Hi there! I’m Marley Dias, and today we’re going on a fun adventure with a book called Let’s Talk About Race. Our storyteller is Common, a cool rapper, actor, and producer. He’s going to read a book by Julius Lester, with pictures by Karen Barbour. Are you ready to explore what makes each of us special? Let’s dive in!
Common starts by telling us that everyone is a story. Just like a book, our lives are filled with interesting things. Common was born on March 13th, 1972. How does your story begin? We all have different parts to our stories, like our family, where we live, and what we like to do.
Common shares some fun facts about himself. His favorite food is fish, and he loves doing crossword puzzles and taking photos. He likes all colors, but maybe red or green a little more. What about you? What’s your favorite color or hobby?
Race is a part of our story too. Common is Black, and he asks, “What race are you?” Every race has its own story, but sometimes people think their race is better than others. That’s not true! Everyone is special in their own way.
Common has a fun activity for us. Gently press your fingers below your eyes until you feel the hard bone. Now, try it on your arm or head. Guess what? We all have the same bones under our skin! If we took off our skin, we’d all look the same.
Imagine if everyone in the world took off their skin and hair. We wouldn’t know who is who just by looking. We would see that we are all the same inside. So, which story do we believe? The one that says we’re different, or the one that shows we’re alike?
Common reminds us that race is just one part of who we are. He loves to laugh, lives in a small town, and enjoys pancakes and macaroni and cheese. What about you? What makes you, you?
Common shared things about himself that you wouldn’t know just by looking at him. Now, it’s your turn! What is something special about you that others might not know? Let’s celebrate what makes each of us unique!
As we finish our story adventure, remember that you are special just the way you are. Don’t forget who you are, and always be proud of your story!
Create Your Storybook: Gather some paper, crayons, and markers. Create a small book about your own story. On each page, draw or write about different parts of your life, like your family, favorite activities, and what makes you unique. Share your storybook with a friend or family member and ask them to share theirs with you. This helps us understand how everyone has their own special story.
Race and Identity Exploration: With the help of an adult, find pictures of people from different races and cultures in magazines or online. Cut them out and create a collage. Discuss with your adult helper what makes each person unique and what similarities you notice. This activity helps us appreciate the diversity and commonalities among people.
Bone Discovery Activity: Try the bone activity Common mentioned. Feel the bones under your skin and then ask a friend or family member to do the same. Talk about how even though we look different on the outside, we have similar structures inside. Discuss why it’s important to remember that we are all the same inside, no matter our race or appearance.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
—
[theme music playing]
Hi, I’m Marley Dias. Welcome to Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices. Rapper, actor, producer, and activist Common is going to read *Let’s Talk About Race*. This book asks questions like, “What’s our story?” and “What makes each of us special?” *Let’s Talk About Race* is written by Julius Lester and illustrated by Karen Barbour. Let’s listen to Common read *Let’s Talk About Race*.
Hey, hey. Peace, y’all. This is Common. About to read you a story. I got a good story for you, okay? It’s called *Let’s Talk About Race*.
“I am a story. So are you. So is everyone. My story begins the same way yours does. Take me, for example. I was born March 13th, 1972. [chuckles] I’m kind of old, huh? How does your story begin? Many people and many events are part of my story and yours too. And the names of our parents and where they were born, whether or not we have brothers or sisters. I had a brother who was nine years older than me, but he has passed away. God bless his soul.
What kind of work our parents do or did. My father was a minister. My mother was a housewife. My story and yours have many elements, such as favorite food. Mine is fish. Hobbies? I like to do crossword puzzles, take photographs, and cook. Favorite color? Red. Or maybe green. But I like orange and purple too. I think my favorite color is all of them.
Religion? “Well, Julius’s religion is Jewish.” Nationality? I’m from the United States. Favorite time of day? Night. I love the night. Oh, and there’s something else that is part of my story. It’s part of yours too. That’s what race we are. I’m Black. What race are you?
Just as I am a story and you are a story and countries tell stories about themselves, race is a story too. Whether you’re Black like me or Asian, Hispanic, or white, each race has a story about itself. And that story is almost always the same, ‘My race is better than your race.’ Some stories are true. Some are not. Those who say, ‘My race is better than your race,’ are telling a story that is not true.
Why would some people say their race is better than another? Because they feel bad about themselves? Yes. Because they are afraid? Mm-hmm. But there are other ways all of us, even me, even you, think we are better than others. ‘I’m better than you because I live in a big house.’ ‘I’m better than you because I go to this school.’ ‘I’m better than you because I’m a boy.’ ‘I’m better than you because I’m a girl.’ ‘I’m better than you because my parents make more money than your parents.’ ‘I’m better than you because I’m white.’ ‘I’m better than you because I’m Black.’ ‘I’m better than you because I’m Hispanic.’ ‘I’m better than you because I’m Asian.’ None of these stories are true, are they?
I want to tell you a true story. But I need your help. Here’s what I want you to do. Take your fingers and press them softly against your skin, right below your eyes, like that. Easy. Be careful. Now, press gently until you feel the hard bone right beneath the surface. Press gently. Now, if your mom, dad, brother, sister, or friend is close by, ask them if you can touch them. If they say okay, take your fingers and press softly at the same place beneath their eyes. Easy, easy. Press until you feel the hard bones right beneath the skin. Now press someplace else on your body. On your arm, your chest, your head. Press anywhere until you feel the hard bones beneath your skin.
Now, beneath everyone’s skin are the same hard bones. If you were to go outside without your skin on and without your hair on your head, turn the page and see what you would look like. [chuckles] Like that. But you want to know something? If I went outside without my skin, without my mustache and beard and the hair on my head, I would look just like you. And you would look just like me.
Suppose one day we, I mean, everyone in the whole world, decided to take off all our clothes and all our skin and all our hair. Then we would do what we do normally every day. Go to school, go to work, play, shop. Everything would be normal. Except we would look at each other and couldn’t tell who was a man or who was a woman. Who was white, Black, Hispanic, or Asian.
Which story shall we believe? The one that says, ‘My race is better than yours,’ or the one we just discovered for ourselves? Beneath our skin, I look like you, and you look like me, and she looks like her and him, and he looks like him and her, and they look like them, and they look like us.
When I look at you, which story do I see? Do I see only the color of your skin? The shape of your eyes? The texture of your hair? Do I look at you and think I know your story when I don’t even know your name? Or do I look at you and wonder, ‘What’s your name? When were you born? Where were you born? Where do you live? What do you like? What don’t you like?’ Maybe we like and dislike some of the same things.
Your race is not all that you are. My race is not all that I am. Yes, I am Black, but I am also a man. I am of medium height. I have a deep voice and a loud laugh. [chuckles] I love to laugh. Do you? I live in a big house in the woods in a small town. I like pancakes and macaroni and cheese, and I am so, so, so many things besides my race. To know my story, you have to put together everything that I am.
Like, I bet you didn’t know… I’m a vegetarian. That means I don’t eat meat. You didn’t know that. Beneath the skin, we all look alike. You and me. I’ll take off my skin. Will you take off yours?
*Let’s Talk About Race* by Julius Lester. Now, I told you all some things about me that you wouldn’t know just by looking at me. So I would like for you to tell me something about you that I wouldn’t know just by looking at you. Okay? God bless. Love.
[“Don’t Forget Who You Are” by Common ft. PJ plays]
♪ No one like you Just look around ♪
♪ Yeah, you’re too strong To turn around ♪
♪ You born with it Adorned with it ♪
♪ A gift to the world Go’n give it ♪
♪ Fearlessly made No need to be afraid ♪
♪ Angels, I’m with you The path is laid ♪
♪ Don’t forget who you are ♪
♪ Do-do do-do da-di ♪
♪ Don’t forget who you are ♪
♪ Don’t forget who you are ♪
♪ Don’t forget who you are ♪
♪ Do-do do-do da-di ♪
♪ Don’t forget who you are ♪
♪ Don’t forget who you are ♪
♪ Don’t forget who you are ♪
♪ Do-do do-do da-di ♪
♪ Don’t forget who you are ♪
♪ Don’t forget who you are ♪
—
Let me know if you need any further modifications!
