Needless to say, with a global pandemic combined with a major social awakening that has been sparked by the killing of another unarmed black American, George Floyd, we happen to be in a moment that feels like a special opportunity for truth and understanding.
Of course, when we are directly touched by seeing people we often know pushed to their limits and we see the protests in our own streets, it is easy to feel this way. But this time, for me, the media I consume has provided so much new context and learning that it has made me feel very hopeful about the future. This is despite the fact that the things we see and hear are often horrible.
I had the pleasure of stumbling upon a LinkedIn post from Laura Smith in my own search for more knowledge and understanding of the history of black experience that led to the most recent protests. Laura is another African American comms person living in Helsinki. In her YouTube video, she beautifully lays out some very concrete ways companies and individuals are able to use this moment to make a lasting difference. So I thought I would ask her to expand upon her thoughts in a discussion for Get Known.
We talk about internal and external communications, the media, Finland, race, and some things from our own lives here and in the US.
As promised in the podcast, below are a few links that I found helpful in my education. Even as a person of color, there has been a lot to learn and listen to because I am finding out there is so much I don’t know. So I hope these additional items help you as well.
- Through Line episode on the history of policing in America. https://podcasts.apple.com/fi/podcast/up-first/id1222114325?i=1000477045455
- This episode of Radio Lab is about the origin of the reasonable officer standard, with the case that sent two Charlotte lawyers on a quest for true objectivity, and changed the face of policing in the US. https://podcasts.apple.com/fi/podcast/radiolab/id152249110?i=1000477046043
- “1619” is a New York Times audio series hosted by Nikole Hannah-Jones about the real history and legacy of slavery. https://podcasts.apple.com/fi/podcast/1619/id1476928106
- The Air We Breathe: Implicit Bias And Police Shootings. https://one.npr.org/i/876073130:876079143
- Patent Racism: The story of how black people in the US were. https://one.npr.org/i/876097416:876420841
- Report of the Non-Discrimination Ombudsman: Racism and discrimination – everyday experiences for People of African descent in Finland.
- And finally, clear words of wisdom with 5 steps people can take to make a difference in this time in a video from Laura Smith. https://youtu.be/g-qJPM-PEY4
Listen to the newest episode of the Get Known podcast with Laura Smith to learn more!
We hope you enjoy the podcast!