Sanona Williams and Jenny Clark
Recorded
May 8, 2023
Archived
May 8, 2023
50:09 minutes
0:00 / 0:00
Id:
ddv002461
Description
One Small Step partners Sanona Williams (53) and Jenny Clark (47) discuss presumptions people make about them based on race and location, the pressure to choose a political side, seeing versus not seeing race, parenting children with versus without special needs, unconditional love, and Christianity.Subject Log / Time Code
Jenny Clark (JC) laments the lack of opportunity to have conversations. Sanona Williams (SW) laments the lack of listening, particularly between parents and children.
JC talks about her four children, two of whom have Down syndrome and are adopted, and one of whom is Black.
SW talks about growing up in a predominantly white neighborhood. She felt accepted until she went to college, where she did not feel accepted by either Black or white communities.
JC and SW discuss seeing versus not seeing race and their ideas surrounding politicians using race as a tool of division.
JC talks about presumptions people make about her as a white woman from Alabama and expresses her wish to be judged by her actions, not her race.
JC asks SW her advice for parents with LGBTQIA+ children. SW answers, "Love your child." This leads to a discussion where both JC and SW cite their Christian faith as a primary guiding principal.
SW reflects upon her conversion to Christianity from Islam and the divisions between people with different political beliefs. She asserts, "We're more alike than we're different." JC says this is a slogan she utilizes when talking about people with special needs.
JC says the presumption is that she is a Republican because she is white and from the South. Sanona says the presumption is that she is a Democrat because she is Black and from the North.
SW says, "I felt like I was having a conversation with someone who was not a stranger but a friend."
JC affirms, "We don't have to be afraid of each other... ask me a question."
Participants
- Sanona Williams
- Jenny Clark