Staff Recommended Anti-Racism Resources

We have assembled a list of the best anti-racism articles, books, social media feeds and videos we know of to help people learn about a wide range of topics relating to racism. Please invest in yourself, your family, your community and our world by viewing and sharing these links and, more importantly, we hope you'll join us in taking the steps shared herein to begin to heal our world. 

Articles and Resources
​bit.ly/junejustice
bit.ly/ANTIRACISMRESOURCES
https://daily.jstor.org/institutionalized-racism-a-syllabus/
https://diverseeducation.com/article/180023/
75 Things White People Can Do For Racial Justice - Although written in 2017, this article is full of good recommendations for actions and further reading. medium.com
"Racial Trauma in Film: How Viewers Can Address Re-traumatization"   https://counseling.northwestern.edu/blog/racial-trauma-retraumatization-film/

​Books
Rev. Kathleen recommends Waking Up White by Debby Irving, books written by Robin DiAngelo, especially White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism; and  What Does It Mean to Be White? Developing White Racial Literacy
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander
Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo (UU Author)
Black Pioneers in a White Denomination by Mark Morrison-Reed (UU Book)
Centering Navigating Race, Authenticity, and Power in Ministry (UU Book)

Books especially for children 
One Crazy Summer
by Rita Williams-Garcia
In the summer of 1968, after travelling from Brooklyn to Oakland, California, to spend a month with the mother they barely know, eleven-year-old Delphine and her two younger sisters arrive to a cold welcome as they discover that their mother, a dedicated poet and printer, is resentful of the intrusion of their visit and wants them to attend a nearby Black Panther summer camp. In a humorous and breakout book by Williams-Garcia, the Penderwicks meet the Black Panthers.

Many Thousand Gone: African Americans from Slavery to Freedom
by Virginia Hamilton
Unavailable for several years, Virginia Hamilton’s award-winning companion to The People Could Fly traces the history of slavery in America in the voices and stories of those who lived it. Leo and Diane Dillon’s brilliant black-and-white illustrations echo the stories’ subtlety and power, making this book as stunning to look at as it is to read.“There is probably no better way to convey the meaning of the institution of slavery as it existed in the United States to young readers than by using, as a text to share and discuss, Many Thousand Gone.”

Freedom on the Menu: The Greensboro Sit-Ins
by Carole Boston Weatherford
When four courageous black teens sat down at a lunch counter in the segregated South of 1960, the reverberations were felt both far beyond and close to home. This insightful story offers a child's-eye view of this seminal event in the American Civil Rights Movement. Connie is used to the signs and customs that have let her drink only from certain water fountains and which bar her from local pools and some stores, but still . . . she'd love to sit at the lunch counter, just like she's seen other girls do. Showing how an ordinary family becomes involved in the great and personal cause of their times, it's a tale that invites everyone to celebrate our country's everyday heroes, of all ages.

TED Talks and Videos
Jay Smooth - How to Talk about Racism
Chimamanda Adichie - The Danger of a Single Story
Megan Ming Francis - Let’s get o the root of racial injustice
MTV Decoded - Five Things You Should Know About Racism
MTV Decoded - What Does Privilege Make People So Angry?
MTV Decoded - If Microaggressions happened to White People
MTV Decoded - Should All Native American Mascots Be Banned?
MTV Decoded - Why Does MTV’s Decoded Hate White People?!?
An Evening with Tim Wise

Movies and Documentaries
13th 
Just Mercy
The Hate You Give
I Am Not Your Negro
When They See Us
Fruitvale Station
Selma
Wilderness Journey (UU related)
Oprah Winfrey’s Conversations “Where Do We Go from Here?
Oprah Winfrey leads the conversation speaking directly with Black thought leaders, activists and artists about systematic racism and the current state of America. Featured guests include: Stacey Abrams, Charles M. Blow, Keisha Lance Bottoms, Ava DuVernay, Jennifer Eberhardt, Nikole Hannah-Jones, Ibram Kendi, David Oyelowo, Rashad Robinson and Bishop William J. Barber II. They discuss: What matters now?  What matters next? What do we want? What are our demands? Where do we go from here? Part One | Part Two

Recommended Social Media Feeds
Rev. Kathleen follows Rev. Adam Dyer’s blog Spiritual Wellness spirituwellness.org.
​Here’s one of Adam’s powerful posts The Face of Racism.
Kathleen has learned from Kira Banks - she’s on Twitter and especially good for families.
Charles M. Blow, columnist.
Shaun King (on Twitter).
Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II.

Journey Toward Wholeness (JTW) “What Can I Do?” Window Series
​
A willingness to explore, reflect, & learn is how we grow. Two resources to reflect on:

1. Read “12 Steps of Recovery from White Conditioning: recoveryfromwhiteconditioning.com
2. View the 2018 General Assembly Ware Lecture (intro starts at 11:45) presented by Brittany Packnett & learn the difference between an ally & an accomplice: uua.org/ga/past/2018/ware

It’s our individual responsibility to educate ourselves about white supremacy.  3 resources for you:

1. Read former intern, Rev. Adam Dyer’s, article What Can I Do?
2. View Robin DiAngelo’s (author of “White Fragility.”) video Deconstructing White Privilege .
3. Read 75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice. 

There is so much each of us non-BIPOC people can & must do.  Start here:

1. Listen to Peter Bolland’s description of his June 30, 10:00-11:30 a.m. webinar “Dismantling Racism One Insight at a Time.
2. Sign up for the Oasis webinar (open to all ages, not just those 50 or older).  Register for class #321 ($15) at Oasis: oasisnet.org/San-Diego-CA/Classes

Does talking about race make you uncomfortable?  For help building your capacity to talk about race, watch Shelly Tochluk’s TEDxSan Juan Island talk “Let’s Talk About Race.”  Then check out the many resources on her website: shellytochluk.com.

We’re all wondering when we can return to our beautiful campus & what it will be like.  Read what our former intern minister, Rev. Adam Dyer, thinks about returning to church in his reflection “Danger” where he asks the question Will we be in danger if we open?.

In December 2018, Rev. Marta Valentin led First UU in Intentional Conversations that resulted in our “history wall” of microaggressions.  Watch her moving Sunday sermon  at 2019 General Assembly—“In This Delicate Turning: It Is Time Now” (with captions).  The sermon begins at 1:24:45 of the service.  The entire service is very moving & well worth viewing in its entirety.   

You’re invited to watch:

1. Jay Smooth’s How I Learned to Stop Worrying & Love Discussing Race. Many thanks to Larick for sharing the link at the program staff meeting.
2. Discover Channel’s 6-episode series Why We Hate which looks at the origins of hate covering everything from school bullying to radicalism to mass murder.

COVID-19 disproportionately affects poor people & Black & Brown communities & blame has been placed on China eliciting fear & discrimination against Asians & Asian-Americans.  SURJ (Showing Up for Racial Justice) has produced a guide to help illuminate anti-Asian racist scapegoating and provide resources to combat it “Combating Anti-Asian Racism & COVID-19 Toolkit” . 
 
Learn about the history of our city’s, our congregation’s, & our denomination’s role as institutions that have caused harm to IP/POC (Indigenous People/People of Color).  For a look at our city’s role, read How Segregation Defined San Diego’s Neighborhoods.

Sign up for our February/March 2020 Beloved Conversations:  Meditations on Race & Ethnicity cohort. For information/dates/times, go to firstuusandiego.org/journey-toward-wholeness
 
Watch KPBS’s First People – Kumeyaay (51:42) an Emmy-nominated file about the Kumeyaay Nation—currently comprised of 13 reservations scattered across San Diego County & 4 in northern Baja California.

Watch (or re-watch) the Sunday, October 6, Message “Reflections on Discomfort” presented by Beloved Conversations Retreat Leader, Rhonda Brown, & our own Pat Gordon & Scott GrantSmith (http://www.firstuusandiego.org/beloved-conversations-reflections-on-discomfort-by-rhonda-brown-pat-gordon-scott-grantsmith-10619)  After reflecting on the message, consider signing up for the February/March 2020 Beloved Conversations session.  Information & session days/times are on our Journey Toward Wholeness page.

We all know the subject of race can be very touchy. Watch Mellody Hobson’s Ted Talk “Color Blind or Color Brave?” (14.03) to hear why she thinks it’s so important to start talking about race to make for a better society.
 
Consider attending one or more days of  the FREE San Diego State University Conference “Native Truth & Healing:  The Genocide of the First Peoples of California.”  The November 21-24 conference will include presentations, music, documentary films, & political action session.  For more information & to register, go to sdsu.edu/conferences/native-truth-and-healing
 
Change is hard and institutional change—building a plane while flying it—is daunting. We did it when we transitioned to Policy Governance and we’re doing it again as we work to become more inclusive, anti-racist, and anti-oppressive.  Why are we (and the UUA) doing this?  Rev. Leslie Takahashi of the UUA’s Commission on Institutional Change answers that question: uua.org.
 
Does the term “white supremacy culture” make you feel uncomfortable? Definitions are important as we continue our work to become radically inclusive and make changes to the institution that is First UU San Diego.  Cir L L’Bert Jr. of the UUA’s Commission on Institutional Change has written a blog post  “A Note on Definitions” to clarify some “uncomfortable” terms:
https://www.uua.org/uuagovernance/committees/cic/blog/note-definitions
 
Participants in our first Beloved Conversations program were changed by that experience. One of them—Rev. Jim Grant—found an article that helped him think more about white privilege.  It might do the same for you: “Brief Encounters With White Men: I Wanted to Know What White Men Thought About Their Privilege. So I Asked” by Claudia Rankine:  https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/17/magazine/white-men-privilege.html

A willingness to explore & learn is how we grow.  “Ten Myths White People Believe About Racism”  https://www.christiancentury.org/article/critical-essay/ten-myths-white-people-believe-about-racism, adapted from Carolyn B. Helsel's book Preaching About Racism:  A Guide for Faith Leaders, published by Chalice Press,  gives us a chance to explore, reflect, & grow.

Wondering what “white supremacy culture” is?  Find out in “The Characteristics of White Supremacy Culture” by Kenneth Jones & Tema Okun published in 2001.  Read & reflect on the characteristics that show up in our congregation (& other organizations in your life): https://www.showingupforracialjustice.org/white-supremacy-culture-characteristics.html

Can you identify the many aspects of White Privilege?  In 1989, Peggy McIntosh published “Whte Privilege:  Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack.”  She identifies 50 unearned privileges non-POC (non-People of Color) receive in our society that POC cannot claim.  No better time to read it than now!  https://www.racialequitytools.org/resourcefiles/mcintosh.pdf

This journey is individual & congregation-wide. We?ll be suggesting resources you can view, read, or listen to on your own; reflect upon; & discuss with others if you like. First, a short video "Systemic Racism Explained" (4:23): https:/ /www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrHIQIO_bdQ 

More than 45 folks gathered this week to watch Rev. Marta Valentin’s powerful sermon “It is Time Now” presented at the UUA General Assembly Sunday worship service in June. Access the entire service created by Rev. Valentin “In This Delicate Turning” at https://www.uua.org/ga/off-site/2019/worship/sunday 
The sermon begins at 35:47 but is only one element in the beautiful service she crafted.