Reni Eddo Lodge @ 5x15 - Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race

Summary

This transcript explores the journey of the Jalak Prize, a literary award created to celebrate underrepresented writers of color in Britain. The speaker recounts the challenges faced by the prize organizers, including a controversial complaint from a politician accusing the prize of racism towards white authors. The narrative sheds light on the emotional toll of advocating for racial equality and the difficulty of engaging with white people on the topic of race. It also touches upon the struggles of Black Britain, referencing historical events such as the Bristol bus boycott, highlighting the ongoing fight against systemic racism.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Jalak Prize was created by Nick Shukla and Sunny Singh to address the underrepresentation of non-white British authors in the literary world, focusing on celebrating writers of color.
• 😀 Despite its noble intentions, the Jalak Prize faced immediate controversy, including an accusation from comedian Shappi Khorsandi that being nominated would be tokenistic rather than recognizing her talent.
• 😀 A major controversy emerged when the Equality and Human Rights Commission investigated the prize after an MP claimed it discriminated against white people.
• 😀 The Equality and Human Rights Commission's investigation ultimately concluded that the Jalak Prize's focus on positive discrimination was justifiable and not in violation of equality laws.
• 😀 The MP behind the complaint, Philip Davies, has a history of opposing race-based literary prizes, having successfully campaigned to shut down a similar initiative in 2009.
• 😀 The speaker shared their personal experiences with racial advocacy, particularly how difficult it can be to address racism when people, especially white people, refuse to acknowledge structural inequality.
• 😀 There is a widespread issue of emotional disconnect when people of color articulate their experiences with racism, often leading to denial or defensiveness from white people.
• 😀 The speaker highlighted the exhaustion of continually engaging with people who deny structural racism or interpret discussions on race as personal attacks rather than acknowledging the larger societal issue.
• 😀 A powerful personal story was shared about a historical example of racial activism in the UK, the Bristol bus boycott, which was led by Paul Stevenson in 1963 to address racial discrimination in employment.
• 😀 The speaker called for greater recognition and celebration of unsung heroes of racial justice, like Paul Stevenson, and emphasized that the fight against racism is ongoing and requires continuous effort from all people, particularly those who are not directly affected by it.

Q & A

What was the purpose behind creating the Jalak Prize?

The Jalak Prize was created to celebrate and promote writers of color in Britain, especially British-born writers, in response to the overwhelming lack of non-white representation in the British publishing industry.

What controversy did the Jalak Prize face after its launch?

The prize faced criticism when author and comedian Shappi Khorsandi withdrew from the nomination process, stating that being included would be seen as tokenism rather than recognition of her talent.

How did the Equality and Human Rights Commission become involved with the Jalak Prize?

The Equality and Human Rights Commission became involved after an MP lodged a complaint, claiming the prize was discriminatory towards white people. They investigated whether the prize contravened the Equality Act of 2010.

What was the outcome of the investigation by the Equality and Human Rights Commission?

The commission concluded that the Jalak Prize represented positive discrimination, not negative discrimination, and was justified in its focus on promoting underrepresented writers of color.

How did the speaker describe the emotional toll of advocating for racial equality?

The speaker described the emotional exhaustion of engaging in conversations about race, especially with individuals who refuse to acknowledge structural racism. They expressed frustration at being constantly misunderstood and labeled as divisive.

What is the significance of the Bristol Bus Boycott mentioned in the speech?

The Bristol Bus Boycott, led by Paul Stevenson, was a pivotal civil rights movement in Britain in 1963 that successfully challenged racial discrimination in employment practices at the bus company, highlighting the broader struggle for racial equality in Britain.

Why does the speaker believe that the Bristol Bus Boycott is not widely recognized on a national level?

The speaker attributes the lack of national recognition to a denial of race issues in Britain, where local movements like the Bristol Bus Boycott are overlooked in favor of more prominent figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks.

What point does the speaker make about the idea of a meritocracy in society?

The speaker challenges the notion of a meritocracy, arguing that society is deeply blighted by structural inequality. They suggest that attempts to correct these imbalances are often misunderstood as creating division, rather than addressing the root causes of inequality.

How did the speaker feel about engaging with white people on the topic of race?

The speaker expressed that they could no longer engage with white people on the topic of race, especially those who refuse to acknowledge structural racism. They cited emotional exhaustion and the defensive, dismissive reactions they encountered in these conversations.

What message does the speaker aim to convey to the audience at the end of the talk?

The speaker encourages the audience to take action against racism by acknowledging its persistence and speaking out, particularly those who are not directly affected by it, as it is their duty to help redress the balance of power and advocate for racial equality.