Learning About Systemic Racism
This year has been a wake up call for many of us about the level of systemic racism still present in the United States.
I’ve been on a journey to learn more about racial justice and how to be a better ally, and I’m grateful for the many books, documentaries, and other media available.
I’d like to share with you five powerful, eye-opening books that have taught me a lot (descriptions are from the publishers):
Me and White Supremacy: How to Recognize Your Privilege, Combat Racism and Change the World, by Layla Saad
“Me and White Supremacy shows readers how to dismantle the privilege within themselves so that they can stop (often unconsciously) inflicting damage on people of color, and in turn, help other white people do better, too.”
So You Want to Talk About Race, by Ijeoma Oluo
“In So You Want to Talk About Race, Ijeoma Oluo guides readers of all races through subjects ranging from intersectionality and affirmative action to "model minorities" in an attempt to make the seemingly impossible possible: honest conversations about race and racism, and how they infect almost every aspect of American life.”
I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness, by Austin Channing Brown
“From a leading voice on racial justice, an eye-opening account of growing up Black, Christian, and female that exposes how white America’s love affair with “diversity” so often falls short of its ideals.”
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, by Isabel Wilkerson
“In this brilliant book, Isabel Wilkerson gives us a masterful portrait of an unseen phenomenon in America as she explores, through an immersive, deeply researched narrative and stories about real people, how America today and throughout its history has been shaped by a hidden caste system, a rigid hierarchy of human rankings.”
How to Be an Antiracist, by Ibram X. Kendi
“Kendi weaves an electrifying combination of ethics, history, law, and science with his own personal story of awakening to antiracism. This is an essential work for anyone who wants to go beyond the awareness of racism to the next step: contributing to the formation of a just and equitable society.”
What antiracism resources have you found most helpful? Send an email to liz@happybrainlife.com and let me know.
Please take good care of your heart centered self. Our world needs you!
Hugs,
Liz
