Everyday Conversations on Race Podcast Por simma Lieberman arte de portada

Everyday Conversations on Race

Everyday Conversations on Race

De: simma Lieberman
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Everyday Conversations on Race brings people together across race and culture for open comfortable conversations about race in a casual setting to bring race to the people. Our mission is to disrupt the way race is talked about, break racial silos and have a global impact on how people see each other.Copyright by 2018-2024 by Simma Lieberman Ciencias Sociales Economía
Episodios
  • From Black Panther to Corporate America: Elmer Dixon on Race, Revolution, and Why DEI Is Not Dead

    From Black Panther to Corporate America: Elmer Dixon on Race, Revolution, and Why DEI Is Not Dead
    Apr 5 2026
    Simma Lieberman and Elmer Dixon go back over 50 years — she was in the Young Patriots, he was co-founding the first Black Panther Party chapter outside California. In this conversation, they cut through the lies, revisionist history, and current attacks on DEI to talk about what the Black Panther Party actually stood for, why erasing Black history will never work, and what it takes to stay courageous when the political winds turn ugly. Elmer shares what it was like to transition from revolutionary to corporate diversity consultant, corrects the record on the myths about the Panthers, and gives three direct pieces of advice for anyone trying to stay grounded right now. What You'll Hear • Why Elmer and Simma were part of the original Rainbow Coalition — and who actually coined that phrase (hint: it wasn't Jesse Jackson) • The two biggest lies still being told about the Black Panther Party — and the truth behind them • What it felt like to leave the movement and step into "Babylon" with four kids to feed • A Black student who compared the Panthers to the KKK — and what that tells us about deliberate historical distortion • How the Netherlands teaches Black Panther history in school while the U.S. tries to erase it • The Seattle Black Panther Legacy Center opening this June in Pioneer Square • Why DEI is not affirmative action, and what "DEI hire" really reveals about the people saying it • Elmer's three things everyone needs right now: self-education, self-love, and courage Timestamps [01:30] Introducing Elmer Dixon — 52 years of knowing each other, Black Panthers and Young Patriots [03:00] Elmer's full bio — Seattle BPP, city cabinet, Executive Diversity Services, global work [06:30] Is it still important to talk about race? Elmer answers directly [08:00] From revolutionary to corporate America — the transition, the trauma, and the four kids [11:00] The early days: co-founding the Seattle chapter, Bobby Hutton's funeral, J. Edgar Hoover's threat designation [15:00] Bobby Seale for Mayor, political prisoner, shifting eras inside the party [18:00] Simma's question: What do you say to people spreading lies about the Black Panther Party? [20:00] Correcting the record — Japanese BPP member Mike Tagawa, mixed-race members, Huey Newton's own words on racism [23:00] The Rainbow Coalition — who really coined the phrase, and which organizations were part of it [25:00] The two lies: "They were racist" and "They were violent" — and what the party actually stood for [29:00] The art school student who compared the Panthers to the KKK — and how deliberate distortion works [32:00] Speaking in France, and why Dutch schoolchildren learn the real Black Panther history [36:00] The attempt to erase Black history — why it won't work, and who's holding the torch [39:00] The Seattle Black Panther Legacy Center — Pioneer Square demo site opening June 2025, permanent site search [43:00] Young people picking up the torch — the Black Panther Park mural, the historic family home as landmark [46:00] DEI is not affirmative action — what "DEI hire" really means, and why companies are wrong to be scared [50:00] Paper tigers — how the Panthers faced Nixon and Hoover, and what that means for today [53:00] Elmer's three pieces of advice: self-educate, love yourself first, be courageous Guest Links • Elmer Dixon website: elmerdixon.com • Book: Die Standing: From Black Panther Revolutionary to Global Diversity Consultant (Two Sisters Writing and Publishing, 2023) • Elmer's TEDx Talk: Stories from the Revolution's Front Lines Connect with Simma • Website & episodes: raceconvo.com • Email: simma@simmalieberman.com • Donate to support the show: raceconvo.com Guest Bio Elmer Dixon has spent his life fighting for justice, equality, and belonging—values rooted in who he is and the experiences that shaped him. At 17, inspired by the Black Liberation Movement of the 1960s, he co-founded the Seattle Chapter of the Black Panther Party with his older brother, Aaron. It was the first chapter outside of California, and together they built a movement that provided essential services to Black and Brown communities in their city. Connect with Simma Lieberman Need a speaker, facilitator, or dialogue leader who helps people talk with each other—not past each other? Contact Simma: simma@simmalieberman.com Learn more and support the show: RaceConvo.com Instagram Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Tiktok Website Share the Conversation If this episode made you think, please share it with a friend or colleague. Real conversations across differences start when someone decides to listen. Please help these necessary conversations continue- Make a one-time, or monthly tax-deductible donation of $5.00 https://...
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    43 m
  • Why We Can't Stop Talking About Race: A Conversation with Carole Copeland Thomas

    Why We Can't Stop Talking About Race: A Conversation with Carole Copeland Thomas
    Mar 28 2026
    Carole Copeland Thomas has been black all her life — and she's spent decades making sure that means something in every room she walks into. Born in a Black hospital in Detroit during segregation, raised in a middle-class family where college was expected and Black excellence was the air she breathed. Carole became a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) who helps organizations turn complex challenges into real action. In this conversation, Carole and Simma go deep — on race, history, identity, the current political moment, and what all of us need to do right now. They talk about why race is still the conversation we can't skip, what the BAFTA incident with John Davidson tells us about how racist language gets embedded in the brain, and why erasing HBCUs, Black Greek organizations, and Black history doesn't just harm Black people — it harms everyone. They also get into the overlooked history of Black-Jewish solidarity in the civil rights movement, the economic consequences of Project 2025, and what resistance actually looks like in 2026 — from Delta Sigma Theta's Capitol Hill days to the Costco parking lot. This is a conversation for people who want to understand where we are, how we got here, and what to do next. 3 Key Takeaways From This Episode 1- Know your history — all of it. You can't understand where we are without knowing how race was legally constructed in this country, why HBCUs and Black Greek organizations exist, and why the Black-Jewish alliance in the civil rights movement matters. Ignorance isn't neutral — it leaves you open to misinformation. 2- A reason is not an excuse. Whether it's the BAFTA incident, racially charged policies, or everyday bias — understanding why something happened doesn't make it okay. Hold both truths: context matters, and so does impact. 3- Resistance is not optional — and it's not one thing. Vote in the 2026 primaries. Show up for your neighbors across difference. Support organizations like the ACLU and NAACP. Use your voice at work, in your community, and at the polls. What Simma and Carole do every day — having these conversations — is also resistance. TIMESTAMPS 0:00 — Introduction & welcome 2:15 — Introducing Carole Copeland Thomas: CSP speaker, leadership expert, Boston-based 5:00 — Carole congratulates Simma for keeping the podcast name9:00 — DEI under attack: Time Magazine, equity vs. equality, and why the concepts aren't going anywhere13:30 — "We're OGs in this field" — what diversity originally meant before it became a buzzword15:30 — Why are we still talking about race? Race as a social construct rooted in the 1700s18:00 — The Constitution, Article 1, Section 2: when race became law 20:00 — The BAFTA incident: John Davidson, Tourette's, the N-word, and Michael Jordan on stage 25:00 — How does a word get imprinted in the brain? Why that question matters 28:30 — Carole's personal story: growing up Black and middle class in Detroit32:00 — Born in a Black hospital — segregation in Michigan in the 1950s 35:00 — Black excellence, Black businesses, and a community that thrived inside restrictions38:00 — HBCUs: Carole went to Emory (a PWI); why Black colleges matter and always will 42:00 — Black Greek organizations — Delta Sigma Theta, the Divine Nine, and lifelong public service 46:00 — Black history IS American history — you can't erase one without erasing the other 49:00 — The Black-Jewish relationship: deep history, civil rights, shared struggle53:00 — Julius Rosenwald, Rabbi Heschel, and the Jewish funding of the civil rights movement 57:00 — Stephen Miller and the contradiction of Jewish white nationalism 1:01:00 — The N-word: its history, its use within the Black community, and why context doesn't make it okay for outsiders 1:05:00 — Nazi Germany, Project 2025, DOGE, and the parallels people need to wake up to 1:10:00 — Erasing immigrants, cutting Black scholarships, defunding trades: who's going to do the work?1:14:00 — What we must do: vote in the 2026 primaries, resist, and educate 1:17:00 — Costco stands firm on inclusion — and the people showed up 1:20:00 — White allies who gave their lives: Viola Liuzzo, Goodman and Schwerner, John Brown 1:23:00 — Carole's closing message: neighbors across difference, the world she wants to live in 1:26:00 — How to reach Carole; Simma's closing and call to action About the Guests Carole Copeland Thomas has been impacting the world in a significant way for over thirty-six years. Captivating audiences around the world since starting her business in 1987, Carole creates community as an internationally-recognized keynote speaker, thought leader, and cultural collaborator. She has spoken in nearly every state in the US and nine other countries, including England, Canada, Kenya, India, Guyana, Japan, El Salvador, South Africa, and Australia. Carole presented her signature message on "Facing Fear" at the TEDx Waltham ...
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    56 m
  • What Happens When a White Neighbor Writes a Black Woman's Story?

    What Happens When a White Neighbor Writes a Black Woman's Story?
    Mar 8 2026
    What happens when two neighbors—one Black, one white—move beyond small talk and start sharing their real stories? In this episode, Simma talks with Sandra Eggleston and Bill Byrne, whose unlikely friendship led to the book MLK to Brother Ray: A Woman's Adventure of Social Transformation, Political Revolution, and Personal Affirmation. Sandra spent four decades as a United Airlines flight attendant during a time when the U.S. was being reshaped by the Civil Rights Movement and the Women's Movement. Along the way she met cultural icons, witnessed historic events, and navigated racism and sexism in ways many younger Americans have never heard about firsthand. Bill, her white neighbor in Virginia, started hearing Sandra's stories around neighborhood gatherings. The more he listened, the more he realized these weren't just personal memories—they were living history. What began as curiosity turned into a book and a friendship that changed how he sees the world. Their conversation with Simma explores how stories build understanding, why personal relationships matter in conversations about race, and how history still shapes our lives today. PS- I did not want this conversation to end, and neither will you. Key Moments 00:00 – Simma introduces the show and the guests 03:00 – How Sandra and Bill became neighbors and friends 05:30 – Why Bill decided to write a book about Sandra 09:00 – Sandra's connection to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 13:30 – Growing up during segregation and the Civil Rights era 17:30 – Sandra's early experience as a Black flight attendant in the South 24:00 – How writing the book changed Bill's understanding of race and history 29:30 – Why personal stories matter more than statistics 34:30 – What meaningful cross-race friendships can teach us 40:30 – Books, music, and stories that help people understand each other 47:00 – Final reflections on relationships, history, and change About the Guests Biography of book's subject: Sandra Eggleston MLK to Brother Ray, A woman's adventure of social transformation, political revolution and personal affirmation, tells the story of Sandra Eggleston. "Sandee" came of age during a time of revolution. Regardless of the challenge, she found her way forward, often guiding those close to her along the way. Daughter. Sister. Friend. Godmother. Colleague. A platoon sergeant on the front lines of both the civil rights and women's liberation movements. Her journey took her to international jazz festivals, Caribbean beaches, and across the country in an MGB convertible. Sandee met political power brokers, sports superstars and music legends. She survived plane crashes, murder trials, and cancer, experiencing the full spectrum of life's joys and sorrows, from weddings and Christenings to divorce. Sandee's life experiences combined with the author's research into their historical context challenge the reader to move beyond a superficial debate of today's controversies. Stories from her home and workplace bring an intimate and compelling perspective to the social and political upheaval of the 1960s and 70s. The struggles and the victories. The heartbreaks, and the healing power of family, friendship, and faith. About the Author: Bill Byrne MLK to Brother Ray is the author's third and most recent writing project. Previous books include the science fiction thriller Total Immersion and the memoir, How Long Does It Take to Catch a Fish? Four lifelong friends find themselves trapped in a high-tech, virtual reality adventure of life and death in Total Immersion. How Long Does It Take to Catch a Fish is a collection of stories about fathers and sons and sons and fathers. It explores how dads and their male offspring can be understood as two sides of the same coin, - unique yet intertwined, shaping one another across generations. The author is a career switcher from technology marketing to education. He resides with his wife (also a teacher!) in Northern Virginia. They travel often to visit their children's growing families in Brooklyn and Florida. When not writing, he enjoys running and playing the fiddle. More information can be found at MLKtoBrotherRay.com Book Mentioned MLK to Brother Ray: A Woman's Adventure of Social Transformation, Political Revolution, and Personal Affirmation by Bill Byrne Available on Amazon More information: MLKtoBrotherRay.com Why This Conversation Matters Many people today know the Civil Rights Movement only through textbooks and headlines. Sandra lived it. Bill discovered it through listening. Their friendship shows what can happen when people take the time to hear each other's stories—something Simma has been encouraging through her work and this podcast for years. Connect with Simma Lieberman Need a speaker, facilitator, or dialogue leader who helps people talk with each other—not past each other? Contact Simma: simma@simmalieberman.com Learn more and ...
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    47 m
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