At See What I Mean, we are always committed to learning, and we are being intentional about learning how we have benefited from a society based on the premise that white is the norm or standard. We are looking for ways to learn from BIPOC leaders in our community, while also respecting the space they need to grieve and take care of themselves. We have been reading and listening to experts on the topics of racism and anti-racism and want to share some of those resources below.

What Jordan is reading/listening to:

White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo

Many people had suggested this book to me over the years, but honestly I felt like I didn’t need it. Robin DiAngelo called me out in the first chapter when she says that the people who most need this book are the people that think they don’t. It is really a gut punch of a book that forces anyone to look at the ways they have benefited from the unfounded idea that somehow whiteness, a made up concept, is better than any other form of being. DiAnegelo says, “ We consider a challenge to our racial worldviews as a challenge to our very identities as good, moral people.” If you are looking at the current situation in the world and saying, “That is horrible, but I am not a racist.” Check out this book, it may help you re-frame your idea of racism and drive you to action.

The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church’s Complicity in Racism by Jamar Tisby

I am on the board at my church. A self-proclaimed “big tent” church with a couple of thousand members. It is a real challenge for the church to talk about systemic racism due to fear of how many in the church will react. The Color of Compromise is about how that type of attitude, along with blatantly racist, prejudice, and discriminatory behavior has led to centuries of the American church either being complicit or actively involved in creating and maintaining racist ideas and practices. Again, it is not an easy read for someone who has grown up in the church, but it is a necessary history to know if we want this racial reckoning to create real change in the systems that drive our country. It is recommended reading for our church, I hope that people listen to the recommendation and we can make movement towards racial reconciliation.

What Stacy is reading/listening to:

How to Be An Anti-Racist by Ibram X. Kendi

This book was suggested to me by Gwennette Berry, the Chief Diversity Officer of the University of Northern Iowa (UNI), during a convening of the Cedar Valley Economic Inclusion Network. This fall, Ms. Berry is inviting the community to read the book as part of the UNI campus’ President's Diversity Common Read.

The book explores our perceptions of race and how those perceptions are formed through a kaleidoscope of factors including biology, culture, bodies, and power. Kendi uses story, history and research to help us better see the many ways racism works. Like many other readers, I find the book’s central principle - the opposite of racist is not “not-racist”, but instead “anti-racist” - as a pathway for action. I’m looking forward to our community conversations and grateful to Ms. Berry and UNI or expanding the common read to our community.

What Jenna is reading/listening to:

I’m Still Here: Black Dignity In A World Made For Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown

I was first introduced to this book by a professor during my time studying abroad in Ireland. However, we only read small sections of the book looking at race in relationship to religious institutions. Since then, I have been reading the book in its entirety. Austin Brown shows the deep rooting of white supremacy in all aspects of America’s Institutions and the complexity of achieving racial justice. This book will open your eyes, provide you with tools to do better, and will help you question if organizations' actions stay true to their value of diversity .

Small Doses Podcast with Amanda Seales

I was introduced to the podcast, Small Doses, by some of my friends. Small Doses with Amanda Seales covers a small dose of serious topics in full transparency. This podcast is genuine, insightful, and brings light to difficult conversations through comedy. If you are looking for easy ways to dive into deep discussion with thought provoking questions and re-frame your way of thinking, please listen to this podcast.

If you would like to purchase any of the books, lithub.com has put out a list of black-owned independent bookstores. You might start there first.

Let us know what you are reading and listening to in the comments.

What we are reading and listening to at SWIM