In this thought-provoking episode of the Stuck In My Mind Podcast, host Wize El Jefe dives deeply into a critical and dynamic conversation with JD Mass, an activist, author, and organizational psychologist whose work centers around racial healing and unity. The episode, titled "Charting a Course Toward Healing: JD Mass Discusses Race for What," unveils JD's insightful perspectives drawn from his own life experiences and professional journey.
JD Mass opens up about his formative years, having...
In this thought-provoking episode of the Stuck In My Mind Podcast, host Wize El Jefe dives deeply into a critical and dynamic conversation with JD Mass, an activist, author, and organizational psychologist whose work centers around racial healing and unity. The episode, titled "Charting a Course Toward Healing: JD Mass Discusses Race for What," unveils JD's insightful perspectives drawn from his own life experiences and professional journey.
JD Mass opens up about his formative years, having grown up as a minority in a predominantly Black community—an intentional choice by his parents aimed at fostering empathy and understanding racial disparities. These early experiences, alongside encounters with systemic racism, particularly in law enforcement and retail, kindled his passion for activism and ignited his commitment to anti-racism work. JD delves into his time at Ohio State University, sharing anecdotes about interacting with diverse groups and navigating the complex reality of code-switching in a racially stratified society.
Central to the discussion is JD's book, "Race for What?" and his philosophy that understanding and empathy are more effective than confrontation in battling racism. He challenges listeners to reconsider ingrained beliefs by bringing discomfort to their own biases, emphasizing the importance of addressing historical contexts like segregation and the obliteration of Black Wall Street. JD argues that the fight for racial unity has faced resistance but notes the promising shift in younger generations forming diverse friendships.
JD expresses optimism about the potential transformative power of blockchain technology and criticizes the conventional financial systems, highlighting how they are often bolstered by military force. He promotes his website, raceforwhat.com, where audiences can explore his book “7 Steps to Healing,” aimed at tackling anti-racism through healing and understanding. Also in development is a course with the Anti-Racism Academy, and plans for a Race For What comedy tour, designed to blend humor with serious conversations about race.
The episode also explores JD's critique of the education system, expressing a dire need for curricula that nurture creativity and holistic life skills rather than merely supporting existing frameworks. Host Wize El Jefe echoes these sentiments, lamenting the removal of arts from schools and emphasizing the importance of diverse cultural perspectives.
A prominent theme in JD’s discourse is the unfortunate societal conditioning into stereotypes and prejudices, likening society’s fascination with prestige and luxury to magic tricks that distract from life’s meaningful experiences. He advocates for societal systems that prioritize love and empathy over material wealth and competition, calling for a shift from competition to genuine curiosity and mutual learning among America's diverse populace.
The episode also ventures into JD’s insights on balancing entrepreneurial endeavors with activism, underscoring the importance of personal joy, natural connections, and the critiques of an artificial scarcity mindset. JD, reflecting on his experiences working with Nelly, highlights lessons around "white saviorism," competition, and creativity—and recognizes privilege and systemic inequalities through personal anecdotes.
With vulnerability, JD acknowledges missteps in addressing racial issues and stresses the importance of accountability and continuous learning, particularly highlighted through his interaction with the African Hebrew Israelites of Jerusalem. This community embraced holistic health and humanity-first ideologies, contrasting sharply with colonized cultural norms, and ultimately shaped JD’s understanding of cultural dynamics and his development of 7 reparative steps focused on healing and psychological transformation.
Throughout the episode, JD maintains a hopeful resilience, drawing from historical cycles of change and improvement, much like volcanic soil enriches landscapes after eruption. He gently reminds listeners that moving past fear towards change can yield beautiful unity and societal transformation.
