First listen. Then learn: a compilation of anti-racism resources

culture

Feb 3

Trigger warning: racism

This time last year I was stirring quite the controversy amongst my general majority following of white, middle/upper class humans when I decided to drench myself in education of Black history and share my discoveries publicly on social media.

I gathered around tables to engage in conversations debating the accuracy of systemic racism, if white supremacy was still an issue, the need for gun control and the vulnerability of the police and why they should or should not face various charges for their destructive actions...

I passionately fought back as I had to attempt to “prove” that these men listed, whether at some sense of “fault” or not, deserved life, but were quickly handed death instead.

It would be but 3 months later that I’d be able to add another name to the list, George Floyd.

And I so desperately wanted to shout “I TOLD YOU SO”

yet I would still find myself sitting at tables STILL entering into the same discussions.

Growing up in the classroom, only then to graduate and teach in the education system for a time, I allowed our history books to spoon feed me pockets of information and little glimpses of stories but last February, I wanted to learn more. I wanted to learn about the nitty gritty that my average 7th grade textbook had not contained.

I read books. Watched documentaries. Listened to stories.

I learned and gained a depth of knowledge that would bring me to my knees, leaving my eyes salty and my cheeks wet.

I was exhausted.

And I was only learning.

I could not personally relate to any of the content I was taking in.

My frustration, anger and sadness is only 30 years old.

For my BIPOC friends,

it goes generations deep.

I entered into some debates turned arguments and ran out of words with truly well intended, kind, white friends. And don’t get me wrong here, “white” isn’t the enemy.

I learned that the lack of understanding paired with lack of compassion & empathy - THAT is the enemy.

For me personally, I learned that most of the kind-hearted humans that I was engaging with and attempting to help them recognize the severity of racism, these were people who rarely, if at all, had any experiences or exposure to the BIPOC community.

I learned that, if not careful, lack of understanding can and usually will grow to lack of empathy.

“People fail to get along because they fear each other;

people fear each other because they don’t understand each other;

they don’t understand each other because they have not communicated with each other.”

Martin Luther King Jr.

So this year, I wanted to create a list of resources that have helped me throughout the years to grow in understanding, learn about the BIPOC community and ultimately come alongside them as I hope to do my part well in bridging gaps and creating peace.

Books:

- Just Mercy (also streaming on amazon)

- I’m Still Here by Austin Channing Brown

- Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi (MY FAVE OF ALL TIME FR)

- The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander

- anything by Maya Angelou but especially I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings

- the life of Frederick Douglass

- White fragility by Robin Deangelo

- How to be Antiracist by Dr. Ibram X Kendi

- The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

- The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin

Netflix: