Art & Black Joy: An Artistic Approach to Confronting Racism

Angela Fitzgerald: We can’t remove mental health from the larger topic of, like, we need to address these are systemic, historic issues that are still pervasive and we’re not really doing a good job of dealing with, so how do we do that in a way that doesn’t ruffle feathers, but I guess it’s okay to ruffle . . . But how do we move things forward?

Anwar Floyd-Pruitt: Right, right, right.

[Angela laughs]

We can’t even have the conversation because someone’s feelings are gonna get hurt. Yet, my lived experience. . .

Angela: Right, like, your physical safety is. . .

Anwar: It’s okay for me to constantly, you know, to deal, to deal with those situations about racism. So, it’s, you know, it’s going to take, I’m not gonna say an artist, but it’s going to take an artistic approach to communication to get people on board, to get people to perhaps find the common ground, to get people to find a way forward that, well, unfortunately, there’s no way forward without people getting out of their comfort zone.

Angela: Right.

Anwar: And so, if we’re gonna even try to create a way forward where people don’t have to leave their comfort zone, then we’re actually not. We’re actually not trying, or we’re not putting our efforts, our eggs in the right basket.

Angela: Absolutely. It’s “Whose discomfort are we prioritizing?”

Anwar: Sure.

Angela: Watch more Why Race Matters online and on the PBS app on your phone, tablet, Roku, or any other streaming device.