Did We Get It Right? Generation X, Racism, and Learning Without a Roadmap episode artwork

EPISODE · Sep 30, 2025 · 6 MIN

Did We Get It Right? Generation X, Racism, and Learning Without a Roadmap

from In The Know with Tony Reeves · host Anthony Reeves

In this episode, I reflect on what it meant to be a Black Gen Xer navigating college life, cultural misunderstandings, and the loneliness of being “the only one” in spaces where I didn’t always feel welcome. From being told that HBCUs weren’t “the real world,” to living four years as the only Black student on my dorm floor, I share the raw lessons and coping strategies that my generation had to invent on the fly.We didn’t always get it right—but we tried. Gen X carried the burden of learning to survive in a world that claimed to be equal but wasn’t, and we passed those lessons—messy as they were—on to future generations. 🎧 Tune in as I explore: Why people “Monday morning quarterback” racism but rarely understand what it feels like in real timeHow cultural misunderstandings shaped my interactions and forced me to adaptWhat it meant to be the only one, and how safe spaces became essential for survivalWhy Generation X is the overlooked bridge generation between Baby Boomers and Millennials📩 Stay connected beyond the podcast:👉 Sign up for my mailing list:Mailing list signup 📚 Explore my eBooks: https://mynameisreeves-shop.fourthwall.com/Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/in-the-know-with-tony-reeves--5596987/support.

In this episode, I reflect on what it meant to be a Black Gen Xer navigating college life, cultural misunderstandings, and the loneliness of being “the only one” in spaces where I didn’t always feel welcome. From being told that HBCUs weren’t “the real world,” to living four years as the only Black student on my dorm floor, I share the raw lessons and coping strategies that my generation had to invent on the fly.We didn’t always get it right—but we tried. Gen X carried the burden of learning to survive in a world that claimed to be equal but wasn’t, and we passed those lessons—messy as they were—on to future generations. 🎧 Tune in as I explore: Why people “Monday morning quarterback” racism but rarely understand what it feels like in real timeHow cultural misunderstandings shaped my interactions and forced me to adaptWhat it meant to be the only one, and how safe spaces became essential for survivalWhy Generation X is the overlooked bridge generation between Baby Boomers and Millennials📩 Stay connected beyond the podcast:👉 Sign up for my mailing list:Mailing list signup 📚 Explore my eBooks: https://mynameisreeves-shop.fourthwall.com/Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/in-the-know-with-tony-reeves--5596987/support.

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Did We Get It Right? Generation X, Racism, and Learning Without a Roadmap

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This episode was published on September 30, 2025.

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In this episode, I reflect on what it meant to be a Black Gen Xer navigating college life, cultural misunderstandings, and the loneliness of being “the only one” in spaces where I didn’t always feel welcome. From being told that HBCUs weren’t “the...

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