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Although Black Lives Matter started out as a political movement in the United States, it has been embraced in the United Kingdom by those who see the need to tackle the systemic racism and structural inequalities that are just as urgent here as they are there. ‘foreign.
The Black Lives Matter Founders: How did the movement start?
Black Lives Matter, the black-centric political movement and “ will-building project, ” was formed in 2013 in the United States by Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors and Opal Tometi, in response to George’s acquittal. Zimmerman, the police officer accused of murdering Trayvon Martin.
Reading on the move
One of the key precepts of the BLM movement is to educate oneself. Regardless of race, age or gender, it inspires people to learn more about black history and how racism is manifested in society today. Systemic racism is rampant in both the UK and America, so more and more people in the UK are recognizing the need to learn more about black history.
Books to help you become an ally and better understand the movement
We’ve curated a list of excellently written and researched books from the UK and US that address the complexities of racism while capturing the lived experiences of people of color.
We all learn in different ways – some of us are more responsive to narrative stories, developing our empathy by putting ourselves in someone else’s shoes for a while, while others of us respond to it. direct address of a powerful essay or controversy. As such, we’ve included essays, historical novels, fiction, and children’s books in our roundup, so you can find a revealing story based on your reading preferences.
Don’t touch my hair, Emma Dabiri
Brimming with humor and quick wit, Don’t touch my hair is the take of Emma Dabiri, scholar and TV host, on the deeply personal and deeply political issue of black hair.
Mixed race (daughter of a white Trinidadian mother and black Nigerian father) growing up in Ireland, Dabiri was terribly ashamed of her curly hair, which immediately called her ‘other’ despite her paler skin.
Interweaving his personal experiences, Dabiri delves into the history of black hair, both in terms of Nigerian ancestry and in the UK and US. She seeks to reverse the received narrative that black hair is a time-consuming and laborious burden, showing how colonialism robbed blacks of both strokes (by maintaining hair by trying to make hair appear more “ white ” ) and the pride of their hair.
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That’s why I resist, Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu
Written with quickening and righteous anger, in This is why I resist activist Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu tracks down the root causes of racism in the UK and US, then demonstrates how they manifest in modern life both at the micro and macroscopic level.
Examining complex issues such as racial control, the ingratitude of the privileged white, the Twee nature of the performative ally, and the abuses of the black trans community, Mos-Shogbamimu calls on whites to account for their complacency and puts them in the spotlight. challenge to face their behavior where it reinforces racism.
Meticulously researched and well argued, it is informative and powerful.
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“I will not be erased”: our stories of growing up as people of color, gal-dem
gal-dem is an award-winning online and print magazine created by and for non-binary women and people of color.
I will not be erased is a collection of letters the gal-dem writers wrote to their youngest children, describing what it feels like to stand out as the “ other ” in a crowd of white, cis and straight people, all the while ignoring your opinions and validity.
The letters are alternately funny, sad, angry, and unique. Compulsively readable, and great for younger readers too.
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I’m not your little mother, Candice Brathwaite
Candice Brathwaite is the founder of Make Motherhood Diverse, an award-winning social platform designed to combat the singularly white image of motherhood in UK media.
Her first straightforward and funny novel argues that black mothers must be represented in societal representations of motherhood, from maternity advertisements, to Mumsnet, through collections at the gates of school. A revealing read – but fun too, because Brathwaite is a great storyteller.
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How to be an anti-racist, Ibram X Kendi
Ibram Kendi’s book is a call to action for all of us: the American professor and author convincingly argues that it is not okay to be neutral in situations of injustice. To fight racism, he argues, we must be actively anti-racist.
A rigorously researched and argued book, Kendi provides clear advice on how to be actively anti-racist, so readers know what they need to do in the future to be an effective ally.
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Source: www.thestar.co.uk
This notice was published: 2021-04-23 18:46:31
