Reverend Michael Beckwith

Racism, White Privilege, and Healing America

I will not be silent. Black lives matter.

“Please. I can’t breathe, they are going to kill me, everything hurts.”

Those words were among the last things George Floyd said before he died under the knee of the Minneapolis police. Protests are still sweeping the country more than a week after Floyd was killed, and I know many of you out there are feeling anger and pain. I am too.

Floyd is just one example of a black person dying at the hand of injustice and racism. There are so many others, including Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Sean Reed, and Tony McDade, who have all lost their lives because of the color of their skin. The list goes on and on, and it must stop.

The School of Greatness has always focused on positive growth, change, love, and healing, and I realize that racial justice is an essential part of that. So I’m committing to that now. Because we can’t all achieve greatness and live our best lives if we aren’t all truly equal. We can’t achieve greatness by staying silent.

I understand that there’s a lot of work I need to do personally, both internally and externally, and that this work will take time. I’m gonna make mistakes, I’m gonna say the wrong thing, and you might as well. But my intention is to help build a more kind, equal, just, loving world, and I hope that’s your intention, too.

So today on The School of Greatness, I sit down with an old friend and one of LA’s foremost black leaders, Reverend Michael Beckwith, to talk about racism, white privilege, and what we can do to fight for our fellow humans.

“You can’t heal something you’re denying.” @drmichaelbb

Reverend Michael Beckwith is a sought after meditation teacher, conference speaker, and seminar leader on the Life Visioning Process. He’s also the founder and spiritual director of the Agape International Spiritual Center, and one of LA’s foremost black leaders.

Micahel is the author of several books, including Life Visioning, Spiritual Liberation, and The Answer Is You. Michael has also appeared on several TV shows, including Oprah Winfrey’s SuperSoul Sunday, Dr. Oz, CNN, and Larry King Live. Every Friday at 1 pm Pacific Time, thousands of people tune into his radio show, The Sound of Transformation, which is all about recognizing the deep potential in all of us to create positive change.

Michael is an old friend of mine, and I was honored that he had this conversation with me. I had him on The School of Greatness back on Episode 748, and you should definitely check that out to learn more about the power of pain and his struggle with racism.

Martin Luther King said, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” I have chosen not to be silent. I have much to learn, but even in my ignorance, I can stand in solidarity with the black community. I sincerely hope you will stand with me and make positive change happen.

We’re not here to make people comfortable. We’re here to make people great. In addition to listening Episode 962 with Michael, please join me educating ourselves about allyship and how we can be actively anti-racist.

Some Questions I Ask:

How has racism evolved over your lifetime?
What feedback would you give to the white community on how to be empowered allies?
Why has this moment struck a greater national chord compared to other instances of injustice over the years?
How can we approach the balance between healing work we each need to do on the inside and collective healing work on the outside?
How do you respond to those who say that they are too overwhelmed with their own lives to dive into a social cause?
What is the impact of different forms of activism?
How can we be comfortable being uncomfortable?

In this episode, you will learn:

The various forms of racism Michael has faced throughout his life
The history of system racism in America that informs our country today
Why those with privilege need to help dismantle systemic racism
How we can approach the current moment with compassion and love
Why establishing a racial justice intention is the first step to making an individual impact
How important it is to have difficult conversations
Why it is important not to return to the status quo
Plus much more…

Show Notes:

Connect with

Reverend Michael Beckwith

Transcript of this Episode

Music Credits:

Music Credit:

Kaibu by Killercats

Summit of Greatness 2025 Early Bird Now Open! | September 12-13 | Los Angeles, CA

Reverend Michael Beckwith

Racism, White Privilege, and Healing America

I will not be silent. Black lives matter.