Situation:
Santos and Colin are entering a conversation with each other in which they touch on historic details around Black Wall Street (the details that Wall Street, NYC has a dark history as a slave market).
Shared Similarities:
- Santos and Colin are both open to engage with each other in order to create deeper understanding of each others viewpoints at times of divisions.
Personal Backgrounds:
- Santos is a community organiser, artist and social activist from Asheville, NC who grew up in diverse communities in Atlanta, Brooklyn and Tokyo. In his African American context the history of black Wall Street is common knowledge that creates a deep urge for social justice.
- Colin is a documentary filmmaker from St. Paul, MN who grew up in a white middle class suburb. For Colin it is shocking new information to learn about the reality of Black Wall Street.
Visible Differences:
- Colin: “My context never talked about interracial issues. I wish African Americans could see that there are thousands of white Americans who are good-hearted, but who simply do not know about many social justice issues and who need to be educated.”
- Santos: “How on earth can you not know about Wall Street having been a slave auction block? This is OUR American history. In not knowing you stay in your comfort zone and are affirming the status quo of social injustices, however good-willed you are.”
Personal Impact:
- Santos is in utter disbelief and outraged about Colin’s ignorance about the history of Black Wall Street.
- Colin feels on one side cheated and outraged about his context and education that predominantly avoided social justice issues. On the other side he also feels hurt and confused that Santos is upset with him for not knowing about Black Wall Street.
