Fighting Racism in America: Resources to Educate Yourself + Take Action Now
Published on May 29, 2020, updated weekly.
““…I think America must see that riots do not develop out of thin air. Certain conditions continue to exist in our society which must be condemned as vigorously as we condemn riots. But in the final analysis, a riot is the language of the unheard.” ”
On Monday, May 25, an unarmed black man named George Floyd was killed after Officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into Mr. Floyd’s neck for more than seven minutes, while Floyd—handcuffed and unarmed—pleaded for his life. This encounter was videotaped and George Floyd can be heard saying, “I can’t breathe.” As of the date of this post, Officer Derek Chauvin has been arrested and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, a charge many would say does not fit the crime. Riots rage in Minneapolis as the frustrated masses demand to be heard.
In a statement by Barack Obama:
“It's natural to wish for life "to just get back to normal" as a pandemic and economic crisis upend everything around us. But we have to remember that for millions of Americans, being treated differently on account of race is tragically, painfully, maddeningly "normal" — whether it's while dealing with the health care system, or interacting with the criminal justice system, or jogging down the street, or just watching birds in a park.
This shouldn't be "normal" in 2020 America. It can't be "normal." If we want our children to grow up in a nation that lives up to its highest ideals, we can and must be better.”
It’s not simply enough to condemn this behavior. It isn’t enough to repost graphic images or colorful illustrations with decorative font. As a society, we must do better. In order to make lasting and constructive change, we must educate ourselves and take action. It’s far easier to advocate for change without taking the steps necessary to do so.
While we don’t always have all the right words to say, we hope that these resources provide the necessary groundwork to incite long-lasting change towards the America that we all want to live in and aspire to.
News Articles
15 Things Your City Can Do Right Now to End Police Brutality
12 Ways to Be a White Ally to Black People
These Are The Images of George Floyd You Should See
George Floyd Updates: Former Minneapolis Officer Is Charged With Murder
Facing Anti-Blackness
America’s Racial Contract Is Killing Us
75 Things Whites People Can Do for Racial Justice
100 Race-Conscious Things You Can Say to Your Child to Advance Racial Justice
Books
The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander
So You Want to Talk about Race? By Ijeoma Oluo
The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America By Richard Rothstein
Slavery by Another Name by Douglas Blackmon
Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad
Black Feminist Thought by Patricia Hill Collins
Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower by Dr. Brittney Cooper
Heavy: An American Memoir by Kiese Laymon
How To Be An Antiracist by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi
White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo, PhD
Podcasts
(sourced from Sarah Sophie Flicker, Alyssa Klein)
1619 - The New York Times
About Race
Code Switch - NPR
Intersectionality Matters!
Momentum: A Race Forward Podcast
Pod For The Cause - from The Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights
Pod Save the People - Crooked Media
The Combahee River Collective Statement
Racism Cont’d
Donate
George Floyd Memorial Fund
Minnesota Freedom Fund
I Run with Maud — Justice for Ahmaud Arbrey
Justice for Breonna Taylor Petition and Fundraiser
National Bail Out Fund — Free Black Mamas
Black Lives Matter
The Bail Project
The National Police Accountability Project
Campaign Zero
Additional Resources:
Anti-racism resources
(This is by far the most comprehensive list of anti-racism resources that we have seen)
