0:00:00.400,0:00:06.720
a black executive perspective whether you're aware
of it or not it's a topic that is often avoided
0:00:06.720,0:00:12.480
we'll discuss race and how it plays a factor
and how we didn't even talk about this topic
0:00:12.480,0:00:19.960
cuz we were afraid a black executive perspective
definitely say it didn't make me feel like I
0:00:19.960,0:00:25.360
belonged because growing up the elementary schools
I went to the people I was around they were all
0:00:25.360,0:00:31.720
only one racial identity and so it felt very much
like I just wasn't enough of my black side or I
0:00:31.720,0:00:37.960
was too much of my white side so it was always
like I felt like I belonged but not completely
0:00:37.960,0:00:43.720
welcome to a black executive perspective podcast
a safe space where we discuss all matters related
0:00:43.720,0:00:54.200
to race especially race and Corporate America
I'm your host Tony tidbit so in June of 2007 me
0:00:54.200,0:01:02.800
and my wife were blessed to have our first girl
and like most parents we were excited we had her
0:01:02.800,0:01:10.920
room all set up we had little clothes for her we
had visions of grandeur in terms of you know how
0:01:10.920,0:01:17.720
we're going to set up things for her so she could
be anything that she wanted to be now some of you
0:01:17.720,0:01:26.520
may know and some of you may not know my wife
is white so did we really understand what our
0:01:26.520,0:01:33.840
daughter or daughters would go through since they
were going to be biracial kids listen I know when
0:01:33.840,0:01:41.320
I grew up I went through a lot just being you
know black right but now my daughter was going
0:01:41.320,0:01:49.040
to be mixed she's going to be part black and part
white did we understand the implications of how
0:01:49.040,0:01:55.440
she would see the world how the world would see
her and the things that she would have to deal
0:01:55.440,0:02:03.640
with well today we have four Brave teenagers who's
going to come on a black executive perspective to
0:02:03.640,0:02:11.400
tell their stories about what they go through
how they see the world and more importantly how
0:02:11.400,0:02:18.360
the world sees them so let's meet these teenagers
can do me a favor each one of you guys and we'll
0:02:18.360,0:02:24.120
start with you Marcus tell me your first name how
old you are and your racial makeup of your mother
0:02:24.120,0:02:33.080
and your father so my name is Marcus I'm 15 years
old my mom is white and my dad is black great uh
0:02:33.080,0:02:40.880
my name is Cameron I'm 16 years old my mom is
also white and my dad's also black hi I'm Maya
0:02:40.880,0:02:47.720
I'm 16 my mother is black and my father's white
hi I'm Michaela I'm 16 and my father is black
0:02:47.720,0:02:54.640
and my mother is white well Marcus Cameron Maya
Michaela thank you for coming on a black executive
0:02:54.640,0:03:01.360
perspective to talk about this topic obviously you
know we we're excited to hear your stories awesome
0:03:01.360,0:03:08.800
so why don't we start like this right you know
Maya your father is white your mother is black
0:03:08.800,0:03:13.920
Cameron your F your mother is white your father
is black right same thing for you Marcus right and
0:03:13.920,0:03:18.840
then Michaela your father's black and your mother
is white so and any one of you guys can start off
0:03:18.840,0:03:26.240
with this so tell tell us a little bit how does it
feel to be a biracial kid so growing up I wasn't
0:03:26.240,0:03:31.040
really comfortable in being biracial m i remember
one of my like EST feelings when I was like three
0:03:31.040,0:03:37.080
or four is I was watching a Disney Channel show
and I just really didn't like the way I looked
0:03:37.080,0:03:43.320
comparatively I wanted to look like my father
growing up he is the epitome of white he is blonde
0:03:43.320,0:03:48.800
with blue eyes very pale skin and when you're
growing up biracial that's what's presented to
0:03:48.800,0:03:53.560
you so I didn't really see myself as pretty when
I was younger and I recently learned how to grow
0:03:53.560,0:03:57.760
into that and be more comfortable with my skin
but most of my life I did not like how I looked or
0:03:57.760,0:04:03.680
anything about myself racially right and so when
you were saying number one thank you for sharing
0:04:03.680,0:04:08.880
that right so when you said you know when you were
three you were younger you really didn't like the
0:04:08.880,0:04:15.760
way you look and and what was the part that you
didn't like about um I think the biggest thing
0:04:15.760,0:04:21.200
for me was I didn't like that I didn't look like
anyone else in my family or anyone else around me
0:04:21.200,0:04:25.920
really like even my sister I don't look exactly
like her we have like similar facial structures
0:04:25.920,0:04:30.600
but our curl patterns are different our skin tones
are slightly different so I just didn't feel like
0:04:30.600,0:04:35.960
I belonged anywhere I wanted to look like my dad
he was I thought he was very handsome when I was
0:04:35.960,0:04:40.920
little I was like he looks really good I don't
look anything like that in my opinion and I think
0:04:40.920,0:04:44.760
the thing that made me the most insecure when I
was younger were my eyes I didn't like how dark
0:04:44.760,0:04:50.680
they were I didn't like it that they didn't really
have a color okay thanks for sharing anybody else
0:04:50.680,0:04:55.920
I can build off of what Maya said like growing up
by racial when you're little there wasn't a lot of
0:04:55.920,0:05:00.440
representation for mixed kids like I remember
we used to get American Girl dolls every year
0:05:00.440,0:05:04.800
and when we go to New York and get the American
Girl dolls there wasn't one biracial American
0:05:04.800,0:05:09.560
Girl doll there are tons of white American Girl
dolls one or two like dark skinned black American
0:05:09.560,0:05:14.200
Girl dolls but there wasn't one that looked like
us and I feel like for a while when I was really
0:05:14.200,0:05:18.920
little I didn't realize I was black because going
to a white school being one of like five black
0:05:18.920,0:05:23.720
kids in the whole Elementary School being around
that Community I don't think like it settled into
0:05:23.720,0:05:29.240
me but then there was one day where I was looking
through like the American grll Magazine cuz that
0:05:29.240,0:05:35.560
was my thing when I was little and I saw all of
these white girls in there and I didn't see myself
0:05:35.560,0:05:40.400
and I think that's when it clicked when I realized
oh I am different than the majority and there
0:05:40.400,0:05:45.920
wasn't really anyone for me to like look up to
or base myself off of and even still now there's
0:05:45.920,0:05:52.640
not very there's not very many mixed people in the
media you know you have zanda who else like she's
0:05:52.640,0:05:57.080
like a mainstream one that a lot of girls can look
up to but people have talked about this Rihanna
0:05:57.080,0:06:02.600
and DEA saying that like they're needs to be more
representation of bir biracial kids in the media
0:06:02.600,0:06:07.760
so like when we're little we can see ourselves um
as real people in the world instead of looking to
0:06:07.760,0:06:13.200
a different race or different demographic and
so even though let me just uh I want to back
0:06:13.200,0:06:17.440
up because because I want to because you B guys
both said something and I just want to back up a
0:06:17.440,0:06:24.360
little bit so you said Michaela you said hey you
thought you were white right when you were younger
0:06:24.360,0:06:29.520
and until you got the American Girl doll and and
then you found that you were like hey there's
0:06:29.520,0:06:34.520
nobody that looks like me and then Maya you said
hey you know I wanted to look like my father you
0:06:34.520,0:06:39.120
know he's handsome and you know I don't like my
eyes because they're dark and stuff that nature
0:06:39.120,0:06:46.880
so let me ask you guys this question your F your
mother is black and your father is black so and
0:06:46.880,0:06:51.160
I'll start with you Michaela so when you thought
you were white when you're young but you had a
0:06:51.160,0:06:55.560
a black father that was there all the time did
that ever resonate at all did that was that a
0:06:55.560,0:06:59.800
negativity tell me a little bit about that I don't
think it was a negativity I just don't think like
0:06:59.800,0:07:05.080
I connected the dots I don't know why or how maybe
it was because of the school I went to like not
0:07:05.080,0:07:10.800
seeing many many other black kids or biracial kids
I was always with like the white crowd and like um
0:07:10.800,0:07:14.800
you used to work in the city a lot so we would
be with Mom like during the day going to school
0:07:14.800,0:07:19.560
so when our mom's bringing us everywhere people
see her as white and so it like kind of reflects
0:07:19.560,0:07:23.680
on the kids if that makes sense no that makes
perfect sense by anything you want to add to that
0:07:23.680,0:07:28.080
um I think when I was younger I loved the way my
mother looks I still do I think she's one of the
0:07:28.080,0:07:34.480
prettiest people I know but I saw my dad's look
as more achievable because we are closer in skin
0:07:34.480,0:07:38.960
tone so why I thought my mother was beautiful
I just thought I would never be that pretty so
0:07:38.960,0:07:44.920
I was always like I just need to find a moderate
where I can like be okay with how I look but still
0:07:44.920,0:07:49.960
I wouldn't feel exactly comfortable got it got it
guys jump in here what do you guys think Cameron
0:07:49.960,0:07:53.520
what's your thoughts I feel like I had like a
little bit of a different perspective on that
0:07:53.520,0:07:58.000
because like growing up I lived in Bridgeport like
I shing with my black cousins and like also my
0:07:58.000,0:08:02.080
white cousin I was really close to me but like I
know it was different from both them but I didn't
0:08:02.080,0:08:06.520
feel like because I was different like it was like
negativity like negatively affected me then like
0:08:06.520,0:08:11.000
positively benefit me but like I just didn't feel
like a negative feeling about it and I felt like
0:08:11.000,0:08:15.520
being different like wasn't like the name the main
issue for me and like one thing I liked is I have
0:08:15.520,0:08:20.000
like color eyes and like every time I go out like
people like like they'll like compliment that and
0:08:20.000,0:08:24.840
I like I like boost my comments but like it just
makes me like feel like nice to have like someone
0:08:24.840,0:08:28.200
say something like that just like it makes
me feel better about myself got it so it's
0:08:28.200,0:08:34.840
just hear hearing somebody give you affirmations
in terms of how you look is what's key for you
0:08:34.840,0:08:41.760
right um growing up because typically you didn't
look like 100% your mother and 100% your father is
0:08:41.760,0:08:48.160
that correct yeah got it got it Marcus what's your
thoughts so for me I'm sort of more like Cameron
0:08:48.160,0:08:56.320
I've never had really any problems or negativity
about my skin color um I think it helps that I
0:08:56.320,0:09:02.560
have a younger sister who looks so somewhat like
me and she's like 2 years younger than me so I've
0:09:02.560,0:09:11.080
been around with her all my life and I've also
being an athlete there's a lot of people who may
0:09:11.080,0:09:18.040
not exactly be biracial but they'll be a lighter
tone and so I can have connections to them and
0:09:18.040,0:09:27.760
feel similar to them so um you grew up Marcus what
was the in terms of the family Dynamics uh in the
0:09:27.760,0:09:31.720
neighborhoods you lived in was did you live in
the neighborhood that was predominantly white
0:09:31.720,0:09:37.000
for the most part was it predominantly black
did you was it a mixture um same cuz Cameron
0:09:37.000,0:09:41.040
you just said hey you grew up in Bridgeport right
where there's probably a there's for our audience
0:09:41.040,0:09:46.720
who may not know Bridgeport Connecticut has
a lot of diversity has a big black not big a
0:09:46.720,0:09:54.360
nice uh black uh uh population right so you will
see more diversity um and then Maya you grew up
0:09:54.360,0:10:00.640
in Westville right so was it was it diverse was it
so my neighbor neighborhood is predominantly black
0:10:00.640,0:10:05.960
okay and the family I interacted with growing up
is my black of my family got it got it got it what
0:10:05.960,0:10:11.280
about you Michaela um the neighborhood that like
we live in I grew up in is predominantly white
0:10:11.280,0:10:15.120
and we went to like predominantly white schools
until I was in Middle School so that's when like
0:10:15.120,0:10:19.400
my community changed and where in middle school
I was able to see a lot more diversity which I
0:10:19.400,0:10:25.640
still see now got it did that effect so did that
have any effect in terms of where you grew up in
0:10:25.640,0:10:30.720
terms of people you saw people that you went to
school did that have any effect in terms of how
0:10:30.720,0:10:37.120
you felt about yourself growing up I live in a
predominantly white neighborhood MH but what my
0:10:37.120,0:10:43.360
family did is they made sure that I'd always be
around my black side of my family as well and so
0:10:43.360,0:10:50.760
they live about 40 minutes away but we'd always
be making trips there even later this week for
0:10:50.760,0:10:56.400
Thanksgiving we're going we always go there for
Thanksgiving and so being Incorporated with both
0:10:56.400,0:11:02.920
sides really helped and made me feel way better
about it okay cool camam growing up in like uh
0:11:02.920,0:11:07.360
for like I moved to Milford in fifth grade but
like before that I lived in bitor which was it
0:11:07.360,0:11:12.280
was diverse my neighborhood was diverse and I went
to a magnet school which is also diverse and like
0:11:12.280,0:11:17.800
playing sports I like played sports with like
more black people not I've Al play black people
0:11:17.800,0:11:20.920
like when I played like in Bridgeport like most
of the people I was playing with are black so
0:11:20.920,0:11:26.200
like that made me like connections there and then
when I moved to Milford it was different cuz I was
0:11:26.200,0:11:31.040
in a predominantly white neighborhood went to a
school that was predominantly white that was like
0:11:31.040,0:11:35.520
different for me but I still like knew it made
good connection with both made a connection with
0:11:35.520,0:11:39.600
people that were like minorities and stuff like
that and I had a lot of white friends and going
0:11:39.600,0:11:43.800
to like high school most my friends are white now
which is like different but I can make connections
0:11:43.800,0:11:48.600
with both I feel like it's a little bit different
but I just know like a condition with both type
0:11:48.600,0:11:54.120
people got it go ahead Maya um I think while
growing up surrounded by almost completely
0:11:54.120,0:11:59.240
people of color it was definitely an experience I
think I learned a lot more than I would have if my
0:11:59.240,0:12:04.040
um Community was more diverse about what it's like
to be a person of color but I would definitely say
0:12:04.040,0:12:09.160
it didn't make me feel like I belonged because
growing up the elementary schools I went to the
0:12:09.160,0:12:14.640
people I was around they were all only one racial
identity and so it felt very much like I just
0:12:14.640,0:12:21.160
wasn't enough of my black side or I was too much
of my white side so it was always like I felt like
0:12:21.160,0:12:26.360
I belonged but not completely and that was kind
of how it was like with friends too because when
0:12:26.360,0:12:31.400
you're a kid or a teenager people make comments
and sometimes they're not meant to be offensive
0:12:31.400,0:12:35.640
but they are and you don't really know how to
deal with that as a kid so it was a lot of just
0:12:35.640,0:12:40.280
like I knew who I was and I was comfortable in who
I was but then there wouldd be small things people
0:12:40.280,0:12:45.400
said to me or small things that occurred that just
made me feel insecure got it and let's let's let's
0:12:45.400,0:12:50.440
build on that for a little bit you know I think
before we started recording I told you guys that
0:12:50.440,0:12:55.120
when I was a kid I was called all different type
of names right and I was called these names I was
0:12:55.120,0:13:01.960
called blacka Tar baby I mean really dis usting
stuff at 8 n years old right but these wasn't
0:13:01.960,0:13:06.440
white kids that called me these names these were
black kids okay and the reason they called me that
0:13:06.440,0:13:13.080
name because I was dark skinned okay and at that
you know and unfortunately in our history being
0:13:13.080,0:13:19.880
darker has always been a negative um in terms of
black people right and you know if you're lighter
0:13:19.880,0:13:25.080
you're better you get more opportunities you're
you're you're handsome if you're dark skinned um
0:13:25.080,0:13:29.960
you know you're the bottom of the bottom okay
so picking up on you just got finished saying
0:13:29.960,0:13:34.520
Maya in terms of the things that people would
say and I'm throwing this out for all you guys
0:13:34.520,0:13:40.200
and you guys can jump in and talk about have and
you said you have tell us about any type of racial
0:13:40.200,0:13:46.800
discrimination or stuff that you dealt with or
slights or things that people said to you and
0:13:46.800,0:13:52.440
then more importantly how did that make you feel
go ahead Michaela um so building off what Maya
0:13:52.440,0:13:57.200
said like when Maya first came to eims um when
Maya first came to eims which is the school we
0:13:57.200,0:14:01.240
go to um we became friends with really fast and
we were friends before then because of zoom and
0:14:01.240,0:14:06.760
like online school and every single person who saw
us together would ask if we were cousins like just
0:14:06.760,0:14:11.280
assuming that oh since we're both mixed we're a
automatically related so we both thought that was
0:14:11.280,0:14:15.360
weird because we don't look anything alike just
because we're mixed it does it like it's like
0:14:15.360,0:14:19.400
looping in racial demographics together saying
like all black people look the same or all white
0:14:19.400,0:14:25.560
people look the same or all mixed people look the
same which isn't the truth right okay thanks goad
0:14:25.560,0:14:28.760
similar experience to that cuz like when I when
I first mov to Milford like my friend Michael
0:14:28.760,0:14:32.640
we're we're both mixed and we're like we're best
friends we always hang out together like in public
0:14:32.640,0:14:37.280
and people always say like are guys brothers or
stuff like that cousins all that stuff and I we
0:14:37.280,0:14:40.200
don't look alike at all like everybody that we
know says that we don't really look alike but
0:14:40.200,0:14:43.960
it's always around public or we see new people
they're always saying stuff like that like are
0:14:43.960,0:14:47.760
you guys cousins are you Brothers we just don't
feel like we look alike it's just like they're's
0:14:47.760,0:14:53.920
like putting us together you just because you're
mixed they immediately assume that you guys are
0:14:53.920,0:14:58.080
related because they don't see a lot of other
mixed kids correct exactly anything for you
0:14:58.080,0:15:05.880
Marcus at all bu I mean even like a couple weeks
ago I had a teacher ask if D was my brother and
0:15:05.880,0:15:13.840
so I didn't think that that was even like a close
comparison but happened so how does that make you
0:15:13.840,0:15:18.920
guys feel when somebody assumes like Michaela and
you guys all said you had the same experience how
0:15:18.920,0:15:23.400
does that make you feel like originally like I was
like laughing off and be like now we're not like
0:15:23.400,0:15:26.640
whatever and then we just like joke about it later
but like you think about it's just like it's kind
0:15:26.640,0:15:30.360
of like annoying eventually the first time it's
like what whatever a couple times just like all
0:15:30.360,0:15:33.520
right but like it's like annoying people keep
saying that and we just know it's not true and
0:15:33.520,0:15:37.320
I feel like they're just like saying that but like
they don't like really mean that I don't know like
0:15:37.320,0:15:41.240
how to explain it but like they might like not
see like look like brother just like assuming it
0:15:41.240,0:15:46.880
together just like putting it together yeah like
there was one time where me and Maya went to her
0:15:46.880,0:15:52.040
mom's job like at the courthouse and this woman
who her mom has worked with forever and has met
0:15:52.040,0:15:56.680
Maya and her sister Sophia um and I seen them
multiple times when me and Maya went in to talk
0:15:56.680,0:16:00.960
to her she just assumed I was Sophia and thought
I was Sophia the whole time thinking that me and
0:16:00.960,0:16:05.080
Maya were siblings even though she's met Sophia
before she's seen Sophia before she saw two mixed
0:16:05.080,0:16:09.400
girls was like oh that's Maya's sister which was
kind of weird the other thing that really annoyed
0:16:09.400,0:16:14.160
me about that particular situation is that my
sister looks nothing like Michaela my sister's
0:16:14.160,0:16:21.400
tall and she has coils and this woman had met my
sister multiple times I think she even came to
0:16:21.400,0:16:26.080
like one of my sisters like grad parties I don't
remember if she came but she had met my sister
0:16:26.080,0:16:32.200
multiple times had met my family multiple times
and just it felt ignorant it was like you know
0:16:32.200,0:16:36.720
you know my sister and you don't care enough to
recognize her face you're just assuming because we
0:16:36.720,0:16:45.040
look remotely similar let me you know one of the
things is and obviously that could make you feel
0:16:45.040,0:16:51.440
like you're just putting me in a box right you're
not really you don't have no connection to me you
0:16:51.440,0:16:58.200
just see somebody that from a facial standpoint
looks similar because they look mixed too and so
0:16:58.200,0:17:04.240
I can can see how that can be very annoying
has anybody ever said anything that was you
0:17:04.240,0:17:11.360
know just outside of assuming that your cousins
or brothers has anybody any said anything like
0:17:11.360,0:17:19.280
very derogatory or stuff to that nature um I've
definitely experienced things where it just I one
0:17:19.280,0:17:25.240
of the moments I realized um I experienced racism
for the first time was when I was 9 years old and
0:17:25.240,0:17:31.000
I went to this um 4 Camp up in Hartford mhm and
the people that go to that camp are predominantly
0:17:31.000,0:17:36.560
white and they live in white communities they
don't see people of color so I was 9 years old
0:17:36.560,0:17:40.160
this is the first time I ever left my house for
a long period of time I was gone for a week and
0:17:40.160,0:17:44.120
at that camp we had like a camp store where you
could stand in line and get snacks this is the
0:17:44.120,0:17:49.800
first time I ever got my hair cornrow I all of
a sudden felt someone run their finger down my
0:17:49.800,0:17:54.520
cornrows and first of all why are you touching
me and so I turned around expecting it to be
0:17:54.520,0:17:58.000
my sister cuz she was going to that camp with me
I thought she was just messing with me I turned
0:17:58.000,0:18:06.560
around is a 16-year-old white girl and I look at
her and she goes you're so exotic and that was the
0:18:06.560,0:18:12.680
first time I was like oh this is racist what did
you say if anything I didn't know what to say cuz
0:18:12.680,0:18:18.920
the people there they weren't trying to be racist
they were just unaware right so she meant it as a
0:18:18.920,0:18:24.040
compliment to me cuz she'd never seen me before
I was exotic to her so I said Thank you and I
0:18:24.040,0:18:28.600
turned around and I remember the first thing I did
when I went to my cabin was cry cuz I did not know
0:18:28.600,0:18:37.840
how to take that I'm sorry I'm sorry about that
any anybody else I don't think I've ever like I
0:18:37.840,0:18:43.040
don't experienced like someone say like something
like blatant like racist towards me but like like
0:18:43.040,0:18:46.520
people will say like like somebody else will say
like the N word or something like that they'll be
0:18:46.520,0:18:50.760
like like am I going to do something about that
like you know like and then I feel like like why
0:18:50.760,0:18:54.800
am I going to do something about that like so say
that again so when you say somebody says so like
0:18:54.800,0:18:58.560
in school you know like people like some like
somebody will say it and then somebody come to
0:18:58.560,0:19:02.400
me and be like someone said that and then they
like am I going to do something about that like
0:19:02.400,0:19:06.520
that might be like offensive to me but like that's
not like my thing to go do and something about you
0:19:06.520,0:19:12.200
know like I'm not going to go like so they came to
they so somebody said the N word and then somebody
0:19:12.200,0:19:15.360
white came to you and said are you going to do
something about it you going to let them get
0:19:15.360,0:19:18.600
away with that right yeah and I'm like like that's
obviously offense they shouldn't be doing that but
0:19:18.600,0:19:21.280
I feel like it's not like I'm just not going to
go like beat somebody up cuz they're like saying
0:19:21.280,0:19:27.760
that right right right anything Marcus have you
dealt with anything like that yeah from time to
0:19:27.760,0:19:34.120
time people will say like you're not even black
and like that's just weird to me because like I
0:19:34.120,0:19:42.960
am black and I am white and so just because I'm
not fully black doesn't mean I'm not black like
0:19:42.960,0:19:50.720
I am black and sometimes I just don't know like
how to respond to that because it's just like why
0:19:50.720,0:19:55.040
so if somebody asks you what your racial makeup
is what would you say I would just say I'm mixed
0:19:55.040,0:19:58.880
michaa say she was which one would you say I
would say mixed or black black it depends on
0:19:58.880,0:20:03.720
the situation because like I if we can't really
say we're white like cuz of our skin color like
0:20:03.720,0:20:08.080
no matter what even if people perceive you as
not being fully black we're never going to be
0:20:08.080,0:20:12.760
white if that makes sense oh that makes sense
Mayo how do you identify um I definitely agree
0:20:12.760,0:20:17.560
with that so whenever someone asks me I normally
say I'm mixed but when I have to fill out forums
0:20:17.560,0:20:22.880
and you can only check one box I mostly say black
and it's also because I say I'm black more than I
0:20:22.880,0:20:27.440
say I'm white because people do not look at me
and see a white girl they see someone of color
0:20:27.440,0:20:34.000
they may not know who I I am but they see somewhat
of color so within the world we live in it's not
0:20:34.000,0:20:39.040
I have to address the fact I am black because
that's what I'm seen as Marcus what about you
0:20:39.040,0:20:47.560
buddy so I agree I would say first thing I'd say
is just like I'm mixed but if I had to pick one I
0:20:47.560,0:20:55.560
would say I'm black because I'm like if you were
to draw a scale I mean I'm in the middle but I
0:20:55.560,0:21:01.240
feel like I'm closer connected to black than I
am to White white and why is that because just
0:21:01.240,0:21:07.680
because my skin color is not white and I feel
like once you get past white it's just kind of
0:21:07.680,0:21:12.880
like you're just not white anymore like people
wouldn't see me as white so I just don't really
0:21:12.880,0:21:18.520
would wouldn't really say that I am white yeah I
agree but I usually just say like someone ask me
0:21:18.520,0:21:22.560
I'll say like I'm mix and then like even like the
other day somebody said like I wasn't black and I
0:21:22.560,0:21:27.040
was like but I am you know like and I be like and
if they ask like I am yes I'm black I'm also white
0:21:27.040,0:21:32.680
you know like I'm not like not white I'm not not
black I'm both so picking up on that though right
0:21:32.680,0:21:39.560
because at the end of the day you guys are both
right you know you you you have a white side to
0:21:39.560,0:21:43.280
you and I hate to say it that at the end of the
day your parents one of your parents is white one
0:21:43.280,0:21:49.200
of the other parents is black right so at the
end of the day there is that part of you right
0:21:49.200,0:21:58.000
but you identify with one side or you identify in
terms of saying I'm mix correct in terms of spend
0:21:58.000,0:22:03.560
spending time with your so Marcus you were saying
you know your family makees sure that you spend
0:22:03.560,0:22:08.800
time with your black relatives right do you spend
time with your white relatives and when you do is
0:22:08.800,0:22:16.680
there any you know does does it do do you hear any
push back or do they you know you know call your
0:22:16.680,0:22:23.320
names or say some things or stuff to that nature
so my white family lives in Milford so I see them
0:22:23.320,0:22:30.200
all the time and so they're great I mean they
don't they're never like saying anything bad or
0:22:30.200,0:22:36.000
anything like that they're very accepting they're
very loving and so my black family lives further
0:22:36.000,0:22:42.640
away and they're more spread out some of them live
in Virginia North Carolina and so it's harder to
0:22:42.640,0:22:51.400
see them because they're not down the street
or just 5 minutes away and so when we make sure
0:22:51.400,0:22:57.960
that we go to see our black family we make sure
that we're really there we're in the moment and
0:22:57.960,0:23:03.920
we're just taking in everything that we can okay
Michaela um I feel like it's the same situation
0:23:03.920,0:23:08.440
as Marcus like my white family has always lived
closer to us since we were little we never really
0:23:08.440,0:23:12.840
saw like our black family a lot and it wasn't
that there was like ill intent or malice coming
0:23:12.840,0:23:17.440
from our white family they're very accepting but
it's just like some situations like if we'll go
0:23:17.440,0:23:23.000
somewhere and me and my sister be the only black
people like in that area and so like we notice
0:23:23.000,0:23:26.840
it but they don't it's like oh it's fine we're
just at a store or at a restaurant but you don't
0:23:26.840,0:23:31.400
see anyone who looks like around you so it can
make you feel like uncomfortable or unwanted or
0:23:31.400,0:23:36.040
like walking around like with my aunt who's white
when I was little going around her town which is
0:23:36.040,0:23:41.200
predominantly white seeing people like the looks
they would give like oh like is she adopted or
0:23:41.200,0:23:46.680
like when and my aunt would explain she's my niece
and he like okay like they don't understand the
0:23:46.680,0:23:51.440
connection of like mixed families so like being
in public with your white family versus your black
0:23:51.440,0:23:57.960
family it's a whole different Dynamic right and
and then piggy back in on that so when you were
0:23:57.960,0:24:03.280
with your aunt Simone or you're around your black
family how did you feel we weren't like we didn't
0:24:03.280,0:24:08.320
have as spend as much time with our black as
our white family I felt like more included like
0:24:08.320,0:24:13.640
I don't know it was they were more I wouldn't
say more accepting but like I felt like I was
0:24:13.640,0:24:18.080
finally like embracing the black side of myself
that I wasn't able to in my town in my school or
0:24:18.080,0:24:22.400
with my other family and like I still always ask
to see them and do stuff with them cuz it's like
0:24:22.400,0:24:27.800
a different culture that I didn't really grow up
in but one that like I want to be more in now yeah
0:24:28.720,0:24:34.160
Maya um so I personally my father does not talk
to his side of the family and if I'm remembering
0:24:34.160,0:24:39.000
correctly he told me this is because the first
time he brought my mother to meet them they were
0:24:39.000,0:24:45.560
incredibly racist but even just going out with
one parent versus another I experience different
0:24:45.560,0:24:50.400
things just around people like I remember this
is a story my mother told me she told me when I
0:24:50.400,0:24:57.320
was born she was holding me in the hospital and
I have an aunt who aunt who's um white she's my
0:24:57.320,0:25:04.080
mother's friend since like law school and she had
been holding me and my mom came back she gave me
0:25:04.080,0:25:08.920
to my mom and this older white woman came up to
her and she was like do you know this baby's name
0:25:08.920,0:25:14.320
as if I was not my mother's child and even now if
I go out with my mom or when I was little when I
0:25:14.320,0:25:18.680
would go out with my Mom I'd get looks from people
because they knew I was someone of color but they
0:25:18.680,0:25:23.080
did not think I was my mother's child and when I
would go out with my dad I would get less looks
0:25:23.080,0:25:28.560
but I I think I remember when I was like five I
was in a store with my dad and he was walking a
0:25:28.560,0:25:32.440
little bit ahead of me and I was with like looking
at the toys or whatever and this lady tapped me on
0:25:32.440,0:25:36.720
the shoulder and I turned around and she's like
do you know this man I went that's my dad and she
0:25:36.720,0:25:40.720
just walked away from me like nothing happened and
when I was little it didn't like click to me that
0:25:40.720,0:25:43.960
this was a weird situation cuz I thought she would
just ask me if I knew that guy cuz he was walking
0:25:43.960,0:25:49.440
away from me but she genuinely thought I was being
kidnapped by my own father right like it just did
0:25:49.440,0:25:55.920
not click in her brain that I could be a white
man's daughter so let me ask you guys this you're
0:25:55.920,0:26:02.560
15 16 years old you're still trying to figure out
what you want to do the rest of your lives I know
0:26:02.560,0:26:09.160
Maya and Michaela you guys you know have you know
more some more more concrete ideas you guys you
0:26:09.160,0:26:15.280
know cam uh uh uh Marcus you guys play sports
you're on a high school team um you should just
0:26:15.280,0:26:22.200
be just having fun and dealing with the everyday
life so how does it you know how does it feel
0:26:22.200,0:26:28.080
to have to deal with race being at your age when
there's a million other things that you be trying
0:26:28.080,0:26:34.320
to navigate just the world in terms of how just to
be 1516 how does it feel you know it is it does it
0:26:34.320,0:26:41.240
feel like a burden do tell us a little bit about
that um I personally feel dealing with race at
0:26:41.240,0:26:49.320
this age is exhausting um so before I came to eams
I was at a middle school that was entirely black I
0:26:49.320,0:26:57.200
was the only person who wasn't like completely One
race so we had this girl who's South African but
0:26:57.200,0:27:01.640
they accepted her because she was South African
so although she was paler than me it was okay
0:27:01.640,0:27:06.960
cuz she was completely one thing so at that age
I would constantly be asked by my peers oh why
0:27:06.960,0:27:11.080
don't you say the NW are you going to say the NW
they would call me half breed they would call me
0:27:11.080,0:27:15.560
happy they would meet my mother and then ask me
after meetting my mother if I was Puerto Rican and
0:27:15.560,0:27:23.240
things like that they just completely separated
me from my race and it felt strange at that time
0:27:23.240,0:27:31.240
because I knew I was black but I wasn't treated as
if I was m and so I remember one of like my most
0:27:31.240,0:27:36.280
distinctive memories from that time was that there
was this guy and he was asking me out and the
0:27:36.280,0:27:39.120
first thing he said before asking me you out was
I had put my hair in a bun that day he's like you
0:27:39.120,0:27:44.880
didn't do your edges you didn't feel like being
black today and it was always I felt less than
0:27:44.880,0:27:50.360
them they didn't treat me equally they didn't like
me because of that fact they would call me white
0:27:50.360,0:27:53.800
girl occasionally it was just very much I was
different from them and they wanted me to know I
0:27:53.800,0:28:01.560
was different from them and even now with friends
it sometimes gets like they don't get it and it's
0:28:01.560,0:28:04.840
of course it's hard to understand something
you're not a part of but like even last year
0:28:04.840,0:28:09.360
I had a friend who would call me half breed as a
joke and I didn't know how to tell him it wasn't
0:28:09.360,0:28:17.880
funny yeah I mean this is uh number one thanks for
Sharon um and and and nobody should have to deal
0:28:17.880,0:28:25.600
with that nobody right so when you go through that
do you guys talk to your parents about race at
0:28:25.600,0:28:32.760
all I talk to my mom about it like a lot I I live
with my mom live with my dad like we talk about it
0:28:32.760,0:28:36.840
and sometimes she'll ask me like I like different
friends you know she ask me like do you feel like
0:28:36.840,0:28:41.360
more white or more black like like why is that
and I feel like like it depend on like who I'm
0:28:41.360,0:28:46.640
with kind of like the group that I'm surrounded
with like I'm around like a bunch of predominately
0:28:46.640,0:28:50.320
white people I feel like I might act like a
little bit different than when I'm like around
0:28:50.320,0:28:54.800
like a bunch of black people it's just like the
way like it is it's like a different like culture
0:28:54.800,0:28:59.720
different environment so like I'm acting a little
bit different both times you know she do you feel
0:28:59.720,0:29:06.680
conflicted do you feel pressure at all Cameron not
not that much and I really don't think I feel that
0:29:06.680,0:29:14.960
way but I don't really think okay you Marcus so
I mainly like when I talk about race I talk with
0:29:14.960,0:29:24.280
my dad so my dad like we said is black and so he
just always will remind me when I'm going out like
0:29:24.280,0:29:29.080
if you're in a crowd of people and something goes
wrong they'll look for you f like they'll look and
0:29:29.080,0:29:35.360
they'll find you first cuz if there's a bunch of
people running away from something that happened
0:29:35.360,0:29:40.720
and they can only pick a few out I would be one of
the people that they pick out just because people
0:29:40.720,0:29:49.440
can like more see black people as like trouble
and seeing as like they did something wrong like
0:29:49.440,0:29:54.840
just no matter what that's just the first thing
that they'll think subconsciously how does that
0:29:54.840,0:30:01.200
so how does that make you feel though when your
father tells you stuff like that so I just like
0:30:01.200,0:30:07.440
make sure that I'm truly listening to him and
understanding what he's saying because it is true
0:30:07.440,0:30:14.760
in this world that that would be what would happen
and so he always tells me that like if something's
0:30:14.760,0:30:20.720
going down and you don't feel comfortable to be
around it just leave just in case just make sure
0:30:20.720,0:30:26.840
nothing's going to happen and there punishment
is going to come for you first thanks for sharing
0:30:26.840,0:30:33.000
buddy um I definitely agree with that so my family
is very open about talking with about race because
0:30:33.000,0:30:37.800
we're biracial family and I definitely don't
tell my parents everything I experienced as a
0:30:37.800,0:30:44.080
biracial person because my dad is protective
but I remember some of the first things my
0:30:44.080,0:30:49.840
mother told me when I was little was that I would
be watched um when I was little I was not told to
0:30:49.840,0:30:54.640
go up to a police officer if something was wrong
I was told to go up to a mother with a child um I
0:30:54.640,0:30:58.360
was told that I'd be following stores it's just
my parents have always been very open about the
0:30:58.360,0:31:01.960
fact I would be discriminated against and it's
been helpful because it makes me understand the
0:31:01.960,0:31:08.240
world more but it's definitely tiring to know
that you are always going to be viewed as the
0:31:08.240,0:31:15.680
problem well thanks for sharing guys I mean
that's a lot it's a it's a heavy burden huh
0:31:15.680,0:31:22.840
and and dealing with the things in terms of just
being a a boy and a girl just regular and then
0:31:22.840,0:31:28.840
you got to add the component of race on it so if
you could change stuff if you had an opportunity
0:31:28.840,0:31:35.800
right now to to talk and tell the world um about
your experiences but more importantly what they
0:31:35.800,0:31:41.800
should learn and how they can make Corrections
in terms of how they see you how they should
0:31:41.800,0:31:47.960
deal with people of color just in general and
just overall overarching just race in general
0:31:47.960,0:31:55.960
where we all can basically you know drop this
you know hopefully uh eventually Drop It where
0:31:55.960,0:32:00.720
everyone could be just treated based on their
character their content versus what they look
0:32:00.720,0:32:04.240
like what would you want to tell everybody
Michaela I feel like you have to start with
0:32:04.240,0:32:11.320
education like at a young age um because ignorance
is really the biggest like fueler of racism cuz
0:32:11.320,0:32:15.560
not everyone who's being racist intends to be
racist they just don't know if you grow up in
0:32:15.560,0:32:19.640
a predominantly white Community where you don't
see diversity where you're not being educated
0:32:19.640,0:32:23.840
about diversity how are you supposed to know like
these things and like when you say something you
0:32:23.840,0:32:27.920
might not mean it with Mal intent but the way
that someone perceives it and like receives
0:32:27.920,0:32:32.440
that it can be hurtful and you just don't know so
I feel like when you educate people starting from
0:32:32.440,0:32:36.560
when they're really young like the importance
of diversity and integrating people of color
0:32:36.560,0:32:41.960
into communities and like educating them on um
the history of people of color as well because
0:32:41.960,0:32:46.920
you see in like the education system a lot of
history textbooks they cater to like the white
0:32:46.920,0:32:52.600
side or like the the white view of what happened
they don't shine light on black people or people
0:32:52.600,0:32:56.840
of color in general only time you hear about black
people is slavery Civil Rights Movement they don't
0:32:56.840,0:33:01.320
talk talk about anything else but if you start
to educate people when they're young they get
0:33:01.320,0:33:05.320
rid of that ignorance and that inherent bias and
that way when they're older they'll be able to
0:33:05.320,0:33:11.560
accept everyone as they are got it so educating
putting it out there history sharing history the
0:33:11.560,0:33:17.720
full history of everybody's contributions right
not just a narrative of one group and start off
0:33:17.720,0:33:23.080
when they're young okay that's awesome Maya what
do you think um what do you want everybody to know
0:33:23.080,0:33:29.000
I feel like I agree with Michaela education is
really important I feel Shing stories is crucial
0:33:29.000,0:33:34.280
to understanding people and recently I felt that
race should be viewed as something that we are not
0:33:34.280,0:33:40.440
something that divides us we're all just people
and the problem is we don't provide people with
0:33:40.440,0:33:45.600
information on what it's like from the other side
so sharing stories and learning the history of
0:33:45.600,0:33:50.680
what it's like to be black is important because
it's not done commonly like as Michaela says most
0:33:50.680,0:33:56.960
textbooks are written from the white point of view
okay education but I love what you said too right
0:33:56.960,0:34:04.040
sharing stories and experiences based on that do
you talk to your white friends about race at all
0:34:04.040,0:34:10.320
um I do okay so I remember one of the first times
I ever brought race up to one of my right friends
0:34:10.320,0:34:16.960
was this girl who I used to be very close friends
with and we were at a mall one day and I noticed
0:34:16.960,0:34:23.240
I was being followed and I'm used to this and I
looked at her and I told her I want to leave and
0:34:23.240,0:34:26.240
she was like why I was like I'm being followed
she's like you're delusional you're not being
0:34:26.240,0:34:32.120
followed I'm like listen you're not like me I
being followed right now because I'm a 12-year-old
0:34:32.120,0:34:36.200
walking in the store alone without a parent I'm
being followed you're not being followed I'm being
0:34:36.200,0:34:40.040
followed she's like Maya I don't want to leave
so I left and she came out of the store and she
0:34:40.040,0:34:46.240
was pissed at me and I was like I don't feel like
being followed right now I don't have the energy
0:34:46.240,0:34:51.880
to be watched right now like I'm a criminal and
we had this really long argument where she just
0:34:51.880,0:34:59.600
couldn't understand why I was upset and so I do
try to educate people when they ask me questions
0:34:59.600,0:35:04.880
like that about like why I'm acting this way or
why I do something like that but it definitely
0:35:04.880,0:35:09.320
gets tiring trying to explain it to someone who's
never experienced this kind of thing before right
0:35:09.320,0:35:14.200
right well at least you tried though right because
to you guys's point is about education they're not
0:35:14.200,0:35:19.840
aware she is wasn't aware because she nobody was
following her she's nobody her parents probably
0:35:19.840,0:35:24.680
didn't sit down and say when you 10 11 people
going to follow you stuff to that nature so it
0:35:24.680,0:35:29.880
it's important that at least you tried to try to
explain the situation cam tell tell everybody what
0:35:29.880,0:35:33.280
you want them how you going to change everything
buddy tell tell us like Buddhists don't have to
0:35:33.280,0:35:37.440
like they just don't shouldn't assume like right
away about anything like even not just about being
0:35:37.440,0:35:41.560
black just like anybody about anything about
the mission just assume that there's something
0:35:41.560,0:35:46.320
or they would white or they're black or they're
not black you know like when someone asks like if
0:35:46.320,0:35:49.120
you're black and then you say that and they just
assume like you're not or they assume like you're
0:35:49.120,0:35:52.680
Puerto Rican or something like that that's like
the root of it like if they just don't assume from
0:35:52.680,0:35:57.720
the beginning there won't be a problem MH so in
other words no assum assumptions just deal with
0:35:57.720,0:36:03.000
the per don't immediately assume that they're
of any ethnicity or sub just deal with them on
0:36:03.000,0:36:09.040
a onetoone basis right so guys you know C I mean
Marcus I definitely want to hear from you what do
0:36:09.040,0:36:14.240
you want to tell the world Cameron had to leave
he had a uh get another appointment so I'm really
0:36:14.240,0:36:18.520
excited that he came and really happy that he came
and shared his story but we're going to finish up
0:36:18.520,0:36:25.120
so Marcus what do you want to tell the world
when it comes to race I mean just like we're
0:36:25.120,0:36:31.640
all just normal kids we all wake up go to school
do our after school activities like we're not any
0:36:31.640,0:36:40.920
different from anyone else we all live the same
basic Lifestyles and I just feel we should all
0:36:40.920,0:36:45.880
be just treated the same we're all just growing up
going through our own struggles through everything
0:36:45.880,0:36:51.120
else that we have to do and so we shouldn't be
having to worry about race on top of all of that
0:36:51.120,0:36:57.120
so true my friend so true right that at the end
of the day if everybody just treated everybody
0:36:57.120,0:37:04.920
equally without race being a part of anything you
know I just think to your point that as kids you
0:37:04.920,0:37:10.240
shouldn't have to deal with any of this right you
should just be meeting people you either like them
0:37:10.240,0:37:16.320
or they don't like you or you don't like them
just based on their personality their character
0:37:16.320,0:37:21.240
not based on what they look like right and for
you guys to come on and share these stories this
0:37:21.240,0:37:29.640
is not easy to talk about I really appreciate it
because you're educating a lot of people who are
0:37:29.640,0:37:35.440
not aware of this and then there's people who
are dealing with the exact same thing that you
0:37:35.440,0:37:39.400
guys are dealing with so you're even though
they're not here to tell their stories there
0:37:39.400,0:37:44.560
I can definitely tell you that they can relate to
what you're saying you guys are our future leaders
0:37:44.560,0:37:51.600
of this country of this world you guys have
the opportunity to help change this world and
0:37:51.600,0:37:57.880
you started that not just here today in in your
daily walk but if we can get everyone to listen
0:37:57.880,0:38:08.680
to you and really take to heart what you guys are
going through right you're 15 16 years old right
0:38:08.680,0:38:15.920
our audience they have daughters and sons that
are 15 16 14 17 would they want their kids to be
0:38:15.920,0:38:23.520
ridiculed followed called names are you adopted
you must be cousins are you know uh are you a
0:38:23.520,0:38:29.760
half breed are you this are you that who would
want that for their kids every human being wants
0:38:29.760,0:38:36.680
their kids to grow up and have an opportunity to
be the best that they can be and and Thrive and
0:38:36.680,0:38:45.200
grow and be successful in any Endeavor that they
want so if you want that for your kids and you
0:38:45.200,0:38:52.000
want your kids to build up their self-esteem their
confidence and you want the world to treat them
0:38:52.000,0:38:59.240
based on their character their content not based
on their religion or their racial makeup or their
0:38:59.240,0:39:08.400
ethnicity or their sexual sexuality right just as
a human being so these these teenagers today gave
0:39:08.400,0:39:14.720
us all an opportunity to learn because these are
our future leaders and if anything that you got
0:39:14.720,0:39:24.120
out of this podcast today is that yes there's a
lot of ignorance Michaela Maya Cameron and Marcus
0:39:24.120,0:39:29.480
gave you guys not only the stories the stuff that
they go through but they gave you Solutions in
0:39:29.480,0:39:38.120
terms of how to make not just only your family a
better place but also anybody that you encounter
0:39:38.120,0:39:43.920
that just looks different than you right and
it's important to have these conversations it's
0:39:43.920,0:39:49.320
important to talk to people your family I didn't
talk to my family about race when I was a kid I
0:39:49.320,0:39:54.920
just didn't right it's important to have those
conversations it's important when you felt that
0:39:54.920,0:40:00.720
you didn't fit in to have have that conversation
with your parents right but more importantly I
0:40:00.720,0:40:06.320
love each and every one of you for coming on and
joining a black executive perspective and sharing
0:40:06.320,0:40:13.360
your stories final thoughts I think like with what
Cameron mentioned before about like ignorance and
0:40:13.360,0:40:20.520
um assuming things like um on top of Education
I remember there was one time that I was at my
0:40:20.520,0:40:24.560
elementary school which was predominantly white
and we were there for an assembly and now my mom
0:40:24.560,0:40:28.720
used to be at the school all the time she ran the
PTO she would pick me and my sister up she'd help
0:40:28.720,0:40:32.480
out with things people knew her at the school
and my mom was white and there was this one
0:40:32.480,0:40:38.920
time there was a Veterans Day assembly and my dad
came in to speak and so people only Associated me
0:40:38.920,0:40:44.320
with my white mom so when they saw my dad walk in
the first thing someone said to me is is your dad
0:40:44.320,0:40:49.920
LeBron James like being like 100% serious so like
it didn't really resonate with me at that moment
0:40:49.920,0:40:55.240
I was like no he's my dad but the ignorance like
them not knowing they didn't mean to be rude but
0:40:55.240,0:40:59.880
that's probably one of the only black figures
they saw they had seen in their life so like I
0:40:59.880,0:41:03.720
feel like if you start education at that younger
age that wouldn't happen to Future Kids of any
0:41:03.720,0:41:11.240
race thanks for sharing that um I think just be
kind to people and don't assume one of the most
0:41:11.240,0:41:16.440
distinctive memories I have regarding race was
when I was little I was a Girl Scout and we were
0:41:16.440,0:41:20.440
standing outside this grocery store and I was told
to go ask this woman who was coming out if she
0:41:20.440,0:41:24.680
wanted to buy Girl Scout cookies and so I walk
over to her she's on the phone I wait till she
0:41:24.680,0:41:28.240
gets off the phone I'm like excuse me man would
you like to buy some Girl Scout cookies and she
0:41:28.240,0:41:34.560
calls me a racial slur that wasn't even for my own
race and she was black so to me that was confusing
0:41:34.560,0:41:40.840
because one you were supposed to understand this
in my opinion like the race thing what is this
0:41:40.840,0:41:48.440
hatred that's coming towards me for no reason two
I'm a child and three that's not even my race so
0:41:48.440,0:41:55.840
the assumptions and just the unnecessary hate that
people expel towards each other is unnecessary
0:41:55.840,0:42:01.920
and it's just overwhelming sometimes to think
about the different aspects of what it is to
0:42:01.920,0:42:10.520
be biracial but just treat people kindness and
you know just don't be scared to ask questions
0:42:10.520,0:42:15.160
that aren't harmful obviously some people phrase
questions in ways that they don't understand are
0:42:15.160,0:42:19.920
harmful but there are times where you can have
genuine conversations with people about race in
0:42:19.920,0:42:24.080
a benificial way like I had one when I was little
with this girl who asked me about my hair and she
0:42:24.080,0:42:27.680
learned a lot about what it is to have black
hair and how to take care of it and she was
0:42:27.680,0:42:32.400
very interested and she was respectful about it so
don't be scared to ask questions it definitely can
0:42:32.400,0:42:41.320
work out okay awesome final thought buddy um so
just the world is just filled with hatred and we
0:42:41.320,0:42:47.160
just need to get to a point where everyone could
just love each other for who they are and not what
0:42:47.160,0:42:55.320
they are and just thinking about like the person
themselves instead of what they look like or what
0:42:55.320,0:43:01.440
like where they come from and all those things
and that is a final thought and that is a good
0:43:01.440,0:43:08.960
thought so Marcus Maya Michaela Cameron who's
not here thank you guys really appreciate for
0:43:08.960,0:43:16.800
your courage for your stories and more importantly
Your Love of your fellow human being so as you can
0:43:16.800,0:43:23.920
see I hope you enjoyed this episode of a black
Executives perspective podcast we had four Brave
0:43:23.920,0:43:28.600
teenagers that come on came on and talked about
about their stories talked about how it is to
0:43:28.600,0:43:33.520
be a biracial kid and they shared a lot of things
and a lot and to be fair a lot of it was upsetting
0:43:33.520,0:43:39.760
to me um but we learned a lot as well right is
that even though they have mothers and fathers
0:43:39.760,0:43:45.680
and they're different races they identify on one
side more importantly even though they have a
0:43:45.680,0:43:51.560
lot of Love sometimes they don't feel that they
belong because they don't they don't see where
0:43:51.560,0:43:57.280
they fit in and then the other multiple things of
all the micro aggressions and things that they've
0:43:57.280,0:44:04.680
dealt with so we need to do better we have to
do better as a society this is there's no more
0:44:04.680,0:44:11.080
excuses there's no more oh I can't you know I
didn't know you have to know this is affecting
0:44:11.080,0:44:17.960
the Future Leaders of our country and of the world
we have to make sure that they are grow they grow
0:44:17.960,0:44:26.880
up in a very nurturing area in all aspects of
their life they should never feel a by product of
0:44:26.880,0:44:38.000
anything so it's time now for me to give Tony's
tidbit and Tony's tidbit is this every child
0:44:38.000,0:44:45.200
is a masterpiece and interracial children are
brushstrokes of Love on the canvas of a diverse
0:44:45.200,0:44:53.600
and inclusive World therefore the truest Color
of Love is found in the hearts of interracial
0:44:53.600,0:45:03.280
children where acceptance understanding and
unity Thrive and you got a lot of that today
0:45:03.280,0:45:09.160
on this episode with our brave teenagers so
thank you for tuning in to a black executive
0:45:09.160,0:45:15.720
perspective please follow us give us a rating
let us know how you like this episode did you
0:45:15.720,0:45:21.160
have additional questions you know subscribe to
a black executive perspective podcast if this is
0:45:21.160,0:45:26.280
something that you want to continue to follow you
can follow a black executive perspective podcast
0:45:26.280,0:45:36.880
on all the social channels LinkedIn tun LinkedIn
Instagram x Facebook at Tony tidbit be for my
0:45:36.880,0:45:45.480
executive producer double A to the outstanding
young men and women Marcus Cameron Maya and
0:45:45.480,0:45:52.560
Michaela I'm Tony tidbit we talked about it and
we're out thank you for tuning in to this episode
0:45:52.560,0:45:59.800
of Tony tidbit a black executive perspective
and for joining in today's conversation with
0:45:59.800,0:46:07.000
every story We Share every conversation we Foster
and every barrier we address we can ignite the
0:46:07.000,0:46:13.520
Sparks that bring about lasting change and this
carries us one step closer to transforming the
0:46:13.520,0:46:19.240
face of corporate America if today's episode
resonated with you consider subscribing and
0:46:19.240,0:46:26.840
leaving us a raing or review on Apple podcast
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0:46:26.840,0:46:32.080
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0:46:32.080,0:46:35.520
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