Black Lives Matter - learning resources

Black Lives Matter: Learning Resources & Ways To Help

‘Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.’ – Maya Angelou.

This page is a work in progress.

It’s important to state that I will be updating this page regularly. As I come across new new learning resources that I’ve found helpful, I will share them. My aim is to help others along the journey towards becoming an anti-racist and an ally to Black people, just as I progress along my own journey.

All of the learning resources I put forward here I have read, watched or listened to and can personally guarantee are worth investing your time in.

Learning Resources

Books

White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism – Robin DiAngelo.

The single most important book I’ve read so far on my journey towards anti-racism and one of the vital learning resources I recommend on this page. It is a critical book that I now believe all white people should pick up and read. Most importantly, it got me questioning my history with racism, times when I’ve been inactive, the role I play in silently allowing systemic racism to continue thriving in the UK and where I’ve benefited from our racist system in the past.

You must read this with an open mind. DiAngelo is talking to white people as a collective whole, not individually. Let go of self and defensiveness as much as possible and try to get a bit deeper and listen to what DiAngelo is saying with her writing, namely that white fragility reinforces racism within society and stalls any progress being made to bring equality for black people.

In her own words from this Guardian article from 2019:

‘The problem with white people is that they just don’t listen. In my experience, day in and day out, most white people are absolutely not receptive to finding out their impact on other people. There is a refusal to know or see, or to listen or hear, or to validate.’

Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People about Race – Reni Eddo-Lodge.

I started my education with this book. It was eye-opening. The book is born from a blog post that Eddo-Lodge posted out of frustration one day. It covers off black British history, some of which I’d never even heard about before, and details the complexities of talking to white people about race. If you’re beginning your educational journey around racism, particularly systemic racism here in the UK, then this is a brilliant starting point.

Queenie – Candice Carty-Williams.

A fictional book, but educational none the less. Yes, the book covers some overt racism, but it also provided me with startling insight into the kinds of more subtle racism black women are subjected to on an almost daily basis. Things I’d shamefully never even considered before, like the fetishisation of black women and the casual racism Queenie was subjected to, particularly by men on dating apps, around the colour of her skin or about her hair. If you don’t like non-fiction but want to learn about racism in the UK, pick this book up. You’ll learn a lot!

Girl, Woman, Other – Bernadine Evaristo.

I raved about this book back in my 2020 Q1 Review. It’s one of the best books I’ve read so far in 2020 and I can’t recommend it highly enough. As well as providing insights into the lives of people of colour and the racism that they experience, it looks at issues such as sexism and homo- and trans-phobia. Evaristo also explores loneliness, domestic abuse, the process of aging and all manner of different types of relationship within the book. It’s an all round winner and I’m pretty sure you won’t be able to put it down!

To Kill A Mockingbird – Harper Lee.

This is my favourite book of all time. I have loved To Kill A Mockingbird for over a decade and I’ve read it countless times. It’s a coming-of-age story, but there are themes of racism and prejudice running right through the book. This is a classic, a book that I think everyone should read at some point in their life. It gives insight into historic racism in the deep south of the USA, but it is also shockingly obvious that things haven’t changed too much since the book was published. To this day, black people in America still experience exactly the injustices outlined in this book.

Such A Fun Age – Kiley Reid.

Another fictional book, and one I really enjoyed. The key theme in this book seems to be around the ‘white saviour complex’. This is where a white person provides help to non-white people in a self-serving manner. I had heard about this behaviour but reading this book really opened my eyes to how damaging it can be for black people and the relationships they hold with white people. I was cheering Emira on when she finally extricated herself from two people who both thought they were ‘saving’ her! As well as educational, this novel is also a good read and well worth picking up!

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas.

A fictional book for teenagers and young adults who want to learn more about discrimination, racism and inequality. A great narrative that covers these difficult issues well for a younger audience.

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

A novel covering topics such as immigration to America, interracial relationships and Nigerian history and politics. Excellently written and highly informative!

Podcasts

Today in Focus (The Guardian) – multiple episodes.

Daily thirty minute episodes touching on current affairs and delving more deeply into black British history. I have so far listened to ‘How the Bristol bus boycott changed UK civil rights’ which first aired on 28th October 2019 and ‘Britain’s reckoning with its racist past’ (first aired 11th June 2020). Both were informative and well-presented podcast episodes. Also worth listening to is ‘Windrush: the scandal isn’t over’ which first aired in 22nd November 2019.

Others I will listen to soon are ‘The death of George Floyd: will anything change?’, ‘Rethinking the police: what can the US learn from Newark?’ and ‘Understanding white privilege with Reni Eddo-Lodge’. I fully expect these episodes to be equally instructional.

TED Radio Hour – multiple episodes.

Longer form conversations with experts from TED. I have listened to ‘Confronting Racism’ which was first aired on 29th March 2019 and have ‘The Consequences of Racism’ (first aired 16th March 2018) flagged to listen to next. Other episodes are also available.

TED Talks Daily – How to build an anti-racist world with Ibram X. Kendi.

A conversation with Ibram X. Kendi, the author of ‘How to be an Anti-Racist’. He discusses how individuals and companies can become anti-racist and steps that need to be taken in the USA to tackle systemic racism.

What A Day – multiple episodes.

A daily current affairs podcast that has updated me on race-related issues and news in the USA. Listen to ‘Black Trans Lives Matter’ from 15th June 2020 and ‘Racism Continued’ from 27th May 2020. The episodes are short and snappy, easily digestible and a good source of information. Numerous other episodes related to race are available.

About Race with Reni Eddo-Lodge.

A nine-part podcast series from 2018 where Eddo-Lodge explores recent black history in the UK. By ‘recent’, I’m talking the past twenty years, from 2000 onwards. This series is incredibly informative and there are some brilliant interviews with campaigners and politicians around race and racism in the UK. Eddo-Lodge carries the podcast well and I learnt so much from the series. She speaks eloquently about all the topics she addresses and the series arcs well.

The best thing for me is that Eddo-Lodge takes the time to explain the meaning of some terms and phrases that I wasn’t sure of previously and I felt my knowledge base expand as I listened. I also particularly enjoyed her interviews with Diane Abbott and with Akala.

Films & TV Shows

13th (Netflix).

A 2016 documentary film, in which scholars, activists and politicians analyse the criminalisation of African Americans and the US prison boom. The film explores racial inequality and focuses in on the fact that US prisons are disproportionately filled with African Americans. I found this film both highly informative and instructional. It opened my eyes to some of the racial injustice that happens in America every day and how this has been amplified over the decades via politics and multiple presidents.

If Beale Street Could Talk (Amazon Prime).

A 2018 film that focuses in on racial prejudice and the fate that many African Americans suffer when accused of crime – accepting a plea bargain even if they’re innocent of the crime. While this is not a documentary, you can apply the scenario that plays out to many real life cases in the US. The film has received excellent reviews and accolades, is extremely well acted with a stellar cast and gives an insight into the every day prejudices, injustices and aggressions that African Americans face. I highly recommend it!

Many talks with or by Robin DiAngelo (YouTube).

I have watched this talk so far: Dr. Robin DiAngelo discusses ‘White Fragility’. This is DiAngelo talking about her book and reading from it. However, there are so many other YouTube videos with talks, discussions and interviews including DiAngelo that could be used as learning resources. I highly recommend watching, listening to and reading anything involving or by DiAngelo. To list just three from a plethora of options:

  • Moonlight (available on Netflix)
  • Kidulthood (available on Amazon Prime)
  • The Hate U Give (available on Amazon Prime)
  • When They See Us (available on Netflix)
  • The School That Tried to End Racism (available on All4)
  • Queen and Slim (available on Amazon Prime)

Articles and Papers

I work at a for-profit company that supports the charity sector. I therefore have a strong interest in reading articles and papers about racism and inequality in the sector. Below are a few papers I’ve read recently that I feel are worth sharing.

Ways of Helping

As well as educating yourself about racism and using the learning resources suggested above, you can also support the Black Lives Matter movement in more demonstrative ways. A few examples are outlined below. These are just suggestions and the list is not exhaustive!

Here is a list of charities and organisations you could support that all work towards ending racism in various ways, both in the UK and the USA. It is not exhaustive. Take your pick from the below or do some research to find a charity you would like to support. Even the smallest amount of money will help make a difference.

Black Lives Matter
AAPF
Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust
Show Racism the Red Card
Innocence Project
Minnesota Freedom Fund
100 Black Men of London
Runnymede Trust
Stand Up To Racism
Charity So White

Sign a Petition

The simplest and possibly easiest way to lend your support to the cause and add your voice to the masses. Change.org has a huge range of petitions that you can sign, or you could head to the Government petition website to add your voice to petitions there. Petitions might be easy and quick to sign, but collectively, all those signatures can make a huge impact!

Protest

During the global COVID-19 pandemic, people may feel uncomfortable or wary about going to protests. That’s completely understandable! Alternatively, you may dislike large crowds of people or find the thought of a protest intimidating. That’s also understandable.

However, if you feel comfortable and safe enough to protest, then you can join one of the many that are happening up and down the UK at the moment. Facebook is a good place to start if you want to find a protest to join – type ‘Black Lives Matter protests’ in the search function and look at the groups for more information.

If you do decide to attend a protest, there’s a great post here by Wired about what to take and how to stay safe.

Have a Conversation – even if it’s uncomfortable!

It can be hard to bring up a conversation about racism with your loved ones. However, it’s really important that we keep talking about racism and how it is embedded systemically into UK society (and around the world!). The most important conversations are often uncomfortable, but please don’t let that put you off talking.

Share posts and articles on your social media platforms. Encourage an open dialogue about race with your friends and family. Learn how to respond to common racist statements, diversify your social media to get outside your bubble and keep showing up in support of black people. This resource on my Instagram feed may be a good starting point to learning how to have those difficult conversations. Instagram and other social media platforms can be excellent learning resources in themselves. Keep an eye out for informative posts and pieces you can share – spread the education!

Support Black Owned Businesses

I get it. It’s easy to buy things super quickly on Amazon or other big name sites. Believe me, I spend a lot of money on Amazon! Then, on Black Pound Day, I found myself questioning my shopping habits.

Just the day before Black Pound Day, I forked out £30 on some new books from Amazon. When I looked at some of the black-owned bookstores in London, I realised I would’ve spent the same, if not less, buying the same books and I would have been supporting a black owned business in the process. It got me thinking and questioning my shopping habits.

Moving forwards, I will be making a concerted effort to support black owned businesses. I believe we should all be doing this. There are some excellent articles and resources online showcasing amazing black owned businesses – from garden centres to bookstores to restaurants to beauty salons and beyond. Simply Google ‘black owned businesses’ to begin, or dig deeper into your Instagram feed to find black owned businesses there that you could support.

Postscript!

Please feel free to share your recommended learning resources with me in the comments section! I’d love to hear from you and find out what others have found helpful when working towards becoming an ally and anti-racist. The more learning resources we can share, the better equipped we will all become to tackle racism!

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