Silence is Not an Option

America is in crisis right now. A lot of people want to help, but have no idea where to start. In our new podcast, we’re going to dig deep into the reality of being Black and Brown in America, and explore what you can do to help find a path forward. We’ll have tough conversations with activists, artists, and thinkers about our nation’s deep racial divide. As we look for meaningful and lasting solutions, there is a lot to learn and unlearn. These conversations are going to be challenging—even uncomfortable—but they’re important. Because this time, we get to rebuild America together. Hosted by Don Lemon.

Yes, Voter Suppression is Alive and Well
Why is still so hard for Black communities to vote in this country? Massive early voter turnout has led to hours-long waiting lines, and Black and other voters of color can expect to wait the longest. Voter protection specialist Josh Levin says that even after decades of legal battles over voting rights, communities of color consistently encounter barriers. Don also speaks with Carol Anderson, author and professor of African American Studies at Emory University. She argues that modern suppressio...Show moren tactics are no different than those of the Jim Crow era.

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Oct 22, 2020
33 mins
Can You Vote Your Way to Change?
If injustice occurs in America no matter who is leading the country, is voting really as powerful as we say it is? Election day is so close, yet not everyone is convinced that voting will lead to meaningful progress. Activist Daud Mumin argues that we need more than just incremental change. And Don speaks with Black Voters Matter co-founder LaTosha Brown about whether elections are our most effective tool. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy
Oct 15, 2020
23 mins
Raising an Antiracist Generation
School is back in session as protests and calls for racial justice continue across America. So how should parents and teachers talk to kids about this national reckoning? Don speaks with clinical psychologist and race relations expert, Beverly Daniel Tatum, PhD, about the right time talk to kids about racism and how to help them navigate a multiracial society. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.
Sep 10, 2020
31 mins
The Color of Love
Amidst a summer of unrest and calls for social justice, Don talks with host of CNN's United Shades of America W. Kamau Bell about matters of the heart. More than five decades have passed since the US Supreme court protected interracial marriage in America. Both men are in committed relationships with partners of a different race, and they reflect on the conflict and comfort that can be found with a loved one during a national reckoning on race. Don takes listeners into his home to share a specia...Show morel conversation with his fiancé, Tim.

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Aug 27, 2020
33 mins
Clearing the Air: Environmental Justice
As the 2020 presidential election approaches, environmental protections, natural resource management and climate change are a big part of the conversation. Protecting the environment goes way beyond fuel efficient cars and polar bears, it also means improving living conditions for communities of color who often bear the brunt of environmental decline. Don talks to environmental justice advocate, Mustafa Santiago Ali about the environmental justice movement and how it’s tied to the larger racial ...Show morereckoning happening today.
Aug 20, 2020
23 mins
Do Black Lives Matter in Sports?
The NBA and Major League Baseball have restarted their seasons and NFL training camps are underway. As professional leagues and college teams navigate how to play safely during a pandemic, they are also confronting racial justice issues that plague American sports. Don talks to sports journalist William C. Rhoden about Black athletes, activism, and how much still needs to be done.
Aug 13, 2020
24 mins
American Caste with Isabel Wilkerson
Lately everyone has been talking about race, but Pulitzer Prize-winner Isabel Wilkerson wants us to look at caste as well. We may associate that strict social hierarchy with India, but Wilkerson argues it has been present in the U.S. for over 400 years. She talks with Don about her new book, Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, and why she thinks race is just one part of a larger system that determines who is valued and who is dispensable in American society.
Aug 6, 2020
21 mins
Reimagining the Police
As protests against police brutality continue across the country, there are calls to reform, defund, and even abolish the police. So, what does it all mean? Don talks to Newark Mayor Ras Baraka about the reforms he’s implementing in a city with a long history of tension between the police and its Black community. Gwen Carr reflects on the years since the death of her son, Eric Garner and Professor Chenjerai Kumanyika provides important context about the history of policing in the United States.
Jul 30, 2020
32 mins
Finding Common Ground
In the wake of antisemitic comments from prominent Black athletes and entertainers, we examine the strong alliances and deeply ingrained tensions between the Black and Jewish communities. How does their solidarity during the 1960s civil rights movement inform these relationships today? Don talks to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who recently penned an article on this topic, as well as historian Marc Dollinger and political strategist Ginna Green.
Jul 23, 2020
31 mins
Defining What Matters
When racial tensions flare, people often call for a conversation about race. But do we all share the same definition of racism? Don speaks with recent college graduate, Kennedy Mitchum about changing the definition of racism. Linguist, John McWhorter explains how words succeed and fail at leading to change.
Jul 16, 2020
28 mins

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