12: Quentin Wheeler-Bell and Liza Fox | Black Lives Matter

Lindsay sits down with her long-time friends Quentin Wheeler-Bell and Liza Fox to address the Black Lives Matter movement and social inequality.

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Racism is Just the Tip of the Iceberg

“If we’re not paying attention to the systemic problems that are placing people in these situations to both be the victimizer as well as the victim, then we’re missing the point.” Click To Tweet – Quentin Wheeler-Bell

“A lot of the issues we’re talking about can be affected by local leadership. If we focus on voting people into the local government power structure, we can start making some changes.” Click To Tweet – Liza Fox

America is going through a social revolution. If we want to create a community for good, we must look in all directions. We have to look further and see the full picture, instead of making divisions to see the problem from the outside. This goes beyond black or white. Are we failing to see past the racial issues and condemning people that are victims of our broken systems, too? #BlackLivesMatter and the George Floyd murder is just the tip of the iceberg.

What can we all do to step into action and stand up for civil rights? The allies of the BLM movement are demanding justice and equality for all minorities, and we should be supporting them. In this episode, Lindsay sits down with her long-time friends Quentin Wheeler-Bell and Liza Fox, to address the Black Lives Matter movement and the social inequality in America.

Tracing back inequality to our broken structures

Quentin Wheeler-Bell is an Assistant Professor in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at Indiana University, Bloomington. His research focuses on radical approaches to civic education and the role of education in creating a more just society. Liza Fox is a start-up, government, and corporate leader with experience in public policy, activism and international relations at the state and government levels. She now runs a small business focused on community called Elemeno. Quentin, Liza, Lindsay and their beloved friend, Grant Wylie, met in college. They often danced the night away, and then carried on into the wee hours of the morning debating issues from race to religion and from philosophy to food. This episode is dedicated to Grant. May he rest in peace.

What exactly is Back Lives Matter fighting for? It is about more than racism in America and police brutality. When we truly reflect, it is really about system-wide change that needs to take place in order to deconstruct disproportionate access to power and wealth. This is not just about diversity and inclusion, police regulations, or building social consciousness.

In a society where Coronavirus has damaged the economy without any balance, where the rich are getting richer and poor are getting poorer, it should be a priority to rethink why our system isn’t creating safe spaces for all — including many police — and how to change that.

In this episode, different backgrounds, perspectives, and opinions merge to create a powerful dialogue around racism, privilege, and the disproportionate distribution of wealth and resources in our nation and beyond. If awareness leads to dialogue, and dialogue leads to action: how can we make a positive impact that leads to real and profound change around inequality?

How can we stop complacency and find solutions instead?

Acknowledge people as human beings and open your hearts to conversation. Seek first to understand, and then to get involved. Listen, learn, and take action. While we can’t rewrite history, we can set the course for change and bring unity and kindness to the center as pillars for future generations.

Key Takeaways:

(04:12) – The importance of validating others’ perspectives and experiences, and opening the dialogue about day-to-day life situations for minorities.
(17:41) – The systemic problems that are contributing to national inequality, the need for political education, and how we can improve our systems with our votes and awareness.
(39:59) – How privilege gets in the way of empathy, the normalization of classism, and how the collective awareness of injustice and violence today has given birth to a more united and loving generation.