Conversation Series 150 – Deidre Kelly

Substack’s livestreaming feature has allowed many people to discover me, and this guest is no exception! Deidre regularly watched my livestreams and heard me consistently invite people to discuss their evolution of race consciousness. She took the opportunity to reach out and schedule a 30-minute Zoom call with me that was incredible.

During that call Deidre walked me through her evolution of race consciousness that included various aspects of her life. We discussed her birth and upbringing, her education, her children’s education, and her mindset shifts regarding race over time. Just listening to how white supremacist ideology has touched so many aspects of her life and the life of her family reminded me once again how critical the work I’m doing is.

Deidre is a law professor and the mother of five children. As the child of parents who immigrated to the United States from Guyana, Deidre has some important insights into the geography of racial hierarchy. I believe her story in particular demonstrates well the fact that race is socially constructed. I also believe her story about how Trayvon Martin’s killing and George Zimmerman’s subsequent acquittal impacted her relationship to white supremacist ideology is instructive. Join us as we explore these memories and contemplate the future together by sharing our evolution of race consciousness. Bring your questions and comments to the chat, and I’ll see you there!