Race, Identity, and Speaking Out Across France & the U.S, with Rokhaya Diallo and Thomas Chatterton Williams

In this Harvest Series episode, Rose Claverie sits down with journalist-filmmaker Rokhaya Diallo and author Thomas Chatterton Williams to explore courage, race, and identity across two continents. Recorded in Kaplankaya, this conversation examines what it means to challenge dominant narratives in societies with very different approaches to discussing race.Rokhaya shares her path to becoming a leading public voice in France, shaped by personal experience and the absence of representation in French media. Thomas reflects on his transatlantic perspective, contrasting the reception of his work in the U.S. and France, and discussing race as both a fiction and a lived reality.From intellectual courage to personal passions — including anime, sport, and literature — this episode offers a layered conversation about identity, visibility, and the price of speaking out.Chapters 00:00 – Welcome to Harvest & introduction00:29 – Raising your voice in a quiet world01:19 – First impressions & arrival in Kaplankaya02:01 – Rokhaya’s background and roots02:50 – Thomas’s background and roots03:33 – Becoming public voices on race & identity04:20 – Gender awareness from a young age05:04 – Discovering racial perception in adulthood07:01 – Representation in media: France vs. U.S.08:51 – Impossibility of seeing oneself in French media10:23 – Visibility changes & ongoing gaps11:12 – Representation in French cinema and culture12:08 – Thomas on becoming a public writer13:22 – Race as a prism in writing15:01 – France vs. U.S. discourse on race17:10 – Contrasting receptions of their work18:16 – Race as fiction with real-world impact19:10 – Misuse of each other’s work in debates20:20 – Expectation of “gratitude” from minorities22:10 – Complexity of national identity and history23:20 – Audience reactions and defensiveness24:25 – The impossibility of a racism-free society25:01 – Left-wing critique vs. accusations toward minorities25:27 – Balancing debate fatigue with mission26:07 – Intellectual courage and respectful discourse27:04 – Handling online criticism & resilience28:06 – Superpower: not needing strangers to like you28:59 – Fatigue from being misunderstood29:17 – Desire to speak beyond confrontational topics30:04 – Media reception and debate framing31:15 – Topics beyond race & politics: anime, sport, literature34:09 – Current projects and upcoming books36:07 – Graphic novel biography of Angela Davis37:27 – Magic wand changes: better dialogue & equal storytelling39:19 – Closing thanks and reflectionsIf you had the courage to change one thing in your society, what would it be?You can follow us on Instagram at @HarvestSeries or @rose.claverie for updates.Watch our podcast episodes and speaker sessions on YouTube: Harvest Series.Credits:Sound editing by: @lesbellesfrequencesTechnician in Kaplankaya: Joel MoriasiMusic by: ChambordArtwork by: Davide d'AntonioHarvest Series is produced in partnership with Athena Advisers and