Race is socially constructed, but because people have believed things for so long they are unaware of that. In this video, Soledad O'Brien shares stories of growing up biracial. She helps to elaborate on what actually happened in American history.
As stated on the Q Ideas website:
We all have felt the temperature rise over the last few months around the topic of race in America. As we are experiencing a once in a generation moment, how can we think well and commit to being a part of the solution that brings reconciliation and healing for all? Soledad O'Brien, an award winning journalist, documentarian, news anchor and producer dedicated to uncovering and producing empowering stories that take on a challenging look at the issues of race, class, wealth, poverty and opportunity through personal stories.
Her video gives a very detailed history and was originally posted in September of 2015. I think that regardless of your race, if you are American, right now is the time to dig deeper and really understand race in our country. We must develop an understanding to move forward!
Just since the video was published, our society has seen tragedy after tragedy. These tragedies are happening for complex reasons, but also because so many people are unaware and uneducated. Seeking out this information helped me to understand more about the true history of our country. I believe it is so important to have this knowledge before we can progress. We cannot continue to believe that things are acceptable as they are. That is not an option. We must do something. Understanding is only the first step.
A version of this post originally appeared on my lifestyle blog, WomanlyWoman.com.