My Content List For Allies of BLM
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First, let me preface this article with its intention: this is a list made for people who follow this blog and read our typical articles on fashion, trends, self-care, dating, etc. who would like a list of material to consume that will help remove the racial blinders they’ve built, knowingly or unknowingly, and start to understand the way things are and what needs to change in regards to the systemic racism built into the culture of the United States.
I, Steve, am a white male living in Philadelphia and I would like to think of myself as an ally. But what does that mean? To me, there are two major parts to being an ally, empathy, and action. In my experience, we must develop a deep sense of empathy before we can act altruistically. So how do we build empathy regarding our friends, neighbors, and compatriots of color so that we can better feel the urgency and the extreme need for change in this country? In order to empathize, we must better understand their struggle, and in order to better understand, we must learn. This learning can be done through reading, watching, and listening. Having conversations with those we know, to learn about their stories, and their experience is also an amazing way to gain some perspective, but it is not your black friends’ or coworkers’ job to enlighten you. It is your job to reach that enlightenment yourself and put it in practice through your conversations and actions.
As white people, we must take a step back and identify our own privilege, and the inherent racism that exists in our society at large. We must do the uncomfortable work of coming to terms with how blind we’ve actually been, and remove those blinders permanently. We then must use this wider angle of vision to correct our perspective on the world and change the world we now see for the better. So, I encourage you to use your time to read, watch, and listen to stories about institutional white supremacy in our country and learn about black culture and the black experience to better understand what the community has gone through, and what they are currently enduring.
Read books to better understand why we can’t see our own racism, and why we are so uncomfortable talking about race, what white guilt is, and how we can change. Watch documentaries, shows, and movies from creatives of color depicting the black experience and notice how the themes of oppression and prejudice are undoubtedly common. Listen to podcasts talking about the stories and the point of view of someone from a different background than yourself, and look for the differences and the similarities from their lives, to yours.
I didn’t think I played a part in contributing to racism in this country and I thought I had some semblance of what it meant to be black through the people I know, and what I saw in movies (usually written, produced, and directed by white people), but I was very, very wrong. So now, I read, I watch, and I listen in hopes to form a more informed perspective and better capability to empathize during those conversations I hope to have. And I work to open my eyes to change my perspective on how this world really works, and how institutions and laws greatly impact the success of one race over another. I do all of this in order to hopefully make a better world for my neighbors of color, not to be praised for it, or to be pat on the back, but to simply disseminate a concept of human decency and equality that should already exist.
What is listed below is in no way an exhaustive list, but it’s a good place to start. Start here and remember that actions are what count. Educate yourself and then go demonstrate, write a letter to your local officials, talk to your friends, family, tribe, or team, and make a positive impact in your space.
Read
White Fragility by Robin Diangelo: I will go as far as to say that this is REQUIRED READING for every white person. An amazing place to start. Take your blinders off and realize how ingrained racism is in our society, and how we have intentionally blinded ourselves to it.
Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates: Written as a letter from the author to his teenage son, this is a strong and powerful book that sheds light on the modern black male experience and the conversations a black parent has to have with their children, that white father does not.
Stamped From the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi: This book provides a better understanding of how some of the pillars on which US society is based are inherently racist and disenfranchise those of color. It provides a clear picture of how the deck has been stacked against the black community from the beginning.
Reflections from a Token Black Friend by Ramesh A Nagarajah: A modern reflection on what it’s like to be a black male in a predominantly white community, and exposes how societal norms create an internal racial hierarchy in everyone from an early age.
Watch
13th available on Netflix: A strong documentary depicting the history of the black experience in America and how slavery was really just traded in for Jim Crow, and Jim crow was then traded in for mass incarceration. This documentary is infuriating, tear-jerking, and at times very hard to watch, but in the end, very much worth it.
I Am Not Your Negro on Amazon Prime: This powerful documentary uses the writings of James Baldwin to bring racial tension and disparity to light in a way that is truly mesmerizing and eye-opening. This hits hard and is immensely impactful. It very directly draws a line from the issues seen during the civil rights movement in the 60s to how many things have not changed since then, and while it doesn’t explicitly call for action it does intrinsically beg for it.
When they See Us on Netflix: Based on the true story of the Central Park 5, this mini-series is insanely powerful and very hard to watch. To be honest, I had to watch the first episode in two parts because it got so heavy. But in the end, the depiction of injustice and misuse of power is used very effectively to move the viewer and incite internal rage at how terrible this time in history truly was, and makes you ask the question: How much has really changed?
The Hate You Give on Amazon Prime: A hard-hitting drama showcasing the life events, decision points, and obstacles that face the typical black family in America, which stands in stark contrast to the white family experience. This strong story told from the point of view of a sixteen-year-old school student in Georgia, provides a harrowing perspective on what it’s like to grow up black in today’s America.
Sorry to Bother You on Hulu: A satire on the US social structure that showcases the two main options facing anyone of color in a white-dominated society: conform to the white sense of normalcy or go to prison. The artistic direction in this film is awesome and entertaining, but the social parabolic undertones can’t be missed. This one will have you thinking for days about what each piece of nuance truly represented.
LA 92 on Netflix: This recounting of the heinous beating of Rodney King in 1991 and the ensuing riots in LA in 1992 after the police officers who beat him were acquitted, is a chilling and seemingly familiar tail. It’s an important story to understand and revisit if you were too young (or were born at all) to understand and learn from.
Dear White People on Netflix: A modern cross-section of college life from varying perspectives, with a central theme of how race and racism (both institutional and interpersonal) play a role in daily life in “modern society.” If you are looking for a “softer” place to start, start here.
Listen
Code Switch Podcast - An NPR podcast hosted by two journalists of color that talk about race in the modern era. Their conversations are engaging, informative, and provide amazing perspectives on current events. This one should definitely be added to your daily podcast rotation.
Throughline - Episodes: American Police and Mass Incarceration: Throughline, another NPR Podcast, looks at current events and depicts them in a contrast to the past, and commonly make the point of how things haven’t really changed all that much, at least, for the better. The American police and Mass Incarceration are very pertinent right now.
Yo, Is This Racist? - A podcast formed around callers who raise specific instances of potential racism they encounter in day-to-day life and ask, is this racist? While the podcast is not intended to be “enlightening,” it does provide a great perspective on the everyday occurrences of racism we see and/or experience.
Seeing White - A podcast hosted by John Biewin turns the race conversation around and focuses on white people and how the systems we have created are inherently racist so individual people don’t have to feel racist when they (we) participate in those systems.
Ezra Klien Podcast - Episode: Why Ta-Nehisi Coates is hopeful: Ezra Klien from Vox talks to Ta-Nehisi Coates, one of the authors mentioned above, about the protests, and what’s different now versus previous seasons of protest.
The First Step To Action
For those looking to take action in the communities in which they live, a great way to start is to contact your local government officials and make your voice heard. This can be in the form of a letter, an email, or a phone call. To make this easier, you can search for your representatives via this link using your home address.
Feel free to voice your opinion on these issues and let those who govern, know what their constituents really think!
