Anti-Racism Resources - January 2024
Image description: On a bright blue background is an illustration of three raised fists signifying people of color. Above the image is the text “Anti-Racism Resources January 2024” and below is the text “Interrupting Racist Conversations”.
Compiled by Dawn Clark, NAAFA Board Member
Each month, we feature educational resources in the NAAFA Newsletter to support our community in working to dismantle systemic racism. These resources are also shared on our social media, blog, and website. Resources vary from month to month, and may include historical information, tools for personal reflection, or information about how to get involved and make change. Many of the resources we suggest will be introductory resources, and this information is never intended to be full coverage on the complex and nuanced topics that are chosen each month. We encourage you to continue learning, and we especially hope you will seek out and support scholars, artists, creators, and activists who represent the communities most impacted by the topic of the month.
This month we invite you to join us in exploring resources about Interrupting Racist Conversations.
Many of us celebrated holidays with family and friends recently. Even beyond the holidays we are often in situations with family, friends, and coworkers, some of whom are racist, whether intentionally or unintentionally. It can be really hard navigating spaces, especially family when you are doing the work of anti-racism and you have to listen to your cousin rant about people “knowing their place” or an aunt talking about how things were “better” when she was young. Below are a few resources to start the conversation rolling and also how to keep yourself safe when engaging in these places.
So You Want To Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo is a great book to begin with. I have read through it a few times and have found it so helpful in engaging in meaningful conversation. There are also many podcasts and videos you can find of her speaking about the book.
Wish We Knew What To Say by Dr. Pragya Agarwal is a good book to use when starting the discussion with kids. It is geared towards kids, but I found it had good ways of approaching conversation with anyone.
The Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences has also created an Anti-Racism Resources webpage, which includes a list of podcasts to choose from to hear diverse voices on race and having those conversations with people in your life. I really like NPR’s Code Switch.
Learning for Justice is a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center, which has fought for racial justice in the U.S. South and beyond since 1971. Their Speak Up! page has a good list of what to do in the moment and examples you can use while with family and friends. Full disclosure, I have not vetted this entire website but I did find this page helpful.
“What to Do When the Racist is a Family Member” from Parents.com puts in perspective what happens when you try to protect the peace by not speaking up, and explains how and why it is important to do the work on yourself to engage.
Good luck out there and please hold yourself with grace and gentleness!
About the Author
Dawn Clark (she/her) joined the NAAFA board in 2022. She is a board member at large and the chair of the Medical Advocacy Committee. She has given talks about Fat Hate she has experienced with Medical providers. She also works in her community to help with food insecurity and housing.