Episode 114 - DeRay Mckesson

Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso

Higher Ground

Tv & Film, Film Interviews, Society & Culture

4.8 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 22 October 2018

⏱️ 50 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The death of Michael Brown changed DeRay Mckesson's life (9:21). It changed all of our lives. But it was the unjust murder of the 18-year-old Brown that propelled Mckesson into protest. With the release of his new book, On the Other Side of Freedom: The Case for Hope, the activist and author discusses early memories of the BLM movement (16:08), supporting Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election (20:22), the role of social media in contemporary politics (24:48), how he's navigates work and self-care (29:23), what he learned from running for Mayor of Baltimore (38:17), the criticism he's faced from fellow activists (40:46), and the hope he maintains for a better future (44:40). You can find all of our episodes at talkeasypod.com. The show is produced by Dylan Peck. Portrait by Krishna Shenoi.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Pushkin.
0:07.0	And it wasn't so much I have to leave everything behind because we don't have to do anything,
0:18.0	but it was this moment of like, you know, I feel called to do this work in this moment in this way.
0:23.6	And it was a choice to leave, and it was a choice to say that,
0:26.3	you know, I have a job, it's a good job, I like the work I do,
0:29.0	I want to do different work, and I always be able to find a job,
0:32.2	but this moment seems really important in a way that we all need to show up and I need to show up in the best way I can.
0:38.0	So for me it was, you know, leaving the school system was like the only way that I could show up in the fullness of the way I wanted to show up and that was important to me but it was really the second I was in St. Louis was the first night that I was tear gas and that really was like you know we have been taught that those days were behind us that we knew injustice existed but like never that you get tear-gassed or you get shot out with rubber bullets or pepper sprayed or those sort of things for simply telling the truth about the conditions in this world and certainly this country.
1:07.6	That was Dorema Kessen. I'm San Francisco, and this is Talk Easy.
1:42.4	Welcome to the show. Oh, The death of Michael Brown changed Ray McKesson's life. It changed all of our lives, but it was the unjust murder of the 18-year-old Brown that propelled
1:46.4	McKesson into protest.
1:48.9	Since the shooting in August of 2014, De Ray has been an active and visible member of the Black Lives Matter movement.
1:56.8	You most likely read his tweets, which he filed as real-time dispatches throughout the
2:01.6	protests in Ferguson, Baltimore, and beyond.
2:05.0	Or perhaps you've seen him on the late show with Stephen Colbert,
2:09.0	supporting his signature Blue Vast Patagonia,
2:12.0	as he helped the titular host address his own white privilege.
2:16.2	Why do you think white people are uncomfortable talking about race?
2:18.4	Or I can't speak for other white people.
2:19.8	Okay.
2:21.0	I feel guilty for anyone who does not have the things I have and that includes
2:28.2	you know black people or anyone because I am so blessed that I think there's always the fear that it will be taken from you
	...

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