Episode 4: Georgia Verdier – Racism & The Train Called Change

EPISODE ILLUSTRATION

There is a hot topic in America and the topic is called racism.

I must say that I consider myself fortunate to have been raised in a household where racial slurs were the worst words that we could use and brought about the greatest risk for repercussions. This certainly helped ensure that I never felt superior to anyone based on the color of my skin.

That being said, this did not protect me from racism. It’s a pretty well known fact that I spent a decade of my life in prison which is one of the most racially divided places a person could ever live and I have experienced racism empathetically. I have friends who are of a different race and like any good friend it is what hurts them that hurts me.

In this episode we will discuss the adversity that is brought on by racism in America. Ms. Verdier believes that life is a journey, and that individuals must lead by example.

Georgia Verdier has been President of the Elmira-Corning branch of the NAACP for the past twenty-seven (27) years. She holds a Master’s degree in Education, with a concentration in psychology, and a Master’s Degree in Public Service Administration.

Georgia’s life is her message. She encourages people to follow in her footsteps and get an education so they can get off the menu and instead have a seat at the table to affect policy change.

When I asked her what a white guy like myself can do to help and her answer was both challenging and motivating.

She said “we must ask why people are in the streets protesting and if there is a problem then we all need to get on the train called change. If you are standing on the sidelines then you are part of the problem.

This reminded me of what John F Kennedy said in a speech in 1961

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” Attributed to Edmund Burke

It is my hope that this podcast got us off the sidelines in some small way. We don’t plan to shy away from tough issues. We plan to make our support or opposition of certain things known and in that respect we recognize that we will not be for everybody. We believe that if we were to talk to everybody that we would really be talking to nobody. It is not our opinion that all anti racism movements are good or that they have been handled properly. It is only our opinion that racism itself is bad and that we should all do our part to rid the world of a prejudice that is based on the color of a person’s skin.

As a final note, did you know white people can be part of the NAACP? Did you know the NAACP was founded by a group that included white people. The NAACP is 111 years old and was founded by a biracial group There is power in unity and there is no CommUnity without Unity.

MORE ON THE EPISODE

3:33 – 4:24 – People of color have been on the menus of life for far too long but if you want to get off the menu and get a role at the table, it takes getting an education so you can be qualified enough to affect policy changes.

6:40 – 9:20 – We need to take time to ask why people are in the streets protesting and if there is a problem then we all need to get on the train called change. If you are standing on the sidelines. The only thing necessary for evil to exist is for good men and women to do nothing.

11:48 – 13:16 – Don’t put stop signs on the mind of anybody. You meet people where they are. You cultivate them and you grow them. Don’t ever determine you cannot make it because of your circumstances or where you come from. If you don’t reach the moon, grab one of the stars.

20:49 – 24:00 – Did you know white people can be part of the NAACP? Did you know the NAACP was founded by a group that included white people. The NAACP is 111 years old and was founded by a biracial group There is power in unity. We got to put the Unity in CommUnity.

24:18 – 26:30 – This is about Unity. This is about love. We all have to be the change that we went to see. We all have to do our part.