21-Day Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge©

11 Asian American History Moments to Know for AAPI Month #blackandbrowngenius

14 Queer People Of Color From History You Should Definitely Know About #blackandbrowngenius

24 Famous Hispanic Americans Who Made History #blackandbrowngenius

The Undefeated 44 most influential Black Americans in history #blackandbrowngenius

20 Influential Indigenous Americans You Might Not Know About #blackandbrowngenius

The Dangers of Teaching Whitewashed American History, AACU. Explores what we might learn if we replaced outdated textbooks that whitewash history with texts that help students learn from primary sources. 

Harvard Historian Examines How Textbooks Taught White Supremacy, The Harvard Gazette. Explains how U.S. textbooks and educational strategy became perpetrators of white supremacy.

Whitewash: The story of Asian American history, Medium. Personal reflection by Risa Takenaka about the no-win efforts as a Japanese American to find a sense of belonging in a country where white is “right.”

'These are the facts': Black educators silenced from teaching America's racist past, The Guardian. As 22 states pass or consider legislation on race and racism discourse in classrooms, some Black teachers are reminded daily that their racial identity is a liability.

Some school librarians fed up with book bans are organizing and fighting back, CNN. Texas school librarians have spearheaded a grassroots effort known as #FReadom to fight back against the wave of book challenges while also creating  a space for school librarians to help each other.

Third-Graders Instructed to Re-enact Scenes From Holocaust, Principal Says, The New York Times. Third Grade teacher has students reenact aspects of the Holocaust, including portraying Hitler, digging mass graves, and simulating shootings. 

What’s Missing From the Discourse About Anti-racist Teaching, The Atlantic. Contextualizes the history of how Black educators have always known that their students are living in an anti-Black world and that their teaching must be set against the very order of that world.

The Mantra of White Supremacy, The Atlantic. Since the very first Civil Rights Act, white supremacists have cast anti-racist bills as racist toward white people. Here, Dr. Ibram X. Kendi draws that trend forward to today’s extremist claim that  that anti-racist is “anti-white.” 

Campaign Asks of Jan. 6 Rioters: 'What If They Were Black?'  Muse by Clio. Campaign features bold designs recasting the insurrectionists as persons of color, while statistics on the shirt backs detail the disproportionately harsher treatment meted out to people of color by cops and courts.

Non-Black People of Color Need to Start Having Conversations About the Anti-Blackness in Our Communities, DoSomething.org. A starting point for how non-Black people of color can engage in conversation regarding the anti-Blackness within our respective communities. 

Make Martin Luther King Day a Day "On," Not a Day Off - Points of Light, Points of Light. A case to make Martin Luther King Jr. Day an opportunity to continue his legacy by starting the year in the spirit of volunteerism and service.

Ten Tips for Putting Intersectionality into Practice, The Opportunity Agenda. When we fail to incorporate intersectionality into our everyday practices and policies, we leave parts of our communities behind.

The Intersection Of LGBTQ History And Disability, Philadelphia Gay News.  Michaelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Frida Kahlo, Marcel Proust, Virginia Woolf, James Baldwin, Audre Lorde and Adrienne Rich are well known and celebrated names in the LGBTQ community, yet their disabilities have failed to be acknowledged as critical to their identities.

Two Spirits, One Heart, Five Genders, Indian Country Today. Duane Brayboy (Tosneoc Tuscarora) offers insight to thinking and behaving beyond the binary by sharing the history and normalization Indigenous cultures’ embracing of multiple sexuality/gender identities.

Prosecutors Illegally Hid Evidence in Rodney Reed's Case for 23 Years, The Innocence Project. On June 25, 2021, The story of Rodney Reed follows a larger pattern, including the Central Park Five (aka The Exonerated Five), in which Black men are targeted and incarcerated based on the illegal withholding of evidence. The Innocence Project is dedicated to resurfacing this hidden evidence and exonerating the wrongfully accused. 

Pa. should follow Philly's lead and ban minor traffic stops that criminalize 'driving while Black', The Philadelphia Enquirer. The “driving equality” law presents a real opportunity to improve police-community relations and reduce dangerous encounters between officers and motorists.

Justice, youth, and the privilege of white innocence, Boston Globe. Kyle Rittenhouse was 17 when he shot three men, two fatally. Jurors must reject his age as an excuse for murder. Yet in 1944, it took an all-white jury a mere 10 minutes to wrongly convict 14 year old George Stinney for murdering two white girls in rural South Carolina. Two months later, Stinney, 95 pounds and barely over 5 feet tall, sat on a Bible as a booster seat in the electric chair. Exonerated 70 years later, Stinney is often mentioned as the youngest person this nation has ever executed.

Bias against Native Americans spikes when mascots are removed, phys.org. The increase in racism, however temporary, should not be seen as a reason to retain Native American mascots, Jimenez said. Instead, these findings could inform how to approach removing mascots so as to mitigate racist attitudes and actions.

Why Isn’t Kenny Washington an American Icon? Slate. The forgotten story of the man who broke the NFL’s color barrier—before Jackie Robinson got to Major League Baseball. #blackandbrowngenius

Cancel culture isn’t criticizing a comedian. It’s being murdered for living as a trans person. Boston Globe. Dave Chappelle doesn’t deserve attention. Focus instead on another deadly year of anti-trans violence.

Voting Rights Act: Beyond the Headlines, civilrightsteaching.org. This brief introduction to the bottom up history of the Voting Rights Act teaches us 12 ways voting rights, and resistance to it, reverberates today and how we can use this information to chart a more just course ahead.

Racial Turnout Gap Grew in Jurisdictions Previously Covered by the Voting Rights Act, The Brennan Center for Justice. Between 2012 and 2020, the white-Black voter turnout gap grew between 9.2 and 20.9 percentage points across five of the six states originally covered by Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. 

Meet the student bringing Black illustrations to the medical field, NBC News.  Have you ever seen a medical illustration featuring a Black body? Social media users admitted they hadn’t when an image of a Black fetus in a Black woman’s womb went viral this month.  #blackandbrowngenius

He Wore a Wire, Risked His Life to Expose Who Was in the KKK, USNews.  In nearly 10 years working undercover for the FBI inside Florida's Ku Klux Klan, Joseph Moore helped foil at least two murder plots, according to court records from a criminal trial for two of the klansmen. 

The Lesser-Known History of African-American Cowboys, Smithsonian.org. Few images embody the spirit of the American West as well as the trailblazing, sharpshooting, horseback-riding cowboy of American lore. And though African-American cowboys don’t play a part in the popular narrative, historians estimate that one in four cowboys were black. 

Why the term “BIPOC” is so complicated, explained by linguists, Vox. There is no “one size fits all” language when it comes to talking about race. This piece explores the nuances we need to understand language complexities and choices.

Final letter to editor from John Lewis, New York Times. Civil rights legend John Lewis connects past and present chapters in the unending struggle for racial justice and encourages all who care about justice to cause “good trouble.”

The invention of whiteness: The long history of a dangerous idea, The Guardian. Before the 17th century, people did not think of themselves as belonging to something called the white race. But once the idea was invented, it quickly began to reshape the modern world.

Neo-Nazis, QAnon and Camp Auschwitz: A guide to the hate symbols and signs on display at the Capitol riots, Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Visually rich understanding of who showed up with what messages for the January 6th, 2021 Capital breech.

​​Tribal Land Acknowledgements - What they Are and Why We Need to Do Them, Embracing Equity Blog. The whys and hows of Tribal Land Acknowledgements for individuals and groups across North America.

Infographic: What Is Tone Policing And Why Is It Wrong? Feminism In India. Infographic explaining what tone policing is, why it's harmful, and how to avoid it.

I’m Jewish and Don’t Identify as White. Why Must I Check That Box? New York Times. Brings historical context to the fraught identity of being Jewish in a world built on whiteness.

Pronouns: A Guide from GLSEN, GLSEN. Both a terminology guide and explanation of the whats, whys, and hows of learning and using updated gender pronouns.

Why ‘Hispanic/Latino’ isn’t a Racial Category on the U.S. Census, University of Arkansas Diversity and Inclusion IDEALS Institute. Race and ethnicity are not the same things yet are often treated as such. Why understanding the difference matters.

Allyship (& Accomplice)- The What, Why, and How, Medium. Lays out do’s and don’ts, clear examples, and the distinction between ally and accomplice mindset and behaviors.

Black History Month: The oldest University in the world is in Africa, Rolling Out. ​​The Sankoré Mosque was founded in 989 AD in the country today known as Mali. Mali was part of the ancient African Songhai Empire, one of the most powerful Kingdoms in the known world.

Third-Graders Instructed to Re-enact Scenes From Holocaust, The New York Times. Third Grade teacher has students reenact aspects of the Holocaust including portraying Hitler, digging mass graves and simulating shootings. 

Canada reaches $31.5 billion deal over Indigenous children put in foster care unnecessarily, Washington Post. About 7 percent of children in Canada are Indigenous, but they make up more than 52 percent of children in foster care. The system was put under the spotlight last year when the remains of hundreds of children were discovered at residential schools.

Anti-Democracy Cascades, Othering and Belonging Institute. Gerrymandering gave the GOP an edge in swing states; then came the attack on voting rights. A new analysis of 2020 election results shows that district lines dramatically inflated the Republican majorities that passed some of the most controversial voter-access restrictions and redistricting maps in 2021.

Teaching Hard History What we don’t know about American history hurts us all. Host Dr. Hasan Kwame Jeffries from Learning for Justice brings us the lessons we should have learned in school through the voices of leading scholars and educators. (60ish minutes each) Season 1  

This church is paying 'royalties' when it sings spirituals composed by enslaved Africans When a church buys sheet music, the composers or their estates usually receive royalties. But the enslaved people who created Negro spirituals were never rewarded for their art which gave a Massachusetts pastor had an idea. Royalties now go to a nonprofit her church has partnered with. (11 minutes)  

Teaching While White: Episodes 19 & 20: Engaging Resistance, CRT and What’s Best for Kids December 2021 In this episode, host Jenna Chandler-Ward sits down with educator, coach, author, and podcaster, Kimberland Jackson, to discuss how she talks about race with students and the resistance she encounters. (30ish minutes each)

A Brief History Of How Racism Shaped Interstate Highway, NPR. Some of the country's highways were built through thriving Black and brown communities. In President Biden’s $2 trillion plan to improve America's infrastructure, this historical transportation and urban planning racial inequity gets addressed. (7 minutes)

Well, That Went Sideways! Season 1: Episode 18 Building Bridges Jenny Medrano talks about a communication model that supports people through conflict and other challenging conversations. (22 minutes)

Our Shared Humanity: Episode 7 Guest Norma Johnson shares how she’s learning to understand and write characters with the complexity all humans deserve. As she explores ideas about the human need to belong and how interconnected we all actually are, we learn about her deft ability to disrupt and reveal patterns that hold old stories and divisions in place. (38 minutes)

The United States of Anxiety: An Anti-Racism Refresher, WNYC Studios, Anti-racist work snuck into the mainstream last year before receiving a huge backlash. Why, and what did right-wing media have to gain? Host Kai Wright explores with Dr. Ibram X. Kendi and Dr. Nicole Hemmer how right wing media serves -- and surrounds -- its audience. (54 minutes)

A Complex Racial History, with Durrell Smith, Orvis News. Reid Bryant and Durrell Smith of The Gundog Notebook lean into some tough questions in an  exploration of the complex role that race has played in the bird-hunting culture of the American Southeast. They also discuss the fruitful common ground that a love of hunting and dogs cultivates. (90 minutes)

Roundtables on Race | Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina Rev. Kathy Walker, Dave DeWitt (North Carolina Public Radio), and Sewell Chan (Los Angeles Times, Texas Tribune) discuss how news outlets are examining their race-related news coverage. (52 minutes)

Voting rights activists say Democrats in Washington need to do their job, NPR. A wave of new measures is restricting ballot access in Republican-led states. Organizers in Georgia and across the country say they're doing all they can to fight back against these laws and turn out voters. But they also say what they haven't gotten — at least not yet — is much help from Washington, D.C. (5 minutes)

Asian Enough, Los Angeles Times. A podcast about being Asian American -- the joys, the complications and everything in between. In each episode, hosts Jen Yamato, Johana Bhuiyan, Tracy Brown and Suhauna Hussain of the Times invite special guests to share personal stories and unpack identity on their own terms. They explore the vast diaspora across cultures, backgrounds and generations, and try to expand the ways in which being Asian American is defined. (episodes 40 - 60 minutes)

All My Relations Hosts Matika Wilbur (Swinomish and Tulalip) and Adrienne Keene (Cherokee Nation) explore indigeneity in all its complexity. Episodes focus on issues such as DNA identity, appropriation, feminism, food sovereignty, gender, sexuality, and more while “keeping it real, playing games, laughing a lot, and even crying sometimes.” (episodes 60ish minutes)

The Missing And Murdered Indigenous Women From Across The U.S. NPR’s Sacha Pfeiffer speaks with Annita Lucchesi (Cheyenne) about her report looking at missing and murdered indigenous women and girls in 71 cities across the U.S. (4 minutes)

This Land, a Crooked podcast. Tells the story of an 1839 assassination of a Cherokee leader and a 1999 murder case – two crimes nearly two centuries apart provide the backbone to a 2020 Supreme Court decision that determined the fate of five tribes and nearly half the land in Oklahoma. (8 episodes 30 - 40 minutes)

How QAnon-Like Conspiracy Theories Tear Families Apart, NPR Political conspiracy theories are pushing some family relationships to the breaking point. NPR's Audie Cornish talks with Dannagal Young of the University of Delaware about how to mend those rifts. (7 minutes)

Breaking Green Ceilings Podcast amplifying the voices of environmentalists from historically underrepresented communities including Disabled, Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, People of Color and accomplices. (episodes 60ish minutes) 

Teaching To Thrive Hosts Bettina Love & Chelsey Culley-Love share ideas that strengthen the everyday lives of Black and Brown students within our schools and communities. Each episode is aimed at empowering our knowledge for collective liberation. (episodes 20 - 40 minutes)

1619, A New York Times audio series, Host Nikole Hannah-Jones examines how slavery has transformed America, connecting past and present through the oldest form of storytelling. (episodes 30 - 45 minutes)

What’s Really Behind the 1619 Backlash? Host Ezra Klein explores with Nikole Hannah-Jones and Ta-Nehisi Coates the fights over teaching critical race theory and the 1619 Project. What changes when a country’s sense of its own history changes? What changes when who gets to tell that story changes? What are the stakes here, and why now? (1 hour 19 minutes) 

Origin Stories NPR’s Open Source with Chirostpher Lydon w Nikole Hannah-Jones, Philip Deloria, and Peter Linebaugh about the impact of how national origin stories get created and told. (50 minutes)

Without Slavery, Would The U.S. Be The Leading Economic Power? Here and Now  host Jeremy Hobson explores with Edward Baptist how slavery established the United States as a world economic power. (15 minutes)

You Cannot Divorce Race From Immigration NPR. Morning Edition Rachel Martin talks to Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas for a response to a story in The Atlantic, written by David Frum, proposing the U.S. cut legal immigration by half. (6 minutes)

Momentum: A Race Forward Podcast Features movement voices, stories, and strategies for racial justice. Co-hosts Chevon and Hiba give their unique takes on race and pop culture, and uplift narratives of hope, struggle, and joy, as we continue to build the momentum needed to advance racial justice in our policies, institutions, and culture. Deepen your racial justice lens and get inspired to drive action. (episodes 10 - 60 minutes)

You could also choose a song from the Soundtrack4Justice playlist below and listen closely to the lyrics.

Short, Coffee Break Length < 10 min

This is Us Dr. Eddie Glaude explains who the US is and always has been and why blaming our current situation on one person, one party, or one event misses the point. This is America. (3 minutes)

Online Anti-CRT Curriculum for Homeschoolers, No Filter with Ana Kasparian. Nina Turner and Adrienne Lawrence unpack a story about School of the West – Education for White Wellbeing. Listen for what the curriculum includes. (8 minutes)

Dr. Ala Standford - Covid Vaccines breaking through the barriers, CNN. A pediatric surgeon saw how the pandemic devastated communities of color in her hometown of Philadelphia. She responded by bringing them free testing and vaccinations through her group, the Black Doctors Covid-19 Consortium. (7 minutes) #blackandbrowngenius

Sesame Street Introduction of their first Asian American core muppet character, Ji-Young, through the AAPI Special "See Us Coming Together." She loves shredding guitar, playing soccer, and celebrating and sharing her Korean culture! (24 minutes)

No white person alive today ever owned a slave, Instagram post by @killermike highlights a handful of  racist policies and practices between the Civil Rights era and 2020, painting a picture of how racism morphs and persists despite what many of us may consider antiracist course corrections. (9 minutes)

Gloria Ladson-Billings - Critical Race Theory Distinguished Professor of Urban Education and former president of the American Educational Research Association, Gloria Ladson-Billings explains what critical race theory is and isn’t as well as offers insights to its utility in the institutional realm and impacts in the personal realm. (10 minutes)

Black couple sues for housing discrimination after experiment yields shocking result, CNN. Tenisha Tate-Austin and her husband became suspicious when the Northern California home they spent years renovating was valued by an appraiser far lower than they expected. So when they asked for a second opinion, a White friend pretended to own their home and they removed all artwork and photos that could show that it actually belonged to a Black family. The new appraisal was nearly half a million dollars higher than the previous estimate. (3 minutes)

“You can’t understand how powerfully racist that question is, can you?” Privilege to Progress Instagram post featuring Tony Morrison pointing out to a white reporter her own racist framing in asking a question only a white person would ask. (1 minute)

Teachers union president Randi Weingarten defends critical race theory, New York Post. “Let’s be clear: Critical race theory is not taught in elementary schools or high schools. It’s a method of examination taught in law school and college that helps analyze whether systemic racism exists — and, in particular, whether it has an effect on law and public policy,” she told the virtual audience. (1 minute)

Toni Rose on Charlie Rose, Toni Morrison compares white supremacy’s mindset to a neurosis that impacts all of us. (3 minutes)

The difference between being non-racist and anti-racist CBS News. Ayana Lage, Bryce Micheale Wood, Jason Reynolds, Sonya Renee Taylor, and Patrick Ewing Jr. share their thoughts on the difference being being not racist and anti racist. (6 minutes)

What Is Performative Allyship? Seventeen Magazine. A series of LGBTQIA young people describe the difference between a real ally and a performative ally and why it matters. (2 mins)

Latino and Hispanic identities aren’t the same. They’re also not racial groups MTV’s Decoded. Franchesca Ramsey and Kat Lazo explain how answering this question is tricky, largely because of the ways Hispanic and Latinx identity is racialized in the US, even though these categories don’t actually refer to a race at all. (6 minutes)

West Chester trustee decries racism during meeting Cinncinati.com. Asian American official Lee Wong reveals war scars during town meeting to push back against racism, asking 'Is this patriot enough?' (4 minutes)

Teenagers Discuss Microaggressions and Racism SheKnows Media's Hatch program creates KidsSpeak content for grown-ups, made by kids on a mission.  This workshop's mission was to educate parents on the concept of "microaggressions," defined as a form of unintentional discrimination, and their impact on teens' self-esteem. (2 minutes)

What are sundown towns and do they exist in the DMV? Leading expert says "Yes!" WUSA. James Loewen explains what sundown towns are and why we don’t know more about them. Also breaks down why Greenbook, the movie, gets it wrong on so many fronts. (7 minutes)

We Want to Do More Than Survive, C-Span. Bettina Love vividly explains the difference between allies and co-conspirators in the fight for justice. (7 minutes)

I'm not your inspiration, thank you very much, TED Talk by late comedian and journalist Stella Young who happens to go about her day in a wheelchair — a fact that doesn't, she'd like to make clear, automatically turn her into a noble inspiration to all humanity. In this very funny talk, Young breaks down society's habit of turning disabled people into "inspiration porn." (9 minutes)

How Can We Win, Author Kimberly Jones gives a powerful, spontaneous, eloquent speech explaining in detail why this is happening (racism across 450 years) and the difference between protesting, rioting and looting in 2020. (7 minutes)

You love Black culture, but do you love me? Powerful Beats By Dre spot challenging the appropriation of Black culture amidst ongoing lack of challenge to the racist systems that continue to oppress Black communities. (2 minutes)

Systemic Racism Explained, Act.TV. Animated short illustrates how systemic racism affects every area of the U.S. from incarceration to predatory lending, and how we can solve it. (4 minutes)

Defund the Police, Project Nia & Blue Seat Studios. Explains the racist origins of U.S. policing, and paints a vision for what shifting resources from police budgets to housing, food, and other basic life needs can look like. (4 minutes)

The Iroquois Influence on the Constitution, Host and producer of First Voices Indigenous Radio Tiokasin Ghosthorse explains the sequestering of two Iroquois chiefs to advise in the writing of the U.S. Constitution. (4 minutes)

Racism is Real, A split-screen video depicting the differential in the white and black lived experience. (3 minutes)

I Didn’t Tell You, Ever wonder what a day in the life of a person of color is like? Listen to this poem, written and read by Norma Johnson. (7 minutes)

50 states, 50 different ways of teaching America’s past, CBS News. Dr. Ibram X. Kendi reviews current history curriculum across the U.S. (5 minutes)

New York Times Op-Docs on Race, Multiple videos with a range of racial and ethnic perspectives on the lived experience of racism in the U.S. (each video about 6 minutes)

White Bred, Excellent quick intro to how white supremacy shapes white lives and perception. (5 minutes)

What Kind of Asian Are You? Humorous two minute youtube video that illustrates the utter silliness of the way many white Americans interact with Asian Americans. (2 minutes)

Medium, Lunch Break Length 10-50 min

Mayberry Comes to Life, CBS Sunday Morning. Ted Koppel visits Mount Airy to find out what attracts so many nostalgic for a show created more than 50 years ago. READ Moore: The veteran newsman explains how a seeming puff piece about “The Andy Griffith Show” turned into an unsettling snapshot of an angry America. Washington Post (13 minutes)

Blood On Black Wall Street: The Legacy Of The Tulsa Race Massacre, NBC News. Ahead of the 100-year anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre, Trymaine Lee travels to the neighborhood once known as Black Wall Street, where residents say the effects of the devastating violence endured for generations, and Black Tulsans are left asking, "What does justice look like after 100 years?"(43 minutes)

Why the Dem strategy in Virginia failed, and how Youngkin flipped the state, PBS NewsHour. Judy Woodruff, James Carville, Barbara Comstock, and Amy Walter discuss election outcomes and implications. (12 minutes)

REALITY CHECK: How to leave a cult, CNN. Cults of personality, conspiracy theories, religion, & politics can draw different people down rabbit holes - so how do you reach them? On the latest "Reality Check with John Avlon: Extremist Beat," Avlon talks to CNN's Elle Reeve and Donie O'Sullivan about what has worked to bring people back out. (16 videos, each under 15 minutes)

Head of teachers union says critical race theory isn't taught in schools, vows to defend "honest history", CBS News Randy Weingarten, head of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), explains that critical race theory is not taught in elementary schools. She calls the movement against critical race theory a "culture campaign" by Republicans and Fox News that attempts to suppress the truth, "limit learning and stoke fears about our public schools."(11 minutes)

Segregated By Design Richard Rothstein outlines the unconstitutional housing practices and state violence that demolished thriving racially integrated neighborhoods and prevented new ones. (19 minutes)

Sec. (of the Interior) Haaland on healing from the indoctrination, dehumanization at Indian boarding schools, PBS News Hour. July 2021 Like Canada, America has a painful history of creating boarding schools to assimilate Native American children, leading to trauma, abuse and death. For more than 150 years, Indigenous children were taken from their families and forced into far away boarding schools. But now there's a reckoning and a new federal investigation underway. Judy Woodruff discusses it with Interior Secretary Deb Haaland. (10 minutes)

Microaggressions in the Classroom, Focused.Arts.Media.Education. A wide range of microaggressions described by college students accompanied by a range of professors describing how they’ve handled their missteps. (18 minutes)

Munroe Bergdorf on racism, trans activism and acceptance English model and activist Munroe Bergdorf, known for speaking her mind on trans issues, racism and misogyny, talks to Krishnan Guru-Murthy about her own transition, the controversy that led to her being dropped by L'Oreal, and why tolerance is not enough (38  minutes)

I’ve lived as a man & a woman -- here’s what I learned, TED talk by Paula Stone Williams about the surprising injustices she discovered in transitioning from a male to a female body (15  minutes)

Indigenous People React to Indigenous Representation in Film And TV, Conversation with a diverse range of Indigenous people about media depictions of Indigenous people, Columbus day, and Indigenous identity. (15 minutes)

The urgency of intersectionality, TED Talk by Kimberlé Crenshaw that asks us to see the ways Black women have been invisibilized in the law and in the media. (19 minutes)

How to overcome our biases? Walk boldly toward them, TED Talk by Vernā Myers encourages us to work vigorously to counter balance bias by connecting with and learning about and from the groups we fear. (19 minutes)

‘We the People’ - the three most misunderstood words in US history, TED Talk by Mark Charles offers a unique perspective on three of the most misinterpreted words in American History and their connection to obstructing the promise of life, liberty, and justice for ALL. (17  minutes)

Long, Sit On the Couch Length >50 min

Colin in Black and White, Netflix. Drama series from Colin Kaepernick and Ava DuVernay exploring Kaepernick's life as an adopted biracial child in a white family, his high school years, his climb to the NFL, and the experiences that led him to become an activist. (six 30-minute episodes)

"Education Liberates" featuring bell hooks and Bettina Love, Widely considered one of the foremost intellectuals of the 21st century, bell hooks returns to St. Norbert College (De Pere, Wis.) for her fourth and final week-long residency where she explores with Bettina Love liberatory education pedagogy and black childhood. (1 hour 30 minutes) 

White Supremacy in the Global Context: panel discussion South Africa’s Center for Healing and Liberation. Resmaa Menakem, Dr. Robin DiAngelo, Leticia Nieto, Nova Reid, Edwin Cleophas, and Victoria Santos explore white supremacy’s global patterns and impact. (2 hours)

Home From School: The Children Of Carlisle, PBS. "Kill the Indian in him, and save the man.” This was the guiding principle that removed thousands of Native American children and placed them in Indian boarding schools. Among the many who died at Carlisle Indian Industrial School were three Northern Arapaho boys. Now, more than a century later, tribal members journey from Wyoming to Pennsylvania to help them finally come home. (55 minutes)

Queer Eye, season 6 episode 2 The Fab Five coach a trans powerlifter in search of her identity in new body, new home, and shifting family relationships. Great example of what a gender transition entails and how families can navigate rapid social change close to home. (55 minutes)

The Bamboo Ceiling, The Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center. As a first-generation American of Chinese (Fujianese) descent goes to school and explores career pathways, she comes face to face with barriers and challenges that negatively impact her, such as the model minority myth, racial imposter syndrome, the bamboo ceiling, glass ceiling, and microaggressions. (54 minutes) 

Exterminate All the Brutes, Four-part mini-series that deconstructs the making and masking of history, digging deep into the exploitative and genocidal aspects of European colonialism — from America to Africa and its impact on society today. (four 1-hour episodes)

Amend: The Fight for America, Netflix series by Will Smith.  When the United States of America was founded, the ideals of freedom and equality did not apply to all people. These are the stories of the brave Americans who fought to right the nation’s wrongs and enshrine the values we hold most dear into the Constitution — with liberty and justice for all.  (six 1-hour episodes)

The United States versus Billie Holiday, Hulu. Tells the 1940s story of the US government’s attempts to target Billie Holiday in a growing effort to racialize the war on drugs, ultimately aiming to stop her from singing her controversial ballad, “Strange Fruit.” (2 hours)

13th, Netflix. Ava DuVernay film uncovering the connection between US Slavery and the present day mass incarceration system. (1 hour 40 minutes)

Slavery by Another Name: The Re-Enslavement of Black Americans from the Civil War to World War II, PBS documentary challenges the idea that slavery ended with the emancipation proclamation. (90 minutes)

Race: The Power of an Illusion, California Newsreel. 3-part documentary exploring the biology of skin color, the concept of assimilation, and the history of institutional racism with particular focus on 20th century housing and lending programs and the post WWII GI Bill. (three 1-hour episodes)

Who Killed Malcom X? Netflix. Explores the decades-long investigation into who was behind the assassination of Malcom X and the mis/reporting of it. (six 40-minute episodes)

Dive into resource-rich websites that can inspire and educate you.

Social Justice Vocabulary
Social justice calendar
Native-Land.ca | Who’s Land Are You On?
Redlining Maps across the US
Map: See Which States Have Restricted Voter Access
Public Health Resources for Understanding Environmental Racism
FREE Social Justice Kids Starter Kit!
Self-care & Support for BIPOC - Antiracism Resources - Research Guides at Texas A&M University School of Law
15 mental health podcasts for people of color
Race and ethnicity across the US
White Antiracist Activists
How diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) matter | McKinsey
The Color of Justice: Racial and Ethnic Disparity in State Prisons - The Sentencing Project
All about the DREAM Act 2021 | ImmigrationHelp.org
(Divorcing) White Supremacy Culture
GLSEN
BreakOUT!
The Transgender Training Institute
​​We are not a stereotype | Learning Together by the Smithsonian  Asiam Pacific American Center
Racial Equity Tools Glossary
Othering & Belonging Institute |
Brennan Center for Justice
Black Americans and the Vote | National Archives
A Different Asian American Timeline
AAPI Data: Home
Race: The Power of An Illusion
Resources to Educate Yourself On Black Oppression
American Indians in Children's Literature (AICL)
Reading Lists - Anti-racism - Subject Guides at University of Iowa extensive and organized by sector
Resources for Talking to Students about Police Violence and the Murder of George Floyd
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Anti-Asian Violence Resources
Allied Organizations

Once people start to learn about white privilege – past and present – they often ask, “Why didn’t I see this sooner?” It’s easy to overlook what we’re not looking for. Once you understand the phenomenon of selective noticing, take yourself on a noticing adventure.

1) Watch the Test Your Awareness: Do The Test

2) Go out in the world and change up what you notice. (Some of this will be influenced differently pre/during/post COVID. You may need to rely on memories until we are on the move again!) Here’s some of what you might look for:

• Who is and is not represented in ads? 
• Who are your ten closest friends? What is the racial mix in this group? 
• As you move through the day, what’s the racial composition of the people around you? On your commute? At the coffee shop you go to? At the gym? At your workplace? At the show you go on the weekend? 
• What percentage of the day are you able to be with people of your own racial identity?
• Notice how much of your day you are speaking about racism. Who are you engaging with on these issues? Who are you not? 
• What are the last five books you read? What is the racial mix of the authors? 
• What is the racial mix of the main characters in your favorite TV shows? Movies?
• What is the racial mix of people pictured in the photos and artwork in your home? In your friend, family, and colleagues’ homes?
• Who is filling what kinds of jobs/social roles in your world? (e.g. Who’s the store manager and who’s stocking the shelves? Who’s waiting on tables and who’s bussing the food?) Can you correlate any of this to racial identity? 
• Who do you notice on magazine covers? What roles are people of color filling in these images?
• If you’re traveling by car, train, or air, do you notice housing patterns? How is housing arranged? Who lives near the downtown commerce area and who does not? Who lives near the waterfront and who does not? Who lives in industrial areas and who does not? What is the density of a given neighborhood? Can you correlate any of this to racial identity?
• Notice language. Specifically, notice when “white” is not mentioned because it’s the default, while people of color’s race is mentioned to distinguish them from the default. To better understand this pattern, Watch Nikole Hannah Jones notice and point out to Chuck Todd when he falls into this language trap. (watch minute 13 - 14) Are you willing to speak up, correct yourself out loud, and help others notice this pattern?

3)  Review the Continuum on Becoming an Anti-Racist, Multicultural Institution with a small group of people at your workplace, faith institution, club, or any organization you’re a part of. 

• Where do you think the organization is right now?
• What’s your evidence?
• Has the organization evolved in some ways?
• What caused/allowed for that?
• Has the organization articulated a desire to evolve towards being an anti-racist, multicultural organization?
• If not, do you have the power to influence that movement?
• Who are your in-organization and/or stakeholder allies?
• If yes, what steps is it taking?
• Could it be doing more? If so, what?
• Who are your in-organization and/or stakeholder allies?

Follow justice activists, educators, organizations, and movements on social media. Consider connecting with any of the people /organizations you learn about in the above resources. Here are more ideas to widen your circle of who you follow. Pro Tip: check out who these organizations follow, quote, repost, and retweet to find more people/organizations to follow.

Social Justice Kids |Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
hollaback!  |Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Anti-Racism Daily
Indigenous Environmental Network
Latina Rebels (@latinarebels) • Instagram
Antiracism Center: Twitter
Audre Lorde Project: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Black Women’s Blueprint: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Justice League NYC: Twitter | Instagram + Gathering For Justice: Twitter | Instagram
The Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
MPowerChange: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Muslim Girl: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
NAACP: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
National Domestic Workers Alliance: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
RAICES: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook 
SisterSong: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
National Center for Transgender Equality |Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Movement for Black Lives (M4BL) |Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Dream Defenders |Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum: APIAHF |Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
United We Dream| Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
The Philanthropy Initiative |Twitter
National Congress of American Indians |Twitter | Facebook
Antiracism Center |Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Audre Lorde Project| Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Black Women’s Blueprint| Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Color Of Change| Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Colorlines| Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
The Conscious Kid| Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Equal Justice Initiative (EJI)| Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Families Belong Together| Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
The Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights| Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ)| Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Teaching Tolerance |Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Colours of Us |Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Anti-Defamation League |Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Nonprofit AF |Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Define American |Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
AWARE-LA |Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Black Minds Matter |Twitter
18MillionRising |Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Black Voters Matter |Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Teaching While White |Twitter | Facebook
White Nonsense Roundup |Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Conversations with White People: Talking about race |Facebook
Race Forward |Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Racial Equity Tools |Twitter | Facebook
1Hood Media |Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
White Awake |Twitter | Facebook
The Transgender Training Institute |Twitter | Instagram | Facebook 

This can be the hardest part for people new to racial justice work. Engaging in racially mixed settings can trigger age-old power and privilege dynamics. The goal is to be a learner more than a knower, exactly the opposite of what dominant U.S. culture teaches us to be.

Here are some Engagement Tips to guide you:

• Enter the process to learn and bridge knowledge gaps.
• Enter the process to practice mindful social habits like the ones below.
  • Work to stay engaged even when your mind and body start sending you signals to shrink or walk away.
  • Ask clarifying questions.
  • Acknowledge what you don’t know.
  • Validate others by listening closely and believing the truth and importance of what they are sharing.
  • Share airtime so that multiple perspectives are shared.
  • Take space, Make space
    • If you are generally quiet and/or from a marginalized group socialized to stay small, step up and practice speaking more.
    • If you are a chatty extrovert and/or from a privileged group (male, white, heterosexual, able, etc.), spend more time listening and observing than talking.
  • Notice your biases and judgments as they arise. These are gold for you to excavate your subconscious!
  • Notice when you are uncomfortable. Reflect on why you’re uncomfortable and think about what you can do to build more emotional stamina in this area.
  • Honor confidentiality. Though you can share what you are learning in general terms, do not repeat stories in a way that can be traced back to the person who shared it.
• Find a mentor within your own racial group to support and guide your growth.

If you are white, join a Showing Up For Racial Justice (SURJ) chapter in your area.

Google who’s who in your area by typing in ‘Racial Justice” or “Anti-Racist/m” + name of city/town, organization, or sector. A few website visits, emails, and phone calls later, you’ll likely have an idea of how to get on the mailing list of one or more organizations in your area who are addressing issues of power and privilege. Once you connect to one, it’s easy to connect to many!

Research racial justice speakers and see who might be coming to your local university, church, community center, or speaker series.

Take a course. Community Colleges and Adult Education Centers are a great place to find a course about social justice issues. Here are just a few to get you going:

Unmasking Whiteness Institute — AWARE-LA
White People Challenging Racism - Moving From Talk to Action
AntiRacism I
Race and Cultural Diversity in American Life and History

We are just starting this list of online courses. Please help us build it by sending your ideas to 21daychallenge@theprivilegeinstitute.com

Though many people want to jump to action sooner instead of later, action without a vigorous self-education, self-reflection, and multiracial coalition can unexpectedly reproduce the very power and privilege dynamics we seek to interrupt. That said, sometimes acting immediately is called for. Welcome to the messy, imperfect world of challenging the status quo! Here are a few actions that you might consider:

1. Invite friend(s), family, and/or colleagues to do the 21-Day Challenge with you.
2. Prepare yourself to interrupt racial jokes. Click HERE for some advice about how.
3. Interrupt the pattern of white silence by speaking openly with family, friends, and colleagues about what you’re doing and learning in the 21-Day Challenge. 
4. Learn to speak specifically about privilege. Though the below guide is for organized group conversations, the talking points are applicable to spontaneous, one-on-one conversations.
   Living Room Conversation on Status and Privilege
5. Practice a difficult conversation with someone (yes, we mean role play). Here are three great resources to give you conversation tips.
   • Ten Lessons for Talking About Race, Racism, and Racial Justice | The Opportunity Agenda
   • Crucial Conversations: 10 Tips for Handling Difficult Conversations with Family - UMMS Health
   • Talking to Kids About Race and Racism (for Parents) - Inova Fairfax Hospital
6. Invite friend(s), family, and/or colleagues to join you for one or more of your daily “to-do’s” for a low-threshold invitation into the work and introduction to the 21-Day Challenge.
7. Find out if your school, workplace, or faith group has an Equity Committee. What can you learn from them? Are they open to new members? Join if you can. Support in other ways if you can’t.
8. Find organizations such as The Privilege Institute and other non-profits doing racial justice work and support them through donating your time, money, and other resources. 
9. Find a 21-Day Challenge group in your region or sector and reach out to connect with, and perhaps co-create a region or sector specific 21-Day Challenge in the future. Google “21-Day Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge + your state, region, or sector”
10. When the status quo is blatantly racist, disrupt it. No matter how big or small, put yourself out there to create change. No need to wait until you are comfortable disrupting; it may never get comfortable, though you will get better at managing discomfort. These actions are generally more successful when done in multiracial coalition. Examples from past participants include: 
    • Demanding administration change the name of a dodgeball team from “The Cottonpickers” 
    • Improving the representation of books in the library by raising funds and purchasing hundreds of new books 
    • Conducting an equity audit within the organization
    • Creating learning communities to set goals, objectives, and action plans
    • Disrupting inappropriate language by offering alternative language you yourself are learning
    • Speaking, emailing, and posting about articles, blogs, movies, and this 21-Day Challenge that you find impactful. 

Let people know you are not neutral!

If you have young people in your life, integrate these resources to share and have conversations around. Choose three days of the challenge to read and have conversations with the young person/people in your life. Here are some great choices.

In the literature world there is a saying about books needing to be both windows and mirrors (Sims Bishop, R., 1990). If you are going to use multicultural books to introduce issues of social justice at home, you must be willing to engage in conversations that are also windows and mirrors so your children can understand both sides. Because there are multiple opportunities for multicultural books to increase stereotypes instead of eradicating them, it is a good idea to choose literature, always authentic, from reputable sources. Below are a few recommendations. 

Youth Media Awards from the American Library Association This site is an excellent resource for award winning multicultural literature. Books are K-12.

Colours of Us Colours of Us contains over 500 recommended multicultural books organized by age level, race and ethnicity. In addition, this site offers collections such as, 37 Children’s Books to help talk about Racism and Discrimination and 70+ picture books about mixed races families. Books are K-12.

Cooperative Children's Book Center The CCBC of Madison maintains one of the most up to date book lists of books.
Bibliographies include:
Peaceful Engagement: 25 Books for PreK-3 on Kindness, Empathy and Understanding
Never Too Old: Picture Books to Share with Older Children and Teens
Thick-skinned, Thin-skinned, The Skin I’m In: Books about Bullying, Teasing, Relational Aggression and School Violence

American Indians in Children’s Literature Debbie Reese is considered one of the foremost experts on Indigenous K-12 literature. Her blog includes not only recommended books but informative articles and book recommendations. 

 Selecting Anti-bias Children's Books (also applies to Young Adult Learners)

The best source for how to engage in a read aloud is Mem Fox. Fox has two essential tips: One, before starting the book make eye contact with each listener and continue the contact often; and Two, fall in love with the pause. A pause increases attention. 

These are only a few recommendations. The idea is to be certain the literature you are using is authentic and recommended by experts in the community they represent. 

Here are a few excellent books that will create great discussions at home. Break young adult and middle school books into 3-4 sections depending on reading level. 

High School

The 57 Bus - A true story set in San Francisco, The 57 Bus follows two high school students caught on different sides of an unfortunate prank. Exploring LGBTQ+ identity and racism these very personal narratives draw the readers into the personal lives of two teens who both wish that day had never happened. 

Stamped - Based on the bestselling Stamped from the Beginning by Dr. Ibram X Kendi and written by Jason Reynolds, the current National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, Stamped is described as a journey through the racial history of the United States. Through facts and engaging narrative Reynolds brings history to life in a way that will engage our youth in a nonfiction book for the ages. 

We are Not Free - The dark history of the internment of Japanese Americans is too often a minimal part of the educational curriculum. This fiction novel follows members of the same community in San Francisco on their journey through the camps. The interweaving of multiple stories, historical facts, and emotional journeys makes this book a remarkable account of untold stories that should be told.  

The Firekeeper’s Daughter - In The Firekeeper’s Daughter, Boulley weaves a thrilling murder mystery with a coming to age talk of a strong Anishinaabe kwe (Ojibwe woman). Intertwined throughout the story are Anishinaabe language and culture as Daunis struggles with caring for a fragile mother, her role as a non-registered member of the Ojibwe community and a love story riddled with mystery. 

Middle School

El Deafo - Have you ever wanted to have a superpower? Who hasn’t? But what if your superpower allows you to help others as well as possibly hurt them?  In this amazing “slightly fictionalized” graphic novel, CeCe Bell weaves a powerful story of the search for true friendship. 

Ghost - The first in the track series by award winning author Jason Reynolds, the story of Ghost is not just about finding oneself, but also finding one's “people.” Told through the development of a character that draws readers into pulling for Ghost, the team, and the coach, readers are taught to believe in the power of a team as family. 

Sylvia & Aki - A true story of two young girls caught in a historical time of prejudice, racism and privilege. Aki and her family are removed from their farm and forced into a Japanese Internment Camp. Sylvia’s family rents the farm only to be embroiled in a fight to allow Sylvia to attend the white school down the street as opposed to the Mexican school further away. A story central to school desegregation through Mendez v Westminster and prior to Brown V BOE, Sylvia and Aki highlight the strength of our youth. 

Picture Books

The Bell Rang - A gripping story of a week in the lives of enslaved Africans on a southern plantation. Day by day through emotional illustrations readers follow a sister’s heart wrenching wait for the dogs to bark. Will today be the day? 

Shin-Chi’s Canoe - Imagine young children who cry when their parents leave for an hour, or a day. And then imagine being six and put on a cattle car to a school far from home. The unconscionable history of US Government Boarding schools for members of First Nations is told in Shin-Chi’’s Canoe. Gentle and yet honest, readers will learn to build empathy and recognize inequities in history so we never repeat them. 

Red: A Crayon’s Story - Why must we match? Why must what is inside us be reflected on the outside? This simple and yet moving and complex book explores complex issues of identity that make sense even to the youngest. A must read to discuss compassion and understanding. 

The Name Jar - Names are ours. But when our name is something others can’t pronounce, is it ok for them to change it to make it “easier” for them? The Name Jar is a must read in every classroom as it celebrates the joy of our name, our families, our journey through life. 

Bishop, R. S. (1990). Mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors. Perspectives, 6(3), ix-xi.

Reflecting and Journaling is a crucial piece of the challenge. Plan to take time everyday to reflect on what you chose to do, what you’re learning, and how you are feeling. Difficult emotions such as shame and anger, though uncomfortable to feel, can guide you to deeper self-awareness about how power and privilege impacts you and the people in your life. At the very least, use the “Reflect” space on the below tracking tool.

Create a Soundtrack4Justice playlist that fuels you and/or can serve as a conversation starter with people of all ages.

You can find ours on Youtube, Apple Music, or see individual songs below:

New America - Marina
No Justice No Peace - Bobby Hustle, Asha D Pipo Ti
It’s a good day (to fight the system) / Shungudzo
Emma Stevens - Blackbird by The Beatles sung in Mi'kmaq Live at CBU
Nina Simone - I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free (Audio)
Kalolin Johnson - We Shall Remain (It Wasn't Taken Away)
Sister Sledge - We Are Family (Official Music Video)
Ain’t Got No, I Got Life / Nina Simone
Baltimore / Nina Simone
Be Free / J Cole
Blended Family / Alicia Keys
Blue Bucket of Gold/Gallant X Sufjan Stevens
Born This Way / Lady Gaga
Brave / Sara Bareilles
Call Me By Your Name / Lil Nas X
Colors in Bloom / Lex Allen ft. Taj Raiden
Fight the Power / Public Enemy
Fight Song / Rachel Platten
Formation / Beyonce
For The Kids / Homeboy Sandman
Four Women / Nina Simone
Give Your Hands to Struggle / Sweet Honey in the Rock
Get Up, Stand Up / Bob Marley
Good As Hell / Lizzo
Good Way / Frank Waln w/ Gunner Jules & Rollie Raps
Hear My Cry / Frank Waln w/ Cody Blackbird
House Of A Thousand Guitars / Bruce Springsteen
Hijabi / Mona Hayder
If It’s Magic / Stevie Wonder
Industry Baby / Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow
It’s a good day (to fight the system) / Shungudzo
Keep Your Head Up / Tupac
Love’s In Need of Love Today / Stevie Wonder
Living for the City / Stevie Wonder
Mercedes Benz / Janis Joplin
My Country ‘Tis Of Thy People You’re Dying / Buffy Sainte Marie
Ne Me Quitte Pas / Nina Simone
People Get Ready / Curtis Mayfield and The Impressions
Rich Girl / Nina Simone
Roar / Katy Perry
Same As It Ever Was/Michael Franti & Spearhead
Same Love / Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Save Me / Nina Simone
Slow Up / Jacob Banks
Stay Human / Michael Franti & Spearhead
Super Rich Kids / Frank Ocean
Strength, Courage & Wisdom / India Arie
The 10 Stop and Frisk Commandments / Jasiri X
The Colour in Anything / James Blake
Try / Colbie Caillat
We The People / Tribe Called Quest
Try Everything / Shakira
Where Is The Love / Black Eyed Peas
White Privilege / Mackelmore
White Privilege II / Macklemore
Whitey on the Moon / Gil Scott-Heron
Stand 4 What / Nick Cannon 
This Is America / Childish Gambino
To Be Young Gifted and Black, Nina Simone
Ultra Black / Nas