This moment in history feels big. It is a time when people all over the country are demanding some real and sustainable changes as the world watches. And it feels like a time when a lot of us can do something, but most of us do not know where to even start because the challenges are both large and small, society wide, yet individual at the same time.
We need to commit ourselves to not just prove we are not racist, but make actionable change to become anti-racist. We are anti-racist when we take action. We are anti-racist when we oppose racist policies. We are anti-racist when we promote equality in our lives and our culture. The story of racism in this country is all of ours to own. Therefore, the ugly story of prejudice is ours to fix. All of us.
Here is the thing. Healing is going to be messy. We are going to offend, ask the wrong questions, talk when we should be listen; but history has proven that NOT having the conversations are far more dangerous than having UNCOMFORTABLE conversations.
Below is a list of resources to take action with your mind, your money, your time, your vote and your parenting. This list evolved out of conversations, frustration with not knowing what to do or how to do it. This list has contributions from men, women, people of color and white. This list is daunting, yet just the tip of the iceberg of available resources. This list is also proof that you can take steps for justice within the walls or your own home.
Not all of us have been called to be major change-makers, taking up big space in the world and making a monumental difference in history. However, the principal of the butterfly effect is applicable in the fight to change systemic racism in our country. The concept is that small things have non-linear impacts on complex systems. The seemingly small choices we make in our homes, neighborhoods, churches, schools, businesses, political systems can promote change on a much larger scale.
Rather than continue to wonder how we can help, browse this list. Commit to take action in one or two areas. Be patient with yourself and kind to others. As Dr. King encouraged us, “If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way.”
TAKE ACTION WITH YOUR MIND:
ARTICLES TO READ:
America Must Listen to Its Wounds by Rev. William Barber
Are You Sure You Aren’t Racist? by Jodi Picoult
The Intersectionality Wars by Jane Coaston
White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack by Peggy McIntosh
Who Gets to Be Afraid in America? by Ibram X. Kendi
What You’re Seeing is People Pushed to the Edge by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
VIDEOS TO WATCH:
Black Feminism & Movement for Black Lives
How to Make Racism a Solvable Problem – and Improve Policing
How Studying Privilege Systems Can Strengthen Compassion
My Descent into America’s Neo-Nazi Movement
Ted Talks to Help Us Understand Racism in America
PODCASTS TO SUBSCRIBE:
Intersectionality Matters! hosted by Kimberlé Crenshaw
Momentum: A Race Forward Podcast
Pod For The Cause (from The Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights)
Pod Save the People (Crooked Media)
BOOKS TO READ:
NON-FICTION
Biased by Dr. Jennifer L. Eberhardt
Dying of Whiteness by Jonathan M. Metzl
The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin
Heavy: An American Memoir by Kiese Laymon
How To Be An Antiracist by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi
Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad
Negroland by Margo Jefferson
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander
The Next American Revolution: Sustainable Activism for the 21st Century by Grace Lee Boggs
Race Matters by Dr. Cornel West
Redefining Realness by Janet Mock
Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde
So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi
White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Dr. Robin DiAngelo
White Rage by Dr. Carol Anderson
Women, Race & Class by Angela Y. Davis
FICTION
The Bluest Eyes by Toni Morrison
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
TV SERIES AND MOVIES TO WATCH:
Documentaries/Docuseries
13th — Netflix
The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution — PBS
I Am Not Your Negro — Rental
Time: The Kaliff Browder Story – Netflix
The Story of Us – Netflix
King In The Wilderness — HBO
TV Series
Dear White People— Netflix
Trigger Warning with Killer Mike – Netflix
When They See Us — Netflix
Movies
American Son — Netflix
The Best of Enemies – Rental
If Beale Street Could Talk — Hulu
Blackklansman – Rental
Just Mercy — Rental
The Hate U Give — Hulu
Fruitvale Station — Rental
Selma — Rental
See You Yesterday — Netflix
ORGANIZATIONS TO FOLLOW:
Antiracism Research and Policy Center: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
The Action PAC: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Audre Lorde Project: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Black Women’s Blueprint: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Color Of Change: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Colorlines: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
The Conscious Kid: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Equal Justice Initiative (EJI): Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Families Belong Together: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Grassroots Law Project: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Good Black News: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
The Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
MPowerChange: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Muslim Girl: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
NAACP: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
National Domestic Workers Alliance: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
The North Star: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
RAICES: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ): Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Southern Poverty Law Center: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
SisterSong: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
United We Dream: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
TAKE ACTION WITH YOUR VOTE:
TAKE ACTION WITH YOUR MONEY:
ORGANIZATIONS TO DONATE TO:
American Civil Liberties Union
SUPPORT MINORITY-OWNED BUSINESSES
Black-owned Fashion and Beauty Brands
Find Black-owned Businesses Near You
TAKE ACTION WITH YOUR TIME:
REGISTER VOTERS:
Millions of Americans miss the opportunity to vote because they don’t know how to register or they miss their state’s deadline to register.
Host a Social Media Registration Event
CHALLENGE RACISM:
Call Out Racism When You See It
Respond to Racism: Racism. It Stops with Me
SIGN PETITIONS:
Color of Change – Petition to End Violent Policing Against Black People
Black Futures Lab – Sign The Black Agenda 2020
VOLUNTEER:
Mentor – Big Brothers Big Sisters
TAKE ACTION WITH YOUR PARENTING:
VIDEOS TO WATCH:
A Kids Book About Racism by Jelani Memory
Life of Privilege Explained in a $100 Race
BOOKS TO READ:
Coretta Scott King Book Award Winners
31 Children’s Books to Support Conversations on Race, Racism and Resistance
PODCASTS TO LISTEN TO:
Parenting Forward with Cindy Wang Brandt
Fare of the Free Child Podcast
Teaching Your Kids About Racism and Bias
Why and How to Talk to Your Kids About Skin Tone and Race
How to Not (Accidentally) Raise a Racist
ARTICLES TO READ:
PBS’s Teaching Your Child About Black History Month
White Parents: Here’s How to (and How Not to) Talk to Your Kids About Racism
How White Parents Can Use Media to Raise Anti-Racist Kids
SITES TO FOLLOW:
MORE ANTI-RACISM RESOURCES
