White Homework

You aren't alone! Benji and I wanted to share some reflections on the inauguration this week without any spiraling or doomcasting. We talk about the importance of caring for our emotional health (even the feelings that aren't great) and of course, caring for our nervous systems so we can care for our communities. Support the show + get early, ad-free episodes! ⁠Benji on Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Benji on Bluesky ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠White Homework on Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Tori on Bluesky⁠

Benji is back on the show to discuss his experience with homelessness and the systemic barriers that lead to millions of Americans falling through the cracks. Benji shares personal stories, insights into the realities of life trying to find shelter on a day to day basis, and his perspective on what real change could look like. Join us for a powerful and eye-opening conversation about resilience, community, and the urgent need for action. SUPPORT THE SHOW Benji on Instagram Benji on Bluesky White Homework on Instagram Tori on Bluesky

Strong communities are essential to surviving authoritarian flare-ups but how do we do that? Today Scott Okamoto and Benjamin Faye join me to discuss what strong community can look like and how to build community while minimizing risk of harm. Benji's Bluesky Benji's Instagram Scott's Bluesky Scott's Instagram Tuesday Night Cafe Scott's Book! Support the show, get freebies, and build community by joining the White Homework patreon. Follow me on Bluesky

CW ⚠️: this episode contains references to suicide and diets. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis in the US or Canada you can dial 988 to get support. Fan fave Andre Henry is back to talk about the practice of building resilience in the context of supremacist culture. Honestly, this conversation had me tearing up in places, and yet left me completely inspired and grounded. As you probably already know, I'm so grateful for Andre's work. You can find Andre's book at Bookshop.org (and by doing so, support local bookstores instead of the jungle name corp) You can find Andre's music on all the music players, here's a link to his Spotify. The Greater Good Toolkit that Andre references can be found HERE. The books Andre mentions in this episode are Living While Black by Ajuan Mance Black Fatigue by Mary-Frances Winters Resilient by Rick Hanson ⁠White Homework on IG⁠ ⁠Tori on BlueSky⁠ ⁠Support the show⁠ ⁠Free Antiracism Tools⁠ ⁠Tori's Substack

Today we are taking a crack at ye olde Prager "University" meme about the first Black US representatives, which correctly points out that they were all Republicans and incorrectly implies that their party affiliation mattered for much, then or now. Turns out, they were woke too! Don't tell Dennis! LINKS Benji's Insta: ⁠@heythereBenji⁠ Benji's Twitter: ⁠@_heythereBenji⁠ ⁠White Homework on IG⁠ ⁠Tori on BlueSky⁠ ⁠Support the show⁠ ⁠Free Antiracism Tools⁠ ⁠Tori's Substack Robert Brown Elliott Jefferson Franklin Long Josiah Thomas Walls

This episode I'm talking to Jessica Dulaney  who is the communications director for the Coalition for Responsible Home Education. Being Black and homeschooled felt incredibly isolating to me. Growing up, I never once met another Black child who was being homeschooled that I wasn't biologically related to, so being able to connect with Jessica online has been amazing. Protecting kids is something I'm deeply passionate about. Given the huge rise in homeschooling during the pandemic, and the fact that children in this country do not have a right to an education, I wanted to discuss the (mostly racist) history of homeschooling, and the ways Black and queer families are taking up more space in 2022. You can check out the thread I wrote about that history HERE. You can check out CRHE online HERE CRHE Twitter can be found HERE Jessica's Twitter can be found HERE Work with me! Twitter Insta

We spend a lot of time talking about the effects of whiteness on people of color but it's important to talk about the impact whiteness has on white people. As a construct, whiteness can only benefit some white people. And even the people who benefit materially are harmed in terms of connection, sympathy, and the demand that you reject your own culture for the monoculture of whiteness.  Dr. Jonathan Metzl lays out the material ways white people are harmed by their commitment to an ideology that shortens their lives and shrinks their wallets. An association that doesn't serve them yet is somehow worth dying for. This book gets into data and psychology and evolutionary biology and behavioral neuroscience and trying to figure out precisely what it is that drives people toward a construct that ends in harm.  Join Pay The Rent Club! Buy Dying of Whiteness Why Is This Happening with Chris Hayes Work with me! Twitter Instagram

Today we're talking about rest, sleep, and play, and how they are all integral to self-regulation. Humans don't come fully loaded with equal amounts of self-regulation that some people just choose to use and others don't. Making good decisions isn't the default that some nonwhite people just happened to miss out on. The environment you were raised in has a huge impact on how difficult or easy it is for you to delay gratification, plan for the future, employ critical thinking skills when they are most necessary.  Most people are doing the best they can with the brain chemistry they have. If [redacted] people actually wanted crime to go down, they'd work toward these very attainable goals. And yet. Play by Stuart Brown The Racial Inequality of Sleep, The Atlantic (might be paywalled) Study finds connection between race and sleep, WaPo The US is the most overworked [wealthy] nation in the world White Homework Work with Tori Socials: @toriglass