There’s so much information out there, some in short and easily consumed formats. Learning something new is scarcely more effort than doing nothing.
The impact books have on our lives is not limited to the words written between the covers. Some books inspire new thoughts and send us to unexpected places. Follow me Down the Rabbit Hole in this recurring segment.
A key element to becoming antiracist is educating yourself. Luckily for those with internet access, it’s amazingly easy. There is a lot of information out there, so on the last week of this book cycle, I’d like to share with you some of the resources we discussed on the podcast as well as some interesting resources and websites I found during my own Google searches. Is this a comprehensive list? No! There are plenty of those out there curated by people more educated in antiracism than me. Instead, I offer links that drew me in—a glimpse into a few of the rabbit holes I went down these past six weeks.
I’d like to start off with links related to the author of White Fragility, Robin DiAngelo.
Robin DiAngelo:
· Her website: https://www.robindiangelo.com/
· Videos and articles about her from her Media page
· Twitter: @RobinDiAngelo
· Twitter: Robin DiAngelo Fan Club @DiangeloClub
· Books:
Quizzes:
Raise your hand if you love online quizzes! (You can’t see it, but mine’s in the air). Test your implicit bias at Project Implicit® with quick and easy online tests. Go to implicit.harvard.edu/implicit
Videos:
26 Mini-Films for Exploring Race, Bias and Identity With Students from The New York Times
Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man Emmanuel Acho
The binary code of racism | Tracey Benson TEDxUNCCharlotte
How unintentional but insidious bias can be the most harmful PBS NewsHour “Special correspondent Charlayne Hunter-Gault speaks to Derald Wing Sue of Teachers College at Columbia University about the ways that everyday “microaggressions” can affect people.”
When your friend is kinda racist Anna Akana
Hair on Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Real Things White People Have Said to Me Lilly Singh
Minnesota News Cold Open Saturday Night Live
It happens every Black History Month: Winter Wokeness This Hour Has 22 Minutes
Articles:
10 Keys to Everyday Anti-Racism in Greater Good Magazine
Meet the psychologist exploring unconscious bias—and its tragic consequences for society in Science Magazine
Microaggression or Compliment? in New Society Publishers
Podcasts:
Nice White Parents “If you want to understand what’s wrong with our public schools, you have to look at what is arguably the most powerful force in shaping them: white parents”
Movies:
Bias (2018) “… challenges us to confront our hidden biases and understand what we risk when we follow our gut. Through exposing her own biases, award-winning documentary filmmaker Robin Hauser highlights the nature of implicit bias, the grip it holds on our social and professional lives, and what it will take to induce change.” watch trailer here
Coded Bias (2021): “…explores the fallout of MIT Media Lab researcher Joy Buolamwini’s discovery that facial recognition does not see dark-skinned faces accurately, and her journey to push for the first-ever legislation in the U.S. to govern against bias in the algorithms that impact us all.” For more information and to watch trailer, go to the website: www.codedbias.com/about
I don’t watch many movies, but I like to see what’s out there so I have a must-watch list in mind when I do. I often rely reviews and lists of recommended by others, such as these:
· Anti-racism films: What to watch and what to skip by VOX Magazine
· Anti-Racism Resources - Films, TV, Videos on StepStones for Youth
· It's Time To Open Your Eyes: 11 Essential Films on Anti-Racism by The Love Magazine
More In-depth Resources:
Want to educate yourself further, but not sure where to start? There are lots of resources already out there. I started looking with a Google search, and have only scratched the surface of what is available on the following sites:
Justice In June: This website takes the expression you learn something new every day to heart and gives the rest of us no excuses not to. It offers 10, 25, or 45 minute/day worth of links to learning material “… to become more informed as step one to becoming an active ally to the black community.” They’ve put in a lot of work. Presented as with tasks for each day over a month.
· Washington Post Article: These best friends created a wildly popular Google doc about how to be an ally to the black community
· Website: justiceinjune.org
No More Stolen Sisters campaign, Amnesty International
· The campaign guide includes everything from learning resources, to how to be a good ally, to how to get involved.
· No More Stolen Sisters Campagin Guide “Supporting Indigenous-led local activism to end violence against First Nations, Métis, and Inuit women, girls, and two-spirit people.” Includes learning resources, how to connect with grassroots advocates, and how to be a good ally.
The next few are specifically designed for educators. These sites have comprehensive resources that one would expect from organizations with a mandate to educate. They include both in-depth member resources, and also public ones such as articles, blogs, and podcasts.
Learning For Justice: Formerly called Teaching Tolerance, works “… with educators, schools, students and communities … working in partnership with communities to dismantle white supremacy, strengthen intersectional movements and advance the human rights of all people.”
· Website: www.learningforjustice.org
· Magazines and publications: www.learningforjustice.org/magazine
· Learning For Justice podcasts:
o Teaching Hard History “...begins with the long and brutal legacy of chattel slavery and reaches through the victories of and violent responses to the civil rights movement to the present day.”
o Queer America “…takes listeners on a journey that spans from Harlem to the Frontier West, revealing stories of LGBTQ life we should have learned in school.”
o The Mind Online “...explores the critical aspects of digital literacy that shape how we create and consume content online. Discover what educators and students alike need to know—and how we can all become safer, better informed digital citizens.”
Racial Equity Tools: “… offers tools, research, tips, curricula, and ideas for people who want to increase their understanding and to help those working for racial justice at every level.”
· Website www.racialequitytools.org
· Staying the Distance New Resources - May 2021 “…93 new resources, ranging from a few classics to articles with fresh thinking and analysis to recently released tools and reports.”
Facing History & Ourselves: “… uses lessons of history to challenge teachers and their students to stand up to bigotry and hate.”
· Blogs:
o Facing Today, a Facing History blog
o Learn+Teach+Share where “…Southern California teachers connect directly with each other, share ideas, and learn about new resources and opportunities for those interested in or already implementing Facing History.”
o Facing Canada “…where Canadian Facing History and Ourselves teachers and community members meet to share reflections, scholarship and teaching practices that will inspire, challenge and improve teaching and student learning.”
Other Antiracism Authors and Books Mentioned during this book cycle:
Layla F. Saad
· Website: laylafsaad.com
· Podcast: Good Ancestor Podcast
· Book club: Good Ancestor Book Club
· Instagram: @laylafsaad
· Books:
Jennifer Lynn Everhardt
Ibram X. Kendi
· Websiter: www.ibramxkendi.com
· Twitter: @DrIbram
· Books:
Luvvie Ajayi Jones
· Website: luvvie.org
· Podcast: Professional Troublemaker
· Books:
· Twitter: @Luvvie
· Instagram: @luvvie
Robin Maynard
· Website: robynmaynard.com
· Twitter: @policingblack
· Blog: robynmaynard.com/blog
· Other writing: robynmaynard.com/writing/
Desmond Cole
· Twitter: @DesmondCole
There’s so much information out there, some in short and easily consumed formats. Learning something new is scarcely more effort than doing nothing. Put it that way, the only thing that keeps me from learning something new every day is, if I’m being perfectly honest, laziness. An embarrassing excuse in itself, and prone to turn into apathy if left unchecked for too long. I’ll be much more satisfied in life if I do as Squiggy advised on the podcast, and stumble forward instead.
That’s it for this book cycle. Join me next week as we start our next book Nonviolent Communication by Marshall B. Rosenberg. We’d love to hear from you. Comment below, email us, or connect through the Book Interrupted Book Club Facebook group!
Love this article, I always try to learn new thing's because it's great for a person's wellbeing.
I think it is extremely important to learn something new every day. There are some really great links in this article. Thank you for sharing!
I had the opportunity to take a test not too long ago that showed I tended to be biased against my own race if only slightly and preferred others. I don't think I consider that exactly great either. We can all work toward a better world. It is always good to take such things with a grain of salt too.