June 11, 2020 | Grace Player and Danielle Filipiak, Neag School of Education

Anti-Racism Resources for Students, Educators, and Citizens

We are reaching out to share resources that we believe might be helpful as you reflect on the current and ongoing racism in our country. We hope that these resources will help you reflect on and process the current moment. Of course, this list is not exhaustive, as there are so many dynamics, so many theories, so many histories to grasp in order to do our work of understanding anti-racism. We hope it will, though, provide a place for you to start or some new directions to go. As you find useful resources, please continue to share and learn together.

End racism graphic.

“Continue to engage and broaden your own understandings. Keep a log of your developing questions. Consider how and where you’ll continue to seek information to pursue learning about these questions,” write Grace Player and Danielle Filipiak, Neag School assistant professors. (iStock)

Editor’s Note: The following piece was originally curated by assistant professors Grace Player and Danielle Filipiak for Neag School students aspiring to serve as educators.

Dear Neag School Students,

We are reaching out to share resources that we believe might be helpful as you reflect on the current and ongoing racism in our country. We hope that these resources will help you reflect on and process the current moment, but also, help shape your practices as anti-racist teachers. Of course, this list is not exhaustive, as there are so many dynamics, so many theories, so many histories to grasp in order to do our work of understanding anti-racism and pursing our role as anti-racist educators. We hope it will, though, provide a place for you to start or some new directions to go. Please feel free to reach out to your faculty as you digest and process some of these pieces. As you find useful resources, also please continue to share and learn together.

Re: #BlackLivesMatter 

Re: Our Roles 

Re: Black Lives Matter Protests/Rebellions in Relationship to the Historical and Contemporary Contexts

Re: Racialized Trauma

(from “Irresistible Podcast,” formerly “Healing Justice” Podcast):

1. Black-led conversations and practices for healing from racialized trauma:

— Blackness & Belonging conversation and Reflection on Belonging practice from Prentis Hemphill, for healing from the traumas of anti-Black racism

— Rest as Reparations conversation and The Perfect Nap practice from The Nap Ministry, for restoration & ancestral healing through rest

2. If you’re in the midst of direct action right now:

— Healing in Direct Action practice from Black Lives Matter Global Network / Black Visions Collective, for harm reduction and increased connection during rapid response

— Compartmentalizing in a Healthy Way practice from BYP100, for boundaries and protecting our mental health when things are moving fast

3. For showing up in solidarity:

— The Art of Allyship: Coming Alongside with Jacoby Ballard and Intention & Impact: Showing Up Right-Sized with Teo Drake, for discerning how to best show up in solidarity

— Ancestral Connection for Anti-Racist White Folks with Jardana Peacock and Kelly Germaine, for white folks doing deeper work to show up meaningfully for anti-racism

Re: Educators/Pre-Service Teachers/Parents Resources: 

Some alternative media outlets and race-oriented podcasts to follow:

Some national  organizations and movements to follow:

Media That Helps Us Understand Race, Racism, and Social Justice Movements in the United States

Books That Help Us Understand Race, Racism, and Social Justice Movements in the United States

Movies and Shows to Stream

  • 13th (Netflix)
  • American Son (Netflix)
  • Dear White People (Netflix)
  • Homecoming (Netflix)
  • I Am Not Your Negro (Amazon Prime)
  • If Beale St Could Talk (Hulu)
  • King in the Wilderness (HBO)
  • LA 92 (Netflix)
  • See You Yesterday (Netflix)
  • The Hate You Give (Cinemax)
  • True Justice (HBO)
  • When They See Us (Netflix)

Books About Teaching For Black Lives

Of course, as you read any of these resources or any other text analyzing this moment or any issues of race, justice, and education, make sure to approach them with a critical eye. Whose story is being told? By whom? Through what lenses? How are arguments upholding or pushing against the status quo? For what reason and how? Does this resource center Black voices and perspectives? Does this resource value marginalized positions necessary in social justice movement?

Also, continue to engage and broaden your own understandings. Keep a log of your developing questions. Consider how and where you’ll continue to seek information to pursue learning about these questions. Develop groups of critical friends to help push you forward in your understandings and critiques. Make sure to honor and respect (and compensate in one way or another) the emotional and intellectual labor of any Black person or Person of Color who contributes to your continual understandings. Understand that discomfort is part of anti-racist work and continue to push forward. Students of Color, and particularly Black students, take care of yourselves and your communities.

We would like to thank Drs. Alicia Rusoja, Manisha Anantharaman, Monica Fitzgerald, Suzanne Schmidt, Tamara Spencer, and Michael Joseph Viola of St. Mary’s College of California for inspiring this list, providing the basis for the list, and collaborating to gather additional resources.

With love and power,

Grace Player and Danielle Filipiak