The latest episode of Jada Pinkett Smith’s “Red Table Talk,” which is available for streaming on June 16 through Facebook Watch, will address the rise of violent hate crimes in America. The show, which has examined everything from the devastation of drug abuse to the grim reality of suicide, will tackle the frequency of racially motivated violence in the United States.
In a press release sent exclusively to The Root:
With one hate crime committed every hour and multiple mass shootings happening every day in the US, Red Table Talk gathers a special group of leading voices to reveal the roots of hatred and extreme violence. Jeff Schoep, a reformed leader of the biggest neo-Nazi group in America, reveals what made him leave 27 years of carnage behind. Award-winning filmmaker Deeyah Khan shares what she learned sitting face-to-face with the most violent extremists in the world. Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, a top anti-racism researcher explains the shocking age when hate can begin. Dr. Jillian Peterson, who led the largest study of mass shooters, takes us inside the minds of killers with eye-opening facts about what they all have in common. NFL player Zach Banner shares how he became an ally after a vicious hate crime ravaged the city where he played.
In this preview clip, NFL player Zach Banner talks about the 2018 Pittsburgh Tree of Life Synagogue shooting—which left 11 people dead and 6 wounded—and the need for empathy towards vulnerable groups when hate crimes occur:
With the disturbing regularity of mass shootings, which frequently target marginalized groups, this episode of “Red Table Talk” is especially powerful. Not only is it addressing extremist violence that has historically defined America, it is giving space to those who live in fear to be heard and express their pain.