Roy continues his interview with John and Colleen by describing his college experiences and his path in the corporate world and aerospace industry.   The experiences of workplace hostility include intelligence tests,  education proof, and unequal compensation structures that were applied based upon race.  Roy attributes his philosophy of excellence, preparation, integrity and focusing on relationships as the foundation for his ability to make a difference. 

Roy Dawson, our friend and leader in our community, shares some of his early life experiences that led him to a people focused career and lifetime of service to the community.  From lessons learned in contributing to the family income by working in the fields to basketball shoes to Los Angeles City Hall, Roy describes learning how communities work.  As "a child of the neighborhood," in Texarkana, Texas, Roy traveled to Phoenix, Arizona, to work in the onion, carrot, and watermelon fields.   They eventually moved to the Okemah neighborhood in Phoenix, and then on to Los Angeles, California.   Roy shares his first taste of racism by finding out that peanut butter and jelly wasn't something that he could have.  Life experiences that shaped his path include his mother's memory of the brutal murder of her father,  working with youth at a community center during the Watt's riots and working with the Los Angeles City Council to bridge understanding between groups such as the Black Panthers and US and neighborhoods such as Chinatown, Little Tokyo, and East LA.  One of his first assignments in the bureau of the mayor's office was to come up with a plan to integrate the Los Angles police and fire departments.   

John Byrd and Ryan Green continue their ongoing conversation about systemic racism and allow us to listen in.  As a detective and as a prosecutor in one of largest counties in the country, John and Ryan have been engaged in dialogue, training and deliberate work to improve understanding and responses in our criminal justice system.  Exploring the importance of full disclosure, the power of sharing oral histories and addressing racism in all forms: silent, systemic, systematic, cultural, vestigial, covert, and overt, John and Ryan provide a compelling example of how we can learn and grow from having direct dialogue with each other.  Iron sharpens iron.