The Magical Negro: The Paradox of Black Art in White Spaces

It is only through empathy that humanity will destroy racism.

Do we understand, as members of the human race, the gravity of “in-group/out-group” dynamics? Are we aware of how our prejudiced, and often, unfounded perceptions of others lead to their invalidation and the destruction of our collective psyches?

We can pretend to know the ‘Other’s’ pain and struggles, but often, our assumed understanding amounts to little more than sympathy. What we truly need as members of the human race is empathy.

While sympathy is a fine starting point for community building and reconciliation, it alone does not compel action. It is only with hearts and minds turned toward empathy that we elicit from ourselves the likelihood of effective action toward change.

Performing While Black…

As a semi-professional musician, I play and gig with a few different ensembles. As I performed with one of these groups (an all-black cast of stellar musicians) for a weekend party in honor of this year’s Kentucky Derby, the human necessity for action-oriented empathy crystallized in my consciousness.

For two hours, my band performed a slew of hits from the 60s through today for a large crowd of…