This is an archived page from 2020. Find out more
(By Troy Price) Two weeks ago my email box and podcast app were full of messages of solidarity. It seemed like many were appalled by the police’s unwarranted use of deadly force against people of color. Content creators were motivated to share their opinions on the matter.
Now, my inbox and podcasts are back to ‘normal’.
I live in Kentucky, where one of the religions is University of Kentucky Basketball. There are those that follow the Wildcats as if their lives depended on it. And then there are a few (me included) that like to watch a game now and then and root for the team when they are doing well in March. I am one of these fair weather fans. Being a fair weather fan is fine when the only consequences are not buying a blue polo shirt or not letting the size of the restaurant’s TV screens affect my decisions.. Being a fair weather fan regarding meaningful issues is worrisome.
There was one email a while back that stood out to me. It was from Petsmart and shared their response to the civil unrest. The first few sentences of the email included a response to racial violence and the marches from PetSmart’s CEO. But what was particularly impactful was when he talked about the actions that PetSmart were taking to address racial inequality. Specific changes in hiring and supervision practices, sensitivity training, and the PetSmart Foundation’s funding strategy were presented. The details of their actions were more inspiring than his words. I am convinced that the PetSmart corporate environment has been forever changed as a result of the events of late spring 2020.
We often talk about how podcasting allows us to have a greater influence in the world. This is your chance to positively influence your listeners. Did you share your outrage before, but now are back to ‘normal’?
What actions have you taken in the past few weeks to address our current racial disparities that were highlighted a month ago? If you felt strongly enough to dedicate an episode to racial inequality when it was ‘en vogue’, you should continue to use your platform to highlight the issue until real change takes place. Your actions (or lack thereof) since your last topical episode should be something you frequently revisit on your podcast.
‘Normal’ isn’t good enough.
Troy Price is the co-founder of Front Porch Studios in Berea, Kentucky. He has been involved with podcasting for over a decade. Listen to his show “Podcasting Tips From The Front Porch” HERE.
Comments:
Troy, I appreciate this. Thank you for talking about this. It’s so important. I have been thinking about how I can create something that will actually help. I hope to have something to start working on this week, I just want to help. Thanks again, I hope you and yours are safe and sound.