399. Gordon James on Finding Passion and Building Empathy

The Sifu Mimi Chan Show

I had the pleasure of sitting with Gordon James, a man whose life journey spans four countries—Jamaica, Kenya, the USA, and Canada. Gordon’s experiences living in such diverse places have shaped his perspective on the world. In our conversation, we explored how these experiences have fueled his passion for life, fostered empathy, and equipped him to combat racism through meaningful dialogue.

Gordon’s journey began in Jamaica, where the vibrant culture and rich history instilled in him a deep sense of identity. But it was his move to Kenya that expanded his worldview. Living in East Africa, Gordon was immersed in a different cultural tapestry, where he encountered new ways of thinking and living. This experience taught him the importance of adaptability and the value of understanding others’ perspectives—lessons that would become crucial in his later life.

One of the key takeaways from our conversation was the power of dialogue in building empathy. Gordon spoke about the importance of having uncomfortable conversations about race and identity—conversations that many people shy away from. He stressed that these discussions are not just about airing grievances; they’re about listening, learning, and finding common ground.

Listen on to hear more from Gordon James on how we can all work together to build a more empathetic and inclusive society.

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Discussed in this episode:

Tribes of Kenya

About Gordon James

**Gordon James was born in Kingston, Jamaica, and has lived in Canada, Kenya, France, Spain, and the United States. He is a graduate of Dartmouth College and received his M.F.A. in Acting from Brooklyn College. He is best known for his recurring role as Nurse Gregory on Grey’s Anatomy as well as for being the host of **Grey’s Anatomy Post-Op on abc.com.

In 2017 he wrote, produced, and acted in his first narrative short, Thinking Out Loud, receiving several industry accolades including the Gold LA Shorts Award, an LA Top Shorts Award, and being an official selection of the 2018 Pan African Film Festival.

On stage, he has performed leading roles in such productions as The Colored Museum, Six Degrees of Separation, The Island, and Tartuffe.

His poetry has been published in the literary magazine Signifying’ Harlem and he has been featured as a spoken word performer at the Nuyorican Poet’s Cafe, The Brooklyn Moon Cafe, The National Black Theater, and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. As a repeat winner of the Hottest Poetry Slam in Harlem, he has twice been a headliner on their radio program. He has been the opening act to R&B singer Angie Stone and performed in the New Faces/New Vision Program at New York’s Aaron Davis Hall’s 25th Anniversary.

His one-man show Outbursts: A One-Man Multipoemonologue combines spoken word and theater and opened to critical acclaim at Harlem’s National Black Theater and the Complex Theater in Los Angeles.

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