Stop Believing In Things That Don’t Believe In You: On Asymmetrical Vulnerability with Kwesi A. Robertson

Kwesi A. Robertson shares about his journey through corporate America, pop culture, and the experiences that shaped his awareness of social justice. He describes the patterns that led him to recognize why access to vulnerability isn't a level playing field, noting how popular self-help and success narratives often hide an "underbelly" that ignores systemic barriers while blaming individuals for the negative outcomes they experience. Kwesi defines social justice as a form of love and a foundational lens for understanding reality, urging listeners to seek connection, shared language that actually acknowledges the complexity of our experiences, and shared responsibility to build spaces where everyone can fully show up. 🔔 If you haven't already...SUBSCRIBE to Social Justice Origin Stories on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/@socialjusticeoriginstories?sub_confirmation=1 ❤️ SUPPORT THE PROJECT Support this work by becoming a patron: https://www.patreon.com/SocialJusticeOriginStories 💬 SHARE YOUR STORY OR FEEDBACK Your voice helps shape this community and may be featured in a future episode. Email: [email protected] Leave a Voice Note: https://socialjusticeoriginstories.com/contact/ or https://www.speakpipe.com/socialjusticeoriginstories Or leave a comment below 🎧 LISTEN & FOLLOW Website: https://socialjusticeoriginstories.com Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/social-justice-origin-stories/id1771268991 Wherever You Get Your Podcasts: https://pod.link/1771268991 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/socialjusticeoriginstories/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61567841874653 Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/sjoriginstories.bsky.social LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/social-justice-origin-stories/ LinkedIn (Relando): https://www.linkedin.com/in/relandothompkinsjones/ LinkTree for more: https://linktr.ee/SocialJusticeOriginStories?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaZzPfl3gCm5NY9C_Y-glRzwDu-8BvHfkCJaQlDihfrQxbYWC1dnxgRL2kU_aem_kmgEcokBmDt8WaAtlWQMQQ Social Justice Origin Stories is produced, edited, and hosted by Relando Thompkins-Jones. Timestamps: 00:00 Packing Up the Persona 00:53 Rage at Vulnerability 01:26 Who Gets to Be Seen 02:28 Not Written for Me 03:28 Questioning the Boundaries 04:22 Self Help Underbelly 05:51 Justice Beneath Anger 07:00 Show Intro and Mission 08:11 Meet the Guest Kwesi 15:31 Activated by the Book 21:41 Body Cost of Success 25:55 Family Roots and Unlearning 31:27 Weighted Vest at Work 37:45 Writing Finds Community 42:30 Pop Culture as Justice Lens 48:27 Learning Black History Playbook 52:08 Choosing Justice Forward 53:56 Advice With Conditions 55:51 Pop Culture Empowerment 58:05...