Author Sophie Williams on the difference between not being racist and being an anti-racist ally, alongside the importance of intersectional identity as a millennial black women.
After yet two more police shootings, and video of a black soldier being pepper sprayed, all in less than a week, this was an episode I originally planned to release as part of my next series in September, but I simply couldn't hold this back now. So, joining me on this week’s Power Done Differently is Sophie Williams, an advocate, activist, and author of the books Anti-Racist Ally and the newly released Millennial Black. A Creative Media Producer by trade, having worked on several notable productions including the Crown, Orange in the New Black and The End of The F***ing World, Sophie found herself the voice of a movement after an Instagram post went viral. We delve into all the uncomfortable topics we need to be having right now: We talk about George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Belly Mujinga, Stephen Lawrence, and so many other names that should still be here, how black women have been the backbone of much of social progress, defining what privilege looks like - for people off all ethnicities - and why you need to overcome the need to be liked by everyone. For Sophie, there’s a difference between simply not being racist and actively being an anti-racist. From her TEDTalk, we also discuss the glass cliff, how we all too commonly see it in politics today, and the regressive situation that is bound to happen when under-represented women of colour are placed into that poison chalice position. In her books, one of the suggestions Sophie makes for anti-racist allies is to “just listen” and so that’s exactly what I’ve tried to do, and I hope you will too.
