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] a Voice Note: https://socialjusticeoriginstories.com/contact/ or https://www.speakpipe.com/socialjusticeoriginstoriesOr leave a comment below🎧 LISTEN & FOLLOWWebsite: https://socialjusticeoriginstories.comApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/social-justice-origin-stories/id1771268991Wherever You Get Your Podcasts: https://pod.link/1771268991Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/socialjusticeoriginstories/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61567841874653Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/sjoriginstories.bsky.socialLinkedIn: 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_kmgEcokBmDt8WaAtlWQMQQSocial Justice Origin Stories is produced, edited, and hosted by Relando Thompkins-Jones.Timestamps:00:00 Packing Up the Persona00:53 Rage at Vulnerability01:26 Who Gets to Be Seen02:28 Not Written for Me03:28 Questioning the Boundaries04:22 Self Help Underbelly05:51 Justice Beneath Anger07:00 Show Intro and Mission08:11 Meet the Guest Kwesi15:31 Activated by the Book21:41 Body Cost of Success25:55 Family Roots and Unlearning31:27 Weighted Vest at Work37:45 Writing Finds Community42:30 Pop Culture as Justice Lens48:27 Learning Black History Playbook52:08 Choosing Justice Forward53:56 Advice With Conditions55:51 Pop Culture Empowerment58:05 Leaving The Corporate Arena01:00:56 Building Community Tables01:03:23 Ego Death And Accountability01:07:22 Ubuntu And Shared Wealth01:15:01 From Fear To Action01:19:25 Defining True Social Justice01:27:41 Fireflies And Love Signals01:32:44 Future Generations Green Book01:38:04 Closing And Ways To Connect