a note about anti-racism

I don't usually talk about current events in this venue, but I've woken up to this need to get more educated and engaged when it comes to dealing with racism. Also, even though I've loved some books by Black authors (James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, Zora Neale Hurston, James McBride, to name a few), I haven't honestly read all that many Black authors. So this month, I started reading How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi. My family is also listening to the audiobook of Stamped by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi. I'm starting here because this distinction between antiracist and not racist is a distinction that is helping me think about the problem in a different way. I also donated to a few organizations that fight racism. I'm volunteering for an org that informs and mobilizes voters of color to make sure they're registered. And I'm writing letters to local leaders who can make changes.

I just wanted to share where I'm starting.

Black lives matter.

If you're looking for some suggestions on what to do, there are many people posting useful stuff right now. Here's a start:

• Obama's list of actions: Anguish and Action
• 75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice
• 11 Things You Can Do To Help Black Lives Matter End Police Violence (Teen Vogue)
• 5 More Ways To Channel Anger Into Action To Fight Racism (NPR)
• People Are Marching Against Racism. They’re Also Reading About It. (NYT)