E21: Building Cross-Racial Friendships with Sharon White and Kate Towle

In this episode, SooJin and Hannah bring in former guest, Kate Towle (episode 3), and her long-time friend, Sharon White, to talk about building relationships across difference. We learn how Sharon and Kate were raised by parents who modeled the practice of cultivating interracial friendships, and how that translated into their own lives. As they reflect on their 20-year friendship, Sharon and Kate reveal the risks and rewards associated with going beyond a working relationship and immersing themselves into each other’s families. Two of Sharon’s nieces, Khadijah Segura and Shaylyn White, make guest appearances to share their perspectives - as they represent and usher in future generations. This powerful conversation uncovers how cross-racial friendships help us deepen our understanding of ourselves as well as the world around us.Resources:Sweet Burden of Crossing (novel) by Kate TowleSweet Potato Comfort PieSweet Potato Comfort Pie: MLK Day of Service Event (Registration page)‘Mom, Why Don’t You Have Any Black Friends?’Before you talk to your kids about race, answer this question by Michelle Silverthorn“Cross-Racial Relationships” on Code Switch podcast (Quote by Beverly Daniel Tatum)White Supremacy Culture and Characteristics by Tema Okun and FriendsAll about Love by bell hooks