Mindful Education for Anti-Racist Allies

Sharing his own lived experience along with compassion, Emmanuel Acho helps us learn about important issues to have more constructive conversations about race—and ultimately lead to change.

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In the “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man” video series, Emmanuel Acho sits down to lead viewers through the tough conversations white folks need to be having, in order to better understand struggles with racism and social injustice. In this first video, he discusses some frequently-asked questions around rioting, privilege, and the pain and hurt that Black Americans are feeling.

“In order to stand with us, and people that look like me, you have to be educated on issues that pertain to me,” he says. 

The whole video is well worth a watch—here are just three of the understandings Acho shares to help us increase our empathy so that we can act from deeper understanding and solidarity toward racial justice

3 Ways to Better Understand Racial Struggle 1. Riots are a last resort

To many, rioting is simply an act of senseless and destructive aggression, and the recent riots in many US cities appear to have come out of nowhere. However, it’s clearer why this has happened when we look at the long history of struggle for equity in the US.

Acho reminds us that “For years, Black people have tried peacefully protesting,…