All language subtitles for Am.I.Racist.2024.1080p.DLWP.WEB-DL.AAC2.0.H-en

[WHIMSICAL MUSIC PLAYING]

MAN: One minute.

One minute.

[BELL RINGS]

Hi.

- How are you?
- MAN: You can go right here.

[UPBEAT COUNTRY
ROCK MUSIC PLAYING]

♪ Good things Utah ♪

♪ Where the good things are ♪

♪ Good things Utah ♪

♪ Where the good things are ♪

♪ Good things Utah ♪

Joining us now is Matt.
He's a certified DEI expert.

And, Matt, let's start
with what you do.

What is a certified DEI expert?

Well, that's someone
who takes you on a journey

of diversity and inclusion.

And, um, speaking of journeys, you know,
And, um, speaking of journeys, you know,

it's all about how
you begin the journey.

We covered this in the workshop.

I'd like to start with

what's called a "land
acknowledgement."

I don't know if you're
familiar with those.

Um, I brought, uh, one
along for this broadcast.

Uh, so, I'd like to
begin by acknowledging

that this broadcast is
airing in the traditional lands

of the Ute, the Paiute,

the Goshute, and
the Shoshone tribes.

These are the peoples
who call this land home

before it was ravaged and
ransacked by the white man.

And this is a lot of things

that we don't necessarily think about.
that we don't necessarily think about.

- MATT: Mm-hmm.
- And this is part

of the journey that you'd
like to teach other folks

- in your workshops.
- Yeah.

If you wouldn't mind,

I'd go through the
exercise right now.

- Uh...
- Go ahead. What is it?

So, can we all do it together?

- Yeah. Do we stand?
- Yeah. Yeah, we stand for it.

- Okay.
- Okay.

It's very, very simple. I
start every day like this.

So what you're doing
is you're stretching,

you're stretching, and this is
more for you and less for you.

You're stretching up like this,

- and you're stretching out.
- Mm-hmm.

What you're doing
is you're stretching

out of your whiteness.

Okay, so you're decentering your whiteness.
Okay, so you're decentering your whiteness.

You're stretching
out of your whiteness.

You're probably
wondering if this is real.

The answer is yes. It's real.

That's me. Matt
Walsh. In real life.

With the man bun
and the skinny jeans

on an actual news show
as a certified DEI expert.

If you don't know,

DEI stands for diversity,
equity, and inclusion.

It's all the rage right now.

But you're still
probably asking,

what am I doing on this TV show?

How did I get there?
How did I get there?

And how did I become
a certified DEI expert?

Well, it's a complicated story.

[FUNKY MUSIC PLAYING]

I've been a white
guy my whole life.

Growing up in the '90s,

I never thought much about race.

I mean, yeah, sure,

you noticed if
somebody was Black

or white or Mexican, or whatever,
or white or Mexican, or whatever,

but it never really
seemed to matter that much.

At least not to me.

And we think the vast majority
of Americans are racist?

That's what I'm trying...
I totally understand.

I think that there is
a significant portion,

um, that are racist

- and you can't...
- MATT: These days, though,

we're told that racial
tensions are high.

It's all over the media.

There are a lot of
racists in this country.

MAN: We're doing a big
story about race in America.

Race in America.

KAMALA HARRIS: Black, Latino,

and Indigenous people
are suffering and dying...

Violent, white supremacy.
Violent, white supremacy.

- White...
- White...

- White entitlement.
- This is America.

REPORTER: Overnight
growing national unrest.

We've gotta do the work.

- Coffee?
- Yes. Thank you.

How do you take it?

[TENSE MUSIC BUILDS]

- [MUSIC STOPS]
- Black.

That was awkward.
That was awkward.

Should I not have said "black"?

That's how I like my coffee.

I don't like cream.
Is that so wrong?

I don't think the two
should be mixed.

Okay, that does sound racist.

Wait, am I racist?

What is racism?

If I'm gonna sort this out,
I need to talk to an expert.

Preferably someone
outside of my bubble.

Somebody who can
speak with authority

about the Black
experience in America.

Or I'll just talk to
this white woman.

This is Kate Slater.

She's an anti-racist scholar and educator.
She's an anti-racist scholar and educator.

- Hi. Nice...
- Nice to meet ya. How are ya?

And you are the co-creator

of something called
the Anti-Racist

- Roadmap.
- Roadmap. Yeah.

So, what... what is that?

After 2020, we saw

a lot of white people saying,

"Okay, I know I
need to do the work,

"but I don't know
what the work is."

So what is the work?

- [CHUCKLES DRILY]
- 'Cause I wanna do...

- The work.
- Do that.

I wanna do it too, but
I don't know what...

What is the work?

I think, for white folks, the work is
I think, for white folks, the work is

reallocating our
resources and privileges

to balance out
systemic inequities.

So that means there is
a white person who says,

"Okay, I'm ready
to interrupt racism,"

or, "I'm gonna be really nice

"to that Black or brown person,"

because that's the work.

But they're never
willing to interrupt

their shitty racist uncle.

That's a powerful
example for me.

You mentioned a racist uncle.

- [LAUGHS] I've got one, too.
- Yeah.

Well, you're saying,

sometimes we have to
confront those people.

Oh, absolutely. Oh, absolutely.

Because if you're not going
to confront them, who is?

When is the right
age to talk to our kids

about their racism?

Before they can talk. [LAUGHING]

I mean it. I...

So my six-month-old
baby, I used...

Why the hell not?
Why the hell not?

My six-month-old...

And honestly, they've gone
through six months of life,

I've never talked to
them about racism.

So my daughter's four years old.

I am an anti-racist
educator, quote-unquote.

She's still watching
Disney movies,

and she is choosing a white princess over
and she is choosing a white princess over

princesses of color.

Have you talked
to her about that?

All the time.

My three-year-old
daughter is very...

Her favorite princess is Moana.

- Love it.
- It's a good sign.

- Yeah.
- But then I also thought,

you know, it's a little bit of
cultural appropriation here.

She wants to be
Moana for Halloween.

Mm-hmm.

So, how do we navigate that?

- [SIGHS]
- Do I go and buy

the Pacific
Islander native attire

for my white three-year-old?

Um, I wouldn't. I [BLEEP] wouldn't.
Um, I wouldn't. I [BLEEP] wouldn't.

But I guess, what we might
call the Moana problem here

is what, uh, on one hand,
is cultural appropriation.

On the other hand,

there's gravitating
towards white characters.

- Right.
- So it's almost like

no matter which way you go,

- you end up back...
- Right.

...in racism.

We think every
space belongs to us

because we live in a
white supremacist society.

Is America an
inherently racist country?

I think the word "inherent" is challenging there.
I think the word "inherent" is challenging there.

- If we say...
- Fundamentally.

Fundamentally, yes.

America is racist to its bones.

- All of the...
- So, inherently.

Yeah.

Just to put it as
bluntly as possible,

am I racist?

Every white person in America
has grown up in a country

where race and racism make
up the fabric of our society.

So I don't think anyone
moves through this world

with a non-bias,
non-racist world view.

So the answer's yes, I am racist.
So the answer's yes, I am racist.

You said it

What do you recommend
to people for resources

if they're just starting
on their anti-racist path?

Go to the bookstore

if you're not
reading these books.

And then applying
what you've learned,

taking what you read
about and saying,

"Hey, racist uncle,

"I think we should
talk about this."

That you're no good.

I've never, uh, confronted
my own racist uncle.

I haven't confronted him.

But it's not ever too late.

No.

No.

Sometimes it means having the conversation
Sometimes it means having the conversation

that you've been
knowing in your heart,

you've been
putting off for years.

MATT: Hmm.

If Kate Slater's right, then
it's all worse than I thought.

America is racist
down to its bones.

And my Uncle Frank,

well, I'll deal with him later.

For now, I've got a
lot of reading to do.

[LIGHTHEARTED MUSIC PLAYING]

So we do have
books on anti-racism,

uh, kind of all
throughout the store.

There's a lot of,
like, newer stuff

that tends to go on the
main floor first, but...

- Yeah.
- ...the bulk of our section,

we keep over here.

This is all anti-racism?

Yeah. This section is really
just books on anti-racism,

and a lot of the
history of racism,

particularly in
the United States.

Am I even allowed
to touch this one?

Some of these books are provocative.
Some of these books are provocative.

WOMAN: Yes.
Definitely. [CHUCKLES]

So, what... Am I allowed
to even read this one?

WOMAN: I think
you're allowed to read it.

I would not perhaps say the
title. [LAUGHS NERVOUSLY]

So I couldn't call you up
and say, "Do you have..."

You might say it's a
book that starts with "N"

- and it's by this author.
- Yeah.

If you were looking
for that in particular.

That's probably a level up

- from where I am.
- [LAUGHS]

How many of these do
you think we need to...

need to get through before
we can really understand?

Start with one book, let
it sit, see how you feel.

I feel like reading one
book kind of gets you

into a place where it's like,

"You know what? I do
want to do more about this."

These are all staff
recommendations.

Uh, they're all fiction,
written by diverse authors,

and they're all pretty fun.

Dumb question. You
said diverse authors.

What's a diverse person?

Uh, that would be basically
people who aren't white,

[CHUCKLES] essentially.

- So, Black, Latinx...
- So we can't...

...Native American, Asian...

So everybody who's
not white is diverse.

Well...

Unless you're... say, gay.

Yeah. I mean,

it's not just reading Black
people, but, you know,

every... Like, there are
a lot of different groups

that have faced persecution,
and have had a hard time,

and, you know,
just being a white,

straight, cisgender
person, usually a man,

it's like kind of
the top of the pile.

- But, uh...
- That's me.

[LAUGHS]

So I'm on the top of the pile.

- Uh... You know...
- Where should I start?

White Women , uh,

by Regina Jackson and Saira Rao.

Race 2 Dinner is a
thing that they do, uh...

Basically, this
book is saying, like,

"We need to stop being
nice about racism,"

'cause nothing has been
advanced by being nice.

White Fragility
by Robin DiAngelo.

Hearing from
another white person

about ways to have
these conversations,

and ways to break through
your own white fragility,

I think, is a really
good place to start.

Well, a lot to learn,

but we have all
the materials here,

- I think...
- [CHUCKLES]

...to start the journey.

- [INTRIGUING MUSIC PLAYING]
- Beautiful bookstore.

Thank you. We're fond of it.

Thank you.

Have a good day.

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]

MAN: Robin DiAngelo's
2018 book, White Fragility,

catapulted to the top

o f the New York
Times best sellers' list.

GAYLE KING: Robin
DiAngelo is a sociologist,

and she's author of this book.

Everyone, please check
out her book, White Fragility.

Everyone else in the world has.

White Fragility, which
is, in many cases,

the Bible for white people...

This is the book
that we'll be reading.

- White Fragility.
- Crucial and seminal book.

WOMAN: New York
Times best-selling list

for the third year.

MATT: "Racism is the norm
rather than an aberration.

"Anti-Blackness is foundational

"to our very identities
as white people."

DIANGELO: As a white person,

I was just raised to
expect the world to be mine.

That's how difficult we are.

Wow.

That's how big, uh,
a-holes we are. [LAUGHS]

Yeah.

MATT: "White identity
is inherently racist.

"White people do not exist

"outside the system
of white supremacy."

When we say "I'm not
racist," what we're conveying

is that we're clueless
about what racism is.

And I would just
ask white Americans

to remove that phrase
from their vocabulary.

"I'm not racist."

MATT: "Anger, fear, and guilts,

"and behavior such as
argumentation silence

"and withdrawal.
These responses work to

"maintain our dominance
within the racial hierarchy.

"I conceptualize this
process as white fragility."

[WHIMSICAL MUSIC PLAYING]

Robin DiAngelo was right.

Coming to terms
with my whiteness

was not going to be easy.

Fortunately, I found
a support group

that can help me with
my white privilege,

run by an anti-racist expert
who specializes in grief.

Her fee was $30,000
to host this workshop,

so, obviously, she
must be the best.

But I'm worried that, as a
well-known conservative,

the support group may not
welcome me into their fold.

Maybe I'll use a different name

to help me blend in.

Whatever it takes to
continue this journey.

WADE: All right.
So, typically, I like

to open up the space
with a brief meditation,

so if you feel comfortable,

please ground
yourself in your seats.

Close your eyes

and just allow yourself to
be fully present in the space.

Whatever that means.

Are we meditating?

Okay. Sorry.

When you are
ready, open your eyes

and rejoin the space.

All right. So is
everybody excited

to talk about
anti-racism and grief?

- Absolutely.
- [ALL LAUGHING]

WADE: Okay.

So, I usually like
to get this started

by just introducing ourselves.

If you could please
pronounce your name.

Uh, please share your pronouns,

how you're feeling today,

as well as the
weirdest compliment

you have ever received.

My name is Dan. Uh,
my pronouns are he/him.

I'm feeling excited today.

And then the weirdest compliment

I think I've ever received...

I was in the online
dating sphere,

and I've gotten the "you
look much better in person."

- [ALL LAUGHING]
- Oh, my God.

Um...

If you wanna stand, you can,

- totally, it's okay.
- Okay, I'll just sit down.

Uh, I'm Steven.

Uh, pronouns, I'll...

you know, I'll have to
get back to you on that.

Um, I'm feeling
excited, uh, nervous.

WADE: Mm-hmm.

Uh, present.

A little hungry.
[CHUCKLES] But...

The strangest
compliment I've ever gotten

is I've been complimented, uh,

on the number of Black
friends that I have...

WADE: Hmm. MATT: ...in the past.

So, it's 17, um...

it's a number, but, you know...

Sometimes it
comes up, but, um...

That's what people
have said, so...

WADE: Hmm.

Thank you, everybody,

for being willing to participate

and for, first and
foremost, being here.

We will not end systemic racism.

It is not possible for us
to dismantle a system

that has been
around for 400 years,

and has effectively
and efficiently

destroyed the lives
of millions of people.

You all have been
grandfathered into the system.

We are here to focus on you

and your experience
and your grief

because that is the source

of downstream
anti-Blackness and racism.

And quite frankly, I pray to God

you all feel this uncomfortable.

I will be so happy if you all
feel extremely uncomfortable,

if you are truly looking
at what white supremacy

has done to not only, um,

African Americans,
but to yourselves.

You are here to sit
amidst whatever suffering

and pain you are experiencing

for the sake of the
liberation of others.

That is love.

I don't know if
any of you grew up

with a Christian
background. I did.

[CHUCKLES] Uh...

But love is also not
always patient and kind.

When we are talking
about systemic oppression,

and the role that we
are playing to mitigate it,

patience is not needed.

People are dying.

Kindness is not
what is called for.

We are here to
talk about the fact

that Black Americans
are not safe.

If I'm going to be quite frank,

when I do this work,
and these types of circles,

I'm not safe.

But I do them out of necessity.

Why are you...

Why are you not
safe in the circle?

Being an African American

in primarily white spaces
is not safe for me mentally

or emotionally.

We will go into more
depth about that,

but I appreciate that question.

These topics may be
difficult, and at times,

you may feel overcome
by emotions. That's okay.

There is a room to the left.

If you find that your
emotions are, um,

interfering with
the group process,

I kindly ask you to step aside.

Um, so can we start with you?

I'm here because...

I feel like I've been
socialized to be an asshole,

and that doesn't feel good.

And my promise to
the Black community

is to lean into

being brave and uncomfortable,

and to love in
inconvenient ways.

Thank you.

Well, I'm here on
a journey towards

a brighter future,
uh, for myself

and for, you know,
hopefully, the world.

My promise to myself is love.

To love myself.

Which is so important,

and I've struggled
so much with that.

[SNIFFLES]

I've struggled so much with it

in my life, to
find myself. Um...

My promise to the
Black communities...

[SIGHS] to be so much better.

So much better than
I have been to them.

To be better in so
many better ways.

To better myself.
To better the world.

And I know that I
haven't been better.

I haven't been.

But I'm going to be.

That's my promise.

WADE: Thank you.

Oh.

I am here with the intention

to understand

and learn and, um...

- dig a little bit into...
- I'm sorry, can I...

I forgot one other thing
I wanted to promise

- the Black community.
- Um...

It's really important
that we don't interrupt

each other during the group.

- Oh, I'm sorry.
- But I appreciate...

I have one other
promise for the Black...

- We can circle back around.
- Thank you.

Are we going to
circle back around?

No. No. Uh...

Other things will come up.
That's part of the process.

But I want to be very sure

that we respect
everybody's time.

Okay. I didn't want someone
else to take my promise

to the Black community
that I was gonna make.

Well, thank you.
Please continue.

The promise that I
am making to myself

is to be elastic.

To use my voice
and my privilege,

to be heard.

Uh, to...

That's what I was
gonna say, but...

- Please allow her to finish.
- Sorry.

If we think about the
construction of whiteness

as an identity,

it makes sense that the
seeds of white supremacy

are buried within
your subconscious,

whether or not you realize
it, and without your consent.

It is often uncommon
for white Americans

to be aware of their privilege,

let alone how it's functioning
on a day-to-day basis.

You said, a moment ago...

- Um, there'll be an oppor...
- Can I say something?

Uh, yes. Ask a question.

You said, a moment ago,

that the seeds of
white supremacy

- are in all of us.
- Yes.

How do we get them out?

That's what the presentation...

We're going through the
presentation to discuss that.

If there is another
interruption,

I'm going to have to
respectfully ask you

to step out and go to the
second room to the left.

But next time, I am gonna
have to ask you to leave, okay?

Leave for good?

Just until you're able
to rejoin the group

and participate
without interruption.

- Yeah?
- That's fair.

Okay. Thank you.

[EXHALES LOUDLY]

White supremacy has
essentially created a system

driven by grief,

and that is why we
are here to discuss

white grief in particular.

I would like you
to close your eyes

and spend the next 30 seconds

thinking about,

what does that loss
feel like in your body?

It feels like a thousand knives

plunging into my soul.

And a sack being...

hit by bats and bricks.

And the whole sack is
thrown into the ocean.

Thank you.

That's what it feels like.

And it's very... it's...

- Oh, um...
- What?

We're moving to her now.

I... I didn't finish.

Please finish.

MATT: Um...

The sack's thrown
into the ocean,

then the sack's taken out,

and it's set on fire.

[MATT SMACKS LIPS]

- Thank you.
- That's what it feels like.

I have spent a lot of time
in primarily white spaces.

For better or worse.
[LAUGHS] So...

And that has come with a cost.

How long will it take until

the next microaggression
comes up?

These are things
that I carry every time

I am in a room with
primarily white people.

You're safe here.

I think I speak for
all of us when I say,

in this room...

WADE: I...

- One more interruption...
- White folks.

...I'm gonna have to
ask you to step out again.

Okay. I just wanted
to reassure you.

WADE: Thank you.
I appreciate that.

- I just want to.
- Thanks.

So, what do you
feel in your body

when you hear the
term "white people"?

I feel, like, a cringe about it.

"Cringe" is a good word.

- WADE: Cringe? Yeah?
- I couldn't pick a word,

- but that's a very good one.
- WADE: Okay.

As soon as you asked
the question, I felt,

inside, like a gut...

a little bit of a poke. "Ugh."

And I think it's for
all of the reasons,

- but also a little anger...
- WADE: Mm-hmm.

...at whiteness
as, um, that lie.

Just, "ugh!"

- WADE: Mm-hmm. Thank you.
- [MATT SNICKERS]

- [MUMBLES]
- WADE: The thing about...

I'm gonna step out for a moment.

Thank you. Appreciate that.

The thing about...

MATT: Which one is the cry room?

The second door to the left.

Thank you.

[WHIMSICAL MUSIC PLAYS]

MATT: My time in the cry room

allowed me some much-needed
reflection and self-care,

but with me out of the room,

the group put two and
two together and realized

who I actually was.

Not a guy named Steven.

When I finally returned,

things were
drastically different.

When I do this work,
the, uh, white participants

in the group feel that there's
something in themselves

- that they have to overcome.
- [DOOR OPENS]

When all that's

- being requested of you...
- [CLEARS THROAT]

...is that you be.

- Hello.
- MATT: Hi.

WADE: How are you?

- Sorry about that.
- Oh, no problem.

- You good?
- Yeah.

Remind me of your name again?

Uh... Uh, Steven.

Steven? Yeah? Okay.

Um...

- Did you want to come up?
- Come up?

Yeah. Do you wanna come
up and share anything?

Sure. What do you
want me to share?

Whatever's on your mind.

I just want to know that,
like, my physical safety

and yours and everybody
else's here is okay.

Why would your physical
safety not be okay?

Did I miss something?

I don't feel comfortable.

What... Can you guys

catch me up to speed
on what's going on here?

You don't need to be caught up.

We're gonna be silent.

Is it because I said I
had 17 Black friends?

It might have been 15. I...

It depends on how
you count them.

I would really
appreciate it if you left,

so that the people who
actually want to be here

and deserve to be here
can get what they need.

- I do want to be here.
- Can you please leave?

I would like it if you left.

I'm trying to learn.
I'm on this journey.

Come with me.

- Well...
- WADE: Thank you.

I didn't... I didn't
consent to be touched.

I'm not offering to touch you.

I'm offering to walk you out.

Will you walk with me, and
I'll answer your questions?

Okay. I'll admit it.

I'll admit it. My
name's not Steven.

WADE: Hmm.

Maybe you already knew that.

My name is Matt Walsh.

- WADE: Mm-hmm -
Mm-hmm. We know.

I just was here on this...

on this journey that
I'm just starting, but...

I see that I'm not wanted.

If you were on your journey,

then you would've
told us who you were

and your real
name, but you didn't.

- Please leave.
- Are you saying

I need a better disguise?
Is that what you...

I don't know. Maybe.

But you can figure that out
as you walk out the door.

WOMAN 1: How
did you get in here?

WOMAN 2: We all
had an invitation.

- Maybe.
- Yeah. Maybe.

[WHIMSICAL MUSIC PLAYS]

MATT: Thank you so much.

I really had a transformative
experience myself.

And my pronouns are he/him.

[INDISTINCT POLICE
RADIO CHATTER]

I did everything
I could to fit in.

I opened up.

I was raw and emotional.

I told them about
my Black friends.

It was no use. They rejected me.

And they called the police.

My mere presence in the
room caused them pain.

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYS]

I'll never be accepted
if I look like this.

If they know that
I'm Matt Walsh,

I'll always be an outsider.

I need to go deeper undercover.

A whole new identity.

If I want to be an ally,
I need to look like one.

Like someone who is progressive,

tolerant, enlightened.

Let me think.

Have I ever met
anyone like that?

Ah, yes.

Yes, I have.

What is a woman?

Why do you ask that question?

[DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

[MUSIC FADING OUT]

It's time to get serious
about my anti-racist training.

And it's not gonna be cheap.

- Nice to meet you.
- I'm Matt. How are you?

- Nice to meet you.
- Nice to meet you.

I guess I'll take my seat here.

[HIP-HOP MUSIC PLAYING, DO
THE WORK! BY BRYSON GRAY]

[RAPPING] ♪ I'ma show
ya'll how to stop being racist ♪

♪ You gotta do the work though ♪

BYRD: What is race?

♪ Okay, don't be a bigot
Post a black square ♪

♪ Drink Bud Light Put
blue dye in your hair ♪

♪ Tell your sons
to put on a dress ♪

♪ Who cares what they
wear? Ukraine flag in bio ♪

♪ Okay, we're almost there ♪

So it emerged in the
late 1600s essentially.

MATT: Did race exist
as a reality before?

We made race exist.

♪ Don't be early for work,
that's white supremacy ♪

♪ And if you drink, make
sure it's Hennessy ♪

♪ Math is racist too,
so check the history ♪

♪ And if you don't see it,
then check your memory ♪

♪ Do the work, do the work ♪

♪ If you wanna stop
being racist, do the work ♪

♪ Do the work, do the work ♪

♪ Let go of your
white privilege ♪

♪ Do the work, work, work ♪

Now that we've talked a
little bit about what race is,

then what is racism?

♪ Do the work, do the work ♪

♪ If you wanna stop
being racist, do the work ♪

Robin DiAngelo,
so she's the author

of the book, White Fragility.

She talks about the
system of racism

that we have in the US is
based on white supremacy.

♪ Do the work, do the work ♪

♪ If you wanna stop
being racist, do the work ♪

This is why a conversation
about reparations

and about repair is important.

♪ Do the work, do the work ♪

Ultimately, should we be
a colorblind society is what

Martin Luther King
said, not to judge people

by the color of their skin.

Um, so Martin Luther
King said a lot of stuff,

but he knew about institutional,

interpersonal and
internalized racism.

I've been told, because
I'm a white male,

I'm kind of at
the top of the pile.

How do I get down from the top

if I say I don't want
that advantage?

Um...

I don't think you
necessarily can.

[DO THE WORK! CONTINUES PLAYING]

The reason we cannot
be colorblind now

is because we're still
working on the problem.

♪ Do the work, do the work ♪

♪ Let go of your white
privilege, do the work ♪

♪ Do the work, do the work ♪

♪ If you wanna stop
being racist, do the work ♪

♪ Do the work, do the work ♪

♪ If you wanna stop
being racist, do the work ♪

[LIGHT ROCK MUSIC PLAYING]

I'm DEI certified. How are you?

DEI certified. I'm here to help.

DEI certified. If you need
some help, let me know, sir.

I'm DEI certified.

- What?
- What?

Let me know if you need
some help. I'm DEI certified.

Oh, good.

If you need any
help, just let me know.

My name's Matt.
I am, uh, certified

in diversity, equity,
and inclusion.

Just got my certification.

Just letting you know
I am DEI certified.

- DEI certified.
- What is DEI?

You're in good hands
here. I am qualified to have

these kinds of
important dialogues.

So I guess I'll start with,

where are you guys in
your anti-racist journeys?

Just talk to me about, uh,
decentering your whiteness

and where you
are on that journey.

-"Decentering my whiteness."
- Yeah.

Why do I have to go
away from my whiteness

and decentralize it?

I recently actually took
a masters level course,

um, about inclusion
and diversity.

Have you heard of
DiversityAndInclusion.com?

I have not.

Couple of different
prestigious institutions.

We all go to different
schools, but go ahead.

There were some things that,

you know, kind of brought
to my thought process

during that course
that I had never...

- Like what?
- ...thought about before.

Um, just about my own thinking.

When you start thinking
about how you feel,

but you maybe
don't want to feel.

[CHUCKLES] Does that make sense?

It does make sense.
What do you mean?

Um...

All I know is that, like,

I am white, and I am not racist.

That's how we, uh,
deal with racism?

We just... We just say,
"Oh, it's not happening."

Yeah, the more
you talk about it,

the more you are blatantly
acknowledging race.

And if you wanna forget it...

- We have to acknowledge it.
- You need to shut up about it.

I don't want to forget about it.

It's cool, like, you can
flash your card all you want,

but you gotta be a real human
at some point in your life.

- Did you see the card?
- I don't give a damn

- about your card, bro.
- Let's see it.

Look, we're not gonna solve
racism in this conversation,

but we can all agree

that you guys have
some things to learn.

I feel like you're the
most racist person

- I've ever talked to.
- [CHUCKLES]

One of us got the license,
the other one didn't, so...

You just sound like
a really racist person.

That I am. I've realized that.

- I've been told that.
- Why do you admit that?

Because denying it
doesn't make it go away.

We can't all be
certified experts.

- [CHUCKLES]
- I mean, I am,

- but we can't all be.
- [BOTH LAUGH]

All right.

We're still on a journey,
all of us together.

- Yeah.
- That's my motto.

I think you got some
journeying to do.

MATT: I know I
make this look easy,

but DEI work is
harder than you think.

I still have a lot to learn.

A viral video from September

at ASU's multi-cultural
center ignited a firestorm.

- What'd I do wrong?
- WOMAN 1: You have a bag...

WOMAN 2: You're...
You're offensive.

You're making this
space uncomfortable.

...uncomfortable.

WOMAN 2: But you're white.

This white man thinks
he can take up our space,

and this is why we need
a multi-cultural space.

You are racist! Your
sticker's racist because

you can choose to be a cop,

you can choose to kill
people with a badge,

and you're protecting that shit,

which means that you're racist!

MATT: Meet the charming
young lady from that video.

Sarra Tekola.

Founding member of
Black Lives Matter, Phoenix.

She has a Ph.D. in
Sustainability, which means

something really
important, I'm sure.

She's agreed to help me
learn how to decolonize myself.

For a $1,500 fee, of course.

So let's just get
this kicked off.

I'm a white guy myself.

What's up with white people?

Um, where do we start?

Let me reframe the
question a little bit.

What's wrong with white people?

A lot of it has to do with
cognitive dissidence

which allows, um, white people

to feel okay about
what happened.

There's actually a lot of
studies on Nazi doctors,

and how they were able
to, um, live with themselves.

Um, and it's not that much
different than white Americans

or white people
around the world, right?

It's this splitting of the self.

And so, um,

you have this part
of you that knows

that they did wrong,
the shadow self,

and that you have to split that.

And you have the
other self that's like,

"Oh, I didn't do anything wrong.

"Racism? Why are you blaming me

"for what my ancestors
did? It's not my fault."

Is racism inherent to whiteness?

I would say so.

I would say that we
need to abolish whiteness.

It's always been rooted
in othering the other people

who don't fit into whiteness,

but when we look
at white culture,

the only thing
about white culture

is buying things
and stealing things.

How do I...

confront my shadow,
my shadow self?

Acknowledging the
parts of you that are racist,

and then being able to
unpack and unlearn those.

Could I say, if someone
called me racist,

could I say, "Well,
I'm not racist."

"My shadow self
is, but I'm not"?

It's the splitting of the self.

Like I said in the beginning
about Nazi doctors.

The fact that you have
two selves is a problem.

The more that you
can merge it together,

then you could be able to
acknowledge these dark sides.

But I don't want to merge it,

because the
shadow self is racist,

so I don't want to be
merged, right? I want to...

- separate.
- No. You have to.

Yeah, because, uh, the thing is,

when you don't
merge them together,

your shadow self is
out here being racist,

and you're not even aware of it,

because that self, right...

So I gotta pull him in. I
gotta merge him with mine.

- Yeah.
- But then make it all...

- Yeah.
- ...not racist.

Yes.

I'm wondering, where do I
go from here as an individual

on this anti-racist journey?

You just know
whose land you're on.

Our existence as Americans

is predicated on other
people's suffering.

Learn about who is suffering

because of our existence
on... on this stolen land.

It is important to feel bad,

um, about what
your ancestors did.

- Embrace the pain.
- Yes.

[DO THE WORK! BY
BRYSON GRAY PLAYS]

MATT: To be a good ally,
I need to be an activist.

Our nation is littered with
relics from our racist past.

I'm on a mission to
right historical wrongs.

I needed some
help, so I asked Ben,

one of my 17 Black friends,

to join me on my quest
to change the world.

We have a petition.

Uh, we're hoping that maybe
you'd be willing to sign it.

We have a petition.
We want to rename

the George Washington Monument.

To?

MATT: To the George
Floyd Monument.

Because, of course,

George Washington
was a slave owner.

- Yep.
- And so in some ways,

this is symbolic. Symmetry,
it's George for George,

you might say. Would
you mind signing?

- I don't see why not. I will.
- Okay.

- Yeah. Sure.
- Yeah.

Oh, man. I love that.

We're talking about
painting it black.

We're gonna raise it 30%,

um, increasing it in height.

Excuse me, sir.

Sir, we have a petition. Sir?

For historical
inequities to redress...

Is there a Black
person around here?

I would hug them
and apologize to them

all day long for what happened.

There's a Black
person right here.

Does he not exist?

I'm sorry. I just didn't
look that direction.

Sounds like you're in
the habit of overlooking

marginalized communities.

Brother.

You are an American. I love you.

I'm sorry for what happened
in the past. I really am.

Let's just sign it and move on.

You don't have an opinion,
but you'll sign it anyway?

If that's what you'd
like me to, I can help.

- I would like you to.
- I can help you guys out.

Yeah. Thank you so much.

- Sign here?
- Yes. Absolutely.

I think it's a beautiful idea.

You think it's a beautiful idea?

I do.

MATT: We've got an encouraging
number of signatures so far.

We have a petition for the...

to redress
historical inequities.

Would you mind signing it?

- You will?
- [CAR HORN HONKING]

Uh, we want to rename the
George Washington Monument

to the George Floyd Monument.

[CAR HORN BLARES]

Thank you so much.

Would you be willing to?

I can't agree with that.

- Will you sign it?
- No. [CHUCKLES]

So are you gonna
erase all of them?

Yes.

No. [SNIFFS]

- Can you sign it anyway?
- Nope.

MATT: Getting people to agree

to change the George
Washington Monument

to the George Floyd
Monument seemed ambitious.

I'm pleasantly surprised

people are willing to erase
our problematic history.

♪ If you wanna stop
being racist, do the work ♪

WOMAN ON TV: I spend
way too much time cleaning.

MAN ON TV: Oh,
the broom shaka lakas

- for more than just...
- [FLIPS CHANNELS]

WOMAN 2: It's come
with a full 60-day...

DR. PHIL: There's a
controversial documentary out

entitled Destructing Karen .

REGINA JACKSON: How
many of you would trade places

with a Black person
in this society?

Raise your hand.

[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]

DR. PHIL: Today, on
an all-new Dr. Phil ,

Regina Jackson and Saira Rao.

Now, they are co-founders
of Race 2 Dinner.

What did you expect
at these dinners?

Basically, exactly what
we expect is what we get.

Some women are
ready to do the work.

But pretty much when
they come to the dinners,

"It's not me. I'm not racist."

MATT: Hold on a minute.

I've heard of
these ladies before.

Race 2 Dinner is a
thing that they do, uh...

Basically, this
book is saying, like,

"We need to stop being
nice about racism."

MATT: Stop being
nice about racism?

What a concept!

Apparently, you just pay these
ladies thousands of dollars

to come over for dinner
and call you racist.

It's genius!

I absolutely need to
attend one of these dinners.

But there's a big problem.

Only white women
are allowed to attend.

Why do white women
get to have all the fun?

I need to find another way
to earn a seat at the table.

[CLASSICAL MUSIC PLAYING]

- [MUSIC ENDS]
- JACKSON: Okay.

So, at these dinners,
we only have one rule.

And the rule is that
if you have to cry,

you have to leave the table.

Generally, we will have
the host just set up a room,

you know, with lots of tissue

- and everything...
- [ALL CHUCKLE]

...so you can go in there
and sob your heart out.

When a white
woman starts crying,

it draws all the attention

- from the room...
- WOMAN: Yeah.

JACKSON: ...onto that poor,

- white woman.
- Yeah.

Even the language of
whiteness softens everything.

White fragility, so
what that is, is...

And by the way, a white woman,

you know, your
hero, Robin DiAngelo,

coined that term,

and it's for when people...

when Black and brown
people talk about racism

and then white people
get upset, you know, angry,

and then deflect
the conversation.

By not wanting to
address your racism

and your white supremacy,

that is upholding
white supremacy.

That is not fragile. So just
think about how even language

to describe your
violent behavior

is couched in ways to
make you all seem delicate.

JACKSON: And to
make you comfortable.

RAO: So...

tell us one instance

that your racism has
shown up recently.

And that's either something

- you did...
- Didn't do.

...thought or an action.

WOMAN 1: So, my husband's Black,

so it can be an everyday
white supremacist thing.

Like, if I'm out in public,

and he's, like, really
loud or something

and I'll shush him.

Why do you do that?

Uh, usually because
we're in a space

that I think should be
quiet, which is probably

my white supremacy talking.

So, that's basically
tone policing

- a Black person...
- JACKSON: Mm-hmm.

RAO: ...who happens
to be your husband.

- WOMAN 1: Yeah.
- Okay. Who's next?

WOMAN 2: This one
mom starts going on about

how her white son is so screwed.

Been rejected here, and
"white boy, white boy."

All right, white
entitlement, white centering,

tone policing, white silence.

White women owned slaves.

Period. That's what it is.

Let's be clear what's
happening in this country.

- It's Nazism.
- Yeah.

RAO: Republicans are Nazis.

I assume it sounds
like everyone here

is probably not a
Republican. I might be wrong.

Am I wrong about the...

Is there any
Republican at this table?

You cannot separate yourselves

- from the bad white people.
- [DOOR CREAKS]

The proliferation of
guns has happened

every time whites feel terrified

of Black and brown people,

which is literally
every 10 seconds,

but also, um, when there's
an event like Obama.

Like Ferguson. Like 9/11.

Like COVID-19. Like
George Floyd. Thank you.

Um...

You've been killing
all of us, right?

Primarily Black folks,
and we're just right behind.

Right? There's the hierarchy.

Whiteness is even
more insidious than I...

than I even knew
even a year ago.

And whiteness also
robs you of your brain.

You know, you all have gave up

your reproductive
health rights without...

You wouldn't even get
off your Peloton bike

for 10 minutes
to go protest that.

MATT: Did you
want a second roll?

No, thank you.
Oh, okay. I'm good.

JACKSON: Black people know

that white people believe
they need their guns

to protect yourselves from us.

We've decided that it's okay
for the Second Amendment,

which is literally synonymous
with white supremacy,

to be our bible.

MATT: [WHISPERS] You want some?

This is what anti-racism is.

It's actually what
anti-whiteness is.

- It has to burn.
- Mm-hmm.

The entire system has to burn.

And I'm not looking to
you to save this country.

This country is
not worth saving.

This country is a piece of shit.

- [PLATES CRASH]
- Oh, my goodness!

MATT: Oh, sorry.

RAO: Um, but yes.

Uh, aren't you all tired of
living like this? Seriously.

I mean, I used to
be a white woman.

- An unsuccessful one...
- [WOMEN CHUCKLE]

...for many decades.

And it was a
miserable experience.

And really, the... the...
the hatred of yourselves

and each other
is like the most...

The not seeing your power.

The being afraid, like,

all you do is talk
shit about each other,

talk shit about yourselves,
"Oh, my God, I'm so fat."

MATT: That's all they
do. That's all they do.

- [WOMEN LAUGH]
- I'm telling you.

These white women.

RAO: But it's...
it's... That's it.

It's "I'm so fat. I'm so stupid.

"I'm blah blah blah."

[PLATES CRASH AND CLATTER]

MATT: Sorry.

RAO: Your kids are watching you.

And they're watching you
talking shit about each other.

You know, raging against
a machine or being silent

or whatever the hell it is

that you're doing or not doing.

And they know that you're
not doing shit for them.

MATT: That's so important.

That is so important,
what she just said.

It's real... It's
really important.

That's...

We may have to add you
to our team. [LAUGHS]

Oh! I would love to
take a seat and join you.

- No. You're not allowed to.
- MATT: Oh, okay.

- Definitely not allowed.
- MATT: Okay.

I do have my DEI certification

- that I... that I got.
- Okay.

- Okay.
- MATT: So...

Not saying I'm an expert,
but I'm also not a novice.

So... [CHUCKLES]

Okay.

White people are starved
for these conversations.

MATT: We are.
We are so starving.

- JACKSON: Yeah.
- We are so starving for this.

RAO: Anyone else?

Want to say anything?

MATT: I'll just say one thing.

I'm so glad we can have
these conversations.

And I'll be done. But,
uh, I'm just so glad

that we could all get together
to have these conversations.

[CHUCKLES] That's
all I wanted to say.

- JACKSON: Thank you.
- Is he an actor?

- Are you an actor?
- MATT: Oh, no.

Can you let us...
We're trying to listen

and trying to have
this conversation.

MATT: Okay. You know,

we're all acting all
the time in our lives,

and, uh, and I think that
that's part of the problem.

You know? [SIGHS]

And it's like we're
all trying to play a part

rather than just being real

and having these
uncomfortable conversations.

And that's what I'm
always trying to tell people.

Especially, you know,
white women. No offense.

- But... [CHUCKLES]
- RAO: No,

but, see, like,
you're a white dude.

There's power positions

- and, uh, you know...
- MATT: Yeah.

...it's pointing... pointing...

white people pointing fingers
at each other is not helpful.

MATT: You know, I've been
on this journey for so long,

and just to see you
guys at the table

having this conversation
has been really

enlightening for me.

Anyway, I got the
DEI certification.

[SMACKS LIPS] And
I'm just on the journey.

All right. You
ladies have a great...

RAO: Thank you.
JACKSON: All right.

[DOOR OPENS]

- Decolonize yourself.
- Mm-hmm.

Do your own white
supremacy dismantling.

And then you can start
to bring in other people.

MATT: Can I just... Can
I just say one last thing?

Can I just propose a toast?

Uh, I mean, just raise
a glass if you're racist.

And that's the thing.

Cheers. Oh, I'm not racist.
Let me put my glass down.

- MATT: All the rest of you.
- [JACKSON LAUGHS]

To racists.

[GLASSES CLINKING]

[BLUEGRASS MUSIC PLAYING]

MATT: What a
charming group of ladies.

I've learned a lot from
my fellow anti-racists.

But now it's time to evangelize.

To go to white America

and teach them
about their privilege.

This biker bar
will do just fine.

[ENGINE REVVING]

I'm sure these people

would love to have
an honest dialogue

about the perils of whiteness.

[BLUEGRASS MUSIC CONTINUES]

[MUSIC ENDS]

[ROCK MUSIC PLAYS]

MATT: What are you doing,

personally, in your life to
decenter your whiteness?

What do you mean,
decenter it? Well...

Take it away
from the center of...

Who's making it the center?
Why are they doing that?

Why race has to be
thrown in on everything?

Well, you're
white... you're white.

So? Who cares?

I mean, really, the way that
the world is going right now,

people need to be concerned

with how they're going
to feed their families.

Not what color
is that man's skin.

I got Black friends,
I love them, too.

- But they know they're Black.
- Do you know they're Black?

Of course I do, and I
like it. Good for them.

Well, you know, one
thing I've learned is that

if you meet a Black person,

you want to forget
that they're Black.

But don't forget
that they're Black.

Why would you want to
forget that they're Black?

- Well, don't. But also don't.
- Are they a friend?

Then you should
embrace them being Black.

I think Black men should
have pride in being Black.

And I think you should
have pride in being white.

- What's wrong with that?
- I agree with the first part.

Hello, sir.

Hi.

What's your name?

Pat.

- Pat?
- Yeah.

What about you? Do
you have, uh, kids?

- Do you have a wife?
- Yeah, I've got...

two or three kids...

- Two or three kids?
- Yeah.

You don't have to
give me the whole list,

but what are some ways

that you're, um,
confronting your whiteness?

- My whiteness?
- Yeah.

I get along good
with Black people.

I used to have... I used
to have a Black brother.

I called him my brother.
He called me his brother.

Was he really your brother?

No, he wasn't.

You were calling a
Black man brother?

Yeah. I had more Black friends

living in Huntsville
than I had white friends.

- Really?
- Yeah.

So that's in your own
life, but systemically...

Considering the
way things is at now?

Yeah.

Just to summarize. But
what do you think about

this issue of heteronormativity

and how it intersects

with the broader structures
of racism in society?

Huh?

I mean, ultimately, how
do we get to a point of,

let's say, racial harmony?

I don't know.

But I'm just telling
you what I said.

That's a lot to think
about on my own journey.

- It's good to talk to you.
- Mm-hmm.

Uh, I'm a vegetarian as well.

Uh, just started on the
vegan, uh, journey also,

- so I'm glad...
- That don't say "vegetarian."

That's a...

-"Vaginatarian." [LAUGHS]
-"Vaginatarian."

[LAUGHING]

What is that?

That's a little bit
of a sexist joke.

Well, you know.
It is what it is.

What do you think
about racism in society?

Is it... Do you think
it's a big problem?

I was born in 1960.

My dad, my uncle,

my granddaddy, were Klansmen.

It never affected me.

But you don't... You're not...

- No.
- ...racist?

- No. Not at all.
- And how do you know?

How do either of
you know that you're...

Because I... I accept
people as they are.

WOMAN: Exactly.

If you approach me
as a human being,

then I'm gonna be
a human being too.

We all bleed the same way.

What do you think
about systemic racism?

Systemic? What the hell is that?

Is the system
constructed in such a way

as to marginalize
people of color?

You wanna do away with racism?

Quit labeling people
as Black and white.

- WOMAN: Exactly.
- But that's colorblindness,

which is problematic.

If I meet you as a
Black man, and you...

you approach me,
I shake your hand.

We go in here, we
have a conversation,

we have a beer or ride down
the road on a motorcycle.

What the hell does your
color got to do with it?

- It's all right here, bubba.
- [BLUEGRASS MUSIC PLAYS]

If you treat people
right, they treat you right.

And...

I don't care what
color they are.

You gotta treat
each other right.

MATT: I was
expecting these bikers

would be a bunch of racists.

And obviously, I was right.

These people
haven't even started

to decenter their whiteness.

Now I need to go deeper
into the racist south,

so that I can talk
to people of color

about their lived
experience with racism.

I was in the drug game
for 18 years of my life, man.

And 14 and a half years
went all, uh, to incarceration.

So how did you get out?

I got out through, uh, the
pages of the Word of God.

MAN: My parents always
taught me to love everybody.

Don't allow skin color to
ever become a problem for you.

We didn't... We didn't
see colors, baby.

Because we grew up together.

And you know, it
was a lot of love.

Inherent dignity,
it's in all of us.

Though we're different
in so many ways,

we're still alike in
so many more ways.

- So we all one in God's sight.
- Yes.

MATT: So how long have
you owned this shop here?

I came here August 15,
1971, from British Guyana.

Did you start a
family and all that?

Yes. Altogether I
have 53 grandchildren.

- Wow.
- Yeah.

You think the country
has been good to you?

Yeah. Yeah, very
good. Very good, yeah.

How do you feel
about America today?

America, man, is
a beautiful country.

A beautiful country. I
don't have no problem here.

A lot of people,
pretty critical of, uh...

of this country,
and, you know...

I don't know why.

It can be kind of
a racist country.

No. No, no, no.

Do you experience a lot of
microaggressions out here?

Nah. Not out here.

No.

Well, what about
the systemic issue?

- Systemic...
- What you mean by "systemic"?

Well, the whole
country. The system.

The system is... You
know, the system is racist.

Mm...

Not to me.

- Not to you?
- No. Not to me, man.

I don't think
about those things,

racism and all that stuff.

I've been reading a
lot of books recently.

Robin DiAngelo, White
Fragility, obviously.

Uh, been reading a lot
of anti-racist literature.

Mm-hmm. I don't
read them things.

What do you read?

The only thing I
read is the Bible.

I got it in the car right there.

If you looked in my car,

you'll see it right
there on the seat.

So you haven't read
any Robin DiAngelo?

Uh, no. No, no. Robin
DiAngelo, who is that?

Well, she's a anti-racist, uh...

- Oh, no, no, no. No, no, no.
- ...expert.

I never read them
kind of books, man.

If I get a book like that,

I put it down. I don't want it.

I got a couple copies in
my car. I can give you one.

No. I don't want
it. I don't want it.

I don't want it. [LAUGHS]

No. 'Cause that is
not in my heart. No.

I've kind of been working on,
uh, decentering my whiteness.

Oh, your whiteness? [CHUCKLES]

Aight now, baby. We all
bleed the same thing, dude.

If I cut you right there,
you will bleed just like me.

[LAUGHING]

I...

It's just the color
of your skin.

How do we get past all the, uh,

talk about racism and the...

Oh, we gotta love
each other, like I said.

We have to love each other.

That's how you get past racism.

Well, it can't be that simple.

- Huh?
- Is it that simple?

Well, yeah. I mean, to me.

[BLUEGRASS MUSIC PLAYS]

MATT: Something's not right.

These people said the
same thing as those bikers.

White supremacy
is more pervasive

than I ever imagined.

I need to talk to someone

who has stared directly
into the face of racism.

- July 16th...
- Mm-hmm.

- ...2022.
- Mm-hmm.

- Difficult day for you.
- Very.

And for America.

The popular kids amusement park

apologized after
a video went viral

that appeared to show
a costumed character

snubbing two Black girls.

Okay, you see the
character coming,

high-fiving everybody as
he goes down the street.

Gets to those two little girls.

And appears to
just flat out say no,

and you see the little girls,

and their faces, and
they're heartbroken.

MATT: Meet Jodi Brown.

The mother who was victimized

at the hands of Rosita, the
Sesame Street character.

She was reluctant to talk
about the traumatic incident,

but for $50,000,

she was willing to
tell her tragic story.

Now, you have described
this moment as disgusting.

Because I feel like if you
are able to acknowledge

someone before my
children and after my children,

you could've stopped two
seconds just to say hello.

This was something targeted
at your... you and your child.

It was a very
intentional racist act.

We don't want some explanation
that, "Oh, the performer

"didn't see these
two young girls."

Which one of them
is in isolation today

from the harm that is being
caused by this company.

So we're gonna demand

that they take care of
any type of healthcare

or mental care expenses

that these children
have realized.

And who is Rosita?
Who's in that costume?

Mel Gibson.

I think that person needs to be,

you know, held accountable.

- Fired and held to account.
- Absolutely fired.

Well, before you fire 'em,

teach 'em why
they're being fired.

- [APPLAUSE]
- WOMAN: And then let them go.

And then let them go.

How do we fix the endemic
racism among mascots?

Mascots, I feel, like,
need to be trained better.

Do you know who the
employee is that was

- in the costume?
- No.

That information was
never given to me.

Uh, do we know if they're white?

Um, that information
was also not given to me.

[FUNKY MUSIC PLAYING]

Do you think American
society is racist?

There is an epidemic of hate

in the United States of America.

Threats of violence.

Threats of death
and destruction.

Hate and racism are
alive and well in America.

This is just absolutely crazy.

She was verbally
attacked by a group of men.

And I heard

distinctly them
saying "Donald Trump."

REPORTER: ...where a hate crime

is being investigated...

...third consecutive year

a noose has been
found on campus.

Bitter, brutal hate crimes
that are on the rise.

17% increase.

REPORTER 1: 20% increase.

REPORTER 2: 55%.

Hate crimes have surged...

REPORTER 1: More
than 7,200 hate crimes.

A noose was found
in Bubba's garage.

It's not about racing.

It's about race.

The Jussie Smollett
hate crime case

shows what appears to be a noose

around the Empire actor's neck.

You could not get more
reprehensible than a noose.

We have a media that's saying
it's a debate whether or not

what just happened
to Jussie Smollett

is a hate crime. It's absurd.

I've been truthful
and consistent

on every single
level since day one.

Right now, there is a domestic
terrorism prevention bill

moving through the house.

The COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act.
The COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act.

Thank you.

The hate crimes task
force is investigating...

- REPORTER: Hate crimes.
- Hate crimes.

- Hate crime.
- Hate crime.

- REPORTER: Hate crime.
- [LAUGHING]

[SIGHS SOFTLY]

Hate crimes.

Thoughts?

I think that hate
crimes are bad.

Hate in general,
uh, is not good.

But they're everywhere now.

- No.
- It's an epidemic.

No, it's... it's not.

Well, out of, what,

20 million index crimes a year,

there are 6,000,
7,000 hate crimes.

No, there's no epidemic.

This is one of those things

where there's a huge disconnect

between media presentation,

and this really is something
I research professionally.

And one of the reasons
that you're probably

talking to me also is I wrote
the book, Hate Crime Hoax,

and I mean, I noted that
over a period of maybe...

You wrote the book called what?

Uh, Hate Crime Hoax.

I pointed out that a
lot of these incidents,

Jussie Smollett, uh,

Covington Catholic,
Yasmin Seweid,

Duke lacrosse, Bubba Wallace...

Terrible story.

Uh, but they didn't
happen. That's the thing.

None of those stories that
I'm mentioning happened.

I mean, you can just
go on and on with this.

Uh, Kansas State, the
horrible racial epithets

written on upscale vehicles...

Okay. Let... Let's...

Let's slow down
here for a moment.

So you wrote the
book, Hate Crime Hoax?

Yes.

We're missing a word
in our notes on that.

Uh...

That's an issue from
the producer there

if it just says "Hate Crimes,"

or "Hate Crime Epidemic,"
or something like that.

Yeah.

Uh, and you say
that you're Black?

Yes.

Don't the statistics

show that anti-Black hate crimes

are a huge problem?

If you break down
the statistics.

Well, I think that
depends on your definition

of a huge problem.
I mean, so the...

One of the biggest problems.

No. The statistics
absolutely do not show that.

What are the statistics?

If you go into the FBI
numbers annually,

there are maybe 7,000

actual reported,
documented hate crimes

- in a typical...
- In a day?

No, in a typical year.

But the total number of
crimes in the United States,

more than 2 million committed
by African Americans.

Almost a million committed
against African Americans.

This is just violent crimes.

And it's just the case

that there are way more crimes
than there are hate crimes.

No one thinks that
direct racial conflict

is one of the biggest
problems in the country

unless they've been
told by the media that it is.

Uh, why are we
talking about statistics?

This is not a
matter of statistics.

Well, you asked me
about the statistics.

Every week practically,

we hear another story about

someone reporting a hate crime.

Let's say, they find a noose.

Uh, they found a
racist note on a receipt.

So, saying there's a
hate crime every week

is absolutely meaningless.

If you really wanted
to solve crime,

you'd talk about
Black-on-Black crime,

you'd talk about addiction
in poor white communities.

You'd talk about almost anything

but what the major media
seems intent on focusing on.

Most of those stories turn
out to be complete fakes.

It seems like the real
conversation to have

would be about
something like hysteria

and neuroticism among Americans.

It becomes an opportunity
for a conversation

about race in America.

And we can always
use more of that.

I absolutely disagree...

With what part?

That we can... I
disagree with all of that.

Have you heard yet that
I'm a certified DEI expert?

Here's my certification.

"DiversityInclusion
Training.com.

"Making compliance
fast, easy, and painless."

You don't need
to read that much.

- Just... Yeah, give it back.
- I... I don't know...

- something...
- That's not the point.

The demand for racism
in society right now

greatly outweighs the supply.

We've attached a sort
of value to being a victim.

People report these crimes

because they know the
response will be immediate.

It will be sensationalistic.
It will be very supportive.

Why would Jussie
Smollett say what he did?

The entire thing was
complete nonsense,

and I think most serious people

knew this from the beginning.

If it was such an
obvious hoax, then why...

why didn't we hear
it from the media?

From, uh, Kamala Harris,
all the late night talk shows.

The question is not,
why would they ever

say something that's not true?

It's, sort of, why
do we believe?

Because this had a
major national impact.

This itself impacted
race relations

by a couple of points.

[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]
[TENSE MUSIC PLAYING]

MATT: Despite what
the statistics say,

this country isn't safe
for people of color.

I've heard it over and over.

If only I could
walk in their shoes,

then I'd really know
what they go through.

Looks cold out there.

WOMAN ON TV: It's
two o'clock in the morning.

MATT: Man, I'm hungry.

WOMAN: You're going to Subway.

MATT: Where can I
get food at this hour?

SMOLLETT ON TV:
Subway is open 24 hours.

Like, people kill me when
they say things like that.

Because it's like, Subway
is open 24 hours for a reason.

So that when you hungry at night

and you ain't got no
food, you go to Subway.

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]

WOMAN: What happened
that night, Jussie?

I went to the Subway
and got the order.

You have to understand also
that it's Chicago. In winter.

[SIRENS WAILING DISTANTLY]

[MUSIC TURNS TENSE]

I, uh, heard as I was
crossing the intersection,

I heard, "Empire."

MAN: Daily Wire.

And I don't answer to
"Empire." [CHUCKLES]

My name ain't Empire. Uh...

And I didn't answer.

I kept walking,
and then I heard,

"[BLEEP] Empire... [BLEEP]"

So I turned
around, and I said...

"The [BLEEP] did
you just say to me?

And I see...

the uh, attacker.

Uh, masked.

...that I had said that
they were wearing

MAGA hats, I never said that.
MAGA hats, I never said that.

And... he said,

-" This MAGA country, [BLEEP]."
- This MAGA country, [BLEEP].

Punches me right in the face.

[GROANS]

So I punched his ass back.

- [SOFT PUNCH]
- Hmm?

And then, um, we
started tussling,

you know, it was very icy.

Fighting, fighting, fighting.
There was a second person

involved, who was
kicking me in my back.

- [GRUNTING]
- [DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING]

And then I... I smelled bleach.

I know the smell of bleach.

MAN: Hit him with the
bleach! Hit him with the bleach!

Then it just stopped.

And...

they ran off.

[DRAMATIC CHORD PLAYS]

And I... Then I looked
down, and I see

that there's a rope
around my neck.

You hadn't noticed it before...

No. 'Cause it was so fast.

I noticed the rope
around my neck,

and I started screaming.

And I said, "There's a
[BLEEP] rope around my neck.

If the attackers
are never found,

how will you be able to heal?

[TENSE MUSIC BUILDS]

Um...

I don't know.

Let's just hope that they
are. [BREATH TREMBLES]

You know what I'm saying?

Like, let's... let's
not go there yet.

[GROANS]

[SIRENS WAILING DISTANTLY]

[GROANS]

MATT: On second thought,

I don't really feel like Subway.

Hi, Robin.

[SOLEMN MUSIC PLAYS]

Robin DiAngelo.

It's an honor.

It's an honor to meet you.

It... [SIGHS] Damn it.

It's nice to meet
you, Robin DiAngelo.

Dr. Robin DiAngelo.

Is there a, uh, Mr. DiAngelo?

Asking for a friend.

Someone of your esteemed...

Stupid.

Robin. Would you sign my book?

Your book. Would you sign
my book I have of yours?

I'm pleading with
you to sign my...

Please, would you sign my book?

"To your friend, uh, Matt."

[SIGHS] Okay.

This is it.

Don't screw this up.

Don't mess this up.

[EXHALES DEEPLY]

Let's do the work.

[INTRIGUING MUSIC PLAYS]

[CASH REGISTER DINGS]

- Hi, Robin.
- DIANGELO: Hi.

And what's your name? [CHUCKLES]

- I'm Matt.
- Matt. Hi, Matt. [CHUCKLES]

Nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you.

I just had to ask
who you are because

you have to be
careful. [CHUCKLES]

You can never be too careful.

Let's... Let's start
with the book.

One of the most important
books of the past century,

I would say, for my
money, White Fragility.

Uh, you've been in
this field for a long time.

You've done a lot.

What sort of organizations
have you, uh, worked with?

Do you want me to name?

Oh, sure. I mean...

Should I name it? I...

Okay. Well, but I don't
want to be held responsible

for what they do. [LAUGHS]
for what they do. [LAUGHS]

Netflix.

Google. Amazon. Snapchat.

And what do you do for them?

Sometimes it's a
workshop, or it's interactive.

Maybe it would take place
over several hours or a day.

Let's start with
some definitions.

And probably the biggest
one to define is racism.

Well, if you're talking
about a white person,

and you say this
person is racist,

you're basically, to
me, saying this person

is a product of their
society. [CHUCKLES]

Is it possible for
a white person

to be not racist?
to be not racist?

I think, in a given moment,
we can be more or less racist.

We're... And so I think of it

more as a continuum
than an either-or.

Is there any way to get
rid of, uh, white privilege?

If an individual says,

"I don't want to have this
privilege, it feels unfair."

Is there any way
for a man to say,

"I don't want this privilege"?
I mean, we live in patriarchy.

And you can't just opt out.

You can do your
best to challenge it.

That, in a way, is opting out.

That confuses me too,

because I don't
want to mansplain

- or whitesplain...
- Yeah. Well, okay..

What is... Maybe
that's important.

- Yeah.
- Segue. What is "mansplain"?

Well, it would be
you explaining to me

either why what you
just did wasn't sexism?

Or explaining...

I don't think that's what it is.

I think "mansplain" is
to make an assumption.

To say something
in an assuming way.

You talked about
the problem of, uh...

of over-smiling...

- [CHUCKLES]
- ...which

really resonated with me.

Sometimes smiling
at a Black person

can... can be racist.

It's a reminder. You know,
those thousand daily cuts.

It's a reminder of your position

in relation to that
other person, right?

Because that person likely knows

why I'm smiling at them.

[CHUCKLES] When I
go to the grocery store,

I don't really look at anybody,

I just do my thing, but
I see a Black person,

I... I feel almost
an uncontrollable

sense of urgency
to signal to them

that I'm okay, and that I'm not racist,
that I'm okay, and that I'm not racist,

and that they're welcome.

Is it the right
strategy to be...

for a white person to say,

"Well, hey, I'm just
going to operate

"in this situation
as a normal person.

"I'm not gonna think about race.

"I'm not gonna
notice." Just see people

as human beings. Is
that the way it works?

Yeah, no. First of all, you do
see them as a Black person.

You do. I mean, I'm
not gonna pretend

I don't notice that
there's a Black person

- in the grocery store.
- So we want to notice race,

but not... not too much.

We want to be honest that we do.

We do notice race.

We don't notice
it. Don't focus on it.

- Yeah. Okay.
- But think about it.

But...

I mean, you notice it.

Focus on it a little
bit, but not too much.

Yeah. You know, there's
a... It's a balance, right?

'Cause I hear
"forget that I'm Black.

"Don't forget that I'm Black.

"Notice. Don't notice.

"Don't deny that you're racist.

"But also try not to be racist.

"But don't... But also
don't realize that you..."

- [CHUCKLES]
- It makes me...

- Yeah.
- It makes me, uh...

I'm sorry. I...

- It's okay.
- It just...

- It makes me feel overwhelmed.
- Yeah. Yeah.

[SNIFFLES]

Just take your time.

I know you work on
this in your seminars.

People, uh, workshopping
actual real-life scenarios.

So would you mind,
kind of a role play where...

- Okay.
- ...I will, in this scenario,

be the person of color
who's bringing concern to you,

and then you'll show
how to navigate that?

Sure. Sure.

Okay. So, workplace scenario.

- Hi, Robin.
- Hi.

I noticed, uh, you
passed by me in the hall

earlier today

and you were really
overdoing the smile,

and it made me feel, um,

patronized and it felt racist.

And...

I'm thinking about
going to HR about it.

Well, I appreciate
you letting me know,

and I imagine that's
not without its risks.

I certainly would
not have intended

to have that impact on
you, but I'm very clear

that I did have
that impact on you.

I would love to
offer you a repair,

if... if that's something
you're ready for.

I don't want to talk
about it right now.

- Okay.
- Because I'm too... I'm hurt.

Okay. Understood.

Um, if that changes,
let me know.

When I'm ready to
talk, I'll talk to you.

Yeah. Understood.

What I would like
to do, could we...

Let's fast-forward
to another day.

- Next day.
- Okay.

Hi, Robin.

Passed by in the
hall again and...

this time, you didn't
even smile at all at me...

- Okay.
- ...and it made me feel

otherized, excluded,
marginalized, um...

vaporized...

Now I'm really thinking
about going to HR.

- I don't feel comfortable...
- Yeah.

...with you in this
workplace with me.

Okay. And yesterday,

we had the
over-smiling incident.

- Yeah. Now it's under.
- Okay.

It's under-smiling.

I would say, um,

"I'm a little bit...
I'm a little bit, um,

"confused about
how best to proceed.

"I can't deny that I am, um...

"Would you be willing to
give me some guidance..."

I don't think it's up to me

- to educate you.
- Understood.

Is there anyone you
trust, uh, that I can talk to?

Maybe another white
person whose understanding...

At this point, I think

we should take
separate hallways.

Okay.

- So...
- Understood.

That was a very
nuanced, uh, situation.

Yeah, uh, I did
my best. [LAUGHS]

Probably what I would
do in that situation.

The very last thing
that I want to do,

and, uh, it doesn't
even feel right to me

to end this conversation,

uh, especially when
there are people of color

- in the room.
- Okay.

Ben, if you're willing

to come and sit with
us for just a moment.

- BEN: Sure.
- Um...

So is Ben...

Yeah. This is Ben, uh,
producer on the film.

And, um...

I thought it would be a
powerful opportunity to

speak directly to a
person of color and

confront our racism
and also apologize for

the white supremacist
systems that oppress Ben,

so do you want to go first?

Well, on behalf of myself
and my fellow white people,

I apologize.

Uh, it is not you, it is us.

As long as I'm standing,
I will do my best

to challenge it.

I want to pay you
reparations right now.

Um, will you accept?

I... I won't turn it down.

Okay. I don't know...

um...

is 20... well...

This is all I have. Um...

I, uh...

- I know that's not...
- Um...

MATT: That's not gonna...

That doesn't make up for
400 years of oppression,

but, um, it's all
that I have to give.

Um...

I... I don't know if
it's ever enough.

Uh, but what I can say
is I appreciate the fact

that you're putting in the work.

Um, you know, I...
I think you're right.

I don't think... I don't
think it'll ever end.

But, uh, there is...

there is small progress
I think we made today.

MATT: Um...

Did you... Did you want to...

- That... [CHUCKLES]
- ...pay any, uh...

That was really weird.
[LAUGHS NERVOUSLY]

Why was it weird?

Uh... Uh, 'cause it
seemed really weird to me.

Why?

Um, because you just
took out your wallet,

and I don't know, it...

'Cause I think
reparations is like a...

a systemic, um...

dynamic and approach
and so, I mean, I think that

there may be some people
who would be offended by, uh...

Clearly, you were
not offended by that.

I... I won't turn down cash.

- Um... [CHUCKLES]
- ROBIN: Hmm.

I think, are we gonna...

Are we gonna allow ourselves
to be uncomfortable and...

and just do what
we can personally,

or we gonna sit around,

waiting for the
system to catch up?

Yeah. They go together, right?

Yeah. But this...
this is something

that I can do right now.

Why wouldn't I do it?

Well, clearly, I
mean, you did it,

and he... he was
comfortable with it.

I just, it seems like it's...

uh, not a systemic approach.

- Or it just seemed...
- It's not.

'Cause I'm not
waiting for the system.

- I'm acting as an individual.
- ROBIN: Yeah.

I can go get some
cash, for sure.

In my... Yeah.

If that's something
you... you think...

Yeah. I don't mind.

Um...

If that would be something

that would be
comfortable for you.

- Yeah.
- Okay. Cool. [CHUCKLES]

[CASH NOTES RUSTLING]

- That's all the cash I have.
- BEN: Oh, well, you know.

I don't usually carry cash.

- Thanks.
- You're welcome!

MATT: Um...

This is powerful to
me. I thank you for...

BEN: Sure.

[EXHALES] ...for doing that.

Well, the last thing is,
will you sign my book?

Oh, of course.

If you don't mind.

I'm definitely
gonna process that.

[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]

MATT: The student
has become the teacher.

My moment has finally arrived.

[UPLIFTING MUSIC PLAYING]

It's time to show
other white people

how to do the work.

And make a little
money in the process.

I'm taking everything
I've learned

on my anti-racist journey

and turning it into my
own online DEI course.

Now anybody can earn
their own DEI certificate.

And I've already made $3,248.

But for a more
in-depth approach,

I'm rolling out an
in-person workshop.

I'm calling it the Do
the Work! Workshop.

With the purpose of providing
practical and innovative,

long-lasting solutions

to promote equality
in our society,

Do the Work! Workshop was born.

Our next guest offers a bold
and uncompromising workshop

that aims to bring
lasting change.

So what you're doing
is you're stretching,

you're stretching,

and this is more for
you and less for you.

You're stretching up like this,

- and you're stretching out.
- Mm-hmm.

What you're doing
is you're stretching

out of your whiteness.

Okay, so you're
decentering your whiteness.

You're stretching
out of your whiteness.

And you're bringing those

other experiences into yourself.

What exactly does it mean

to do the work with Do
the Work! Workshop?

What does it mean
to you to do the work?

There's a reason
we say "do the work."

And it is a work
that you have to do.

It's right there in the name.

You know, what is the work?

It's the work that we're doing.

It's about the doing, and
it's also about the work.

What is to do? It
is to do the thing.

We might also use the analogy,

another one I like,
of raking leaves.

Uh, the leaves of
racism are falling.

We're raking them,
they keep falling.

We rake them.

Uh, but you don't get to
a point where you say,

"Well, I'm done
with the leaves."

Then you have leaves
all over the yard.

How can somebody get involved

if they're watching
this right now?

Where can people
get ahold of you

and see you for
your next workshop?

We're doing the
work as we speak.

The workshop is happening

this fall if you
would like to sign up.

You don't need to
bring anything with you

but an open mind.

We're not letting anyone in
who doesn't have an open mind.

Uh, also, there's a fee,
of course, uh, as well.

That's described in the...

on the website but, you know,

the open mind is the main thing.

Matt, the certified DEI.

Thank you so
much for being here.

Thank you so much.

Finding white people
willing to do the work

isn't exactly easy.

So I also advertised my
workshop on craigslist

So I also advertised my
workshop on craigslist

which, as we know,
is the best place

for finding white people
who are willing to do

just about anything.

- [LIGHT APPLAUSE]
- [WHIMSICAL MUSIC PLAYS]

Who's ready to do
the work? Anybody?

I know I am.

Welcome to the Do
the Work! Workshop.

Thank you all for being here.

Listen, let's get
the credentials

out of the way upfront.

Um, I am a certified

diversity, equity,
and inclusion expert.

Um, I have the
card and all that,

but I keep the card
in the back pocket

for this because I'm just
a person on a journey,

just like many of you.

But by the end
of the nine steps,

you're gonna start to feel
more like an anti-racist ally.

That ultimately
is our goal here.

Let's dive in right
away with step one.

And here's what we reflect

both externally and internally.

It's all about adopting
an appropriate,

uh, attitude of humility,

and also realizing
that racism lurks,

uh, many places in
society we don't expect it.

This may seem a little strange.

So I look around
the room and point to

who we believe, just by looking,

is the most racist
person in the room.

If you could point.

I'm out, guys.

- Appreciate y'all.
- WOMAN: Yeah.

- MAN: Have a lovely day.
- Thank you.

I appreciate it, but this
is definitely not my...

That's uncomfortable.

[WHIMSICAL MUSIC PLAYING]

This is where I'm pointing.

'Cause why don't we think
about pointing at ourselves?

Why would we rather get
up and leave the room?

Let's go to step two.

This is a pretty simple,
basic anti-racism concept.

Racism is non-binary.
What does that mean?

It means racism
is on a spectrum.

What does that mean? It
means that racism is fluid.

You might move up or down.

So you might say, "Well,

"I'm kind of a three
on the racism scale."

Uh, but there may be
moments when you're a six,

when you're a nine, God forbid.

You all have numbers
on your desks,

and those are magnetized.

Where do you think that you are

on this scale right now?

Wherever you
would judge yourself.

[WHIMSICAL MUSIC PLAYING]

Hmm.

So, everybody wants to be...

obviously, we've got a
little bit of a traffic jam

over at zero, one, two.

Let's just keep that,
we'll keep that up there.

We're gonna keep that
in mind as we move on.

Now, next we move on to
what this whole workshop

is really about, which is
uncomfortable conversations.

Because until we're willing
to talk about these things,

um, healing can't really begin.

So I want you to think back

to a racist moment in your life.

Just something that you remember

you did or said.

You wish you could take it back.

But how does the healing start

if we're not willing to
admit and talk about it?

I'll give you a racist
moment of mine

from two months ago.

And I'll tell you
exactly what happened.

I was at a traffic light,

in my car,

I see a Black man, man of color,

appears to be
walking up to my car.

What'd I do, I
check to make sure

the doors are locked.

And immediately I thought,

I hope he didn't hear
that little click sound.

Why did I do that?

I thought he might be
trying to carjack me.

Unconscious bias.

Now, in this case, the guy
behind me did get carjacked.

But does that mean

that the assumption was fair?

Anybody else
would like to share?

Number eight? Racist moment.

When I was getting my
license when I was 16,

I was in the DMV, and I
was really stressed out.

It was, like, a terrible day.

Despacito was a song
playing on the radio,

and I was just, like,
so annoyed by it.

I was like, "Oh my
God, I've heard this song

"so many times," and I
just sort of, like, blurted out,

and I was like, "Oh God, like,

"can you please
turn off the song?"

The guy at the DMV
was a Puerto Rico guy,

and he just got really, like,

offended by it, and I was like,

"I'm so sorry, like, I
really didn't mean that.

"I just kind of
yelled at the song

"just 'cause I was
feeling bad inside,

"but it just came
off really bad."

And I still feel bad
about that every day.

It was racist.

We're not here to
lie to ourselves.

Now things are
getting heated up.

Now we move on to step six.

Over-smiling.

When you're in a room
with a Black person

or person of color,
there's this compulsion

that people have
to smile too much.

You're overcompensating.

I like to put words into action,

so Ben, if you
wouldn't mind. Ben.

Uh, let's... for Ben
here. Thank you.

Thanks, Ben. Now, Ben
is going to stand here, and

let's try to look at Ben

in the least racist
way that we know how.

[WHIMSICAL MUSIC PLAYING]
[WHIMSICAL MUSIC PLAYING]

Well, number two, you're
not even looking at him.

I think he's not looking at
us, so it's kind of awkward

to look at someone
like they're a specimen.

If that makes sense.

Like the... the exercise itself

is a little awkward, and...

It's not his job as a Black man

to make us feel
comfortable in this moment.

That's not what I
was saying though.

[WHIMSICAL MUSIC PLAYING]

Hmm.

Thanks, Ben.

Now we're gonna
really take the gloves off.

This is where things get real.

White silence.

White silence is
when we remain silent

in the face of
bigotry and racism.

Now, what we like to
tell ourselves is that

as long as I'm not
using the N-word, okay?

As long as I'm not
voting for Donald Trump,

I'm not racist.

By not taking action
in the face of racism,

we are participating
in that racism.

But here's the good news,

it's never too late to
break the white silence

and speak up against racism.

Things are gonna really
get uncomfortable now

especially for me.

Because what I want
to do is lead by example.

My uncle Frank is here today.

Come on, bring
my uncle Frank out.

[WHEELS SQUEAKING]

Thank you, Ben.

[LIGHT APPLAUSE]

Uncle Frank.

It was 20 years ago

that you sat at the
dinner table with us,

and not a day has gone by

that I haven't
thought about this.

You sat at that dinner table,

and you made what
you said was a...

"joke."

You asked the question,
what's the difference

between a Mexican
man and a picnic table?

And the answer was,

a picnic table can
support a family of five.

You're still laughing.

We all laughed at the table.

I laughed.

But I was scared and confused.

And I was a coward.

But I'm not gonna be a
coward anymore, uncle Frank.

You had no right
to make that joke!

Latinx Americans, they
come to this country

and they work hard!

And your little
joke dehumanizes.

It is not funny!

Uncle Frank,

it is not funny to mock
marginalized people!

It's not a joke!

It's not funny...

Uncle Frank.

Okay. Who wants to go next?

Does anybody have some
words for Uncle Frank?

We're breaking the
white silence here today.

Uh, number six, you're
of Hispanic descent.

What are your thoughts?

Mm, I have a lot of thoughts,

but I just feel like it
would be wasted on him.

But I do have one thing to say.

If... With your permission.

[BLEEP] you.

Yeah, man. [BLEEP] you.

MATT: Mm.

I don't talk to
anyone in my family

because they're all [BLEEP]
racist white pieces of trash

in a lot of different ways,

but the racism is
the biggest reason.

I have cut off every
person in my life,

including my mother and father,

grandparents, everything.
I do not give a [BLEEP].

Powerful.

The message, it's clear.

Okay, Ben.

Uh, if you wouldn't mind.
X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=LOCAL:00:00:00.000,MPEGTS:900000

[LIGHT APPLAUSE]

Thanks, Uncle Frank.

See you this weekend.

All right. Emotions are high,

and this is where we
finally get to step nine.

We have to ask
ourselves, are we ready for

the healing pain?

Now,

this is when we get to
the self-flagellation portion,

which is the final step.

- ATTENDEE: Wow.
- Would you mind taking a whip?

Thank you. Thank you.

MAN 1: What is...

MAN 2: Dude, this is ridiculous.

- I'm outta here. You're nuts.
- WOMAN: [LAUGHS] Me too.

- I can't do this.
- Um...

MAN 2: I tried, man. I
tried. I'm seriously done.

MATT: I said it was
gonna be uncomfortable.

[DOOR SHUTS]

Why weren't they willing
to whip themselves?

Wait. Why were these people
willing to whip themselves?

None of this feels right.

Um...

[MATT SNIFFS]

Hang on.

This is probably too far.

[SOLEMN MUSIC PLAYS]

Okay, the workshop's
over. [FUMBLES] It's over.

That was... That's
step nine, so...

Yeah, it's over. Seriously.

Yep. Thanks. Okay.

[CASH REGISTER DINGS]

What am I doing?

What have I become?

Am I making the world better

or am I just profiting
on people's racial guilt?

This is all wrong.

I followed the
anti-racist playbook,

and it led to disaster.

[UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING]

All across America,

many companies have
implemented a division

of diversity, equity,
and inclusion.

And it's important to
have this in the workplace

no matter how big or small
the organization may be.

Joining us this morning is Matt,

a certified diversity,
equity, and inclusion expert.

Good morning.

Morning.

Tell us about your journey.

It hasn't been great,
honestly. Um...

Yeah.

And what led you to
host this workshop?

Why is this an
important initiative,

and how did you go about
putting the workshop together?

We just did a workshop,

uh,

you know, it didn't
go well. Honestly, I'd...

It...

I think it's doing
more harm than good.

This whole thing's
a scam, I don't know.

So when we think
about diversity, equity,

and inclusion, as we
mentioned, there are,

um, keys to what an
organization should focus on.

So what would you say is,
uh, the key for the learning

that we may want to be doing?

Even if we're not
quite there yet, right?

Just, uh...

Just go live your life.

I gotta go.

[SOMBER ELECTRO-ROCK
MUSIC PLAYING]

[MUSIC ENDS]

[SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC PLAYING]

Black, right?

Yeah. Thanks.

Haven't seen you
around here in a while.

Yeah. I been out doing the work.

Huh?

Been doing the work.

What does that mean?

[SIGHS] Well...

- [CLASSICAL MUSIC PLAYS]
- White Fragility

is a really great
place to start.

BYRD: The reason we
cannot be colorblind now,

we're still working
on the problem.

I'm not going to
pretend I don't notice

that there's a Black
person in the grocery store.

DEI certified. I'm here to help.

We live in a white
supremacist society.

Whiteness is even more
insidious than I even knew.

The only thing
about white culture

is buying things
and stealing things.

And whiteness also
robs you of your brain.

America is racist to its bones.

- Um...
- It has to burn.

The entire system has to burn.

"Why are you blaming me
for what my ancestors did?

"It's not my fault."

We want to rename the
George Washington Monument.

This country is a piece of shit.

- [PLATES CRASH]
- Love is also

not always patient and kind.

It's not that much
different than Nazi doctors.

Republicans are Nazis.

Kindness is not
what is called for.

It's not funny, Uncle Frank!

[BLEEP] you.

I can go get some
cash, for sure.

Raise a glass if you're racist.

[LAUGHING]

[MUSIC STOPS]

Okay.

Let me know if you
need anything else.

You know, this experience
has really taught me something.

The anti-racist industry
says that America is racist

down to its bones.

And if that were true,

there wouldn't be anything
we could do about it.

White people could
only wallow in their guilt,

and Black people
in their victimhood...

[SENTIMENTAL MUSIC PLAYING]

But it's a lie.

It's a lie meant
to manipulate us.

Look, we'll never
live in a utopia.

We all know that.

But we don't have
to be held hostage

by these race-baiting
con artists

who want us to
be bitter and angry

and resentful.

They're selling us the disease.

They're telling
us there's no cure.

They don't say that I'm racist,

and you're a victim, because
that's what they think we are.

They tell us that

because that's what
they want us to be.

Well, it's time
for us to say no.

[SENTIMENTAL MUSIC CONTINUES]

[PEOPLE CHEERING]

Yeah! Yeah! [LAUGHING]

[MUSIC STOPS]

[UTENSILS CLACKING]

Well, bless your heart.

[CHUCKLES] I
got a lot of tables.

[WHIMSICAL MUSIC PLAYING]

Hey. You wanna hear a joke?

[DIALOGUE MUTED]

[AM I RACIST? BY
BRYSON GRAY PLAYS]

[RAPPING] ♪ I wanna
know, am I racist? ♪

♪ Am I racist? ♪

♪ Why do you judge by
the color of our faces? ♪

♪ Is racial division just
a plan by the matrix? ♪

♪ They burn down our cities ♪

♪ Then they get
called courageous ♪

♪ Instead of condemning,
the media give 'em praises ♪

♪ Oh, man, what
is the benefit? ♪

♪ When the media
ruin our images ♪

♪ If you a white male, you get
called a white supremacist ♪

♪ If your opinion and the
narrative have differences ♪

♪ Couple that in with
all the censorship ♪

♪ And the damage they
can do is limitless ♪

♪ No Brad Cooper but
celebrities defendin' it ♪

♪ Oh, man, they
gon' say I'm racist ♪

♪ But they call
everybody racist ♪

♪ I guess that mean
nobody is racist ♪

♪ Now it doesn't mean
much when you say it ♪

♪ When you say it They
gon' say you racist ♪

♪ But they call
everybody racist ♪

♪ I guess that mean
nobody is racist ♪

♪ Now it doesn't mean
much when you say it ♪

♪ They make you think that
there's no way you can win ♪

♪ Another news clip,
here we go again ♪

♪ Judgin' somebody by
the color of their skin ♪

♪ Meanwhile, it's
all comin' to an end ♪

♪ They ask why, and
I just tell 'em, listen ♪

♪ Are you mad because
we don't think you a victim ♪

♪ You made bad choices, then
you blame it on the system ♪

♪ Nowadays bein' white means
you can't have an opinion ♪

♪ Especially if you Christian ♪

♪ Tell me, is it racist
to not want our cities ♪

♪ Burned down by these mobs ♪

♪ To not want our stores
always gettin' robbed ♪

♪ Is it racist to treat
our race like it's a god ♪

♪ Oh, man, they
gon' say I'm racist ♪

♪ But they call
everybody racist ♪

♪ I guess that mean
nobody is racist ♪

♪ Now it doesn't mean
much when you say it ♪

♪ When you say it They
gon' say you racist ♪

♪ But they call
everybody racist ♪

♪ I guess that mean
nobody is racist ♪

♪ Now it doesn't mean
much when you say it ♪

♪ When you say it ♪

CHOIR: [SINGING] ♪
Will you set us free ♪

♪ From these
chains, these chains ♪

♪ Will you set us free ♪

- ♪ Lord, set us
free ♪ - ♪ Sing! ♪

♪ From these
chains, these chains ♪

- ♪ Will you set us
free ♪ - ♪ No! Sing! ♪

♪ Set us free ♪

BRYSON: [RAPPING] ♪
They gon' say I'm racist ♪

♪ But they call
everybody racist ♪

♪ I guess that mean
nobody is racist ♪

♪ Now it doesn't mean
much when you say it ♪

♪ When you say it They
gon' say you racist ♪

♪ But they call
everybody racist ♪

♪ I guess that mean
nobody is racist ♪

♪ Now it doesn't mean
much when you say it ♪

♪ When you say it
They gon' say I'm racist ♪

♪ But they call
everybody racist ♪

♪ I guess that mean
nobody is racist ♪

♪ Now it doesn't mean
much when you say it ♪

♪ One more time They
gon' say you racist ♪

♪ But they call
everybody racist ♪

♪ I guess that mean
nobody is racist ♪

♪ Now it doesn't mean
much when you say it ♪

♪ When you say it
When you say it ♪

[SINGING] ♪ Will
you set us free? ♪

♪ Whoo! ♪

♪ Set us free ♪

- [SONG ENDS]
- [LINE RINGING]

WOMAN: Thank you for
calling the Boulder Bookstore.

How can I help you?

Hi. I was just in the other day,

and I saw a certain
book that, uh,

I wasn't ready to
read at the time,

but I think I'm ready. I
wanted to see if you guys

still have it in stock.

Yeah, what was the title?

Uh, it starts... So
it starts with an "N."

Um...

I don't remember the...

I don't remember the author.

Um...

It... It's...

You don't know the
title of the book either?

Well, it... it's, uh...

'Cause it got... It's kind of...

It starts with an "N"
and there's kind of, uh...

Well, there's...

It's like there's... there's a
vowel, there's consonants,

there's a vowel. Um...

It... It's one word.

I really... I don't
know how to look it up

without the title or the author.

Well, it's got kind of...
So it starts with an "N."

And then it's got kind
of, sort of, it's got an "I,"

uh, there, it... it's...

I guess... I mean, we've
got thousands of books,

so I don't really
know how to look it up

with just knowing the
two... first two letters.

It's "N-I..." So
it's like an "N-I..."

There's the... It's a "G..."

is in there, and
there's another one.

Let me put you on a
brief hold and go check.

[HOLD MUSIC PLAYING]

[SNIFFS]

Thanks for holding. Um,
I'm not seeing anything.

I mean, maybe try
to think of the title

- if you can and call back?
- Well, it's...

Sorry, sorry. I...
I know the title.

I just can't... I
can't say the title.

- And I...
- Okay.

I don't know. I don't
think you can say it either,

so I don't...

It's a very... It's
a triggering title.

Uh, it actually rhymes
with "trigger," actually,

and, uh, so...

but that's what I was wondering,

if it was there.

Um, I mean, I didn't see it
when I just went and looked.

Okay. But you know
what I'm talking about?

Yeah.

It... It's that book.

- Yeah.
- MATT: Okay.

- WOMAN: Okay. Have a good day.
- [RECEIVER CLICKS]

- WOMAN: Okay. Have a good day.
- [RECEIVER CLICKS]