Targeted: The Power a Stranger Should Never Have

In this episode of Wait, I’m Black?!, Michael sits in conversation with Brenda King MBE FRSA – CEO of ACDiversity. Growing up in Barbados, Brenda never saw herself through the lens of race. Returning to the UK, she gradually came to realise that other people often did, and that those perceptions could carry consequences far beyond a single encounter. Together, they explore how racialisation can give ordinary people the perceived authority to exercise extraordinary power over the lives of others: to define who we are, police our presence, diminish our humanity, and sometimes leave wounds that endure long after the moment itself has passed. This is a conversation about identity, belonging, and the hidden power of assumptions, and what happens when one stranger's judgement is allowed to shape another person's life. If you’d like to follow the journey, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or follow us on Instagram @wibpodcast. And if you – or someone you know – has a “Wait, I’m Black?!” moment you’d like to share, we’d love to hear from you.