BROADCASTS.com

CAUTION ADVISED: this podcast contains themes of an adult nature.\nDarryl Edwards \u2013\xa0aka The Fitness Explorer \u2013 was one of the very first guests to appear on this podcast, all the way back on episode 7. He is someone who is passionate about promoting movement that is fun and playful. But that\u2019s not why I invited Darryl back to talk to me on this episode.\nIf there\u2019s a thread that runs through all my podcasts, it\u2019s that empathy and compassion are essential to feeling better and living more \u2013 and that\u2019s more important now than ever.\xa0This episode was recorded 10 days after George Floyd lost his life in Minneapolis, US, and the #BlackLivesMatter movement rose up in response.\xa0\nI talk to Darryl about his experiences growing up in the UK with black skin. He was born in the UK but his grandparents came here from Jamaica in the early 1950\u2019s. Whilst Darryl is a leading light in\xa0the wellness industry, he\u2019s also one of the few black faces. And perhaps, until now, we haven\u2019t thought enough about why.\xa0\nDarryl has an in-depth knowledge of black history and in today\u2019s conversation, he takes us back to the very origins of the transatlantic slave trade, the \u2018social construct of race\u2019, and dehumanisation of African people in the late 14th century. He describes how, far from being a US-only problem, transatlantic slavery was introduced by Europeans throughout the world and capitalised upon by the British. He explains how racism didn\u2019t end with the abolition of the slave trade but continued through systemic laws of suppression, oppression, colonisation and segregation. I\u2019m really grateful to Darryl for distilling what he knows into a form that we can all understand and act on.\xa0\nHe shares shocking examples of racism he\u2019s experienced, from playground bullying through overt workplace discrimination to the fact that, as a black man, the police have pulled him over while driving at least 100 times, including at gunpoint. Whether this is an experience you share or one you can only contemplate with horror, the question we are all asking now is how should we respond. Darryl and I discuss how all of us, not just the black community, have a responsibility to internalise racism and think \u2018that could have been me\u2019. Empathy and compassion surely have to be part of the solution.\nCan something positive come from the tragic death of George Floyd? Perhaps, if those of us now listening, engaging and learning go out into the world and demand change. \u2018Our window of discussion has extended,\u2019 says Darryl. \u2018Please listen to us.\u2019 This conversation is a very good place to start.\nShow notes available at https://drchatterjee.com/117\nFollow me on\xa0instagram.com/drchatterjee/\nFollow me on\xa0facebook.com/DrChatterjee/\nFollow me on\xa0twitter.com/drchatterjeeuk\nDISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.\n Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.