News & Media
Georgetown Students Bring
Anti-Racist Empowerment Conversations to Campus
October 2023 — Georgetown Swimming & Diving coaches chose the organization’s co-founders, Kyle Williams and Kamal Carter, to serve as honorary coaches at the Oct. 7 swim meet between Georgetown and D.C. rival and HBCU Howard University. At the second-annual “Battle at the Burr,” Carter and Williams — in partnership with the Hoyas’ Swimming & Diving Team — aimed to spread the organization’s mission to the over 1,000 attendees.
The initiative, often referred to as “A Long Talk,” promotes an experience of anti-racist activism, which Georgetown has previously incorporated via training sessions with Georgetown University’s Sailing and Women’s Basketball Teams in February 2023. “A Long Talk” seeks to emphasize and educate participants on a policy of anti-racism, which includes the identification and interruption of racist behavior, in an effort to eliminate racism and systemic oppression in the United States. Read More
JULY 7, 2023 — Kyle and Kamal visit Coach McKenzie Real Talk With Real Models. Coach Larry McKenzie's Real Talk with Real Models is a podcast that uplifts unnoticed community leaders whose character is worth emulating. Coach Larry McKenzie is the first African American coach to be inducted into the Minnesota Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame and the first coach to win four consecutive State Boys Basketball tournaments. Named a "Guardian of the Game" by the National Basketball Coaches Association in 2019 and a "Living Legend" by the NCAA during the 2019 Final Four.
American University Athletics Staff Participates in “A Long Talk About the Uncomfortable Truth”
APRIL 28, 2023 – Kyle Williams was quick to assure the group that “diversity training” was not in any way the goal of the experience. Williams, the Chief Empowerment Officer of A Long Talk About the Uncomfortable Truth, led the entire American University Athletics staff through a journey that helps tear down the walls of ignorance with the goal of empowering participants to become actively anti-racist. [READ MORE]
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETIC LEADERSHIP M.ED.
APRIL 17, 2023 — Kamal Carter, President of A LONG TALK, was the featured speaker at the 2023 IAL M.Ed. Spring Extended Weekend. Kamal spoke to our graduate students about engaging in real conversation to make positive change. Students had the opportunity to ask Kamal questions about current racial issues impacting athletes across all levels.
EMPOWERING PEOPLE TO ACT SIDWELL FRIENDS SCHOOL, WASHINGTON, DC
February 24, 2023 — How do you build an effective anti-racist movement? One conversation at a time—which for Kyle Williams P’17,’19,’24 has meant nearly 300 conversations (and counting) over the last two and a half years. Williams is the chief empowerment officer of A Long Talk About the Uncomfortable Truth, a nonprofit devoted to creating an “anti-racism activation experience” and a network of educated activists. “I’m not trying to change people’s minds,” Williams says. “I’m trying to empower people to act.” In other words, Williams is not attempting to argue with or convert white supremacists; he’s meeting people where they are, igniting a sense of activism in them, and then arming them to go into the world and end racism.
[Read More]
THE COLLEGE OF WILLIAM & MARY, WILLIAMSBURG, VA
FEBRUARY 24, 2023 — approximately 70 W&M coaches, athletic trainers and administrators participated in the “A Long Talk about an Uncomfortable Truth” program. Later in the month, the program’s facilitators hosted an in-person session for student-athletes.
[READ MORE]
AT A RECENT CLERGY DAY AT ST. MARY PARISH IN STORM LAKE,
ACTIVE AND RETIRED PRIESTS AND DEACONS PARTICIPATED IN A LONG TALK
November 2022 — Clergy , attending priests, and deacons said the presentation was eye-opening and deepened their understanding of racism and our history. “Since the killing of George Floyd, I have been reading more accurate presentations of our history, and I felt anger and dismay,” said Father Tim Friedrichsen, pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Sioux City. “Why did we never learn about the Tulsa Massacre … not to mention many other massacres? It is time we stop whitewashing our history.
OCTOBER 2022 — A LONG TALK ESPN HALFTIME INTERVIEW AT PRINCETON UNIVERSITY, WOMEN'S SOCCER
Head of the Charles Regatta, Cambridge, Massachusetts
October 2023 — Alex Dowd went to the largest three-day rowing event in the world. The director of Racing for the Head of the Charles says that the competitor pool gets more diverse each year.
Black History Month Meeting with US Sailing
February 2024 — US Sailing is celebrating Black History Month throughout February. In observation of the month, US Sailing spoke with Kamal Carter, who is President of “A Long Talk about the Uncomfortable Truth.” A Long Talk is an anti-racism activation experience. They travel all around the country to different schools, communities, and organizations educating and spreading awareness.
“Kamal also spoke about his business partner Kyle, whom he met at Hampton University, his “Brother for Life”. Kyle is also a father, works in the education field, and has been a principal and in leadership roles throughout the education field for 25+ years. When speaking about his background, Kamal notes “I’m a father first. That’s important because that leads to our origin story.”
Abdul: How did A Long Talk come about? What was the vision of starting A Long Talk, and how has it grown to where it is today?
Kamal Carter: Our journey began unexpectedly when George Floyd’s murder prompted action from our kids. Following a conversation sparked by his son’s experience with racial tensions, my friend Kyle and I decided to take action.
The Martha's Vineyard Times
August 10, 2022
December 2021 - “I participated in an anti-racism discussion panel called A Long Talk About the Uncomfortable Truth, which led to starting my own Instagram page called @relearningushistory. I’ve been working all year to help be a voice that tells more of our country’s true history, the history we might not have learned in school. My virtual/hybrid cello teaching is still going, but I have also now become an administrator for A Long Talk’s activism group called Pillars of Change.”
A LONG TALK BRINGS
THE BLACK PARTY
August 4, 2022 — the antiracism program A Long Talk hosted “the Black Party” at Waban Park in Oak Bluffs, as a part of the “Community of Change” partnership. This year, A Long Talk partnered with “the residents, organizations, and institutions of Martha’s Vineyard to put in the work that is needed to enhance and empower a culture of antiracism across the Island” for the partnership, according to its website. The Black Party also took place in Oak Bluffs last August.
The Saturday afternoon of music, games, and informational tables also had a “Color of Change” children’s festival. With the sun high in the sky, people danced, the DJ jammed, and children had their faces painted in bright colors. [VIEW MORE PICTURES]
This Saturday, the Black Party returns to celebrate the Island’s rich African American culture.
Hosted by A Long Talk, the Black Party will take place at Waban Park on August 6 from 12 to 4 p.m. The event is part of the organization’s Community of Change partnership with Martha’s Vineyard.
“The idea was to make it like a block party, a place to bring the community together,” said Kyle Williams, founder and chief empowerment officer at A Long Talk.
The organization’s full name is A Long Talk About the Uncomfortable Truth. Mr. Williams created A Long Talk after the murder of George Floyd in 2020 and subsequent protests. Since then it has hosted anti-racism lectures and workshops across the Island and across the country, partnering everywhere from Ivy League universities to branches of the Catholic Church.
Mr. Williams chose Martha’s Vineyard as its flagship Community of Change partner due to his personal connection to the Vineyard and for the Island’s standing as an African American gathering place. He has been coming to the Vineyard for 50 years, he said, and while he noticed more and more Black events on the Island, none aimed to bring all six towns together — until now. —The Vineyard Gazette
The Uncomfortable Truth Podcast with Loki Mulholland
Meet Erin Cassel | Musician & Social Justice Activist
University of West Virginia College of Physical Activity and Sports Sciences (CPASS) graduate students attended a virtual experience titled A Long Talk About the Uncomfortable Truth.
October 2021 - CPASS faculty member Kristen Dieffenbach and third-year doctoral student Christina Villalon recently attended the national Project Play Summit where they participated in a mini version of A Long Talk. They secured two spots for CPASS students and offered them to Marla Gladstone and Michael Ball.
A Long Talk is an anti-racism experience designed to expose participants to… [READ MORE]
October 19, 2021 - Inspired by the death of George Floyd, two African American activists are pursuing an audacious goal: end racism in 15 years. How? Through their organization A Long Talk About the Uncomfortable Truth they are going right to the source and giving them the tools to empower themselves to do it themselves.
(Anti) Racism Task Force partners with A Long Talk About the Uncomfortable Truth
September 20, 2021 — The task force, convened by The Momentum Center last year, is set to resume its monthly town hall discussions in October.
“Polarization is real. At a time when we need each other more than ever, we are spending less time really listening to each other,” Momentum Center Experi-Mentor (Executive Director) Barbara Lee VanHorssen says. “We have to create safe places for honest conversations so that we can address people’s fears and misunderstandings in ways that educate without shaming, teach without creating more intolerance.” [READ MORE]
The Lakeshore, West Michigan
By Andrea Goodell
Anti-racism Organization Expands Reach to Over 2,000 Participants
A Long Talk About The Uncomfortable Truth brings important conversations to educators across the country
Press Release, September 9, 2021 — The organization, which began hosting sessions last year, most recently raised awareness and challenged perceptions among educators from various institutions, including Brigham Young University, Baltimore City Public Schools, University of Michigan, Quaker Valley School District, and Princeton University.
[READ MORE]
Selectmen Defend Decision to Downsize Waban Park Party
August 25, 2021 — Controversy and confusion over the recent downsizing of a summer event in Waban Park prompted an outpouring of support for the antiracism advocacy organization A Long Talk at the Oak Bluffs selectmen’s meeting Tuesday. [READ HERE]
Vineyard Gazette
By Noah Asimov
A Long Talk speaks to ‘Black Party’
August 25, 2021 — After controversy arose from a flyer for a community gathering, organizers state their intent to Oak Bluffs select board. [READ HERE]
MV Times
By Brian Dowd
Night Casts with Laurel Redington - Hip Hop Hallelujas
June 20, 2021 — Laurel Redington speaks with Kyle Williams, Founder of A Long Talk, and Gabriel Asheru Benn, Educator, Hip Hop Artist, and Educator about the power of HIP HOP.
DECEMBER 2021 - Halftime Interviews with Kyle Wiiliams, CEO and Kamal Carter, President
University of Pennsylvania. vs. Villanova University
Cross the Stream
June 15, 2021 —Kip sits down with CEO Kyle Williams of ALongTalk.com to deep dive the anti racist work he and his team have been doing over the past year. One of the most inspiring stories and guests we've had!
University of Pennsylvania Men’s Soccer participates in an anti-racism experience.
June 10, 2021 - Mattias Hanchard thought the event was a step in the right direction, despite an issue with turnout. Throughout the previous 18 months, various events in the United States and abroad have opened eyes to the continued racial injustice that many people face in modern societies. The unrest that has happened as a result has been a stark reminder of how there is still a significant amount of work to do in repairing relationships and bringing people together.
A group of players on Penn men’s soccer has been cognizant of these challenges. [READ MORE]
How Conversation can combat racism.
June 4, 2021 - A Long Talk is using clear communication to empower anti-racists
Why is it so hard to have a conversation about racism in America and its impact on the racial disparities faced by our society today? This is the question the founders of A Long Talk About The Uncomfortable Truth set out to answer and solve for in the wake of the brutal murders of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd in 2020. [READ MORE]
Anti-racism Organization Evaluates One Year of Impact
A Long Talk About The Uncomfortable Truth uses the power of conversation to dismantle systemic racism
May 27, 2021 — One year since its founding, A Long Talk About The Uncomfortable Truth (A Long Talk), a powerful anti-racism activation experience, will host an anniversary session on Tuesday, June 1, to reflect on… [READ MORE]
Night Casts with Laurel Redington - Truth and Conversation
February 28, 2021 - Kyle Ralf Williams, who has deep Vineyard roots… is an educator, coach, and youth mentor who was destined to create A LONG TALK ABOUT AN UNCOMFORTABLE TRUTH… which started out as a conversation with his son’s coach and very quickly blossomed into a comprehensive, authentic, raw curriculum that is fiercely HONEST… challenging, and eye-opening (even to those of us who think we are not racist)… but with the inevitable discomfort comes this opportunity to decide where we want to take our lives...what side of history we want to be on… how we want to be treated and treat others… There is conversation that needs to happen around this unscientific idea of race. Learn more by visiting the links below.
Tennessee’s Rick Barnes and U Penn’s Jelani Williams
July 14, 2020 - Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes discusses social change from a collegiate level and the challenges of planning for a season during the pandemic. Barnes builds his ‘Dream Player’ with Andy from ten specific characteristics of former players from Tennessee and Texas among others. Penn’s Jelani Williams explains his father’s ‘A Long Talk About The Uncomfortable Truth’ initiative. Andy ranks his Top-10 Glue guys since 2010.
Hoop Threads Episode 19
September, 2020 - Kyle joined us to talk about his basketball roots, going from AAU dad to grassroots coordinator, details how A Long Talk got started, and talks candidly about what we can do on macro and micro levels to address the racial injustices happening every day.