Resources for Anti-Racism
If you’re here, reading this post, I want to thank you and breathe with you for a moment. If you’re just joining the Anti-Racist movement for Black lives or you’ve been engaged in this learning and decoding process for some time, you are welcome here. With the atrocious and insidious systemic racism that has consistently manifested itself in police brutality targeted towards Black people, we must get to work by engaging with Black voices and resources in order to better show up in a white supremacist society.
Before I move on, I will be sharing many names from my personal Black community and other Black voices that have inspired me to action over the past two years (& especially over the past couple of weeks). My aim is to share Black resources and voices - this is not an invitation to flood their inboxes with google-able questions. Please, follow and support these Black movement-makers with likes, thank-you’s, donations, or consented reposts, but do not bombard them with “well-intended” messages that could cause further harm ~
Here are some group norms for engaging in this work that I’ve learned through a class with a mentor from graduate school ~ Dr. Andriette Jordan-Fields & talked through with a beloved friend and classmate ~ Min. Javon E. Bracy, M.Div.
Systemic racism is not personal. When I find myself feeling personally attacked by someone else calling attention to something I’ve done or said, I remember it’s the system that is sick. As a product of that system, it is my responsibility to acknowledge how I consciously and subconsciously play into it; and a call-out is an invitation out of it. If we feel bad after a call out, that usually means we have more work to do.
Intent Vs. Impact. Just because I didn't “mean” to be offensive or prejudiced or exclusive does not automatically remove my own accountability to apologize, reflect, and make needed amends. Ultimately, in Anti-Racist work, our impact is much more important than our intentions.
“In the Oppression Olympics, EVERYONE LOSES!” ~ Min. Javon E. Bracy, M.Div. While I do believe with my whole heart that my liberation is contingent upon the liberation of my Black relatives, that does not remove my responsibility to honor the integrity of differences in our lived experiences in a white supremacist society. Equating experiences or uplifting non-Black narratives during this time is harmful.
There is so much more to be said about the Anti-Racist Movement and Black Lives Matter. Through any one of these following resources, you will find an informative outlet to begin or continue your engagement with BLM. Moving forward, here are some actions we can all take!
Write to a district attorney and demand accountability for the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. Maasai Godwin has created an email template where all you have to do is enter your name and where you’re from to demand justice. Go ahead and follow Maasai and thank her! Here are the links:
Post about your favorite Black artists, performers, activists, writers, earth-shakers, and movement-makers! And Pay Them! Buying their work and supporting beyond a repost makes a difference.
Listen to some podcasts! Here are three that I’ve listened to over the past two days:
Irresistible ~ Sustaining Ourselves When Confronting Violence with Kandace Montgomery and Miski Noor.
NPR Code Switch ~ A Decade of Watching Black People Die with Jamil Smith
Yo, Is This Racist ~ Black Lives Matter ~ George Floyd Protests
4. Watch some movies and documentaries!
Ava Duvernay’s 13th ~ Stream on Netflix.
Jordan Peele’s Get Out ~ You can watch it on Youtube for 3.99$
George Tillman Jr.’s The Hate U Give ~ You have to purchase this for 14.99$ on Youtube or AmazonPrime, but it’s absolutely worth it! I also own it and am happy to host showings!
5. Read! I’m sharing books on my shelf that have educated and inspired me! I am willing to send them out to anyone who would like to read. You can contact me at the email address listed in Platform4Womxn’s Blog Bio ~
For this collection, I have Dr. Jennifer Leath, Dr. Miguel A. De La Torre, Dr. Novian Whitsitt, and Rev. Dr. Guy Nave to thank.
6. Donate! As far as donations go, I fully support donating to the larger Black-led organizations involved and leading this movement, but I also think it’s important to research what our local Black communities need. So, Denver!! Here are some local organizations I love ~ go and show them some love as well (in the form of your $$$):
7. Give to Black-led churches and faith communities:
I know a variety of lists have been moving around social media outlets. Take your time to read through them, do the research, google your questions, and support where you decide will make a resounding impact. Create your own lists and share them with neighbors, family members, and friends. Start up conversations, quote your Black sources, and give thanks to the Black people who have impacted your life.
In solidarity,
Isabela