by Carmen Van Kerckhove

I can’t tell you how many people have told me to slow down and cherish every moment with Sean, because time is going to fly.

At first I thought it was a nice sentiment, but a bit of an exaggeration. How quickly could time really go by? Especially when you’re operating on little to no sleep?

But here I am, wondering where the last 7 months have gone.

Sean has transformed from a blob that did nothing but sleep on my chest 20 hours a day, to a laughing ball of energy who’s already showing signs of having a penchant for danger.

Her current (ill-advised) obsessions? Chewing on electrical wires and crawling off the edges of sofas and beds. Keeping her out of trouble is already a full-time job!

Happy 7-month birthday, Sean!

by Carmen Van Kerckhove

Addicted to Race is our weekly talk show podcast about all things race. Here’s a rundown of what you’ll find in this episode:

What are some strategies for overcoming resistance to gay rights in the African-American community? Does the movie Precious exploit black dysfunction? Did CNN’s special on “Black Men in the Age of President Obama” reinforce stereotypes about black gay men? Given the popularity of “mommy memoirs,” why aren’t there more women of color writing these books? Tami Winfrey Harris, Andrea Plaid, and Dumi Lewis discuss.

Addicted to Race is broadcast live every Sunday afternoon at 12 pm Eastern. You can listen live on our BlogTalkRadio page and call in by dialing 347-996-3958.

Right-click here to download an MP3 of Addicted to Race Episode 126
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Click here to never miss an episode by subscribing to us in iTunes
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click the button below to play it immediately

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by Carmen Van Kerckhove

Back in 2004 when I first started speaking and blogging about race, I was invited to facilitate a phone discussion with a group of parents who had adopted children from outside the United States.

One of the mothers in the group was white and Jewish. She adopted her son from an African country, and was raising him in her faith. She told me that she wanted my advice on a situation she was dealing with.

Her nanny was a Jamaican woman. One day, the nanny came home and the mother noticed she looked upset. The mother asked her what was wrong, but the nanny just shook her head and said everything was fine.

The mother was concerned, so she kept prodding, but the nanny was still reluctant to say anything. The mother was persistent, and told her that this was a safe space for her to share. She said there wouldn’t be any judgments, no matter what it was about.

Finally, the nanny broke down and said, “You people don’t know how to act!” » Continue reading “It’s Not All About You, or The Case for Empathy”

by Carmen Van Kerckhove

Last month, I spent a few days in Washington D.C. on business. When I got back, Serge met me at the airport and we went straight to my mother-in-law’s house to pick up Sean.

It had been the most time I’d spent away from Sean since she was born, so I was anxious to hold her again.

When I finally saw Sean, I was surprised to find that I felt a little emotionally detached from her. And unless it was my imagination, she didn’t seem super-excited to see me either. Happy, yes. Delighted, no.

Later that night I told Serge how upset I was by my strange reaction. I asked him what he thought was going on, and he said, “You’re not spending enough time with her.”

It was a shock to hear him put it so bluntly, but when I thought about it, he was absolutely right. I was spending time with Sean, but not really quality time. » Continue reading “In search of work life balance”

by Carmen Van Kerckhove

Addicted to Race is our weekly talk show podcast about all things race. Here’s a rundown of what you’ll find in this episode:

MLK’s daughter recently declared that her father didn’t take a bullet for same-sex unions. Why is it that marginalized people fight each other over scraps, instead of uniting to work toward justice for all? Capitalism as we know it is simply not sustainable. We discuss the work of economist Noreena Hertz, and explore the link between capitalism and social justice. Is the new dress code at the all-male Morehouse College a symptom of how out of touch the school is with the realities and lives of black men today? Carmen Van Kerckhove, Latoya Peterson, and Tami Winfrey Harris discuss.

Addicted to Race is broadcast live every Sunday afternoon at 12 pm Eastern. You can listen live on our BlogTalkRadio page and call in by dialing 347-996-3958.

Right-click here to download an MP3 of Addicted to Race Episode 125
or
Click here to never miss an episode by subscribing to us in iTunes
or
click the button below to play it immediately

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

by Carmen Van Kerckhove

Addicted to Race is our weekly talk show podcast about all things race. Here’s a rundown of what you’ll find in this episode:

Since the implementation of affirmative action in the college admissions process, opponents of the policy have alleged that the changes reduce the chances of White and Asian high school students applying to elite colleges. Is that really true? Tyra Banks often tackles race on her talk show, so why did she get race oh-so-wrong in last week’s episode of America’s Next Top Model, in which contestants wore colorface to mimic different ethnic mixtures? Fat black women are often the butt of the joke in low-brow comedy films. But when a smart comedy like “Parks & Recreation” dabbles in it, what does that say about our biases against race and size? Newsweek writer Allison Samuels sparked furor around the ‘Net recently with an article taking Angelina Jolie to task for her daughter Zahara’s allegedly uncared for tresses. Does Samuels ultimately uphold Eurocentric beauty standards? Carmen Van Kerckhove and Tami Winfrey Harris discuss.

Addicted to Race is broadcast live every Sunday afternoon at 12 pm Eastern. You can listen live on our BlogTalkRadio page and call in by dialing 347-996-3958.

Right-click here to download an MP3 of Addicted to Race Episode 124
or
Click here to never miss an episode by subscribing to us in iTunes
or
click the button below to play it immediately

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.