Monday, March 23, 2015

PARENTING - Talking to African-American Sons

"How parents talk to their African-American sons about the police" PBS NewsHour 3/20/2015

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  As communities around the nation grapple with questions of race and police brutality, a New York Times short documentary asks parents of African-American boys what they say to their sons about how to respond if stopped by police.

JUDY WOODRUFF (NewsHour):  Finally tonight, a special contribution to our series Race Today, where we have been exploring how different generations see the issues making headlines.

The conversation is a short film from the Op-Docs team at The New York Times.

Directors Geeta Gandbhir and Blair Foster spoke to parents of African-American boys about the conversation they have with their sons on how to respond when stopped by the police.

MAN:  There’s this unspoken code of white — of racism and white supremacy that says that my life doesn’t matter.

WOMAN:  You can put your hands up and say — and cooperate and say that I’m choking and still be killed and then there’s no repercussions.

WOMAN:  It’s maddening.  I get so frustrated and angry about having to prepare my kids for something that they’re not responsible for.

WOMAN:  And these are conversations that people of other races do not have to have with their children.

MAN:  The conversation with him was really just, look, you’re a beautiful young boy.

WOMAN:  Being African-American is a wonderful thing, it’s a wonderful blessing, you have come from great people, but it’s also a hard thing.

MAN:  In America, because of your skin color, as a black boy and as a black man, we are going to be dealing with a lot of danger.


"A Conversation With My Black Son" New York Times Op Docs

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