Why Words Matter with Farah Jones

Black History Year

You've likely heard them before. "Don't get too dark." Or "You look good, have you lost weight?" And even, "Be quiet -- that's not ladylike." These phrases might seem inconsequential, but embedded deep within are messages of anti-Blackness. And they're messages that the most impressionable of us especially internalize: our children. Today we'll unpack three problematic phrases -- and their implicit meanings -- with Farah Jones. They are a multiracial writer, editor, and educator. A former middle and high school teacher, they currently write for various publications and present workshops and trainings around the country focusing on racial and gender justice and community building. Words matter. It's time to get intentional about how we use them.

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Thanks for supporting the work. The Black History Year production team includes: Tareq Alani, Patrick Sanders, Leslie Taylor-Grover, William Anderson, Jareyah Bradley, Brooke Brown, Shiavon Chapman, Tabitha Jacobs, Abeni Jones, Briona Lamback, Courtney Morgan, Zain Murdock, Akua Tay, Tasha Taylor, and Darren Wallace. Producing the podcast we have Cydney Smith, who performs our narrative pieces, and Sasha Kai Parker, who also edits the show.

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