Derek Fordjour

So the splintering is comfortable for entertainment, for culture, so long as you can reunite when it's time to advocate. But that doesn't always happen. Yeah, that doesn't. So that's the tragedy that I feel, right? One, that it's already flattened in the first place, but also it splinters a collective action.

So the splintering is comfortable for entertainment, for culture, so long as you can reunite when it's time to advocate. But that doesn't always happen. Yeah, that doesn't. So that's the tragedy that I feel, right? One, that it's already flattened in the first place, but also it splinters a collective action.

They're like Republican in their vibes. They're like mean white people. Yeah. Worse, actually.

They're like Republican in their vibes. They're like mean white people. Yeah. Worse, actually.

Forever. I mean, I have also that point. I have an uncle, Uncle Manny, he's now passed. And it wasn't until his later years that he talked about He lived in Minnesota. Lisa, my cousin Lisa. He raised her. And he talked about being used because he realized that, oh, I wasn't angry. So he came in the 60s, had success as a corporate guy, but he was a token. And I don't want to reduce his life.

Forever. I mean, I have also that point. I have an uncle, Uncle Manny, he's now passed. And it wasn't until his later years that he talked about He lived in Minnesota. Lisa, my cousin Lisa. He raised her. And he talked about being used because he realized that, oh, I wasn't angry. So he came in the 60s, had success as a corporate guy, but he was a token. And I don't want to reduce his life.

I mean, he was a hardworking man.

I mean, he was a hardworking man.

But in his later years... looking back now with a black, an understanding of identity, he's like, oh man, I think they used me, you know? Like, I think I was part of this game. And it really is, if you're talking about those moments, sometimes it happens later. I hope, Trevor, that we're in a different world now where social media is cool. Like you see Nigerian weddings. You have these shows.

But in his later years... looking back now with a black, an understanding of identity, he's like, oh man, I think they used me, you know? Like, I think I was part of this game. And it really is, if you're talking about those moments, sometimes it happens later. I hope, Trevor, that we're in a different world now where social media is cool. Like you see Nigerian weddings. You have these shows.

Like kids, if you're 6, 7, 8 in today's world, you have Afrobeats. There's all this cultural export. It's just like a different time. And I mean maybe I'm – I don't want to be Pollyanna, but I just think it's different.

Like kids, if you're 6, 7, 8 in today's world, you have Afrobeats. There's all this cultural export. It's just like a different time. And I mean maybe I'm – I don't want to be Pollyanna, but I just think it's different.

It is cool. It's cool now. That's a very important distinction. Comfort happened some while back. Now, cool is definitely the thing. Yeah. Like, to be African and to live in America, I think it's cool. When I grew up, it was kind of like we would say to our black friends, like, you know, yeah, I'm Ghanaian. They're like... African where? Do a dance. Stand up.

It is cool. It's cool now. That's a very important distinction. Comfort happened some while back. Now, cool is definitely the thing. Yeah. Like, to be African and to live in America, I think it's cool. When I grew up, it was kind of like we would say to our black friends, like, you know, yeah, I'm Ghanaian. They're like... African where? Do a dance. Stand up.

You know, I was like, bro, I'm really African. Like, trust me. Say something. You know, it was like that kind of like shakedown. And now that we're older, we realize that they also just didn't That splintering, they didn't want to happen. And then there was also this envious thing. Because they're like, dude, we don't know where we came from. We don't know our origins.

You know, I was like, bro, I'm really African. Like, trust me. Say something. You know, it was like that kind of like shakedown. And now that we're older, we realize that they also just didn't That splintering, they didn't want to happen. And then there was also this envious thing. Because they're like, dude, we don't know where we came from. We don't know our origins.

When we got old enough, they talked about that. I was like, oh, that was part envy. They admired it on some level. And they were also envious of it. And I also appreciated differently what it means to go back to the town of my mother's mother. That is like the, you know, we are matrilineal. But to know that is to like locate your lineage. That's part of the slow violence that happened in America.

When we got old enough, they talked about that. I was like, oh, that was part envy. They admired it on some level. And they were also envious of it. And I also appreciated differently what it means to go back to the town of my mother's mother. That is like the, you know, we are matrilineal. But to know that is to like locate your lineage. That's part of the slow violence that happened in America.

So I remember Roots. I don't know if... The show? Yeah, the show.

So I remember Roots. I don't know if... The show? Yeah, the show.