Becoming a Better Human
Brené Brown recently shared a quote by Austin Channing Brown, a writer, a speaker, and a media producer providing inspired leadership on racial justice in America, that caught my attention on LinkedIn:
“I tell people all the time that the work of antiracism is the work of becoming a better human to other humans.”
A better human to other humans.
That totally resonated for me for both racial and gender equality. I wanted to hear more.
I listened to the full conversation between Brené and Austin. It is filled with raw emotion and passion. I haven’t been this inspired for a long time.
How do I become a better human to other humans?
There are three things that resonate for me:
The first thing that popped into my head was Peter Kaufman’s 22 second course in leadership which he gave after “reading” Emily’s mind of what she wanted most in the world:
“Here’s your 22 second course in leadership. That’s all it takes. You don’t have to go to business school. You don’t need books. You don’t need guest speakers. All you have to do is take that list that’s in Emily’s head, and every single other person in this room, every single other person in the whole world, has this list in their head – trustworthy, principled, courageous, competent, loyal, kind, understanding, forgiving, unselfish, and in every single one of your interactions with others, be the list!”
2. Being a better human is way, way more than being nice and saying sorry. And it is way more than having empathy as I previously mentioned, although this has to be a good place to start. Austin challenges us to do something to actually make a difference for others.
3. The thing that resonated even more with me was Austin’s dream for co-conspirators, “when you are equals and when you are partners and when you are in it together, and when you are like if this all falls apart, we’re just going to have to fall apart together…” This is the kind of world I want to help build. This is the kind of world I want to live in.
I know that I want to be a co-conspirator and I want to do more for, and be a better human to, other humans.
Let me know if you will join me or if you want to talk about this with me.
Until then, I will continue reading (I read How To Be An Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi and I’m Still Here by Austin Channing Brown), listening, reflecting and learning.
Resources
Brené Brown. (2020) ‘Brené with Austin Channing Brown on I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness’, brenebrown.com, June 10. Available at: https://brenebrown.com/podcast/brene-with-austin-channing-brown-on-im-still-here-black-dignity-in-a-world-made-for-whiteness/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=LinkedIn&utm_campaign=bb_unlocking-us. (Accessed on July 13, 2020)
Lewis, R. (2018) ‘Peter Kaufman on The Multidisciplinary Approach to Thinking: Transcript. Latticework Investing’, latticeworkinginvesting.com, April 6. Available at: http://latticeworkinvesting.com/2018/04/06/peter-kaufman-on-the-multidisciplinary-approach-to-thinking/. (Accessed on July 10, 2020)
Photo: Tammy Brimner/TLBVelo Photography
