Michael Young talks about conversations he's had on race and policing since George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Jacob Blake's deaths, including with his local police chief Mike. He sees dialogue as a way to replace bias with empathy, even when it doesn't immediately shift policy.
With the shooting of Jacob Blake, my.
Initial reaction was, here we go again. I was consumed with anger and despair and hopelessness, the same way I felt.
After the death of George Floyd, after the death of Breonna Taylor, after so.
Many examples of how the police just.
Don'T value black lives.
The only thing that is different for me this time is that has helped to pivot my mood to just a little bit more hopeful, is that since the death of George Floyd, I've been having conversations about race and the police.
In America and in my own community.
With the chief of police of the.
City that I live in, Michael Young.
Prior to having these conversations, I have never spoken to a police officer other.
Than to say, thank you for the ticket.
But what I've come to learn in my conversations with Mike is that there is more common ground between us than.
I ever would have thought.
We have both been learning from each.
Other, from our conversations, and broadening our perspectives.
We don't agree on everything, but we do lean into each conversation, seeking to.
Understand versus seeking to win an argument.
Are we changing the world with these conversations? No. Are we even changing policy with these conversations? No. But we are replacing biases with empathy and understanding. And that is really where policy change and world change starts. And since I am not a politician, since I hold no elected office, I have no real power. Bridging differences with dialogue is the one.
Thing that I can do that's productive.
And I know so many of you are also leaning into really challenging conversations.
These days, whether it be about race or any other divisive issue.
These conversations are long overdue. And so what I've decided to do is start recording.
