My Dear White Friend: Why Did I Feel Grateful When a White Man Spoke About Racism?
What happens when a White man speaks publicly about racism and the experiences of Black women? In this deeply personal My Dear White Friend letter, Dr Shungu Hilda M’gadzah explores the unexpected mixture of gratitude, relief, irritation and historical awareness she experienced while listening to a White lawyer challenge the Strong Black Woman stereotype. Drawing on the Six Stages Framework, she examines the difference between listening, believing and taking responsibility for meaningful change.
Breaking the Inertia: What Moves Us from Awareness to Action?
What moves us from awareness to action when we encounter prejudice, discrimination or injustice? This SSF Weekly Reflection explores psychological inertia, uncertainty, latent readiness and the energy of our States. Dr Shungu Hilda M’gadzah considers how small acts of courage can initiate the gears of change and help inclusive action become part of everyday life.
Are We Aware of the [Human] Environments We Create?
We do not simply inhabit environments. We create them. In Weekly Reflection #016, Dr Shungu M’gadzah explores the human climates we create, encounter and carry, from childhood experiences and discrimination to emotional memory, dreams and the emerging concept of Human Climate Intelligence.
My Dear White Teacher: Was I The Child You Didn’t See?
A Black boy who once loved answering questions learns to become invisible in the classroom. Letter Eight of My Dear White Friend explores racial bias, teacher expectations, psychological safety and the lasting effects on children’s confidence and sense of belonging.
Building Inclusive Futures: What Are We Becoming Accustomed to Hearing?
What are we becoming accustomed to hearing one human being say about another? SSF Weekly Reflection #015 explores how harmful language becomes normalised, why inclusion does not require agreement, and how our environments shape what becomes psychologically and socially permissible.
My Dear White Friend: What Happens When the Racist Is Someone You Love?
What happens when racism comes from someone you love? Letter Seven explores the difficult space where love, loyalty, belonging and accountability collide.
They Walk Amongst Us: Two Years On, What Have We Learnt — and What Have We Changed?
In August 2024, I called upon people to stand in the light as Britain witnessed racist violence and hostility. Two years later, I revisit that article through the Six Stages Framework, examining what we have learnt about escalation, psychological states, social environments and the conditions needed for meaningful change.
My Dear Black Friend: A Response to the Letters
After four My Dear White Friend letters, the conversation changes direction. An imagined white friend reflects on what it means to listen, confront defensiveness and allow learning about racism to change behaviour.
What State Are You Occupying? And What State Are You Been Drawn Into?
What state are you occupying right now? Weekly Reflection #012 explores how stages, states, emotions and environments interact, why earlier states can be reactivated, and how repeated states may influence who we are becoming.
My Dear White Friend: Please Don’t Make Me Your Textbook
When you ask a Black friend to explain racism, who carries the cost of the lesson? Letter Four explores self-education, emotional labour, defensiveness and a harder question: does your allyship extend to Black people you do not already know?
