Awakening to Change: Antiracism Resources

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Awakening to Change is designed to help unify our community by developing a shared understanding of the history, policy, and experiences shaping contemporary discussions of race. It was inspired by a conversation between Branford resident Roberta Gill-Brooks and former State Representative Lonnie Reed about growing up Black in Branford in July 2020.  The overwhelming positive response to that conversation led to Awakening to Change and a partnership between the Branford Community Foundation, Branford Community Television, and the Blackstone Library.

The series began with a conversation on Monday, January 25, 2021 with Debby Irving, speaker, diversity trainer, and author of Waking Up White. She joined us for a follow-up conversation a week later, which you can view here.

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Want to learn more about antiracism? Here’s a list of books, films, websites, TED Talks, and other recommendations you can start with.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

Antiracism Reading List from the Blackstone Library

Debby Irving’s Recommended Resources

Justice in June Antiracism Resources

Embrace Race Reading List for Kids  about Race

Nardi Media’s Black Lives Matter Book Club

Black Freedom Struggle in the US: find primary sources by subject, for students of all kinds

BOOKS 

White Fragility – Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Race
Robin DeAngelo

Waking Up White – Finding Myself in the Story of Race
Debby Irving

So You Want to Talk About Race
Ijeoma Oluo

Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents
Isabel Wilkerson

How to Be an Antiracist
Ibram X. Kendi

Me and White Supremacy : Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor
Layla F Saad

I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness
Austin Channing Brown

Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man
Emmanuel Acho

The Color of Law : A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America
Richard Rothstein

WEBSITES

135 Racial Equity Resources For Education, Professional & Community Development, Health, And Civil Rights: https://www.collegeconsensus.com/resources/racial-equity-resources/

ACLU Connecticut: https://www.acluct.org/en/issues/racial-justice

CT Core: http://www.ctcore-organizenow.org/home

Black Lives Matter: https://blacklivesmatter.com/

Black Lives Matter New Haven Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BLMNH/

Center for Children’s advocacy – racial justice: https://cca-ct.org/racial-justice/

Justice in June: created by two friends after the murder of George Floyd to inspire action and awareness – a starting place for individuals trying to become better allies.
https://justiceinjune.org/

White People Challenging Racism: https://www.wpcr-boston.org/

VIDEO

Kimberly Jones on the difference between protesting, rioting, and looting: How We Can Win

Films: https://nofilmschool.com/2016/07/20-films-you-need-to-watch-about-race-in-america

Documentaries: https://www.rd.com/list/documentaries-about-race/

TED Talks to help you understand racism in America: https://www.ted.com/playlists/250/talks_to_help_you_understand_r

Awakening to Change is a lecture series designed with the intent to unify our community to develop a shared understanding of the history, policy, and experiences shaping contemporary discussions of race, and is made possible by these partners: