I wanted to take a second to speak to my white followers.
My own white bubble of seeing the world was popped a few years ago…back in February 2017 when I joined a Be The Bridge To Racial Unity group.
Listening and learning in that diverse group of women, I realized how completely unaware of the realities of racial injustice are and have always been in our country.
I realized I saw EVERYTHING thru a white gaze….history, government, culture, society…the list goes on and on.
I started dismantling my own whiteness and implicit biases in that group…and I started on the uncomfortable yet highly necessary path to opening my eyes and committing myself to listening and learning on the daily.
I wanted to share with yall some of the books that have really helped me in my journey the past two years….there are tons more but these are the ones that I have documented reviews on LOL
Let me be clear when I say these were NOT books I found on my own.
These were books given and recommended to me by my dear friends and mentors who are black women…and I am totally giving credit where credit is due.
I would NOT have experienced the growth I have and continue to have if it was not for the wisdom, advice, support, education, love, patience and CALLING ME OUT ON MY WHITE NONSENSE they have given me over these past 3 + years.
I will be forever grateful for their friendship, mentorship and guidance that they continue to pour into me.
So…my fellow white people….if you are ready to start listening and learning and want to get some books to get started, here are just some of ones that have been very impactful on my own journey up to this point. I am still learning and dismantling EVERY DAY…working on being an anti-racist NEVER EVER STOPS.
You can read my thoughts on all of them below for what it’s worth…if anything LOL Since I am a Christ follower, some of these books have to do with Christianity…but I still find very helpful in understanding the history of the church even if you are not of this faith. I am also including autobiographies/memoirs that give multiple perspectives on being black in America.
And one more thing yall:
LISTEN TO BLACK WOMEN.
FOR REALS.
JUST SHUT UP AND LISTEN TO THE WORDS THEY SAY.
#blacklivesmatter
“White Fragility”
“Be The Bridge…”
“So You Want To Talk About Race”
“White Awake”
“The Color of Compromise”
“Tears We Cannot Stop”
“The Fire Next Time”
“Woke Church”
“A Call to Conscience”
“The Black and The Blue”
“Never Caught…”
“The Other Wes Moore”
“Dreams from my Father”
“The Audacity of Hope”
“The Sun Does Shine”
“Becoming”