Let’s understand our prejudices and celebrate diversity

Through following the CN&CO blog you will know that we value the views and thoughts that the TED community share. We also value people, as they are at the centre of much that we do. And what is a company or brand’s culture but the sum of its people?

On May 25, 2020, George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was killed in Minneapolis, America. This incident has sparked reaction around the globe making it clear that many millions of people know that now must be the time to address prejudice and strive for equality.

CN&CO has always celebrated diversity and encouraged it to build stronger stronger brands and a better world.. We should not let fear and anger win. Together, let’s have the honest conversations we need to have to move our world forward.

TED have collated a few Talks to help you understand racism in America – From passionate pleas for reform to poetic turns of phrase, these talks take an honest look at everyday realities of Black Americans and illuminate the way forward. Many of the views in these talks also have relevance for us in South Africa.

Explore what is possible, broaden your horizons and shift your perspective.

View the full TED Talk Playlist here. A few of the talks are listed below.

The danger of a single story

Our lives, our cultures, are composed of many overlapping stories. Novelist Chimamanda Adichie tells the story of how she found her authentic cultural voice — and warns that if we hear only a single story about another person or country, we risk a critical misunderstanding.

How we can make racism a solvable problem – and improve policing

When we define racism as behaviors instead of feelings, we can measure it — and transform it from an impossible problem into a solvable one, says justice scientist Dr. Phillip Atiba Goff. In an actionable talk, he shares his work at the Center for Policing Equity, an organization that helps police departments diagnose and track racial gaps in policing in order to eliminate them. Learn more about their data-driven approach — and how you can get involved with the work that still needs to be done. (This ambitious plan is part of the Audacious Project, TED’s initiative to inspire and fund global change.)

An interview with the founders of Black Lives Matter

Born out of a social media post, the Black Lives Matter movement has sparked discussion about race and inequality across the world. In this spirited conversation with Mia Birdsong, the movement’s three founders share what they’ve learned about leadership and what provides them with hope and inspiration in the face of painful realities. Their advice on how to participate in ensuring freedom for everybody: join something, start something and “sharpen each other, so that we all can rise.”

How to deconstruct racism, one headline at a time

Baratunde Thurston explores the phenomenon of white Americans calling the police on black Americans who have committed the crimes of … eating, walking or generally “living while black.” In this profound, thought-provoking and often hilarious talk, he reveals the power of language to change stories of trauma into stories of healing — while challenging us all to level up.

Join TED Recommends to get the best ideas, selected just for you.

For more CN&CO stories to help you grow your business and lead your best life, follow us on @cnandco.

*Featured image from DiversityQ