Germar Derron has degrees in media and law. He's worked as a D.J., host, lecturer, and writer. He's often asked to contribute to national discussions about crime, television, music, youth development, leadership, and social activism.
Jessica Kinney is an actress and super-nerd. She's hosted a Game of Thrones after show, Winter is Coming Live, as well as tie-in shows featuring GoT-themed power rankings and cocktail making.
Melissa Parkin is an author and blogger full of sass with a zero percent tolerance for sugarcoating. As a connoisseur of music, movies, and literature, she finds inspiration in everything around her.
HOF Contributor, Melissa Scott
Melissa Scott is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame. She majored in English, with a focus on journalism. She was a college athlete and wrote for the school newspaper.
HOF Contributor, Kelsey Barritt
Kelsey Barritt is a graduate of Cal State San Marcos, with a passion for creative writing. She's pursuing a career in journalism, and loves all things quirky and original.
Vlogger, Cecily Jamelia
Cecily Jamelia (pronounced "Ses-sil-lee Ja-mell-ah"), is a mom, entrepreneur, designer, actress and stand-up comedian living in Los Angeles. She's starred and appeared in national commercials, and on VH1, WE TV, SyFy Channel, and Comedy Central. She's also an aspiring comedy writer, sketch & improv performer.
Germar addresses race seriously on the podcast, for the first time in quite some time. If you listen, and you still don't get it, you might be stupid, or an awful person, or a racist (maybe all three). We haven't done one like this since Trayvon--no intros, no jokes, no music, and on the road. It's a shortie. Germar calls this "the only problem" because all other issues stem from it. Overstand.
Hey Germar, I could still nit-pic the podcast, but it was a very good show. Race oppression has obviously come a long way, and for sure, has a long way to go... but to further your point, I have a little thought experiment for you. Let's say at each stage of interaction, whites have a 10% bias against blacks (you can change the percentage, but I think you'll get my point). When a police officer sees a black man, in a car, on the street, whatever... he's 10% percent more likely to be suspicious. Then during the interaction, he's 10% more likely to make an arrest. Then the black man goes in front of the magistrate, then the judge, then sentencing. Each step of the way, he's faced with that same 10% bias (or 20-30%, whatever it is). In the end, it obviously stacks up. I'm an optimist so I like to think it's not pure, malicious racism (although I know it still exists). It comes down to two things, racial bias, and economic inequality which still puts most black people in a terrible position right out of the gate. I hate to say it, but I'm still part of that problem. I can say I have black friends (which I do) and I try to understand all the history that goes into our current situation (and I do), but in the end, when I'm walking down a dark alley and I see I black man, in the back of my head, I still have that 10% bias. I can rationalize that it's just (especially in Detroit), but I also know that it's the root (at least one of the roots) of many of our problems.
Anyway, good show. I still check back in now and then. I'm glad to see you're still doing the podcasts. Also, I like the redesign of the website. A lot faster and cleaner. Cheers Germar. (sorry for all the parenthesis!)
heyyyyy Stan's back! I don't think I disagree with you. I think that's the exact problem. Everyone thinks they're not racist, but that bias based on . . . bias creeps in and then unarmed black teens are shot and so on and so forth, but it always "feels" a little more justified because of that ever-increasing bias. Thanks for the comment.
Emci is a[n] (whatever job she's currently doing-er) who loves Great Gatsby-esque novels, documentaries about space, cuddling with dogs, true crime podcasts, re-watching her favorite shows on Hulu, planning trips, and searching for cheap flights.
Sports Contributor, Jessica Slate
Jessica Slate is a multi-sport play-by-play broadcaster and sports reporter. She's most passionate about basketball. She hopes to one day follow in the path of Doris Burke and Kristen Ledlow.
Hey Germar, I could still nit-pic the podcast, but it was a very good show. Race oppression has obviously come a long way, and for sure, has a long way to go... but to further your point, I have a little thought experiment for you. Let's say at each stage of interaction, whites have a 10% bias against blacks (you can change the percentage, but I think you'll get my point). When a police officer sees a black man, in a car, on the street, whatever... he's 10% percent more likely to be suspicious. Then during the interaction, he's 10% more likely to make an arrest. Then the black man goes in front of the magistrate, then the judge, then sentencing. Each step of the way, he's faced with that same 10% bias (or 20-30%, whatever it is). In the end, it obviously stacks up. I'm an optimist so I like to think it's not pure, malicious racism (although I know it still exists). It comes down to two things, racial bias, and economic inequality which still puts most black people in a terrible position right out of the gate.
ReplyDeleteI hate to say it, but I'm still part of that problem. I can say I have black friends (which I do) and I try to understand all the history that goes into our current situation (and I do), but in the end, when I'm walking down a dark alley and I see I black man, in the back of my head, I still have that 10% bias. I can rationalize that it's just (especially in Detroit), but I also know that it's the root (at least one of the roots) of many of our problems.
Anyway, good show. I still check back in now and then. I'm glad to see you're still doing the podcasts. Also, I like the redesign of the website. A lot faster and cleaner. Cheers Germar.
(sorry for all the parenthesis!)
Stan
heyyyyy Stan's back! I don't think I disagree with you. I think that's the exact problem. Everyone thinks they're not racist, but that bias based on . . . bias creeps in and then unarmed black teens are shot and so on and so forth, but it always "feels" a little more justified because of that ever-increasing bias. Thanks for the comment.
Delete