Hank and John Green together form the “Vlog Brothers” — two white brothers who regularly post short videos on a number of different themes via YouTube. John is also an award-winning and very popular author of YA fiction (think Will Grayson, Will Grayson, and Fault in Our Stars), and Hank is the creator of Crash Course videos, as well as a whole host of other popular resources. They have pulled together a very helpful list of videos on racism and race, and are urging people to LISTEN carefully.
Category Archives: race
Ways to be a peacemaker
This is an essay relevant in all sorts of ways, to all sorts of organizing. Today it appeals to me in the aftermath of recent deaths, arguing for ways to be a peacemaker in a time of hatred.
Bearing witness but never finding justice
Dr. Emilie Townes offers a compelling reflection this week on what it means that we continue to bear witness to injustice, without ever finding justice.
Allies and solidarity
Here is a piece that was first published back in 2013 offering a strong critique of the liberal use of the word “ally.” I still agree with Chescaleigh’s offering of “5 tips for being an ally” — one of which is that “ally” is a verb! — but I think this piece offers some important pushback on the use of “ally” when it means only personal perspectives rather than actual action.
More on white fragility
Here’s an even more concise piece by Robin DiAngelo on “white fragility.”
Seeing whiteness exercises
Reggie Williams offers some ideas for ways to help students “see whiteness.”
Self care for people of color after trauma
It is very much worth noting this advice on self care for people of color after trauma. And in perhaps the same vein, this advice for white people on ways to process emotion without bringing the white tears.
#PhilandoCastile
This morning we woke up in MN to the latest killing of a Black person by a police officer. This time it was Philando Castile, shot in his car in front of his girlfriend and her 4 year old daughter. Words fail.
As always, we will try to post useful pieces at this blog. In the meantime, here are a few to begin with:
- a litany for those who aren’t ready for healing
- Campaign Zero (ten point platform for ending police violence)
- MN ACLU Mobile Justice app (to make documentation easier)
- Presiding Bishop of the ELCA, Eizabeth Eaton’s, statement
- Stated Clerk of the PCUSA, J. Herbert Nelson II’s statement
- Statement from the St. Paul Public Schools (where Philando worked)
- Statement from Lutherans of African Descent
Jesse Williams at the BET awards
Jesse Williams, known for his work on the hit TV show Grey’s Anatomy, took time at the recent BET Awards to speak bluntly about systemic racism, and the need for transformation in the US. There’s a great collection of his talks at the Zinn site, but here’s the speech from the award ceremony:
Enjoying instead of appropriating culture
Here’s a lovely illustration of how to appreciate another person’s or community’s culture, rather than seeking to appropriate it. The difference matters! It’s the difference between approaching and learning vs. assuming and taking.