The confusing part of Racism for Black Gen X: Navigating a New World with Old Landmines

In this episode, I break down one of the most overlooked realities of growing up Black as a member of Generation X — the confusing part of racism. Not because racism itself is confusing, but because the presentation of racism changed between our parents’ world and ours.

Our parents and grandparents grew up with laws, signs, institutions, and culture that made second-class citizenship undeniable. They didn’t have to guess if racism was present — it announced itself.
But Black Gen X came of age in a world where the signs were gone, the laws had changed, and the country insisted that things were different.

Except the people who enforced those old systems?They were still here.And their attitudes didn’t change just because the laws did.

This episode explores:

• What it meant to grow up between two racial realities
• How Black Gen X entered integrated spaces without the survival guide our parents had
• The cafeteria moment when someone asked, “Why are you all segregating yourselves?”
• The professional moment where I was told, “I’m surprised you’d think that way as an educated Black man”
• Why microaggressions became emotional landmines
• The generational disconnect between “We’ve moved forward” and “Be careful out there”
• And why moments like George Floyd’s death revealed how long America ignored Black voices

For Black Gen X, racism wasn’t predictable anymore. It wasn’t a sign on the door or a slur shouted from a porch. It was a question. A comment. A moment that made you pause and ask, “Did that just happen?”

This is the story of growing up in that space — of learning how to navigate a world that promised equality but still carried hidden dangers.

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