I had a very open discussion this week with one of my closest friends, Taylor Lindsay-Noel (@taylorln). Taylor is a member of the black community. We’ve been friends for over 8 years and NEVER had this conversation before. Let me be clear before I dive into this. I am a white woman and I want to get it right this time. I want to be more educated and more open to learning how I can actually help to make change happen. I’ll be honest, I was surprised when I woke up Tuesday morning and saw #blackouttuesday trending. I immediately reached out to Taylor and we recorded this episode shortly after. This conversation is raw, real, and hard. But it's important and it’s so valuable. Please, if you’re looking for more education on this topic, let’s listen to the voices that are desperately trying to be heard. On this episode we dive into: What defines a racist.What is white privilege.The real meaning behind the “black square” on your Instagram feed which we saw trending this Tuesday.The difference between the statement “all lives matter,” and “black lives matter.”How we can work to change the narrative in people’s minds.Things we can do to be better right now.Being wary of the micro-aggressions we are putting out there.A few examples of things that people in the black community face day to day as their normal way of living (how they’re treated, the things they have to be extra cautious about, etc.)The take-home: Important closing words from Taylor, “We need help. Because your voices (white voices) are statistically and historically way more valuable and louder than ours. We need your voices right now to help put out the fires in the black community. We’ve been friends for several years and we’ve never ever even talked about this before - but it shows even the closest of friends tip-toe around the subject - because it's awkward. But you have to get through awkward to make real change. We need your voices to help educate others and to make real change for the future. Humble yourself to know what you don’t know. Ask questions. And BE KIND. Having these conversations is a good place to start. This conversation needs to start here, but not end here.”Organizations/ accounts where people can donate and be educated:@[email protected]@Blackwomeninmotion or visit their website: https://blackwomeninmotion.org/our-storyGet in touch with Taylor Lindsay-Noel: Website: https://cupofte.comInstagram: @taylorlnListen to others episodes of the Move Forward Podcast featuring Taylor:Episode # 3: Sipping Tea With Taylor Lindsay-Noel: Sharing Her Struggles After Breaking Her NeckEpisode # 49: Getting Real With Body Image And Taylor Lindsay - Noel