Gen X in the Middle: Black Gen X and the Blueprint We Had to Build
About this episode
This episode reflects on the significance of Black Gen X and their unique experiences navigating cultural and societal changes in America.
In this companion podcast episode, I reflect on the meaning behind my e-book “Gen X in the Middle: How Black Gen X Bridged Two Worlds” and why Black Generation X deserves to be understood as more than a forgotten or overlooked generation. Using the end of MTV’s 24-hour music broadcasting stations as a cultural marker, I discuss how Gen X lived through a unique transition point in American history. Black Gen X grew up after major civil rights victories, but we still had to figure out what those victories meant in real life. We were raised by parents who experienced restriction, segregation, and overt racism, while we entered schools, workplaces, and cultural spaces that were supposedly more open but still complicated. This episode explores three major takeaways from the book: First, Black Gen X moved without a blueprint. Second, representation shaped how we saw ourselves. Third, we had to learn how to navigate a softer, more subtle version of racism. This episode also serves as an introduction to my Black Generation Starter Kit, a collection created to help preserve, explain, and share the Black Gen X experience. \To go deeper into this conversation, check out the companion long…
More episodes of In The Know with Tony Reeves
- The Truth About Being a Black Resident Assistant at a Predominantly White College
- The Haircut That Taught Me About Perception vs. Reality
- Was I Being Profiled? A Black Generation X College Experience
- I Deserved to Be There: When Being the Only One Makes You Question Your Place
- My Roommates Threw My Clothes Into the Hallway: A College Lesson in Dignity
- HBCU Dreams, PWI Reality: How Black Gen X Built the Bridge
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the In The Know with Tony Reeves podcast page.