Roger Cohen entitled, "A Last Stand for White America".
Listen to Brian vent his frustrations about a guest that backed out of our show because he didn't think it would go well for him. VJ and Brian then talk about he made himself into a victim and how a concept known as DARVO applies to racism.
Brian & VJ go back and forth about Crime Free Housing Ordinances or CHO and how people are using it to create their own form of segregation. Under the guise of making neighborhoods "safe" the execution and roll out of this ordinance is actually pushing people of color out of good neighborhoods and into crime ridden neighborhoods allowing them little hope of bettering themselves.
Race, Ethnicity & Culture? Is there a difference? Did you know there is? Are we asking the right questions of people when we're curious? Learn all about what is distinctive about each are are we really prejudice against color or is it where you came from or perhaps your culture? Maybe all three? Find out in this episode!
Listen in as we explore the concept known as 'white angst'. Also referred to as 'white fear' or even 'white fragility', VJ and Brian talk openly about what triggers these feelings in white people and how all of us can better learn how to recognize the signs and change our behaviors.
Listen to VJ & Brian as they take everyone through the basics of Native American history the way it REALLY happened. Learn about why our Native Americans are dubbed the "invisible" race and how what we thought we knew is all wrong! Check that image of an Indian riding a horse and discover how the actual background of what the pilgrims were really thankful about!
VJ and Brian talk about the election and the angst it created. More importantly, they detailed all sorts of ways voter suppression took place all over the country.
In this episode we chat with Sandra Goins, poet, who talks about her struggles as a tri-racial individual who is not traditionally accepted by any race and how she turns her struggle and anxiety into beautiful poetry.
We continue the discussion of Systemic racism and dive into specifics! Explore the history of Systemic Racism and how it became so ingrained into our American Culture that most white people don't even see it. Learn about how it permeates the financial sector, our educational system and even urban planning
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Explore the history of Systemic Racism and how it became so ingrained into our American Culture that most white people don't even see it. Learn about how it permeates the financial sector, our educational system and even urban planning
VJ & Brian discuss the Presidential debate and go into depth how the President skirts the issue and refuses to come out to condemn it and its followers.
Brian also vents his disgust over Justice Clarence Thomas' public statement about marriage equality and VJ talks him off the ledge!
Beyond Race Pilot Episode. Premiere October 9, 2020
Pilot episode introduces VJ Smith & Brian Gillet and gives their background and why they wanted to start a podcast about race, social and political issues. It gives an overall taste of the kinds of discussions that will take place. The pilot episode is centered around race and politics leading up to the Presidential Election.