Last year, an organization that promotes dialogue invited two authors to hold a “respectful exchange” about racism. I was one of them. The other was Robin DiAngelo, author of White Fragility. I accepted the invitation. DiAngelo declined. And that was…
How do you avoid being manipulated — whether it’s by family, friends, bosses, politicians, or media pundits? You must always remember: If you don’t have a vision for your life, someone else will have an agenda for it. I taught…
What you’re about to read is a journey — and I launch it with the most famous line in the U.S. Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are…
For most kids in America, the school year is coming to a close. But the civics lesson has only just begun. With protests against police brutality sweeping the nation, there’s a lot to learn about how to be effective, engaged…
In work and in life, one of the scariest things to do is negotiate with someone who disagrees with you. It takes moral courage to start, and sustain, that conversation. When I teach this skill, a crucial part of my…
I teach courage for a living. Over the course of 20 years, I’ve researched, studied, written, filmed, and spoken about the skills needed to exercise “moral courage,” which means doing the right thing in the face of fear. For all…
Bruce Lee, the martial arts master, would teach his students to “be like water.” What he meant was, water always gets to where it needs to go — even in the midst of obstacles. Water doesn’t demand that those obstacles…
On MKL Day 2020, I had the honor of speaking from the very pulpit that the man himself once did — at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. The Rev. Dr. Bernice King, daughter of Martin and Coretta, invited me to…
Without a doubt, it was the wrong thing to do. And I knew it. I did it anyway. “You think you can bulldoze anybody,” I sneered at her. “Nobody calls you out on your behavior, so you feel entitled to…
MLK Day 2020: Irshad speaks at the official service to commemorate the 91st birthday and timeless legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. From the sanctuary of Ebenezer Baptist Church, Irshad will address how Dr. King shaped her journey as…