If Emmanuel Acho from the new series Uncomfortable Conversations With a Black Man is not on your radar yet, you definitely should. The former NFL player, launched the web series the last week to be a “free space for the curiosity of the white people to respond to the questions you’ve always had, but have been too nervous to ask” and to encourage viewers to have conversations about racial issues with their own families and friends. For his second episode, Emmanuel invited Matthew McConaughey to join him in an honest, powerful dialogue on topics such as implicit bias, the true definition of equality, the backhanded compliments from white people, often unknowingly, give them to the Blacks, and much more.
“We recognize that there is a problem, so that you can take responsibility for the problem.”
Matthew began the conversation by asking, “How can I do better as a human being . . . as a man . . . as a white man?” Emmanuel replied, “You have to recognize that there is a problem, so that you can take responsibility for the problem . . . Individually, you have to recognize implicit biases. You have to recognize that you are going to see a Black man, and for whatever reason, you are going to see more of a threat than you will be a white man, probably because society tells you to.”
Emmanuel then used a spot-on analogy to explain why equality does not exist in its most pure form in the united states. “The awakening of slavery is still hitting the african americans,” he said. “If you get on a boat, there is a wake that follows the boat, and although he could not be still driving the boat, there are african americans getting hit by the wake from the left side of slavery.” Said wake comes in the form of systemic injustices such as the scarcity of school systems and suppression of voters, Emmanuel added.
Matthew went on to share how the root of George Floyd’s death has led to completely change their perspective and address their “blind spots.” “I’m diving deeper into how I’m looking at things and how I’m looking for myself — how can I learn more, see things from his side, to see things from the Black side of more, so I can get a four-dimensional view here,” the actor said.
Towards the end of their 12 minutes of discussion, Matthew posed the question: “What is my responsibility? What is your responsibility?” Emmanuel explained that it starts with personal reflection, followed by action. “People should take the responsibility proactively to say, ‘you know what? Maybe I’m part of the problem. Maybe I can solve this problem. Not only for not being racist, but being anti-racist. Maybe I can level the playing field and make it a fair fight.'”
Listen to Manuel and Matthew’s entire enlightening conversation above, and be sure to follow Emmanuel on YouTube and Instagram to see more new episodes as they’re released.
