Top Anti-Racism Articles of 2023

Surprise, friends!

I know you thought you’d heard from me for the last time in 2023, but I couldn’t let the year end without publishing my annual roundup of the best of SARN. If you’ve missed anything, now’s your chance to catch up - and feel free to share.

Once again, I’ve divided the list into categories (limited to articles published in 2023 for the first three), and there are a couple of new categories this year, too. Ready to dive in?

Top 10 SARN Articles of 2023

Since I now paywall free articles after six months (with the exception of interviews, reviews and reading lists), I’m no longer dividing this into free and paid, but I’ve expanded this category to 10 articles.

1. You Can't Win With Some People

2. Time to Stop Tone Policing Black Women

3. The White Imagination and Housing For Black Folx

4. Yes, Representation Still Matters

5. Looking for the Signs of Enslavement in Barbados

6. “Safe Spaces” Don’t Always Stay Safe

7. Representation - Whose Voice Matters?

8. Dear Person Who Misused “Woke”

9. Dear White Person From My Past

10. The One Where I Got Trolled On Substack Notes

Top 5 SARN Interviews of 2023

I really love putting activists and founders in the spotlight, and I’ve spoken to some great folx this year. Here are the top five:

1. Julia Bailey, Founder of The Nubianaire Club

2. Aya Egbuho, Anti-Racism Activist

3. Monique Kelley, Anti-Racism Activist

4. Charmeka Newton, Anti-Racism Advocate

5. Omkari Williams, Anti-Racism Activist

Top 5 SARN Podcast Episodes of 2023

This year, I published 18 podcast episodes, just a little short of the goal of 20 I’d set myself, but that’s how it goes. Here are the five you liked best:

Podcast audio is temporarily broken after my move to beehiiv (because of this issue). Please bear with me as I get it up and running again. In the meantime, please enjoy the episode transcripts.

1. No, You Don't Just Toss Slavery Into a Conversation - SARN Minis #37

2. Anti-Racism Work Can Be a Struggle - SARN Minis #20

3. Genocide Is Never OK - SARN Minis #35

4. Sad and Angry About Jacksonville - SARN Minis #31

5. How Long Should We Pay Reparations - SARN Minis #23

5 Perennially Popular Posts

There are some posts that people keep coming back to - these are the top five in 2023.

1. How Many More?

2. The Triple Whammy of Being a Black Woman Introvert

3. Should Slave Cabins Ever Be Rental Properties?

4. Dear Deluded Racists, You're Wasting Your Time

5. Dear White Mansplainer

3 Not So Hidden Gems

Thanks to my friend Holly for this suggestion when I published last year’s list. Here are a few pieces I really like which I wish had got a bit more attention.

1. Being Anti-Racist Means Fighting ALL Racism

2. Online Dating and Racism

3. "Never Have I Ever" - Anti-Racism Edition

3 Articles That Got You Talking

It’s always interesting to see which articles get the most comments. In 2023, it was these three articles about handling experiences of racism, either by myself or with support.

1. Vetting Commenters Is An Act Of Self-Protection

2. Dear Friend Who Supported Me

3. Discouraged But Determined

Well, that’s it! Was your favourite on this list? If not, feel free to share the article, interview or podcast episode that you most enjoyed this year.

Previous lists:

Top Anti-Racism Articles of 2022

Top Anti-Racism Articles of 2021

SARN - Top 10 of 2020

Enjoyed this article? Feel free to share to help others discover it. Thank you!

© Sharon Hurley Hall, 2023. All Rights Reserved.

Cover photo courtesy of Canva. This newsletter is published on beehiiv.

I am an anti-racism educator and activist, Co-Founder of Mission Equality, the author of “I’m Tired of Racism”, and co-host of The Introvert Sisters podcast