Your next step in advocacy: listening and learning
At Dressember we believe in advocating for the dignity of all people. We take educating our audience very seriously, though we also recognize we are not experts in systemic racism and the oppression of people of color. In this 6 week series, our goal is to educate and promote awareness, while pointing you to resources written by people deeply invested in the fight to end racial injustice.
The topics we are discussing may be new for some of you. Wherever you are in your journey to dismantling racism and white supremacy, we invite you to get comfortable with the uncomfortable. This series may make you uneasy, cause you to raise questions, and challenge the framework you have been socialized into. We encourage you to take this learning process slowly and dig deep into the undoing this work requires. Some of the greatest education and tools are accessible to us in the form of books, movies, and podcasts, and we hope that you find this resource guide helpful in your learning process.
To Read
While this list is not exhaustive, here are a few great resources to get you started. Topics include understanding white privilege, systemic racial inequality, racial bias in the American legal system, and more.
How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Fatal Invention: How Science, Politics, and Big Business Re-create Race in the Twenty-first Century by Dorothy Roberts
An African American and Latinx History of the United States by Paul Ortiz
Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor by Layla F. Saad
Free Cyntoia: My Search for Redemption in the American Prison System by Cyntoia Brown-Long
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander
White Awake: An Honest Look at What It Means to Be White by Daniel Hill
Breathe: A Letter to My Sons by Imani Perry
Self-Portrait in Black and White: Unlearning Race by Thomas Clatterton Williams
I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown
Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?: And Other Conversations About Race by Beverly Daniel Tatum
Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson
A Different Mirror by Ronald Takaki
The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas
To watch
From documentaries to book to film adaptations, pair your reading with visual learning starting with some of these relevant films.
“Just Mercy,” the film adaptation of Bryan Stevenson’s book.
“The Hate You Give,” a 2018 film adaptation of Angie Thomas’ book listed above.
“Just Mercy,” a 2018 film adaptation of Bryan Stevenson’s book depicting injustices in the legal system.
“Murder to Mercy: The Cyntoia Brown Story,” Netflix released a documentary this year about the years of injustices and the long journey toward justice regarding the Cyntoia Brown case.
“The Innocence Files,” another timely Netflix original, these episodes showcase those who were wrongfully criminalized.
“13th” (Netflix) a documentary revealing the history of racial bias in the U.S. prison system.
“When They See Us” (Netflix) this Netflix original portrays the true story of five teenagers falsely accused of a crime.
“Becoming” (Netflix) this documentary showcases the life of Michelle Obama (Find her autobiography here!)
“If Beale Street Could Talk” (Hulu) this film is based on a book by author James Baldwin pairing justice with love story.
To Listen
Podcast and TedTalks are powerful resources to be a fly on the wall to important conversations.
Armchair Expert with hosts Dax Shepard and Monica Padman interview Heather McGhee to discuss race and how this conversation affects everyone. Her Ted Talk can be found here titled, “Racism has a cost for everyone.”
Check out this playlist of TedTalks called “Talks to help you understand racism in America” for 25 videos on the topic.
“1619 - NY Times” learn and understand about the lasting effects of slavery in the United States.
“About Race” author Reni Eddo-Lodge hosts conversations that build off her book, Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race.
“Seeing White” leans into the history of white people and whiteness to better understand the racial inequality in our society.
“Code Switch” is a podcast that features all the real talk you need to hear about race from diverse perspectives.
“The Diversity Gap” this podcast equips listeners to action and moving towards better community and culture.
How are you listening and learning this week?
Comment below to share how you’re listening and learning to become a better advocate this week!