E069 Shereen Samuels What is Anti-Racism?

Let’s Be Well Together Podcast - Episode 69
Date: May 23, 2023

Participants: John Webster, Elise Seifert, Sheila Webster and Julie Wilson
Guest: Shereen Samuels

Start times and Segments:

[0:00:35] What’s On Your Mind: We found a social media post that gives us fun ideas for a summer eco bucket list – from beach clean-up, to hiking, to farmer’s market and more.

[0:11:21] Expanding Minds Interview: [Social Wellness] We interview Shereen Samuels about differences between not racist and anti-racist. Trying to be not racist puts an enormous amount of pressure in the wrong place. It implies that racism comes from individuals. Racism is built right into the systems and structures. Anti-racism is saying that my participation in the system doesn’t end with me saying I am not racist. With an anti-racist approach we say, regardless of what I as an individual believe, I understand that the structures are built to trust some people more and other people less, and to give some people more power and other people less. If I know that to be true, then it’s not just my job to not see colour but to look at the ways the structures are unfair or unequal and do what I can as a person to change that, so that people do have equal access and can be heard. Shereen sees community as the foundation of how to think about this. We want our communities to be healthy and connected, and we want people to thrive in our communities.

[0:31:29] The Retired Artist: Sheila is a retired artist, dancing through life. With Cameron juggling many balls in the air, Sheila drops in to talk about feeling the music (and choreography).

[0:35:42] Move That Body: What is exercise snacking? Here’s a hint: it feels great instead of tasting great.

[0:40:18] Running Popup: Exercise continues to surprise John in a good way. There are times when he is tentative heading out for a run. Things go well on many of those occasion and he’s rewarded, body and mind.

[0:*] Flipside of the Coin: We took a good amount of time to visit an art gallery for the first time in a while. What an enjoyable experience. Thanks Butter Gallery!

Quotes and Take-Aways:

Shereen – The difficulty in trying to be not racist, versus being anti-racist, it that it puts an enormous amount of pressure in the wrong place. When I think about not racist, I think about I as an individual having this enormous constant pressure to behave in some sort of perfect way. It implies that racism comes from individuals. That is a belief we’ve probably grown up with, is that notion that racism is embedded in individuals and individuals must combat it or wipe it out by trying their hardest at every moment to be not racist.

Shereen – What anti-racism speaks to is that racism is not rooted in individuals. It’s rooted in structures. It’s rooted in societal definitions of right and wrong, of who is designed for power, who do we trust to hold power and who do we trust less. Those ideas are built into everything. They are built into laws and rules.

Shereen – This notion of who we trust with power as embedded in all of our structures. We all grow up surrounded by these structures. We’re taught these structures are right. One of the first things you’re taught as a child is to trust policeman and judges, and you trust that the system that exists around you exists to keep you safe and it is the best it can possibly be. We’re taught to trust the systems even though they have these biases built into them.

Shereen – Racism is not the responsibility of individuals. It is built right into the systems, built right into the structures and all of us have been taught it since birth.

Shereen – When we talk about what anti-racism is, it is saying that my participation in the system does not end with me saying I am not racist.

Shereen – My responsibility to engage and be aware is not discharged by me saying the colour of your skin doesn’t matter to me than the colour of your hair.

Shereen – When we take an anti-racist approach we say, regardless of what I as an individual believe, I understand that the structures are built to trust some people more and other people less, and to give some people more power and other people less. If I know that to be true, then it’s not just my job to not see colour but to look at the ways the structures are unfair or unequal and do what I can as a person to change that, so that people do have equal access and can be heard.

Shereen – Not racist says my duty stops at, “I can’t see it. Therefore it doesn’t exist.” Anti-racism says, “It may not be part of my experience, but I understand that it is built into structures”, and so my responsibility should I choose to accept it is to exert my power over the systems and structures and to see that there is inequality there.

Shereen – If we don’t as individuals understand the problem and have some kind of commitment to doing something about it, the problem will never go away. The inequality and inequity will never shift as long as I say, “I don’t see colour. I’m not racist. I’m out.” As long as people are stopping at that point, we never to the point where we look at the structures and consider what change can happen.

Shereen – I’m a big believer in using the concept of community as the foundation of how we think about this. We want our communities to be healthy and connected, and we want people to thrive in our communities.

Bulletin Board Quote brought to you by Elise: It makes me think of having some chips in a spin class.

Guest Information: Shereen Samuels has over 23 years of experience in DEI workplace initiatives, including change work, curriculum development, and group process facilitation. She’s worked on leadership, policy development, strategic planning, communications, board governance, and risk management. She has extensive experience in senior management and academic research. Shereen identifies as a Black, queer, first-generation immigrant ciswoman of South African heritage. She is the creator of the Meaningful Inclusion Matrix, a framework to guide organizations in becoming more inclusive.

Connect with Let’s Be Well Together Podcast:
website: https://letsbewelltogether.com
Follow our Instagram account: @lets.be.well.together⁠ use hashtag #letsbewelltogetherpodcast
Provide input on Instagram using hashtag #letsbewelltogetherinput
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Lets.Be.Well.Together⁠

Thanks for joining us,
(-(-_(-_-)_-)-)   Your wellness check-in team
John, Sammy, Cameron, Sheila, Elise, Isabelle and Julie