Episode 115: Difficult Conversations

Shannon attended protests in Portland in support of Black Lives Matter just a few days before we recorded this episode. This week, Shannon and Janine talk about the challenges of having difficult conversations around systemic racism and Shannon shares what she's learned in recent weeks of activism. Discussion topics include: • The reason Shannon’s throat is scratchy: She participated in Black Lives Matter protests in Portland and was pepper sprayed and tear gassed by federal agents • How protesting has opened Shannon’s eyes to a lot of things that she’s never had to think about before • A big lesson: Don’t get defensive in discussions about racism but rather take away the message for further thought • How perfectionism can be a problem in these conversations because it can lead to paralysis or defensiveness • How Shannon is trying to take what she’s learning and help other white women learn about ways they may unknowingly be behaving in a racist manner • It doesn’t matter what your intention was if something you say is perceived as harmful. Learning that without getting defensive is valuable. • A navigational tool: The Ring Theory that helps you not say the wrong thing:  • Getting used to just saying, “Thank you for letting me know." • How Shannon’s trying to navigate these discussions in social media • The other big thing that happened in Shannon’s life on Saturday: She and her husband found a baby mouse in their car and had to figure out what to do for it. • Supporting the BLM movement without being on the front lines See the show notes at www.gettingtogoodenough.com for links!