Anti-Racism Reading List October 2022

Hello friends,

This month, there’s mixed bag of Black experiences, anti-racism education and, importantly, Black joy. Ready to dive in?

1. My Five-Year-Old Biracial Grandson Was Suspended for Stealing Art Supplies from School by Marley K.

Existing in Black or Brown skin in spaces predominantly populated by what Jane Elliott calls “melanemic” people comes with its own set of dangers. And those dangers can be exacerbated when white parents don’t prepare their Black or Brown kids for the racism they will face. Stigmatising Black folks starts young, and so must the talk, as this piece shows.

2. No organization needs nice people by Lauren Castle

This article looks at some of the work of Shereen Daniels, author of The Anti-Racist Organisation. It calls out the pervasive idea that being nice is enough to counter racism. It has never been, as this quote suggests:

3. Daniel Smith, Believed to Be the Last Child of Enslaved People, Dies at 90 by the Equal Justice Initiative

File this one under “it wasn’t that long ago”. Some people have a vested interest in ignoring the history of enslavement. That’s not good enough, and it must be considered because WE ARE STILL LIVING WITH THE CONSEQUENCES. (Yes, the caps are deliberate.). This article shows how close to that history we still are.

4. Black Women Leaders Are More Ambitious But Less Supported At Work, McKinsey And Lean In Study Finds by Dana Brownlee

Another day, another report telling us what we already know about how Black people are treated in the workplace. Dana Brownlee covers the data, but tellingly says:

5. Anti-Racism: Why Your DEI Agenda Will Never Be A Success Without It by Carmen Morris

I may well have shared this before, but it came to my attention again recently, and I thought it was worth sharing with those who haven’t seen it. In part, that’s because I also believe that anti-racism has to be the foundation of equality - it’s why our anti-racism policy was the first one we created at Diverse Leaders Group. Here’s what Carmen Morris says:

6. Being Pro-Black Is Hard. When You're Black. by Shereen Daniels

The title of this article blew me away with the force of its truth. Because as a Black woman posting about anti-racism on LinkedIn, and seeing other Black women doing the same, I know that this is our experience: that we will be gaslit, suppressed and silenced. And this happens in the workplace, too, as Shereen highlights:

7. Racism Is Not Just an American Problem by Robert Livingston

Ok, if you’re reading this newsletter, this probably isn’t news to you, since I tend to highlight experiences of racism from around the world. But I’m interested in this series by Robert Livingston which promises to dig deeper. Here’s his introduction to the first article. I’m already looking forward to part two:

8. Netflix's VP of inclusion strategy by Verna Myers

Related to my earlier point, here’s an article by Verna Myers (the aforenamed VP of inclusion strategy at Netflix) about how they are specifically using anti-racist language, and why. The quote is from the deck head:

9. 15 African Female Historians Shaping Our Understanding of Africa’s Past by Immaculata Abba

I went to see The Woman King earlier this month. I’m a huge Viola Davis fan, and I love seeing powerful women. I was bothered by some of the white centring in it, but that’s not unexpected in Hollywood. What bothered me more is that I couldn’t always tell what was historically accurate (which is something I’d know for the places I’ve lived in), so this article was the result of my search to find the histories of African countries told by African historians. I think that’s important: not just telling the stories, but WHO is telling the stories. As the intro to the piece says:

10. We need more 'trauma-free Blackness.' Here's a start by John Blake

I’ve often talked about the importance of Black joy and the need to avoid being always steeped in trauma. This link was shared by one of my subscribers (thank you, JF) and I thought it deserved a wider audience.

Bonus: Are You Anti-Racist by Ashani Mfuko

Ashani is worth following everywhere - and if you have the funds to join her community, please do. This video is just one example of her excellent work.

Doing the Work

You can also join me and Lea Jovy-Ford in the Anti-Racist Leaders Association (you’ll need to join our Mighty Networks community first) for weekly discussion prompts to help you learn and grow.

Well, that’s it for this month. I’d love to hear what resonates with you most. And if you’re new, remember you can catch up on past reading lists in the archive.

Thanks for reading,

Sharon

© Sharon Hurley Hall, 2022. All Rights Reserved.

I am an anti-racism writer, educator and activist, Co-Founder of Diverse Leaders Group, the author of “I’m Tired of Racism”, and co-host of The Introvert Sisters podcast. If you value my perspective, please consider upgrading to a paid subscription.