Stories & Resources To Help Us Educate Ourselves About Systematic Racism in the United States
The killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis policeman on the 25th of May which was taped and placed online has changed the way the world is finally discussing race and the constant brutality inflicted by the police.
I skipped my weekly post last week as it was not my time to use my voice and instead, I read, I listened and I’m back with a list of stories that I found particularly useful. I think it is necessary, for those like me, that haven’t lived through the plight of daily racism and are unaware of what it is like being a person of colour, to finally take action and educate ourselves.
I decided to educate myself on the subject of systematic racism and today, I would like to bring together some podcasts, stories, and articles that have helped me in deepening my journey of self-education, I’m not willing to stop now and I hope you will join me.
The Atlantic Slave Trade – TED-Ed
Let’s start at the beginning.
To understand where it all began, we must look at history. I always remember being told by my history teachers that we must always second guess what we read in history books because everything written down is biased. It becomes easy however to get complacent and it is vital to have a clear understanding of what really happened. This short video gives a simplified acount of what happened.
Ta-Nehisi Coates – The Case for Reparations
This article, written by Ta- Nehisi Coates and published by the Atlantic, talks through how the United States’ economy is linked to slavery, the structure of its cities, such as Chicago, and the continued exploitation of black families.
This article is speckled with maps, youtube interviews, pictures, historical newspaper clippings and it was also recorded into a one hour and a half audiobook, for auditory learners like me.
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/06/the-case-for-reparations/361631/
1619 Project –by The New York Daily
The 1619 Project is an interactive online platform about modern American life that encompasses podcast episodes and essays and visual history on the history of slavery. The essays are all written by black writers who chose events from the past 400 years.
I particularly enjoyed the podcasts, I particularly found the ‘Economy that Slavery Built’, hosted by Nikole Hannah-Jones, enlightening.
Clint Smith’s Ted Talk: How To Raise A Black Son in America
In this Ted Talk, Clint Smith, writer, poet, and activist, tells a story of his childhood, reflecting “the decisions that (his) parents made about raising a black boy in America.”
In five minutes, He tells us about a story about children’s play, and through that, paints an honest picture of the racial injustice in America.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Reading From Her Book ‘Americanah’
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie grew up in Nigeria and is an award-winning author. She is mostly known for her books, Purple Hibiscus, Half of a Yellow Sun and Americanah. In her recent Instagram posts, she reads extracts from Americanah, which follows the journey of a young Nigerian writer, Ifemelou, who blogs about her thoughts on “American blacks, by a non-american black.”
On her Instagram, Adichie has posted a series of readings from Ifemelou’s blogposts and each is as insightful as the next. I also recommend the book, as it was an incredibly eye opening read.
Angelica Ross on Coming Out To Her Mother – Black Women Own The Conversation
“We have got to understand that being black and being LGBTQ are not mutually exclusive”
Angelica Ross
In this short clip, Angelica Ross discusses coming out as transgender to her mother, her thoughts on progress with the perception of the community and discusses privilege within the black community.
These are just some of the resources I’ve explored throughout the past few days, I have a longer list that I need to continue reading and listening to.
I leave here links to different resources that can be explored and a list that we can all work through to further understand the plight to break down racial stereotypes and discrimination.
Extra Links and Sources To Explore & Educate
Anti- Racism Resources For White People
This google document was shared on Instagram by Brittany Packnett Cunningham and formatted by @sarahsophief & @dj_diabeatic. It is a wonderful tool to work through and find resources to continue to educate ourselves. Find the document by clicking the button below.
Cleverish Magazine – ALL THE BLACK CREATIVES FEATURED IN CLEVER-ISH MAGAZINE TO DATE
“Clever-ish Magazine is here to help you navigate your quarter-life crisis and feed your creative curiosities.” The online magazine has compiled a list of all the black creatives featured to date, including models, chefs, musicians, fashion business CEOs, authors, and more.
Black Public Media :
“Black Public Media (BPM) is celebrating 40 years of showing the world that #blacklivesmatter by bringing Black content creators and their stories to the forefront for audiences across all screens.”