EP 22: Black Like Us (Verlon Brown) - a podcast by Yoshi Obayashi

I’m writing this synopsis of Yoshi Didn't from Baltimore, Maryland, with both excitement and sadness. I am excited because I will finally able to visit the home of The Wire. But I’m sad because the interview I recently did with my friend, Verlon Brown, was tragic, and at times seemed hopeless. Verlon is an African-American standup comedian and social worker in Seattle. He’s definitely been an older brother figure to me for years.

Due to an emergency at Verlon’s job, we had to shorten the conversation. In our brief interview, he explains why he’s not discouraged by his most troubled clients (homeless and/or addicts), instead discussing his frustration with the system (one of the major themes of The Wire). Verlon explains the concept of “harm reduction,” and talks about his 30 years of commitment to social work, his belief that racism is based on economics, and the importance of having an honest conversation about racism.

Yoshi Didn't Podcast

Further podcasts by Yoshi Obayashi

Website of Yoshi Obayashi