3: What are you? With Justin Blanks and Liz Caraballo
Incredible conversation on the knowing your origin
In this episode, Carol speaks with Liz Caraballo and her son, Justin Blanks, about Justin’s experience as a multiracial man in America. They begin by discussing the moment when Justin realized that he was perceived differently because of the color of his skin. Justin explains that he doesn’t get as many questions as he used to. He thinks that this is a product of a diverse environment, as well as a world that is changing for the better.
As the conversation continues, Carol and Justin touch on a number of subjects, including Justin’s interest in criminal justice and how it stems from his role as a mediator growing up. Because he was multiracial, Justin often straddled group-related lines, specifically when it came to sports. This experience cultivated a desire to help others and a willingness to solve problems that serves him to this day.
After asking about Justin’s experience, Carol dives into the general, and timely, subject of institutional and personal racism. Justin speaks about specific reforms that he’d like to see, such as a weekly mindset check-in for officers, as well as his response to a friend that was unwilling to watch the Netflix documentary, ‘13TH,’ because of ignorance and a fear of having to pick a side.
In the end, Justin states that he’s hopeful for the future because he sees a greater opportunity to ask important questions that will lead to lasting change. Liz echoes his feelings and encourages parents to support their children no matter the circumstance. Family, and more specifically, love, will always prevail.
Main Ideas
Experience creates a worldview
- Minorities face questions and problems that white individuals may not even perceive
- Even within groups, there is a diversity of opinion and the daily struggle
- Be comfortable with yourself. You’re perfect in who you are
Race is a poor primary identifier
- Shades of gray create an opportunity for understanding
- Referring to someone in a non-racial way is both more personal and challenging
- Color does not tell the whole story
Education is the key to lasting peace
- An open mind will only be effective when combined with action
- Important issues must be kept at the forefront of the conversation
- Mediation and understanding help close the gaps between others
Ignorance is not a race problem, it’s a people problem
- Institutions AND people need to be willing to change
- Comfort is not an excuse for ignorance
- Just because an opinion is different doesn’t mean that it’s wrong
Support changes everything
- Officers must receive more situational and mental training
- Love and family can always prevail over hardship
- We must remove the boundaries on what is possible
Key Thoughts
15:40- I am somebody who helps people and figures out problems. I do it by talking to as many people as I can, figuring out what the specific problem is, and making sure we're all working towards the solution. I can be that middleman to fix it. I really like that. - Justin
17:32- I may not agree with everything my friend was saying, but the fact that he was open and willing to talk to me about it made me feel very good. - Justin
27:36- Some people are happy with where they're at and they don't want anything to change. They’re not willing to open up for other people, to change themselves and for our world to change, which is very sad. - Justin
29:14- I don't know that I would describe the space between black and white as the gray area. What I would describe it as what Justin and I represent, is all of this. All of the shades in between black and white.- Liz
33:47- If you wouldn't refer to their race if they were white, then why do you refer to their race if they're anything else? - Carol
35:18- You're not going to change, I told myself, so you got to be happy with what you got. And to me, more recently, that finally became enough. I'm happy in my own skin. - Justin
42:56- My greatest fear is diversity fatigue - that everyone will just get tired of the conversation because they feel powerless to do anything about it and it all goes back to the way it was. Only now, it's worse because now, all of these disenfranchised people are left with a sense of true disempowerment. The moment they had for change, came and went. - Carol
44:54- I hope, if any of my friends have any questions of how I grew up, or what it's like to be multiracial, I hope they feel comfortable to ask me. - Justin
Links
Hamilton Think Tank: https://www.hamiltonthinktank.com