Dear America, From a Black Guy is a documentary created by B. Dave Walters, a seasoned contributor to the Table Top RPG community. His credits include but are not limited to: actor (Salvage Marines), creator (Dungeons and Dragons: A Darkened Wish), and tabletop live streamer (Victor Temple on Geek & Sundry’s Vampire the Masquerade: LA by Night). The core of the project seeks to help find ways to improve communication and collaborate constructively about race relation issues.
The project discusses the taut race relations in the United States and the best ways in which to move forward and improve communication. Walters’ documentary aims to productively examine inequality and racism, while keeping things respectful, something that he feels isn’t happening nearly enough.
“Yelling at each other isn’t working. Ignoring each other isn’t working,” said Walters. “I am creating this documentary to try and bridge the growing gap in our country so that we can remember how to talk to each other with respect. Because if we don’t, the Ship of State is going to sink with ALL of us trapped onboard.”
The objective of Dear America, From a Black Guy is to explain three things to its audience:
- How systemic racism and inequality have built the world we live in, and how to see it for what it is in all its guises.
- Why ‘good people’ do racist things: Why your aunt feels the need to keep posting ‘All Lives Matter,’ or why your racist uncle hasn’t missed church in 20 years but condones keeping kids in cages at the southern border, and more importantly, how something called ‘moral framing’ can help you reach these types of ‘morally lost’ people.
- The need to actually listen to each other with respect — how to engage with people you disagree with to try and find some sort of common ground. Without a clear, calm, and respectful way to communicate, people may hear what’s being said, but won’t truly be listening.
In a post George Floyd and Breonna Taylor world, a documentary such as this is needed to get a constructive conversation going. It seeks to be an education for those willing to listen. It’s a hard and uncomfortable subject to broach, but it’s needed in these uncertain times as injustices are continuing to be carried out across the country. Communication is the key to progress and Dear America, From a Black Guy is a step toward positive change in our community.
Also check out these related articles from Temple Geek:
Examining The Hunger Games with Black Lives Matter
Problematic Fandoms and the Importance of Diversity and Inclusion
Dana Reboe is a brilliant writer, I love reading her short stories and long to read anything she writes, her way of writing just sucks me right in to the last written word…. hope she writes a novel someday….
Dee Merlin… UK