Over the past week, I’ve been taking time to listen, reflect, and educate myself to become actively anti-racist. I know many of you are doing the same. Being anti-racist is not a one-time event. It is a lifelong commitment. And it is on us to educate ourselves.
I’m Chinese-American and fair-skinned. I acknowledge I am not and will not understand the injustices the Black community endures every day.
In this post, I share resources that I have found helpful. I am passing them along to amplify their voices. Time to educate yourself. Make the commitment that this is continual process to check ourselves.
Examine & Check our own Biases
Anti-racism starts at the kitchen table. With loved ones honestly and openly having uncomfortable conversations from a young age. In my own family, we started this young because of the discrimination our own family had in a mixed race and mixed culture marriage (Chinese and White in Wisconsin). Speak up and call out racism when you witness it in your daily life.
This continues to be a conversation as I reflect on my business practices, where I spend my dollars at companies who are anti-racist and where I donate my dollars to organizations that share these anti-racist beliefs.
Reading is one way to educate ourselves. Here are a few that I’ve found helpful.
- How to be an Antiracist book
- The New Jim Crow book
- White Like Me book
- Me and White Supremacy book
- Watch 13th on Netflix
- Watch When They See Us on Netflix
- Watch The Hate U Give on Amazon
- Watch Selma on Amazon
- Watch Just Mercy
- Watch Let it Fall on Netflix
- Listen to Brene Brown with Ibram X. Kendi on her podcast
- Educate yourself on 8 Can’t Wait by Campaign Zero
- Educate yourself on Campaign Zero, what is happening locally, the problems, solutions and reports
Powerful Voices on Social Media
Danielle has a powerful way of using her art to educate and inspire justice in a positive and colorful way. Her prints are available for pre-order here.
Rachel Cargle is a public academic, writer, and lecturer. Her activism and academic work are rooted in providing intellectual discourse, tools, and resources that explore the intersection of race and womanhood. Her piece on “Why You Need to Stop Saying ‘All Lives Matter‘” is an important read. Watch her Public Address on Revolution on YouTube.
Natalie is a change agent, activist and director of inclusion. Her clear graphics and messages are shared on social media.
I appreciated Kiara Goodwin’s piece on “What I Hear when I Hear Someone Say ‘I don’t see color‘”.
Educating our Children to be Anti-Racist
Social Justice Parenting starts with knowing what to say to your children. I recommend learning from Dr. Traci Baxley on this topic. I’ve personally known Traci through our connection as small business owners and professors. She offers a reading list download here and workshops for moms in addition to 1:1 coaching or speaking services.
- Listen to Dr. Baxley on the BizChix Podcast 422 on how to coach a mom of white children
- Listen to Dr. Baxley on the BizChix Podcast 385 on how to create diversity in business
Diversity Children’s Books to browse or shop. Many may be sold out at this time. Audible trial or Kindle trial if books out of stock. Personalized children’s book by Hooray Heroes to show color in your own family or as a gift.
Diverse Toys for Children
Author Lisa Rose hosts a monthly book discussion on Facebook called the Missing Voice.
@theconsciouskid shared a visual on “Are your kids too young to talk about race” adopted from The Children’s Community School.
VOTE and Support Change
VOTE in your local, state, and national elections.
Former President Obama shared his statement this week, “the elected officials who matter most in reforming police departments and the criminal justice system work at the state and local levels.”
Please vote in the national election this November. Please vote in your local and state elections throughout the year. If you are not sure if you are registered to vote, check your status here.
Donate
Donate to causes that matter.
- Campaign Zero – a police reform campaign that has created 10 proposed policies to reduce police violence nationwide.
- Loveland Foundation – Founded by Rachel Cargle (mentioned above)
- Black Mamas Matter – a Black women-led cross-sectoral alliance that“centers Black mamas to advocate, drive research, build power, and shift culture for Black maternal health, rights, and justice.”
- Know Your Rights Camp – A non-profit created by NFL player Colin Kaepernick to teach young people that they have the right to be: free, healthy, brilliant, safe, loved, courageous, alive, trusted, educated and to know their rights.
Check to see if your employers match employee donations to qualified charitable organizations up to a certain amount annually. Some employers match up to 200% of employee contributions.
Support Black Owned Businesses
Find them locally in the area you live. Be conscious and intentional where you spend your hard-earned dollars.
Check in with Black Friends, Family, Colleagues
I sent a text message to my Black friends, family and colleagues. Check-in. See if there is a way to support them personally. BUT realize it is not on them to educate us. It is on us to educate ourselves.
Asian-American Biases
As an Asian-American, this article outlining allyship actions for Asians to show up for the Black Community Right Now by Michelle Kim.
6 Ways Asian Americans can Tackle Anti-Black Racism in their Families by Kim Tran.
Dismantling the Barrier Between Asians and African-Americans by Roseanne Liu.