Episode Title:
Episode Audio Link: https://podcast.ablackexec.com/episode/when-lived-experience-gets-labeled-a-conspiracy
Episode Video Link:
In this episode of Need to Know, the conversation takes aim at a recent Pew Research Center study that framed Black perspectives on racial progress as “racial conspiracy theories.” The backlash was immediate for one reason. Lived experiences are not theories. They are the day-to-day realities shaped by systemic racism in workplaces, classrooms, courtrooms, and communities.
This episode unpacks where the study missed the mark, how data often lags what Black Americans already know, and why dismissing these truths causes further harm. With sharp analysis and real-world examples, the discussion calls for empathy, historical awareness, and genuine allyship to confront the systems that many would rather pretend do not exist.
00:00: Introduction and Welcome
00:18: Pew Research Center Study Overview
00:48: Black Americans and Conspiracy Theories
01:49: Critique of the Study's Presentation
02:47: Editorial Note and Infographics
04:09: Real Experiences of Systemic Racism
05:46: Daily Challenges Faced by Black Americans
13:07: The Importance of Empathy and Allyship
14:40: Conclusion and Sign-Off
Links and resources mentioned in this episode:
Listen to this episode and subscribe for future updates
if you like what we're doing and would like to support us, here's some ways you can help us continue the uncomfortable conversations that drive change
