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On March 13, 2020, police raided the apartment of a young Black woman, Breonna Taylor, and fatally shot her while she slept. The incident followed other killings of Black people by the police and sparked outrage around the world. This audio story features an interview with a leader of Black Lives Matter, an organization fighting racism and police brutality, on the one-year anniversary of Taylor’s death. Listen to an activist reflect on why Beonna Taylor’s death affected people deeply and how citizens can help prevent similar acts of violence in the future.
Story Length: 7:59
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September 24, 2020
7:04
Systemic racism, also called structural racism, refers to the way institutions in our society are set up to disadvantage black Americans. Often the racist systems are rooted in the past, such as the “redlining” system banks used in the early 20th century to refuse housing loans to people of color, but they created racial inequities still felt today. George Floyd’s death prompted protesters and others to call attention to systemic racism in policing, education, criminal justice, medicine, and other key societal institutions. Listen to a writer explain how systemic racism works to keep minorities from advancing, and what she believes could lead to meaningful change.
Read MoreJune 9, 2020
7:12
Protesters throughout the U.S. and the world are speaking out against racism and police brutality after the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and many others. In this interview, a state representative from Louisville, Kentucky discusses why the demonstrations are fueled by frustrations, built up over decades, about inequities between white and minority communities. Listen to hear the representative describe how a peaceful protest she attended turned violent and how she hopes the movement will motivate young people to act.
Read MoreMay 19, 2020
4:06
A videotaped act of violence in Georgia has highlighted the challenges Black men around the country face in their everyday lives. Ahmaud Arbery, an unarmed young Black man, was shot by two white men who said they believed he was a burglar. Arbery was jogging when he was attacked and killed. Research shows that Black men of all social classes often feel threatened as they go about their daily routines. Listen to a sociologist describe his research on what Black men do to appear less threatening and how the threat they regularly feel impacts their lives.
Update: Since this story aired, Ahmaud Arbery’s attackers have been arrested and charged with murder and aggravated assault.
Read MoreJanuary 11, 2017
5:17
There are parallels between the race struggles of Martin Luther King half a century ago and the Black Lives Matter movement of today. This story tells of how attention is being brought to the disparities between races in the United States, and how the message has changed from an aspirational tone to a commitment to truth-telling. Protesters in both struggles were working to transform America and focus on respect. Listen to hear more about civil rights activism in this interview recorded on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
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