1 00:00:00,270 --> 00:00:05,270 (gentle music) 2 00:00:14,350 --> 00:00:17,500 - I'm Chief Master Sergeant Jill Victor. 3 00:00:17,500 --> 00:00:21,500 In my 27 years of military service, 4 00:00:21,500 --> 00:00:25,320 this is the first time that our force has been charged 5 00:00:25,320 --> 00:00:29,000 to have open dialogue on racial disparity, 6 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:31,880 that resides in our Air Force. 7 00:00:31,880 --> 00:00:35,213 Prior to now, it was viewed as a taboo subject. 8 00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:39,290 As we move forward to have these difficult 9 00:00:39,290 --> 00:00:42,230 and uncomfortable conversations, 10 00:00:42,230 --> 00:00:44,200 I ask that first, 11 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:46,883 please seek to understand. 12 00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:50,113 Secondly, listen. 13 00:00:51,300 --> 00:00:54,833 Listen, with the intent to make a change. 14 00:00:56,133 --> 00:01:01,133 (upbeat music) 15 00:01:05,580 --> 00:01:09,433 - I grew up in a very small town in Pennsylvania that was, 16 00:01:10,580 --> 00:01:15,580 is very close minded people just seem to not care 17 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:20,760 about changing their ways or how other people feel. 18 00:01:21,550 --> 00:01:24,090 - Well, I'm originally from San Antonio, Texas, 19 00:01:24,090 --> 00:01:25,730 the east side of San Antonio, 20 00:01:25,730 --> 00:01:27,230 which is kinda the inner city. 21 00:01:28,620 --> 00:01:30,320 Born and raised here, 22 00:01:30,320 --> 00:01:35,320 most of my experiences with African American and Hispanic. 23 00:01:35,590 --> 00:01:37,513 That's the culture I grew up in. 24 00:01:38,430 --> 00:01:40,810 Really didn't deal too many too much 25 00:01:40,810 --> 00:01:44,460 with any white people at all until I joined the military. 26 00:01:44,460 --> 00:01:45,293 - When I grew up, 27 00:01:45,293 --> 00:01:48,600 I was in a fairly diverse place in Texas. 28 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:51,770 I grew up in Arlington, which sits between Dallas 29 00:01:51,770 --> 00:01:52,950 and Fort Worth. 30 00:01:52,950 --> 00:01:57,252 I live full spectrum representation of the rest 31 00:01:57,252 --> 00:02:00,390 of America so I was exposed to quite a bit growing up. 32 00:02:00,390 --> 00:02:02,140 - I was born in the Bahamas. 33 00:02:02,140 --> 00:02:07,140 So born in the Caribbean islands and went to South America. 34 00:02:07,343 --> 00:02:09,150 Grew up in South America too. 35 00:02:09,150 --> 00:02:11,350 like Venezuela, Ecuador. 36 00:02:11,350 --> 00:02:14,140 When I got to New York neighbors were Irish, 37 00:02:14,140 --> 00:02:16,270 Italian, all kinds. 38 00:02:16,270 --> 00:02:18,600 So racism wasn't really a thing 39 00:02:18,600 --> 00:02:22,960 to me until I started coming into the military 40 00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:24,770 and seeing different parts of the country and 41 00:02:24,770 --> 00:02:27,783 how they react to certain cultures. 42 00:02:30,166 --> 00:02:32,749 (gentle music) 43 00:02:35,760 --> 00:02:37,770 - I haven't seen it first hand, 44 00:02:37,770 --> 00:02:39,460 so I reached out to some of my friends, 45 00:02:39,460 --> 00:02:41,490 and I'd asked, Hey, are you are you dealing with this? 46 00:02:41,490 --> 00:02:43,527 Or have you seen this? 47 00:02:43,527 --> 00:02:45,200 And I learned some stories. 48 00:02:45,200 --> 00:02:47,500 Obviously, it was a it was an eye opener, 49 00:02:47,500 --> 00:02:50,240 because I didn't realize those things were going on. 50 00:02:50,240 --> 00:02:51,810 Probably more or less, 51 00:02:51,810 --> 00:02:54,410 it was my privilege so to say, 52 00:02:54,410 --> 00:02:55,523 or I wasn't there. 53 00:02:56,610 --> 00:02:58,090 But now knowing, yeah, 54 00:02:58,090 --> 00:02:59,440 I do believe we have changed. 55 00:02:59,440 --> 00:03:01,710 We need we never changed, we need to, 56 00:03:01,710 --> 00:03:03,560 there's a lot of corrections that need to be made, 57 00:03:03,560 --> 00:03:07,440 - looking back and listening to different stories 58 00:03:07,440 --> 00:03:10,390 and different experiences of others. 59 00:03:10,390 --> 00:03:14,330 A part of me was naive to those things, 60 00:03:14,330 --> 00:03:16,030 taking off blinders. 61 00:03:16,030 --> 00:03:18,980 It's, it's eye opening. 62 00:03:18,980 --> 00:03:21,782 It makes you think, 63 00:03:21,782 --> 00:03:23,123 how unfair, 64 00:03:24,110 --> 00:03:26,420 justice can be, 65 00:03:26,420 --> 00:03:30,550 unfair that people get treated differently 66 00:03:30,550 --> 00:03:33,340 because they're not the same skin color as you 67 00:03:33,340 --> 00:03:37,360 or what you perceive to be the right skin color. 68 00:03:37,360 --> 00:03:40,550 - There's actually one time I had a supervisor tell me 69 00:03:40,550 --> 00:03:44,910 on a deployment, that that I would never, 70 00:03:44,910 --> 00:03:46,870 achieve anything under him. 71 00:03:46,870 --> 00:03:48,640 Because, I was black 72 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:50,890 and there was nothing I could do about it. 73 00:03:50,890 --> 00:03:54,430 And, I will always have the worst posts. 74 00:03:54,430 --> 00:03:58,490 And I would he would make sure that, 75 00:03:58,490 --> 00:04:00,930 I will never succeed 76 00:04:00,930 --> 00:04:03,310 in anything when I'll be putting in for awards. 77 00:04:03,310 --> 00:04:06,170 And, he said the best thing I could do 78 00:04:06,170 --> 00:04:09,410 was just avoid him the whole time, 79 00:04:09,410 --> 00:04:11,560 the four months that we're gonna be on this deployment. 80 00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:13,350 And that'd be the only way. 81 00:04:13,350 --> 00:04:15,500 He said survival will be succeeding for me. 82 00:04:16,502 --> 00:04:19,090 And I'll never forget that as a one striker as a defender. 83 00:04:19,090 --> 00:04:20,510 And a season of a defender. 84 00:04:20,510 --> 00:04:23,103 - I've been fortunate enough to experience both. 85 00:04:23,970 --> 00:04:26,270 My flight commander actually in pilot training was black. 86 00:04:26,270 --> 00:04:29,990 And so he gave me good information and good guidance 87 00:04:29,990 --> 00:04:31,420 and good mentorship. 88 00:04:31,420 --> 00:04:33,110 And that was my first experience to pilot training, 89 00:04:33,110 --> 00:04:34,350 I was very fortunate to have 90 00:04:34,350 --> 00:04:36,060 and I might not be where I am 91 00:04:36,060 --> 00:04:39,060 without him advocating on my behalf. 92 00:04:39,060 --> 00:04:41,770 My first experience without that sort of mentorship 93 00:04:41,770 --> 00:04:46,380 and advocacy was almost the exact opposite, 94 00:04:46,380 --> 00:04:47,730 measured against these people. 95 00:04:47,730 --> 00:04:49,883 You're the best pilot going through. 96 00:04:51,690 --> 00:04:53,120 But we're not sure we want to hang out 97 00:04:53,120 --> 00:04:56,380 with you on the weekends that was the quote. 98 00:04:56,380 --> 00:05:00,370 And so either you need to conform 99 00:05:00,370 --> 00:05:01,880 or we will weed you out. 100 00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:04,020 Also a direct quote. 101 00:05:04,020 --> 00:05:07,830 And so now you've come into an Air Force 102 00:05:07,830 --> 00:05:12,830 that touts itself on being a meritocracy in performance. 103 00:05:12,960 --> 00:05:14,200 And you're being told, well, 104 00:05:14,200 --> 00:05:15,100 we don't like you, 105 00:05:15,100 --> 00:05:16,893 so your performance doesn't matter. 106 00:05:18,770 --> 00:05:20,470 That's pretty tough to hear. 107 00:05:20,470 --> 00:05:22,220 And it's especially tough to hear, 108 00:05:22,220 --> 00:05:23,810 when you've worked your whole life to get somewhere 109 00:05:23,810 --> 00:05:25,630 and perform at a certain level. 110 00:05:25,630 --> 00:05:26,463 And to be told, well, 111 00:05:26,463 --> 00:05:28,240 here's this other thing. 112 00:05:28,240 --> 00:05:29,600 And it has to do with something 113 00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:33,260 that you can't necessarily change about yourself. 114 00:05:33,260 --> 00:05:35,123 So good luck. 115 00:05:36,340 --> 00:05:37,770 And this reputation is going to follow you, 116 00:05:37,770 --> 00:05:40,633 which it did and it always does. 117 00:05:41,980 --> 00:05:43,193 And so now again, 118 00:05:44,440 --> 00:05:46,310 I don't think that other people have to deal 119 00:05:46,310 --> 00:05:50,253 with trying to manage their personality, 120 00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:52,780 so deeply, 121 00:05:52,780 --> 00:05:54,860 with also trying to perform at the level we're expected 122 00:05:54,860 --> 00:05:57,840 to perform because being fighter pilots difficult, 123 00:05:57,840 --> 00:06:02,250 and so trying to carry those two bags is a very heavy 124 00:06:02,250 --> 00:06:04,604 and it's very hard to do for a long period of time. 125 00:06:04,604 --> 00:06:09,604 (gentle music) 126 00:06:12,620 --> 00:06:13,453 - Yeah. 127 00:06:15,090 --> 00:06:16,860 Welcome to the party. 128 00:06:16,860 --> 00:06:18,423 Yes, we already know that. 129 00:06:19,350 --> 00:06:22,000 It's glad that other people are starting to see it. 130 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:24,480 And hopefully we can do something to change it. 131 00:06:24,480 --> 00:06:26,020 It's one thing to see it. 132 00:06:26,020 --> 00:06:28,070 It's another thing to change it. 133 00:06:28,070 --> 00:06:29,820 - That article did not surprise me. 134 00:06:30,710 --> 00:06:33,800 Even when I haven't been the target 135 00:06:33,800 --> 00:06:36,563 of that sort of disproportionate punishment. 136 00:06:37,730 --> 00:06:39,320 I've had to protect people from it. 137 00:06:39,320 --> 00:06:41,020 I had a commander once run 138 00:06:41,020 --> 00:06:43,400 into an eighth troop that's was really professionals, 139 00:06:43,400 --> 00:06:44,380 commander asked me, hey, 140 00:06:44,380 --> 00:06:48,700 is that airman have an attitude to you. 141 00:06:48,700 --> 00:06:51,680 And I'd heard this so many times already. 142 00:06:51,680 --> 00:06:54,000 And this is a standard interaction. 143 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:55,950 And I have to tell him, 144 00:06:55,950 --> 00:06:58,970 nah, I think that's just this disposition, sir. 145 00:06:58,970 --> 00:07:00,130 And that's wild to me. 146 00:07:00,130 --> 00:07:02,160 Because if I'm not there, 147 00:07:02,160 --> 00:07:05,290 if he hasn't asked me and I don't respond. 148 00:07:05,290 --> 00:07:07,320 That's how the bias kicks in, 149 00:07:07,320 --> 00:07:08,950 which I don't fault that commander 150 00:07:08,950 --> 00:07:11,028 for having a bias actually praise him 151 00:07:11,028 --> 00:07:11,861 for asking the question. 152 00:07:11,861 --> 00:07:15,360 But that's an example of how the bias can be seated. 153 00:07:15,360 --> 00:07:16,330 And if it doesn't leave 154 00:07:16,330 --> 00:07:18,090 and now your next interaction with that airman is 155 00:07:18,090 --> 00:07:20,820 isn't showing you the type of physical difference maybe, 156 00:07:20,820 --> 00:07:24,810 that you might subconsciously be looking for. 157 00:07:24,810 --> 00:07:25,990 Well, now, 158 00:07:25,990 --> 00:07:27,880 you're going to give this other airman that does have 159 00:07:27,880 --> 00:07:30,760 the disposition that more jives with your culture, 160 00:07:30,760 --> 00:07:31,930 you're gonna give them the opportunities 161 00:07:31,930 --> 00:07:34,450 and that's how all this stuff starts to slide downhill. 162 00:07:34,450 --> 00:07:35,820 And so when you see an article like that, 163 00:07:35,820 --> 00:07:37,350 you say, well, that article is not for me, 164 00:07:37,350 --> 00:07:38,820 'cause I already know this. 165 00:07:38,820 --> 00:07:41,120 Hopefully, that article is for everyone else who 166 00:07:41,120 --> 00:07:43,710 isn't aware that that is happening. 167 00:07:43,710 --> 00:07:45,170 - Unfortunately, 168 00:07:45,170 --> 00:07:46,993 it definitely brought back memories, 169 00:07:49,120 --> 00:07:52,240 just been an Air Force for 23 years, 170 00:07:52,240 --> 00:07:54,090 not only did I grow as an airman, 171 00:07:54,090 --> 00:07:57,620 you grow as a man or a person, 172 00:07:57,620 --> 00:08:00,120 through the whole process and you make mistakes, 173 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:03,920 and different things, just like the majority of airman, 174 00:08:03,920 --> 00:08:05,270 coming up not long in here. 175 00:08:06,400 --> 00:08:09,270 And I definitely, 176 00:08:09,270 --> 00:08:12,260 may a, horrible mistake, 177 00:08:12,260 --> 00:08:14,040 put myself in a bad situation when station 178 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:16,863 at the Air Force Academy definitely felt that, 179 00:08:17,830 --> 00:08:19,900 things that were said to the unit like. 180 00:08:19,900 --> 00:08:21,900 hey, if you make a mistake if you're transparent, 181 00:08:21,900 --> 00:08:23,010 if you do these things 182 00:08:23,010 --> 00:08:25,140 and that that Air Force will revealed you, 183 00:08:25,140 --> 00:08:27,900 even if they hold you accountable did not 184 00:08:27,900 --> 00:08:29,573 and do not apply to black airmen. 185 00:08:31,660 --> 00:08:33,087 At all. 186 00:08:33,087 --> 00:08:37,837 (gentle music) 187 00:08:41,230 --> 00:08:43,330 - I think it begins with the conversation. 188 00:08:44,490 --> 00:08:48,450 But there has to be some stipulation to the conversation. 189 00:08:48,450 --> 00:08:49,720 We've gotta give them a little bit of grace, 190 00:08:49,720 --> 00:08:51,040 right, 'cause the conversation with 191 00:08:51,040 --> 00:08:53,470 the uniform on is very difficult, 192 00:08:53,470 --> 00:08:55,790 even in the best of times, 193 00:08:55,790 --> 00:08:57,460 and nobody wants to say the wrong thing, right. 194 00:08:57,460 --> 00:08:59,330 Nobody wants to stick their foot in their mouth 195 00:08:59,330 --> 00:09:01,890 or end up in IGs Office, ended up in a commander's office 196 00:09:01,890 --> 00:09:04,580 'cause I said something that offended another individual. 197 00:09:04,580 --> 00:09:06,690 I think when we have these conversations, 198 00:09:06,690 --> 00:09:08,840 there has to be latitude. 199 00:09:08,840 --> 00:09:12,480 A generous amount of latitude and grace, 200 00:09:12,480 --> 00:09:16,960 not just from a military, disciplinary aspect, 201 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:20,060 but more so from the people that are having a conversation. 202 00:09:20,060 --> 00:09:21,510 I have to give you room 203 00:09:21,510 --> 00:09:24,360 to say something that may be offensive to me, 204 00:09:24,360 --> 00:09:26,483 because you're just trying to figure out, 205 00:09:27,510 --> 00:09:29,810 what's going on, I gotta give you that space. 206 00:09:29,810 --> 00:09:34,270 Most conversations take place in two areas, at area comfort, 207 00:09:34,270 --> 00:09:35,620 I'm in my comfort zone, 208 00:09:35,620 --> 00:09:36,770 you're in your comfort zone, 209 00:09:36,770 --> 00:09:37,940 and we really don't leave that. 210 00:09:37,940 --> 00:09:40,930 So there's this huge chasm in the middle. 211 00:09:40,930 --> 00:09:42,260 That's discomfort. 212 00:09:42,260 --> 00:09:45,000 Well, I gotta step into my discomfort 213 00:09:45,000 --> 00:09:47,230 and you have to step into yours because that's 214 00:09:47,230 --> 00:09:50,010 the area where problems are solved. 215 00:09:50,010 --> 00:09:52,940 - A lot of times my first sergeant will actually pull us 216 00:09:52,940 --> 00:09:54,360 into his office and just say, Hey, 217 00:09:54,360 --> 00:09:55,193 how are you? 218 00:09:55,193 --> 00:09:56,790 How are things like what do you think? 219 00:09:56,790 --> 00:10:00,140 What do you feel, that branched off to me going upstairs? 220 00:10:00,140 --> 00:10:03,660 And talking to one of my friends from when I was an airman 221 00:10:03,660 --> 00:10:04,710 and sitting down and saying, Hey, 222 00:10:04,710 --> 00:10:05,543 how are you? 223 00:10:05,543 --> 00:10:07,280 Like, how do you feel how are things 224 00:10:07,280 --> 00:10:09,730 and same with my airman 'cause I have a black airman. 225 00:10:09,730 --> 00:10:13,140 So asking him just like how are you feeling? 226 00:10:13,140 --> 00:10:16,240 How are you affected like you can talk to anyone, 227 00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:18,040 any one of us if you need to. 228 00:10:18,040 --> 00:10:20,140 I've seen some change but I think we all need 229 00:10:20,140 --> 00:10:22,910 to keep the momentum going in order to continue 230 00:10:22,910 --> 00:10:24,970 to see that change. 231 00:10:24,970 --> 00:10:28,913 - I truly believe it's in the hands of our commanders, 232 00:10:29,960 --> 00:10:31,630 with our chiefs, 233 00:10:31,630 --> 00:10:33,303 that from the unit level, 234 00:10:35,000 --> 00:10:36,610 that it's in their hands, 235 00:10:36,610 --> 00:10:39,860 they need to open that door, 236 00:10:39,860 --> 00:10:42,790 to be more inviting, 237 00:10:42,790 --> 00:10:45,050 and I think they need to sit back 238 00:10:45,050 --> 00:10:47,940 and take a minute and listen to their airman, 239 00:10:47,940 --> 00:10:49,790 capital A airman. 240 00:10:49,790 --> 00:10:51,610 We say mission comes first. 241 00:10:51,610 --> 00:10:54,080 But truly, it's our people that come first 242 00:10:54,080 --> 00:10:55,250 because without them, 243 00:10:55,250 --> 00:10:57,400 you're not gonna have a successful mission. 244 00:10:58,300 --> 00:11:00,100 - Everything to be honest and stuff to understand. 245 00:11:00,100 --> 00:11:02,230 Everybody's not on board with fixing thing. 246 00:11:02,230 --> 00:11:05,130 Air Force needs understand that internally, 247 00:11:05,130 --> 00:11:06,250 everybody's not board. 248 00:11:06,250 --> 00:11:08,330 Everybody doesn't think this is a problem. 249 00:11:08,330 --> 00:11:11,750 Because, we are the best Air Force in the world. 250 00:11:11,750 --> 00:11:13,380 And we've been very successful we do 251 00:11:13,380 --> 00:11:15,300 and we continue to be successful, 252 00:11:15,300 --> 00:11:17,330 At what we do. 253 00:11:17,330 --> 00:11:22,330 Right now we have our airmen burning up useful energy, 254 00:11:23,150 --> 00:11:25,420 trying to fit into places that they don't feel they can fit 255 00:11:25,420 --> 00:11:28,570 into or they feel that they don't have support 256 00:11:28,570 --> 00:11:31,000 or trying to be somebody that they're not. 257 00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:34,040 And that's to me that's wasted energy that could be spent 258 00:11:34,040 --> 00:11:36,583 on actual completing the mission, 259 00:11:38,090 --> 00:11:39,230 making things better 260 00:11:39,230 --> 00:11:42,040 or solving difficult problems that we have, 261 00:11:43,210 --> 00:11:44,789 that we face in an Air Force. 262 00:11:44,789 --> 00:11:49,622 (upbeat music) 263 00:11:53,010 --> 00:11:54,970 - Okay, if I've never been racially profiled, 264 00:11:54,970 --> 00:11:57,160 if I've never been in these certain situations 265 00:11:57,160 --> 00:11:58,760 or grown up in these certain communities, 266 00:11:58,760 --> 00:12:00,060 I don't know. 267 00:12:00,060 --> 00:12:02,270 But educating myself and listening, 268 00:12:02,270 --> 00:12:03,266 I can know I can. 269 00:12:03,266 --> 00:12:04,980 I can know to a certain point, 270 00:12:04,980 --> 00:12:06,860 maybe it's never going to affect me 271 00:12:06,860 --> 00:12:08,980 as if it affected somebody, 272 00:12:08,980 --> 00:12:10,260 but I will know. 273 00:12:10,260 --> 00:12:12,320 Okay, this is what's been going on, 274 00:12:12,320 --> 00:12:14,370 this is how it's been taking place, 275 00:12:14,370 --> 00:12:15,490 we need to stop it. 276 00:12:15,490 --> 00:12:16,640 This is how I can help. 277 00:12:17,820 --> 00:12:19,730 - That's who I hurt for the most 278 00:12:19,730 --> 00:12:21,320 is our airman 'cause our airmen are trying 279 00:12:21,320 --> 00:12:23,150 to understand this right now. 280 00:12:23,150 --> 00:12:24,380 And they wanna react, 281 00:12:24,380 --> 00:12:25,870 they want to do something; 282 00:12:25,870 --> 00:12:28,270 and as a senior enlisted leader, 283 00:12:28,270 --> 00:12:29,725 I feel that that is my role, 284 00:12:29,725 --> 00:12:33,790 is to calm the waters and show them the right way 285 00:12:33,790 --> 00:12:38,143 on how to express themselves and things of that nature. 286 00:12:39,290 --> 00:12:41,680 - So I think my role now is, 287 00:12:41,680 --> 00:12:44,860 to educate black airmen, 288 00:12:44,860 --> 00:12:47,130 that it's not okay, 289 00:12:47,130 --> 00:12:50,890 to be an environment where you don't feel safe 290 00:12:50,890 --> 00:12:52,710 and that it is okay to speak up. 291 00:12:52,710 --> 00:12:55,430 And you don't have to change who you are. 292 00:12:55,430 --> 00:12:58,983 And I think that education is just as important, 293 00:12:59,990 --> 00:13:02,140 'cause I believe, I also believe we do have, 294 00:13:02,140 --> 00:13:06,500 great commanders that are, there great chiefs better, 295 00:13:06,500 --> 00:13:07,900 that are not black, 296 00:13:07,900 --> 00:13:10,040 that do care about their environments, 297 00:13:10,040 --> 00:13:12,160 but sometimes because they're not aware 298 00:13:12,160 --> 00:13:13,240 of the culture differences, 299 00:13:13,240 --> 00:13:15,890 don't understand what their black airmen are going through. 300 00:13:15,890 --> 00:13:17,190 And I think I could, 301 00:13:17,190 --> 00:13:21,500 provide just a little information that could help them 302 00:13:21,500 --> 00:13:23,230 'cause right now we just completed the circle, 303 00:13:23,230 --> 00:13:24,490 vicious cycle. 304 00:13:24,490 --> 00:13:25,793 And it's not fair. 305 00:13:27,505 --> 00:13:32,505 (gentle music) 306 00:13:35,620 --> 00:13:38,760 - Obviously, we all grew up different areas of the world, 307 00:13:38,760 --> 00:13:40,270 different areas of the country. 308 00:13:40,270 --> 00:13:42,940 And if you stick to that same mindset 309 00:13:42,940 --> 00:13:45,680 that you are always grown up without ever talking 310 00:13:45,680 --> 00:13:48,330 without ever listening. 311 00:13:48,330 --> 00:13:50,430 I think that you could have a certain picture 312 00:13:50,430 --> 00:13:55,010 or a certain image observation of somebody or some culture, 313 00:13:55,010 --> 00:13:57,520 some race that could completely be wro 314 00:13:58,480 --> 00:14:00,200 - You, from a leadership perspective, 315 00:14:00,200 --> 00:14:01,731 you have to be vulnerable, 316 00:14:01,731 --> 00:14:06,200 this is not a time to be rock solid. 317 00:14:06,200 --> 00:14:08,550 I got it all figured out. 318 00:14:08,550 --> 00:14:11,250 Let's charge to heal together kinda thing. 319 00:14:11,250 --> 00:14:13,113 It's really is, Hey, y'all. 320 00:14:13,970 --> 00:14:16,020 I don't have all the answers to this one. 321 00:14:16,880 --> 00:14:19,700 We need to work this together. 322 00:14:19,700 --> 00:14:21,120 And I got some gaps. 323 00:14:21,120 --> 00:14:22,973 I know I got some gaps helped me out. 324 00:14:23,840 --> 00:14:26,590 I think vulnerability is probably the number 325 00:14:26,590 --> 00:14:29,083 one key for all leaders right now. 326 00:14:30,020 --> 00:14:32,643 - You know, when I keep hearing about? 327 00:14:33,890 --> 00:14:36,450 Well, we can't talk about race, 328 00:14:36,450 --> 00:14:37,470 that's politics. 329 00:14:37,470 --> 00:14:39,890 Why are we talking politics at work? 330 00:14:39,890 --> 00:14:42,690 And I think we have to. 331 00:14:42,690 --> 00:14:44,150 We have to break that down. 332 00:14:44,150 --> 00:14:48,200 We have to get that out there that this is not politics, 333 00:14:48,200 --> 00:14:49,033 okay 334 00:14:49,033 --> 00:14:53,140 That, what I'm doing right now is not politics, Okay. 335 00:14:53,140 --> 00:14:55,410 I'm speaking on my experiences. 336 00:14:55,410 --> 00:14:57,160 This is something a lot bigger. 337 00:14:57,160 --> 00:15:00,450 Our country is going through turmoil right now. 338 00:15:00,450 --> 00:15:03,940 And this is, this is part of us, 339 00:15:03,940 --> 00:15:05,820 being who we are. 340 00:15:05,820 --> 00:15:07,353 - Courage is necessary, 341 00:15:08,310 --> 00:15:11,001 to face this. 342 00:15:11,001 --> 00:15:12,920 And am not just maneuver around it, 343 00:15:12,920 --> 00:15:14,750 but to have courage, 344 00:15:14,750 --> 00:15:17,910 and to directly face on 345 00:15:17,910 --> 00:15:20,440 and pitted in your leadership hands, 346 00:15:20,440 --> 00:15:22,853 to address it, 347 00:15:24,290 --> 00:15:26,160 I wish I would have had that courage 348 00:15:26,160 --> 00:15:28,980 and knowledge to do it if I could go back. 349 00:15:28,980 --> 00:15:31,870 - Is a large problem we're dealing with. 350 00:15:31,870 --> 00:15:34,480 It's large in scope because it involves everyone, 351 00:15:34,480 --> 00:15:36,250 it involves the entire country. 352 00:15:36,250 --> 00:15:37,630 But just because a problem is large 353 00:15:37,630 --> 00:15:39,630 it doesn't mean it's impossible. 354 00:15:39,630 --> 00:15:42,252 It's not impossible to get along with people 355 00:15:42,252 --> 00:15:45,530 and to love them deeply for who they are. 356 00:15:45,530 --> 00:15:49,180 We have ethnic and cultural struggles in a country 357 00:15:49,180 --> 00:15:50,570 that is very mixed. 358 00:15:50,570 --> 00:15:52,970 And if we don't put considerable effort 359 00:15:52,970 --> 00:15:54,910 into understanding each other, 360 00:15:54,910 --> 00:15:56,350 and not just at a surface level, 361 00:15:56,350 --> 00:16:00,290 a color blindness level but an actual embracing of cultures 362 00:16:00,290 --> 00:16:03,850 And people, then we gonna continue to have these strives. 363 00:16:03,850 --> 00:16:06,980 And if that's not the kind of country you want to live in, 364 00:16:06,980 --> 00:16:10,350 that has to burn itself every 10 to 15 years, 365 00:16:10,350 --> 00:16:12,620 then we should solve this large, 366 00:16:12,620 --> 00:16:15,123 but possible problem. 367 00:16:17,460 --> 00:16:22,080 - As leaders, we must take ownership of the problem, 368 00:16:22,080 --> 00:16:26,150 create a safe space and be willing to be vulnerable 369 00:16:26,150 --> 00:16:28,080 in order to take action 370 00:16:28,080 --> 00:16:29,900 to make our Air Force, 371 00:16:29,900 --> 00:16:31,870 not only diverse, 372 00:16:31,870 --> 00:16:34,610 but also inclusive. 373 00:16:34,610 --> 00:16:35,443 Thank you.