TED2019
Baratunde Thurston: How to deconstruct racism, one headline at a time
Filmed:
Readability: 4.5
2,301,855 views
Baratunde Thurston explores the phenomenon of white Americans calling the police on black Americans who have committed the crimes of ... eating, walking or generally "living while black." In this profound, thought-provoking and often hilarious talk, he reveals the power of language to change stories of trauma into stories of healing -- while challenging us all to level up.
Baratunde Thurston - Writer, activist, comedian
Baratunde Thurston is an Emmy-nominated writer, activist and comedian who addresses serious issues with depth, wit and calls to action. He believes the stories we tell help shape the world in which we live. Also, he's from the future. Full bio
Baratunde Thurston is an Emmy-nominated writer, activist and comedian who addresses serious issues with depth, wit and calls to action. He believes the stories we tell help shape the world in which we live. Also, he's from the future. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
My parents gave me an extraordinary name:
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Baratunde Rafiq Thurston.
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Now, Baratunde is based
on a Yoruba name from Nigeria,
on a Yoruba name from Nigeria,
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00:26
but we're not Nigerian.
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00:28
(Laughter)
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That's just how black my mama was.
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00:31
(Laughter)
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"Get this boy the blackest name possible.
What does the book say?"
What does the book say?"
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(Laughter)
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Rafiq is an Arabic name,
but we are not Arabs.
but we are not Arabs.
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00:40
My mom just wanted me to have difficulty
boarding planes in the 21st century.
boarding planes in the 21st century.
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00:45
(Laughter)
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She foresaw America's turn
toward nativism.
toward nativism.
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She was a black futurist.
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(Laughter)
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Thurston is a British name,
but we are not British.
but we are not British.
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00:57
Shoutout to the multigenerational,
dehumanizing economic institution
dehumanizing economic institution
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01:00
of American chattel slavery, though.
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Also, Thurston makes
for a great Starbucks name.
for a great Starbucks name.
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Really expedites the process.
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01:07
(Laughter)
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01:11
My mother was a renaissance woman.
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01:14
Arnita Lorraine Thurston
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was a computer programmer,
former domestic worker,
former domestic worker,
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survivor of sexual assault,
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an artist and an activist.
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01:24
She prepared me for this world
with lessons in black history,
with lessons in black history,
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01:29
in martial arts, in urban farming,
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01:31
and then she sent me in the seventh grade
to the private Sidwell Friends School,
to the private Sidwell Friends School,
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where US presidents send their daughters,
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01:38
and where she sent me looking like this.
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01:40
(Laughter)
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I had two key tasks going to that school:
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don't lose your blackness
and don't lose your glasses.
and don't lose your glasses.
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01:49
This accomplished both.
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01:51
(Laughter)
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Sidwell was a great place
to learn the arts and the sciences,
to learn the arts and the sciences,
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01:58
but also the art of living
amongst whiteness.
amongst whiteness.
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02:03
That would prepare me
for life later at Harvard,
for life later at Harvard,
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02:06
or doing corporate consulting,
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02:07
or for my jobs at "The Daily Show"
and "The Onion."
and "The Onion."
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I would write down many of these lessons
in my memoir, "How to Be Black,"
in my memoir, "How to Be Black,"
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02:13
which if you haven't read yet,
makes you a racist, because --
makes you a racist, because --
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02:16
(Laughter)
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you've had plenty of time
to read the book.
to read the book.
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02:23
But America insists on reminding me
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02:26
and teaching me
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what it means to be black in America.
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02:30
It's December 2018,
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02:32
I'm with my fiancé
in the suburbs of Wisconsin.
in the suburbs of Wisconsin.
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02:36
We are visiting her parents,
both of whom are white,
both of whom are white,
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which makes her white.
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That's how it works.
I don't make the rules.
I don't make the rules.
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02:43
(Laughter)
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She's had some drinks,
so I drive us in her parents' car,
so I drive us in her parents' car,
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and we get pulled over by the police.
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I'm scared.
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I turn on the flashing lights
to indicate compliance.
to indicate compliance.
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I pull over slowly
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under the brightest streetlight I can find
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in case I need witnesses
or dashcam footage.
or dashcam footage.
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We get out my identification,
the car registration,
the car registration,
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03:08
lay it out in the open,
roll down the windows,
roll down the windows,
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my hands are placed on the steering wheel,
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all before the officer exits the vehicle.
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This is how to stay alive.
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As we wait, I think
about these headlines --
about these headlines --
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"Police shoot another
unarmed black person" --
unarmed black person" --
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and I don't want to join them.
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The good news is,
our officer was friendly.
our officer was friendly.
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She told us our tags were expired.
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So to all the white parents out there,
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if your child is involved with a person
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whose skin tone is rated
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson or darker --
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson or darker --
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(Laughter)
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you need to get that car inspected,
update the paperwork every time we visit.
update the paperwork every time we visit.
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That's just common courtesy.
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(Laughter)
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(Applause)
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I got lucky.
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I got a law enforcement professional.
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04:02
I survived something
that should not require survival.
that should not require survival.
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And I think about
this series of stories --
this series of stories --
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"Police shoot another
unarmed black person" --
unarmed black person" --
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04:13
and that season when those stories
popped up everywhere.
popped up everywhere.
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I would scroll through my feed
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and I would see a baby announcement photo.
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I'd see an ad for a product
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I had just whispered
to a friend about yesterday.
to a friend about yesterday.
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I would see a video of a police officer
gunning down someone
gunning down someone
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who looked just like me.
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04:32
And I'd see a think piece
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about how millennials
have replaced sex with avocado toast.
have replaced sex with avocado toast.
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(Laughter)
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It was a confusing time.
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Those stories kept popping up,
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but in 2018, those stories got changed out
for a different type of story,
for a different type of story,
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stories like, "White Woman Calls Cops
On Black Woman Waiting For An Uber."
On Black Woman Waiting For An Uber."
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That was Brooklyn Becky.
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Then there was, "White Woman Calls Police
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On Eight-Year-Old Black Girl
Selling Water."
Selling Water."
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That was Permit Patty.
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Then there was, "Woman Calls Police
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On Black Family BBQing
At Lake In Oakland."
At Lake In Oakland."
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That was now infamous BBQ Becky.
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05:10
And I contend that these stories
of living while black
of living while black
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are actually progress.
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We used to find out
after the extrajudicial police killings.
after the extrajudicial police killings.
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Now, we're getting video
of people calling 911.
of people calling 911.
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05:22
We're moving upstream,
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closer to the problem
and closer to the solution.
and closer to the solution.
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So I started a collection
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of as many of these stories
as I could find.
as I could find.
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I built an evolving,
still-growing database
still-growing database
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at baratunde.com/livingwhileblack.
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Seeking understanding,
I realized the process
I realized the process
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was really diagramming sentences
to understand these headlines.
to understand these headlines.
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And I want to thank
my Sidwell English teacher Erica Berry
my Sidwell English teacher Erica Berry
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and all English teachers.
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You have given us tools
to fight for our own freedom.
to fight for our own freedom.
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What I found was a process
to break down the headline
to break down the headline
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and understand the consistent layers
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in each one:
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a subject takes an action against a target
engaged in some activity,
engaged in some activity,
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so that "White Woman Calls Police
On Eight-Year-Old Black Girl"
On Eight-Year-Old Black Girl"
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is the same as "White Man Calls Police
On Black Woman Using Neighborhood Pool"
On Black Woman Using Neighborhood Pool"
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06:16
is the same as "Woman Calls Cops
On Black Oregon Lawmaker
On Black Oregon Lawmaker
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Campaigning In Her District."
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They're the same.
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Diagramming the sentences
allowed me to diagram the white supremacy
allowed me to diagram the white supremacy
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which allowed such sentences to be true,
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and I will pause to define my terms.
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When I say "white supremacy,"
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I'm not just talking about Nazis
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or white power activists,
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and I'm definitely not saying
that all white people are racist.
that all white people are racist.
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What I'm referring to
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is a system of structural advantage
that favors white people over others
that favors white people over others
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in social, economic and political arenas.
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It's what Bryan Stevenson
at the Equal Justice Initiative
at the Equal Justice Initiative
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calls the narrative of racial difference,
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the story we told ourselves
to justify slavery and Jim Crow
to justify slavery and Jim Crow
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and mass incarceration and beyond.
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So when I saw this pattern repeating,
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I got angry,
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but I also got inspired
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to create a game,
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a game of words that would allow me
to transform this traumatic exposure
to transform this traumatic exposure
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into more of a healing experience.
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I'm going to talk you through the game.
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The first level is a training level,
and I need your participation.
and I need your participation.
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Our objective: to determine
if this is real or fake.
if this is real or fake.
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Did this happen or not?
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Here is the example:
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"Catholic University Law Librarian
Calls Police On Student
Calls Police On Student
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For 'Being Argumentative.'"
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Clap your hands if you think this is real.
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(Applause)
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Clap your hands if you think this is fake.
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(Applause)
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The reals have it, unfortunately,
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and a point of information,
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being argumentative in a law library
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is the exact right place to do that.
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(Laughter)
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This student should be
promoted to professor.
promoted to professor.
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Training level complete,
so we move on to the real levels.
so we move on to the real levels.
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08:12
Level one, our objective is simple:
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reverse the roles.
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That means "Woman Calls Cops
On Black Oregon Lawmaker"
On Black Oregon Lawmaker"
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becomes "Black Oregon Lawmaker
Calls Cops On Woman."
Calls Cops On Woman."
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08:24
That means "White Man
Calls Police On Black Woman
Calls Police On Black Woman
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Using Neighborhood Pool"
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becomes "Black Woman Calls Police
On White Man Using Neighborhood Pool."
On White Man Using Neighborhood Pool."
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How do you like
them reverse racist apples?
them reverse racist apples?
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That's it, level one complete,
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and so we level up to level two,
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where our objective is to increase
the believability of the reversal.
the believability of the reversal.
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Let's face it, a black woman
calling police on a white man using a pool
calling police on a white man using a pool
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isn't absurd enough,
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but what if that white man was trying
to touch her hair without asking,
to touch her hair without asking,
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or maybe he was making oat milk
while riding a unicycle,
while riding a unicycle,
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or maybe he's just talking
over everyone in a meeting.
over everyone in a meeting.
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(Laughter)
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We've all been there, right?
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Seriously, we've all been there.
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So that's it, level two complete.
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But it comes with a warning:
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simply reversing the flow
of injustice is not justice.
of injustice is not justice.
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That is vengeance,
that is not our mission,
that is not our mission,
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that's a different game
so we level up to level three,
so we level up to level three,
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where the objective
is to change the action,
is to change the action,
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also known as "calling the police
is not your only option
is not your only option
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OMG, what is wrong with you people!"
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(Applause)
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And I need to pause the game
to remind us of the structure.
to remind us of the structure.
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A subject takes an action
against a target engaged in some activity.
against a target engaged in some activity.
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"White Woman Calls Police
On Black Real Estate Investor
On Black Real Estate Investor
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Inspecting His Own Property."
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"California Safeway
Calls Cops On Black Woman
Calls Cops On Black Woman
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Donating Food To The Homeless."
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"Gold Club Twice Calls Cops
On Black Women For Playing Too Slow."
On Black Women For Playing Too Slow."
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In all these cases,
the subject is usually white,
the subject is usually white,
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the target is usually black,
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and the activities are anything,
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from sitting in a Starbucks
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to using the wrong type of barbecue
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to napping
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to walking "agitated" on the way to work,
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which I just call "walking to work."
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(Laughter)
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And, my personal favorite,
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not stopping his dog from humping her dog,
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which is clearly a case for dog police,
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not people police.
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All of these activities add up to living.
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Our existence is being
interpreted as crime.
interpreted as crime.
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Now, this is the obligatory moment
in the presentation where I have to say,
in the presentation where I have to say,
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not everything is about race.
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Crime is a thing, should be reported,
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but ask yourself, do we need armed men
to show up and resolve this situation,
to show up and resolve this situation,
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because when they show up for me,
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it's different.
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We know that police officers
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use force more with black people
than with white people,
than with white people,
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and we are learning
the role of 911 calls in this.
the role of 911 calls in this.
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Thanks to preliminary research
from the Center for Policing Equity,
from the Center for Policing Equity,
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we're learning that in some cities,
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most of the interactions
between cops and citizens
between cops and citizens
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is due to 911 calls,
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not officer-initiated stops,
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and most of the violence,
the use of force by police on citizens,
the use of force by police on citizens,
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is in response to those calls.
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Further, when those officers
responding to calls use force,
responding to calls use force,
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that increases in areas
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where the percentage
of the white population
of the white population
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has also increased,
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aka gentrification,
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aka unicycles and oat milk,
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aka when BBQ Becky feels threatened,
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she becomes a threat to me
in my own neighborhood,
in my own neighborhood,
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which forces me and people like me
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to police ourselves.
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We quiet ourselves, we walk on eggshells,
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we maybe pull over to the side of the road
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under the brightest light we can find
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so that our murder
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might be caught cleanly on camera,
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and we do this because we live in a system
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in which white people
can too easily call on deadly force
can too easily call on deadly force
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to ensure their comfort.
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(Applause)
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The California Safeway
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didn't just call cops
on black woman donating food to homeless.
on black woman donating food to homeless.
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They ordered armed,
unaccountable men upon her.
unaccountable men upon her.
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12:39
They essentially called in a drone strike.
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This is weaponized discomfort,
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and it is not new.
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From 1877 to 1950,
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there were at least 4,400 documented
racial terror lynchings of black people
racial terror lynchings of black people
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12:56
in the United States.
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12:58
They had headlines as well.
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13:01
"Rev. T.A. Allen was lynched
in Hernando, Mississippi
in Hernando, Mississippi
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13:04
for organizing local sharecroppers."
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13:07
"Oliver Moore was lynched
in Edgecomb County, North Carolina,
in Edgecomb County, North Carolina,
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13:10
for frightening a white girl."
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13:12
"Nathan Bird was lynched
near Luling, Texas,
near Luling, Texas,
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13:14
for refusing to turn his son
over to a mob."
over to a mob."
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We need to change the action,
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13:20
whether that action is "lynches"
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13:22
or "calls police."
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And now that I have shortened
the distance between those two,
the distance between those two,
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let's get back to our game,
to our mission.
to our mission.
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Our objective in level three
is to change the action.
is to change the action.
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13:34
So what if, instead of
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13:35
"Calls Cops On Black Woman
Donating Food To Homeless,"
Donating Food To Homeless,"
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13:38
that California Safeway simply thanks her.
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13:42
Thanking is far cheaper than bringing
law enforcement to the scene.
law enforcement to the scene.
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(Applause)
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Or, instead,
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they could give the food
they would have wasted to her,
they would have wasted to her,
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13:52
upped their civic cred.
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13:54
Or, the white woman who called the police
on the eight-year-old black girl,
on the eight-year-old black girl,
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13:58
she could have bought all the inventory
from that little black girl,
from that little black girl,
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14:01
support a small business.
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2185
14:03
And the white woman who called the police
on the black real estate investor,
on the black real estate investor,
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14:07
we would all be better off,
the cops agree,
the cops agree,
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2059
14:09
if she had simply ignored him
and minded her own damn business.
and minded her own damn business.
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14:12
(Laughter)
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Minding one's own damn business
is an excellent choice, excellent choice.
is an excellent choice, excellent choice.
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14:18
Choose it more often.
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14:20
Level three is complete,
but there is a final bonus level,
but there is a final bonus level,
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14:25
where the objective is inclusion.
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14:27
We have also seen headlines like this:
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14:30
"Powerful Man Masturbates
In Front Of Young Women
In Front Of Young Women
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2976
14:33
Visiting His Office."
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1375
14:35
What an odd choice
for powerful man to make.
for powerful man to make.
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3767
14:39
So many other actions available to him.
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14:42
(Laughter)
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14:43
Like, such as, "listens to,"
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3642
14:46
"mentors,"
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874958
1268
14:48
"inspired by, starts joint venture,
everybody rich now."
everybody rich now."
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14:52
(Laughter)
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14:53
I want to live in that world
of everybody rich now,
of everybody rich now,
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14:56
but because of his poor choice,
we are all in a poorer world.
we are all in a poorer world.
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15:01
Doesn't have to be this way.
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1934
15:03
This word game reminded me that
there is a structure to white supremacy,
there is a structure to white supremacy,
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4560
15:07
as there is to misogyny,
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1601
15:09
as there is to all
systemic abuses of power.
systemic abuses of power.
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15:12
Structure is what makes them systemic.
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15:17
I'm asking people here
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15:19
to see the structure,
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15:21
where the power is in it,
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15:23
and even more importantly
to see the humanity
to see the humanity
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15:26
of those of us made targets
by this structure.
by this structure.
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3458
15:31
I am here because I was loved
and invested in and protected and lucky,
and invested in and protected and lucky,
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6142
15:37
because I went to the right schools,
I'm semifamous, mostly happy,
I'm semifamous, mostly happy,
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925208
3143
15:40
meditate twice a day,
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1768
15:42
and yet,
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1809
15:44
I walk around in fear,
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2393
15:46
because I know that someone
seeing me as a threat
seeing me as a threat
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4434
15:50
can become a threat to my life,
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2476
15:53
and I am tired.
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15:56
I am tired of carrying
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15:57
this invisible burden
of other people's fears,
of other people's fears,
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3851
16:01
and many of us are,
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2060
16:03
and we shouldn't have to,
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2184
16:05
because we can change this,
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2893
16:08
because we can change the action,
which changes the story,
which changes the story,
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4517
16:13
which changes the system
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2042
16:16
that allows those stories to happen.
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16:18
Systems are just collective
stories we all buy into.
stories we all buy into.
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16:23
When we change them,
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2143
16:25
we write a better reality
for us all to be a part of.
for us all to be a part of.
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16:29
I am asking us
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2101
16:31
to use our power to choose.
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16:34
I am asking us to level up.
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Thank you.
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16:39
I am Baratunde Rafiq Thurston.
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(Applause)
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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Baratunde Thurston - Writer, activist, comedianBaratunde Thurston is an Emmy-nominated writer, activist and comedian who addresses serious issues with depth, wit and calls to action. He believes the stories we tell help shape the world in which we live. Also, he's from the future.
Why you should listen
Baratunde Thurston has worked for The Onion, produced for The Daily Show, advised the Obama White House and cleaned bathrooms to pay for his Harvard education. He's the host of the iHeartMedia podcast Spit, wrote the New York Times bestseller How to Be Black and serves on the boards of BUILD and the Brooklyn Public Library. He makes media, delivers keynotes and promotes action with his unique blend of criticism, humor and optimism. He's most invested in topics of race, technology, democracy and climate, because the hard stuff has already been solved.
Baratunde Thurston | Speaker | TED.com