Episode # 144

The Sisters Are Alright: Stereotypes Black Women Face, with Tamara Winfrey-Harris

One of the questions that often has come up around our recent publication of our book (leave us a review on Amazon!) is what it was like to write the book during the end of 2020. And one of the things that always sticks out to us is that the problems, the racism, the treatment of non White people in this country that we wrote about in great detail throughout the book, didn’t get fixed in 2020, or 2021. In fact, every single chapter that we wrote in the second and third sections of the book has reoccurred numerous times over since we wrote the book. We’re not in some post racial world here. We didn’t fix racism because people suddenly realized that it was still happening sometime in the summer of 2020.

And our next guest knows that all too well. Tamara Winfrey-Harris wrote The Sisters Are Alright in 2015, and just released a second edition to this book this year. Not because racism is over, or we figured out intersectional feminism, or that we’re even all on the same page - not at all. The second edition includes so much more information about the stereotypes and experiences of Black women in America, what we need to know when it comes to intersectional feminism, interracial friendships, and simply co-existing with and respecting everyone. In the end, the sisters are alright. But that doesn’t mean that we don’t have a ton of work to do - so start by listening in and reflecting on your own perceptions, experiences, and things YOU can do differently.

Have questions, comments, or concerns? Email us at hello@dearwhitewomen.com

“The first step to anyone that wants to be an ally to black women is to listen to us. And listen to us when we talk about our lived reality, and to let go of the biases that you've kind of been fed over time, the lies that you've been fed over time and listen to us when we talk about what's really happening.”
Tamara Winfrey-Harris

What to listen for:

The four stereotypes of Black women, and how they play out in our society today (and take a moment to reflect - do you see any of these yourself?)
Tamara’s thoughts on if White women can be allies (spoiler alert: YES!), and what allyship really means
Ways to combat our tendency to lump people into stereotypes, and instead, challenge ourselves to see people’s intersectionalities and identities - their humanity

About Tamara Winfrey-Harris

Tamara Winfrey-Harris is a writer who specializes in race and gender and their intersection with politics, popular culture, and current events. She is the author of Dear Black Girl: Letters from Your Sisters on Stepping into Your Power, and she has been called to share her analyses in media outlets such as NPR's Weekend Edition and Janet Mock's So POPular! on MSNBC.com. Her work has also appeared in countless outlets such as The New York Times, The Atlantic, Los Angeles Times, Bitch Magazine, Ms. and other media. Winfrey-Harris is Vice President of Community Leadership and Effective Philanthropy at the Central Indiana Community Foundation, and she speaks at university campuses nationwide. She has dedicated her life's work to advocating for Black women and girls and defying destructive social narratives that limit their potential. She is co-founder of Centering Sisters, LLC, which unapologetically addresses the needs and issues of Black women, girls, and femmes. Learn more at TamaraWinfreyHarris.com.

Where to order your copy of Dear White Women: Let’s Get (Un)comfortable Talking About Racism: https://thecollectivebook.studio/dear-white-women

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