Democracy Matters - Episode 97: Living Up To the Ideals of Democracy Through Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation

Educating about and addressing the persistence of racism in systems and structures has become deeply politicized. Yet, the elimination and replacement of the belief and belief system in the false hierarchy of human value are crucial to the well-being and vibrancy of communities and thriving democracies. “If we start creating compassionate ways of understanding and connecting with one another, then we will have the permanent motivation to live up to our espoused and aspirational ideals as a democracy,” says Dr. Gail Christopher, author of the new book RX Racial Healing. Dr. Christopher joins us to discuss how we can approach addressing the effects of racism and reimagine more just and equitable economies, societies and democracies. 

Dr. Gail Christopher is an award-winning social change agent with expertise in the social determinants of health and well-being and in related public policies. She is known for her pioneering work to infuse holistic health and diversity concepts into public sector programs and policy discourse. Dr. Christopher recently retired from her role as Senior Advisor and Vice President at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, where she was the driving force behind the America Healing initiative and the Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation effort. Dr. Christopher also served as Kellogg’s Vice President for Program Strategy and worked on place-based programming in New Orleans and New Mexico. In 2015 she received the Terrance Keenan Award from Grantmakers in Health. She chairs the Board of the Trust for America’s Health. In 2019, Dr. Christopher became the Executive Director of the National Collaborative for Health Equity.

Links in this episode:

• Dr. Gail Christopher
• RX Racial Healing
• National Day of Racial Healing
• National Collaborative for Health Equity
• W.K. Kellog Foundation THRT Implementation Guide
• How Racism Makes Us Sick, Ted Talk by Dr. David Williams
• Race and Reunion by David W. Blight
• Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi 
• White Malice by Susan Williams