Beginning Wednesday, August 9 WGCU will begin airing a new essay series called \“Reflections of a Colored Girl\” by Dr. Martha Bireda. Dr. Bireda was born in southwest Florida in 1945 but spent the first 10 years of her life in a small town in Western Virginia. Her family then moved back to Punta Gorda, where they have deep roots. We sat down with Dr. Bireda to talk about her new essay series, and what she hopes to pass along with it.
In her latest book, “The Promise of Whiteness: Its Past and Its Future” Dr. Martha Bireda explores the psychological underpinnings of the mentality of white superiority in the U.S. and its roots beginning with the early history of European settlers on the North American continent, dating all the way back to the Jamestown Colony in Virginia. Dr. Bireda has more than 30 years of experience as a lecturer, consultant and trainer for issues related to race, class, and gender, working with educators, law enforcement, and business, and civic leaders.