# Gen X in the Middle: Black Gen X and the Blueprint We Had to Build

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Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/in-the-know-with-tony-reeves-1233851/gen-x-in-the-middle-black-gen-x-and-the-blueprint-we-had-to-build.md
Podcast: [In The Know with Tony Reeves](https://stenobird.com/podcast/in-the-know-with-tony-reeves-1233851)
Published: 2026-06-24T11:00:02+00:00
Episode link: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/gen-x-in-the-middle-black-gen-x-and-the-blueprint-we-had-to-build--72621753
Audio file: https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/72621753/podcast_gen_x_in_the_middle_how_black_gen_x_bridged_two_worlds_6.mp3
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Duration seconds: 1125

## Resource

In this companion podcast episode, I reflect on the meaning behind my e-book “Gen X in the Middle: How Black Gen X Bridged Two Worlds” and why Black Generation X deserves to be understood as more than a forgotten or overlooked generation. Using the end of MTV’s 24-hour music broadcasting stations as a cultural marker, I discuss how Gen X lived through a unique transition point in American history. Black Gen X grew up after major civil rights victories, but we still had to figure out what those victories meant in real life. We were raised by parents who experienced restriction, segregation, and overt racism, while we entered schools, workplaces, and cultural spaces that were supposedly more open but still complicated. This episode explores three major takeaways from the book: First, Black Gen X moved without a blueprint. Second, representation shaped how we saw ourselves. Third, we had to learn how to navigate a softer, more subtle version of racism. This episode also serves as an introduction to my Black Generation Starter Kit, a collection created to help preserve, explain, and share the Black Gen X experience. \To go deeper into this conversation, check out the companion long video on YouTube and explore my e-book “Gen X in the Middle: How Black Gen X Bridged Two Worlds.” You can also find the full Black Generation Starter Kit at anthonyreeves.com or through the links connected to this episode. Black Gen X has a story worth telling, and this is one entry point into that story. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/in-the-know-with-tony-reeves--5596987/support .

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