Submitted by Raylan Stroud
I grew up in Huntsville, and I am very concerned about lack of anti-racism in Muskoka.
In the past week I have been active on social media and have thus been flooded with lists of resources available for education on People of Colour (POC) and the social injustice they have and continue to face. This has given me the opportunity to reflect and become more aware of my white privilege, unlearn and relearn. It is a privilege to be able to educate myself about racism instead of experiencing it.
In the past week I have had many conversations concerning race and have come to the realization that many people do not know where to start. I began to compile a list of resources—this list is by no means complete, however my hope is that it will provide a starting place and encourage individuals to further their own education.
It is time that we become allies and begin to reform our thoughts, actions, and systems.
(Editor’s note: If there are other anti-racism resources you recommend, please note them in the comments below.)
Websites:
blackcanada.com
blacklivesmatter.com
eji.org (Equal Justice Initiative)
tolerance.org
antiracismproject.org
showingupforracialjustice.org
colorofchange.org
blackhistorysociety.ca
aapf.org (African American Policy Forum)
Read:
• Between the World and Me – Ta-Nehisi Coates
• Black Feminist Thought – Patricia Hill Collins
• Devil in the Grove – Gilbert King
• Eloquent Rage: A black feminist discovers her superpower – Dr. Brittney Cooper
• Heavy: an American Memoir – Kiese Laymon
• How to Be an Antiracist – Dr. Ibram X. Kendi
• How to Stay Sane While White – Morgan Parker
• I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings – Maya Angelou
• Just Mercy – Bryan Stevenson
• Me and white supremacy – Layla F. Saad
• Policing Black Lives – Robyn Maynard
• Race Matters – Cornel West
• Raising Our Hands – Jenna Arnold
• Raising White Kids: Bringing Up Children in a Racially Unjust America – Jennifer Harvey
• Redefining Realness – Janet Mock
• Sister Outsider – Audre Lorde
• So You Want To Talk About Race – Ijeoma Oluo
• Stamped from the Beginning – Dr. Ibram X. Kendi
• The Bluest Eye – Toni Morrison
• The Fire Next Time – James Baldwin
• The Fire This Time: A New Generation Speaks About Race – Jesmyn Ward
• The New Jim Crow – Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness – Michelle Alexander
• The Next American Revolution: Sustainable Activism for the Twenty-Frist Century – Grace Lee Boggs
• The Skin We’re In – Desmond Cole
• The Warmth of Other Suns – Isabel Wilkerson
• Their Eyes Were Watching God – Zora Neale Hurston
• Understanding and Dismantling Racism – Joseph Barndt
• Until We Are Free: Reflections on Black Lives Matter in Canada – Edited byRodney Diverlus, Sandy Hudson, Syrus Marcus Ware
• Uprooting racism: How White People Can Work for Racial Justice – Paul Kivel
• This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color – Cherríe Moraga
• When Affirmative Action Was White: An Untold History of Racial Inequality in Twentieth-Century America – Ira Katznelson
• When they call you a terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir – Angela Davis
• White Fragility: Why it’s so hard for white people to talk about racism – Robin DiAngelo
• Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race – Reni Eddo-Lodge
Watch:
• American Son
• Black Power Mixtape: 1967-1975
• Blindspotting
• Dear White People (Netflix series)
• Detroit
• Fruitvale Station
• I Am Not Your Negro (James Baldwin documntary)
• If Beale Street Could Talk
• Just Mercy
• King in the Wilderness
• LA 92
• Let’s Get to the Root of Racial Injustice – Megan Ming Francsis, TEDxRainer
• Moonlight
• More than a Month
• Mudbound
• Not All Superhero’s Wear Capes: How You Have the Power to Change the World – Nova Reid, TEDxFrankfurt
• Selma
• Slavery by Another Name
• Stay Woke: The Black Lives Matter Movement (YouTube)
• Strong Island
• The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution
• The Hate U Give
• The Racial Wealth Gap (Explained: Season 1, Episode 3)
• When They See Us
• Whose Streets?
• 12 Years a Slave
• 13th (documentary)
Listen (podcasts):
• About Race – Reni Eddo-Lodge
• Busy Being Black – Josh Rivers
• Code Switch – NPR
• Identity Politics – Ikhlas Saleem and Makkah Ali
• Intersectionality Matters – Kimberle Crenshaw
• Invisibilia – NPR
• Pod Save the People – Crooked Media with DeRay
• “Seeing White” – 14 part series by Scene on Radio
• Still Processing – Jenna Wortham and Wesley Morris
• The Diversity Gap – Bethaney Wilkinson
• The Nod – NPR
• Uncomfortable conversations
• Unreserved – Rosanna Deerchild
• 1619 – a New York Times audio series
*Another option includes audio versions of books
For Kids:
Websites:
embracerace.org
theconsciouskid.org
Reading:
Coretta Scott King Book Award Winners
Embrace Race children’s book recommendations
How to Talk to Kids About Race: Books and Resources That Can Help
Listen (Podcasts for parents):
• Fare of the Free Child
• “Raising White Kids with Jennifer Harvey” – Integrated Schools
Other:
Black history organizations and educational resources on canada.ca
Anti-racism resource materials
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Rob Millman says
Ms. Stroud: I just want to say (in defense of the citizens of Huntsville) that what you are seeing or rather not seeing; is not lack of an appropriate moral compass. The majority of people in Town have been acquainted with so few minorities (owing to their very low percentage) that they likely have not formed an opinion on the matter.
Regarding your compendium, it is quite amazing. The only omission is that every Spike Lee movie should be included; his latest, and my favourite; being BlacKkKlansman.
Norma Crowder says
Thank you for this awesome list. I will be sharing it on Facebook.
Erin Jones says
No one can even define what “race” is. It is a measure of ignorance to try to base the notion of race on skin colour because, as noted in the Wikipedia article on the term, “Caucasoid”–historical AND modern anthropologists have not and do not consider skin colour a defining characteristic: “…Ancient and modern ‘Caucasoid’ populations were thus not exclusively ‘white,’ but ranged in complexion from white-skinned to dark brown…”
Most recently, physical anthropologists tend to see “race” as a social classification based on ancestry and culture. They have discovered that genomic considerations are more or less meaningless because there are, often more pronounced genetic differences between members of the SAME “race” than there are between members of “different races”.
If “race” is based on a social/cultural construct, then it can be changed–and I would argue that it already has. Yes, there was systematic racism in the past but, the dominant culture has moved on from it because there is strong recognition that it was based on ignorance. The fact that there are members of all “races” in every profession, is proof that we (and by “we” I mean the human race) have moved on. I have never seen any significant evidence of racism in Canada. But then, we have never had to deal with the destruction of society and culture that comes with slavery. The founding fathers of the U.S., like John Adams knew that slavery was an issue that was likely to tear the country apart eventually–and so it did. What one sees now is a reactionary racism coming from those with African-American ancestry, and it is NOT helping to fix a fractured culture. I pray that they will be able to find a way through the ministry of African-American Christians as well as European-American Christians to understand that God loves ALL of humanity and has selected His children from every area of the world and every ethnic group, to prove it.
Reporter, Mike Wallace, during a 2005 interview for “60 Minutes” asked Academy Award-winning, actor, Morgan Freeman how we can get rid of racism. Freeman (who is an African-American) gave a response that was stunning and elegant, “Stop talking about it. I’m going to stop calling you a white man. And I’m going to ask you to stop calling me a black man. I know you as Mike Wallace. You know me as Morgan Freeman. You’re not going to say, ‘I know this white guy named Mike Wallace.’ Hear what I’m saying?”
Wise words.
Diana Kato says
Raylan Stroud – Kudos to you for raising your thoughts on racism and great suggestions for study and reflection on this serious systemic issue. I Love to hear about young people, who are our future, who are not afraid to wonder if they could improve our world. I Love how you say “reflect and become aware of my white privilege, unlearn and relearn” So smart and brave!
Rob Millman- I wonder why “ defense of the citizens of Huntsville “ is needed!!? Rascist ideas do exist in Huntsville!! Sorry to burst the bubble. Don’t blame the lack of visible minorities for the existence of rascist ideas, white privilege or complacency. Rascist thinking does not get a Pass because a person is otherwise “good” All rascist thoughts and actions are not acceptable. Use Raylan’s suggestions to explore and examine rascist, white privilege in your own life. Having an “appropriate moral compass” does not quite cover this topic! Not wanting to believe that we all contribute to this problem Is the problem!
Ruby Kato Attwood says
I chose to move after being born in the Huntsville hospital and living in Huntsville for most of my life. I went to Huntsville Public School and then Huntsville High School. I was an excellent student, contributing positively to the community as a student and dedicated employee of a few well known establishments in Huntsville. I had lovely friends, loved camping and the outdoors. Some of the experiences I had in Huntsville will always be with me. I came here to say I’ve moved on due to the fact that I was mistreated, bullied and people act like that never happened. Those responding with frail excuses, denial, white fragility in this thread are a prime example of just how
exhausting it is. My only message to ex-townfolk is to google the Dunning Kruger effect. YES I SAID EX. We
broke up Huntsville! We
could maybe get on speaking terms if you actually start doing the work, but for now most of you are badly concealing a bunch of racists and settlers on stolen land: people who continue pretending everyone else doesn’t exist, but let me tell you; You don’t fool me hiding your nasties in a postcard image of the perfect little town. I lived it. #bye #ex-huntsvillian #westend #cottagecountryracists #notsorry #headinthesand #glowup #breakup #selfcare #BLM #Idlenomore
Diana Kato says
Erin Jones – Your comment does support my comment that racist thinking does exist in Huntsville. Thank you for the illustration!
Diana Kato says
Adding to current resources for insight, that I listened to and watched this week – podcasts of Trevor Noah’s Daily shows with guests all week like Ibram X Kendi. Watched on CBC Gem -The Skin We’re In -about acclaimed journalist Desmond Cole who explores what it is to be black in 21st century Canada (includes Toronto)