3 Essential TED Talks On Diversity You Need To Watch Now

The brutal and senseless killing of George Floyd has sparked discussions about race and inequality across the world.

There is no single way to show solidarity with the black community at this critical time. 

Using your voice during online discussions, joining live protests and making monetary donations to charities supporting equality are all valid forms of allyship. 

Learning and educating yourself on some of the root causes of racism around the world will also give you the confidence to be a more effective ally.

These bite-size TED talks explore themes that are rarely discussed but are great for kick-starting conversations on race and equality in the workplace.

Here are our top three TED talks. 

The danger of a single story
Our lives, our cultures, are composed of many overlapping stories. Novelist Chimamanda Adichie tells the story of how she found her authentic cultural voice — and warns that if we hear only a single story about another person or country, we risk a critical misunderstanding.

Colour-blind or colour brave
The subject of race can be very touchy. As finance executive Mellody Hobson says, it’s a “conversational third rail.” But, she says, that’s exactly why we need to start talking about it. In this engaging, persuasive talk, Hobson makes the case that speaking openly about race — and particularly about diversity in hiring — makes for better businesses and a better society. 

How to deconstruct racism, one headline at a time 
Baratunde Thurston explores the phenomenon of white Americans calling the police on black Americans who have committed the crimes of … eating, walking or generally “living while black.” In this profound, thought-provoking and often hilarious talk, he reveals the power of language to change stories of trauma into stories of healing — while challenging us all to level up.

There are many more Ted Talks that explore the topic of race in the US here.

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