Anti-Racism Resources - October 2024
Image description: On a light gray background is an illustration of three raised fists signifying people of color. To the left is an illustration of part of an American flag and to the right is an illustration of a button that says “Vote”. Above the main image is the text “Anti-Racism Resources October 2024” and below is the text “Voting.”
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 Voting.
Video - Cheat Sheet: What is Gerrymandering? - This short video briefly explains how gerrymandering affects People of Color, not just in their right to vote but also in how it affects its outcome.
Video - Reconstruction in America by Equal Justice Initiative - This 6-minute video starkly illustrates EJI's report, Reconstruction in America and its impact on voting rights for African-Americans. The report documents nearly 2,000 more confirmed racial terror lynchings of Black people by white mobs in America than previously detailed, bringing the total number of confirmed lynchings to 6,500 with thousands more that may never be documented. The report examines the 12 years following the Civil War when lawlessness and violence perpetrated by white leaders created an American future of racial hierarchy, white supremacy, and Jim Crow laws—an era from which our nation has yet to recover.
A Civic Duty: Voting is Imperative No Matter the Size of the Election by Leadership for Educational Equity - This article lays out the importance of voting at a local level (as well as at a national one). A lot of people aren’t feeling inspired to vote for a president, and that’s their right, but there are a lot of really important things happening locally that have much more tangible effects on our lives day to day, so it’s crucial to vote in those elections regardless of your feelings about others.
America’s Long History of Black Voter Suppression - With a timeline, videos, quotes, this dynamic resource lays out Black voter suppression from 1863 to present. The timeline also focuses on movements and moments that helped increase voting access for Black voters. This resource uses historical moments to highlight the crucial moment we’re in right now to address dire issues of inequities in our country’s voting system.
Empowering Unhoused and Housing Insecure Voters - This resource provides ways you can help unhoused persons to vote. Housing insecurity disproportionally affects people of color and tries to deny them their right to vote.
Restoring the Voting Rights Act - Voting is one of the basic tenets of being a part of a democracy. But having that right and enabling citizens to fairly participate in that right is not a given. Freedom to vote our conscience in this country has been a fight and continues to be so, especially for People of Color. It's imperative to have representatives that will back legislation like the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act.
Black Women Continue The Fight for Voting Rights - Too often the fight for universal suffrage, or voting rights for all people, is discussed as history. But voting rights today are neither universal nor secure. Today, Black women continue to fight for rights and representation in our political system. This article is a great recap of some of the leading voices in this work today.
