Anti-Racism Accountability
This post is long overdue. I’ve been struggling to find the right words and did not want to put myself in the center of the narrative. Because this is not a story of how one white woman did some things to feel better about racism. It’s a plea for all of us to collectively, consistently do better.
Every time there is an instance of police brutality in the U.S. or murder at the hands of someone clearly motivated by racism, I can’t help but wonder how on earth it is 2020 and this is still happening. Following the tragic murder of George Floyd, I began wondering what more I could do personally to fight racism. And then I realized; I haven’t done much of anything at all in the past. Standing against racism? Absolutely. But actively fighting it? I can’t say I’ve done that.
I’ve been ruminating on the powerful message of activist and scholar Angela Davis:
“In a racist society, it is not enough to be non-racist, we must be anti-racist.”
I’m embarrassed I didn’t acknowledge that simple fact sooner. There’s a lot I can do— we can all do, as individuals.
We can sign petitions to hold the people in power accountable. Donate money to organizations working toward equality. Listen to the experiences and viewpoints of BIPOC (black, Indigenous, and people of color). Examine the history of systemic racism in our country. Diversify the social accounts and media we consume. Take accountability for our own white privilege. Read about how we’ve been complicit in perpetuating racism and why it’s so hard for most of us (white people) to discuss it. And perhaps most importantly, teach our children to do better. One of my favorite ways to do that is to rely on books. Books that show a world made up of different people who all have unique, valid experiences.
We already had bookshelves stocked with lots of children’s books that promote diversity, and many featuring black, Latinx, and Asian central characters. But there’s always room for more. Here’s a list of our current books, the new ones we ordered recently, and the ones we’re planning to add in the future.
Books we own:
Juno Valentine (Eva Chen)
A is For Awesome (Eva Chen)
A Big Mooncake For Little Star (Grace Lin)
The Snowy Day (Ezra Jack Keats)
Corduroy (Don Freeman)
Julián is a Mermaid (Jessica Love)
This Little Trailblazer (Joan Holub)
Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls ( Francesca Cavallo, Elena Favilli)
Women in Science (Rachel Ignotofsky)
Little Red Riding Hood (Helen Anderton)
This Little Scientist (Joan Holub)
Florette (Anna Walker)
Good Night Mermaids (Adam Gamble and Mark Jasper)
Recent orders inspired by The Conscious Kid and PBS Kids:
The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read (Rita L. Hubbard)
I Believe I Can (Grace Byers)
Future purchases inspired by The Conscious Kid and PBS Kids:
Antiracist Baby (Ibram X. Kendi)
All Are Welcome (Alexandra Penfold)
I Am Enough (Grace Byers)
The King of Kindergarten (Derrick Barnes, Vanessa Brantley-Newton)
It Began With a Page (Kyo Maclear)
Paper Son (Julie Leung)
Pancakes to Parathas (Alice B. McGinty)
Where Are You From? (Jaime Kim)
The Night Library (David Zeltser)
Anna at the Museum (Hazel Hutchins, Gail Herbert)
Planting Stories (Anika Aldamuy Denise)
Sulwe (Lupita Nyong'o)
I’m aware that everything I mentioned is just a start. I’m holding myself accountable from now on. I’m sorry it has taken this long.
I keep saying this, but it bears repeating: this is not a political issue. It’s a human rights issue.
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