Anti-Racism Resources - October 2023

 

Image description: On a yellow background is an illustration of three raised fists signifying people of color. Above the image is the text “Anti-Racism Resources October 2023” and below is the text “Decolonization”.

Compiled by Dawn Clark, NAAFA Board Member

Each month, we will feature educational resources on the NAAFA Community Voices Blog to support our community in taking action to combat racism. 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. 

The word “decolonization” comes up more and more frequently, but what does that mean? The definition of decolonization is: “to free from the dominating influence of a colonizing power especially to identify, challenge, and revise or replace assumptions, ideas, values, and practices that reflect a colonizer's dominating influence and especially a Eurocentric dominating influence.”

As we finish up Latinx Heritage Month and move into Indigenous Heritage month, I have been working on learning more about decolonization.

Below are some resources I have found. 

  • I have been going through the different resources offered here: Fundamentals, Core Concepts, Decolonization Theory and Practice (racialequitytools.org)

    • Note: I have not finished them all. It does seem that the resource owners are willing to listen to feedback on the language used.

  • If you have young people in your life, I found this great blog full of resources on how to talk to kids about Indigenous peoples and common questions and misconceptions kids have. 

  • I started watching Reservation Dogs based on a recommendation from a friend. I am really enjoying it and unlearning many stereotypes I grew up with about Reservations. It is the first major TV production with all Indigenous writers.

  • There is a good TED talk from Sean Sherman, an internationally renowned chef, on why there are not more Indigenous Restaurants in the US and what to do about that.


Photo of Dawn Clark

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.


Other Articles from the October 2023 Newsletter

 
Darliene Howell

Darliene Howell (she/her) is retired from county government where she worked her way up to the position of Department Analyst in Human Resources. She is an active fat liberationist who heartily believes in the mission and goals of NAAFA. She first encountered NAAFA at the 25th Anniversary Conference and has volunteered in various capacities with the Board of Directors since 2005. Darliene was appointed Chair of the Board from 2015 - 2020. After her term as Chair of the Board, she became the Administrative Director of the organization and remains so today. In her spare time, Darliene loves to collect and watch movies, and share her life with her sister/best friend.

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Media & Research Roundup - October 2023