Leadership and Advocacy Becomes a Central Part of Your Life

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When you grow up in that environment and then you head off to l s u, you know clearly you're not just going to leave behind this advocate's impulse. At the same time, there are things happening in the world around me, even local, right here on campus, that i care about,. And i can't not step into some sort of leadership and activism and advocacy role. But actually just allow ourselves just kind of, like, all be human beings, existing as we are, and to change and be changed by the experience of relationship, no matter who that relationship is with.

My guest today, Blair Imani, grew up in a house where sitting quiet in the face of any level of injustice was just not an option. Whether it was advocating for the needs of a sibling or standing up to right a wrong in her community, her parents set a powerful example and invited Blair to always rise to the challenge. And that’s exactly what she’s done.

But, along the way, Blair also discovered, there are different ways to make a difference, and we each need to figure out how to take up the mantle of change, while also honoring our unique circumstances and needs, and that includes acknowledging our own, very personal psychological and physical wellbeing.

Building on this, Blair transitioned from organizing and activism to focusing on education, but in a way only she could do - harnessing the power, reach, interactivity and visual impact of social media by creating short, punchy, informative and entertaining bursts of wisdom and inspiration she calls her Smarter in Seconds series, which, at this point, has become a global movement.

Now a writer, mental health advocate, award-winning educator, and historian living at the intersections of Black, Queer, and Muslim identity, Blair is the bestselling author of Read This to Get Smarter, Making Our Way Home, and Modern HERstory. Her scholarship spans intersectionality, gender studies, race and racism, sociology, and United States history. She has presented at Oxford, Stanford, and Harvard, serves on the Board of Directors for the Tegan and Sara Foundation, and been featured in The New York Times and tons of other outlets.

You can find Blair at: Instagram | Website

If you LOVED this episode you’ll also love the conversations we had with Austin Channing Brown, about how we create the world around us and how we bring ourselves to it from a place of equity, dignity, and justice.

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