Anti-Racism Reading List - 15 December 2021

“Being an ally is not something for which we white folks get a gold star; being an ally is helping to right a wrong of which we are in fact a part!”

“No amount of advances in technology will change the basic truth that surveillance and carceral technology exist to serve those in control.”

“The *allies* that hash-tagged their way into the spotlight have long since packed up their #BLM tee shirts and #socialmedia banners and returned to *business as usual*…..until the next *shocker.*

Meanwhile, Bl@ck people are like……

❗️”WHAT THE FAUX?!”

You see, we got the *RESUME* button.

The *RESUME* button is unsafe and deadly for us.

What’s needed is a *STOP* button followed by a *START ANEW* button.”

“Black people around the world have long voiced complaints of having their posts taken down and accounts suspended or closed without recourse, just because their posts addressed Black issues. On the other hand, white users are weaponizing what are supposed to be helpful features, like reporting violent posts, to trigger the silencing of Black voices with false accusations of racism.All the while, tech companies continue to sit idly by, hiding behind self-proclaimed unbiased artificial intelligence.”

“Time served as your "Black friend" has done nothing to reform your behaviour or elevate me to being your friend who is Black. Instead, the collection of my words suffocated under your apathy, ego, and indifference. As such, I will no longer waste my time on those who "need more time" to "listen and learn."”

“It may be tempting for those in leadership positions to think that they have all the answers, but as the Black Lives Matter protests have taught us, solutions to the issues of racism must take into account input from those who have been affected. This means that the days of tick boxing, as a way of showing support for marginalized colleagues are being challenged.”

“Consistently considering intersecting identities in generational research and data reporting will help us better understand the groups we seek to lead, motivate, engage and connect with. It will provide more accurate assessments of generational characteristics, trends, etc., leading to deeper use and better results. As the old saying goes, “garbage in, garbage out.” The more we know and the deeper we know it, the better our output will be.”

“Navigating racial lighting – the constant questioning, twisting, and undermining of what you know to be true – has a negative compound effect on people of color. Not only are they experiencing racism, but they also have to try to fight it while people around them constantly tell them that it doesn’t happen.”

“For the White people all in, be all in. Stand up, change how you vote. Demand accountability from the top to the bottom. You can go into places and spaces we cannot.”

“White people play dumb about racism because it shields them from having to do the work to create an anti-racist society. Turning a blind eye is so much more convenient than doing the work. But, White silence maintains anti-Black sentiment and violence.”