Anti-Racist Resources for Unlearning Racism
“In a racist society, it is not enough to be non-racist, we must be anti-racist.”
2020 is a year in which social tensions have escalated at every single level in the United States, due to governmental incompetence, an unprecedented health crisis, white supremacy, and now, another uptick of (never-ending) police brutality towards – and murder of – an unarmed Black population. In March, Breonna Taylor was murdered by a police officer in her home. The beginning of this week brought Amy Cooper, a white woman who called 911 because a Black man wanted her to leash her dog in a birdwatching haven, showing signs of premeditation and weaponizing race in falsely claiming that “an African American” man was threatening her – knowing that the police would hold this against him. White supremacy then brought the murder of George Floyd, riots in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, and the President calling for violence against African Americans. It goes on.
“You are accusing a captive population who has been robbed of everything of looting. I think it’s obscene.”
If you’re wondering where to direct the boiling anger you feel right now, (and have been feeling for years), The Attic would like you to join us in recognizing the privilege from which we collectively and continually benefit, and doing what we can to educate ourselves in unlearning racism. We fully recognize that we are a group of mostly white women. We are not qualified in authority to speak on the topic of violence against Black people, but we do have this platform, where it is our duty to speak on what is right, and a few resources we’d like to share that elaborate on how white people can work to be antiracist, as well as support those targeted by white supremacy.
First, and always first: recognize that if you are white, your skin color puts you at an immediate advantage over those who are not. You have power and platform and you need to use it right now. Come to this understanding with yourself. Realize that privilege does not make you an inherently bad person – in fact, it can help you to be a good one if you utilize it properly to protect and lift up those who do not share it.
“If you can only be tall because somebody is on their knees, then you have a serious problem. And my feeling is that white people have a very, very serious problem and they should start thinking about what they can do about it.”
Now that you have accepted your position in this world, here are some resources that will help you direct your money, time, voice, and social media presence to alert others to the current situation and how best to support victims of police murder and brutality, racism, and oppression.
MASTERLISTS
Anti-Racism Resources for White People
Anti-Racist Resource Collection
Being Antiracist, from the National Museum of African American History
Black History Month Library, Compiled by Charles Preston (Google Drive)
DONATIONS
Masterthread of Places to Donate
A Masterlist of Funds & Resources including tips for protestors and social media etiquette
Link to Donate & Split Your Donation Across Bail Bonds Across the Country
List of Bail Bonds Per City
Minnesota Freedom Fund (note: at this time, MFF has received many contributions and is asking for a redistribution of funds, recommending people donate to other organizations below)
Black Visions Collective (Donate Here)
Reclaim the Block
Official George Floyd Memorial Fund
Louisville Community Bail Fund
Thread of Chicago Organizations
Thread of Organizations Dedicated to Black Mental Health
Thread of Funds for Individual Efforts
ARTICLES
Black Healthcare Disparities & Organizations to Support from The Thirlby
75 Things White People Can Do For Racial Justice
5 Things Black People Don’t Owe While Coping With Being Black in America from The Inclusion Solution
George Floyd, Minneapolis Protests, Ahmaud Arbery & Amy Cooper | The Daily Social Distancing Show
The Racial Wealth Gap and Financial Literacy in the Black Community
READING LISTS
The Well-Read Black Girl Reading List
WASS Race Theory Reading List
James Baldwin, “How to Cool It” (1968)
Toni Morrison’s 1983 Interview on Jazz
“Letter from a Region in my Mind” by James Baldwin
Visit these links, read through them, click on their reference links, watch their videos, research their names, and do the work. Share and encourage others to as well. Think back on it every day. Read more. Educate yourselves. Think forward to a future where we can be better together, and make sure you keep doing the work.
The Attic on Eighth assumes no ownership of the resources included here, and observes all credit as due to their respective creators. Words by Lauren Olmeda, links curated and updated by the Editors as they are shared with us by our members and readers. We will continue to update this list to retain its relevance.
Lauren Olmeda holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in international relations. She works in public affairs in Dublin, Ireland and is Editor-at-Large of the Attic on Eighth.