Anti-Racism Resources
[Image description: Graphic is a rectangle with a light pink background. Words in black lettering at the top read, "Fight RACISM." Below that are four raised clenched fists signifying black, brown, tan and white people.]
Each month, we will be featuring educational resources in the NAAFA Newsletter and on the NAAFA Community Voices Blog. Some resources will be historic information about systemic racism. Others will be resources on doing the internal work of understanding ourselves and how we play a part in that system. There may also be actions that can be taken to directly oppose racism.
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES OF RACISM
RACE: The Power of an Illusion [Documentary on Vimeo] - California Newsreel
The division of the world's peoples into distinct groups - "red," "black," "white" or "yellow" peoples -- has become so deeply embedded in our psyches, so widely accepted, many would promptly dismiss as crazy any suggestion of its falsity. Yet, that's exactly what this provocative, new three-hour series by California Newsreel claims. Race - The Power of an Illusion questions the very idea of race as biology, suggesting that a belief in race is no more sound than believing that the sun revolves around the earth.
Yet race still matters. Just because race doesn't exist in biology doesn't mean it isn't very real, helping shape life chances and opportunities.
SYSTEMIC RACISM
What is Systemic Racism? Video Series - Race Forward
"What Is Systemic Racism?" is an 8-part series of video shorts that shows how racism shows up in our lives across institutions and society: Wealth Gap, Employment, Housing Discrimination, Government Surveillance, Incarceration, Drug Arrests, Immigration Arrests, Infant Mortality… yes, systemic racism is really a thing.
Featuring Jay Smooth, produced by Kat Lazo. Follow online with #SystemicRacismIs.
What is Systemic Racism? - Wealth Gap
What is Systemic Racism? - Education
What is Systemic Racism? - Housing Descrimination
What is Systemic Racism? - Government Surveillance
What is Systemic Racism? - Incarceration
What is Systemic Racism? - Drug Arrests
What is Systemic Racism? - Immigration Arrests
What is Systemic Racism? - Infant Mortality
Systems Thinking and Race - Project Linked Fate
Systems Thinking and Race (STAR) is a series of materials about structural inequality. The materials are designed to provide you with new ways to think about how race works in American society, new strategies for talking more effectively about the issues that have racialized outcomes, and new ways to make change. Within each section, written and visual materials, case studies, exercises and worksheets support understanding concepts and applying them to your specific context.
Portrait of Darliene Howell, an older Caucasian woman with short white hair, wearing glasses.
Darliene Howell (she/her) - Administrative Director for NAAFA. Darliene has worked directly with NAAFA since her retirement in 2004; first as the recording secretary to the Board of Directors in 2007, then elected as the Chair of the Board and Administrative Director in 2015. She has been active in fat community 20+ years.