The murder of George Floyd, on May 25, 2020, has shaken the world. We can no longer deny the devastating impact of racism and for many, a spark has been light. That spark pushes us to learn, become informed and challenge ourselves to do whatever we can to wipe out racism and make our country and world fair, equal and better for all.
Mature Living has gathered a number of resources that we can read, view and share to help us open minds, educate and act to eliminate racist feelings, laws, and policies.
BOOKS
Selected from a #blacklivesmatter reading list curated by Provincetown Library
-How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
-Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi
-White Fragility: Why Its so Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo
-We Can’t Breathe: on black lives, whites lies, and the art of survival by Jabari Asim
-Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad
-Tears We Cannot Stop: A Sermon to White America by Michael Eric Dyson
-The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander
-A Black Women’s History of the United States by Daina Ramey Berry and Kali Nicole Gross
-The Color of Law: a forgotten history of how our government segregated America by Richard Rothstein
-Stay Woke by Tahama Lopez Bunyasi and Candis Watts Smith
-Biased : uncovering the hidden prejudice that shapes what we see, think, and do by Jennifer L. Eberhardt, PhD
-On Account of Race: The Supreme Court, White Supremacy, and the Ravaging of African American Voting Rights by Lawrence Goldstone
-Breathe: A Letter to My Sons by Imani Perry
-Beloved by Toni Morrison
FILMS
Selections suggested by NPR
-13th
-I Am Not Your Negro
-Whose Streets?
-LA 92
-Teach Us All
-Black America Since MLK: And Still I Rise
PODCASTS
Suggested by HarpersBizarre
-1619 by The New York Times
-Lynching In America
-Code Switch by NPR
-Intersectionality Matters!
-‘Witness Black History
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Provided by Nollie Brown
-75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice – https://www.communitycommons.org/entities/9b0f805f-5d46-4636-9b74-2926363486d3
-Anti-Racism Project – https://www.antiracismproject.org/resources
-Resources for White People to Learn and Talk About Race and Racism – https://blog.fracturedatlas.org/resources-for-white-people-to-learn-and-talk-about-race-and-racism-5b207fff4fc7
#blacklivesmatter
By Nollie Brown
Based on recent events and the benefits and learning opportunities from sharing resources, educational links, mental health links, and places to donate money or give your time, this is a list complied for those who want to become involved, either directly or by learning more. Readers will certainly have differing perspectives on this phenomenon but for everyone to co-exist it is necessary to understand and explore other perspectives than the ones we hold personally. Yes, #blacklivesmatter is a movement, but for some, it’s a lifestyle. Please do your part by reading, listening, and watching to understand and find ways to support the diversity that creates the richness and depth of our community and our country.
Register to vote
Register to vote: https://www.usa.gov/register-to-vote
A few places to donate (if you can)
Minnesota Freedom Fund
Find a bail fund in your city and donate
Black Lives Matter
Color of Change
Black Visions Collective
Or do your research and donate to organizations that speak to you
Support black owned businesses
Not Chicago: Refinery29 shared apps that help you find places in your area, Afrotech does the same
Ways to take action (for all non-black people) – by @theconciouskid and @mireillecharper
Know your history: Educate yourself on anti-blackness, systematic oppression, privilege, and the role you and your communities play in upholding systems of white supremacy
Calling-In: Check in on your black friends, family, partners, loved ones and colleagues. Also, remember that the people you reach out to are not required to acknowledge your messages. Support without expectations.
Stop Appropriation: Stop picking apart pieces of black culture for your convenience, profit and social currency
Listen. Listen. Listen: Listen, read, or watch resources from black women, black communities, black activists, black authors, and black podcasters. DO NOT put the labor on Black people to educate you
Give: Donate to funds and support initiatives or give your time to volunteer at/with organizations that are making impact in the black community
Keep supporting: Keep supporting even after the outrage ends, this is not close to being over
ALL black lives matter
Let us not forget that the Pride parade started as a protest. “There’s no Pride for some of us without liberation for all of us” – so please do your part by educating yourself on the struggles of the LGBTQ+ community, especially those who are minorities
Mental health resources
To everyone fighting, donating, sharing, and protesting – please prioritize your mental health. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the cause that we don’t prioritize ourselves and get the help we need. Now more than ever, we have to talk about how we’re feeling and acknowledge that it’s okay to not be okay. Give yourself the grace to log off, get help, and come back stronger
The Loveland Foundation: “Loveland Foundation is committed to showing up for communities of color in unique and powerful ways, with a particular focus on Black women and girls”
Bustle wrote an article with 9 links to resources and ways to donate
Examples of racial gaslighting
First off, understand what gaslighting means
“you don’t act black”
‘If you protested/said it peacefully, more people would listen to you”
“What I said/did is not racist”
“Racism doesn’t exist anymore” – k.
“It was just a joke, calm down”
“____ people are racists too”
“Why is it always about race?”
“Are you sure that’s what happened?”
“Just to play devils advocate here…”
“In my opinion, I don’t think that they were being racist, I think…”
Educate yourself – Read (For adults and children)
How To Be An Antiracist by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
Redefining Realness by Janet Mock
So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin
Educate yourself – Watch
13th (Ava DuVernay) — Netflix
Blindspotting (Carlos López Estrada) — Hulu with Cinemax or available to rent
Dear White People (Justin Simien) — Netflix
Fruitvale Station (Ryan Coogler) — Available to rent
I Am Not Your Negro (James Baldwin doc) — Available to rent or on Kanopy
If Beale Street Could Talk (Barry Jenkins) — Hulu
Just Mercy (Destin Daniel Cretton) — Available to rent for free in June in the U.S.
King In The Wilderness — HBO
Selma (Ava DuVernay) — Available to rent
The Hate U Give (George Tillman Jr.) — Hulu
When They See Us (Ava DuVernay) — Netflix
Additional anti-racism resources
I’ve seen a lot of posts that say “I’m not racist, I have black friends” – thats not it, sis. “The opposite of ‘racist’ isn’t ‘not-racist’.
Google Doc filled with resources
This doc has over 100 resources on what to read, watch, listen, and organizations to follow. I highly encourage non POCs to read through some of these to help amplify black voices
75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice
Anti-Racism Project
Jenna Arnold’s resources (books and people to follow)
Rachel Ricketts’ anti-racism resources
Resources for White People to Learn and Talk About Race and Racism
Save the Tears: White Woman’s Guide by Tatiana Mac
Showing Up For Racial Justice’s educational toolkits
The [White] Shift on Instagram
“Why is this happening?” — an introduction to police brutality from 100 Year Hoodie
Zinn Education Project’s teaching materials
