When I was 18 years old, a freshman in college, I returned to my hometown for Thanksgiving break. My hometown is predominately white and my college friends are predominately Black, I am both white and hispanic (see: blog post of the in-between). One night during break, my highschool friends and I were all sharing stories of our first semester in college. When I began to share, a friend stopped me and said, “Is she Black?” I remember pausing and thinking it was a strange, unnecessary question but I FAILED to address it. Failed to begin discourse on why the question was relevant, failed to begin to break into the preconceived notions of “normal” in my friends’ worlds. I love the friend who asked, he is big hearted and kind, yet in this area he needed to learn and I failed to teach. It was a turning point for me, and I refused to do it again. I hope this is your moment.
IG: @torhawleycreative @torhawley || twitter: @torhawleylegal || www.torhawley.com
WAYS TO ENGAGE
BOOKS
The New Jim Crow
The Color of Law
Unsettling Truths by Mark Charles and Soong-Chan Rah
White Fragility by Robin Diangelo
The Hidden Cost of Being African American by Thomas M. Shapiro
Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin
Race Talk and the Conspiracy of Silence by Derald Wing Sue
Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
PODCASTS
The Breakdown – Shaun King
Pod Save the People – Crooked Media
Small Doses – Amanda Seales
MOVIES
The 13th – Netflix
The Kalief Browder Story – Netflix
Just Mercy (but read the book first!)
When They See Us – Netflix
People to Follow
@barackobama
@rachel.cargle
@leemerrittesq
@attorneygriggs
@shaunking
@blackandembodied
@amandascgorman
@refinecltv
@berniceaking
@ckyourprivilege
@cleowade
@eji_org
@theconsciouskid
@blacklovepage*
*Though this page isn’t dedicated to informing about racial justice, I think it is beautiful in that it shares love stories of Black couples and families, a big celebration!
ARTISTS
One thing I love about Black artists is that so many of them celebrate Black stories, bodies, and voices with ferocity. They are champions of their communities and it is seriously beautiful.
@dwhite.original – visual art
@kunle_paints – visual art
@blackboyheal (this is a feature photography page, but I love that it is changing the narrative of how Black men are perceived)
@chuchuojekwe – photographer
@okoshea – I’m a bit biased because he is my friend, but I admire O’Shea’s photography, his creativity, his music. He refuses to settle and is always learning new creative skills. Big fan!
@dextercarr – dancer
@ciscochoreography – dancer, choreographer
@amandaseales – comedian
@ava – Ava DuVernay – director, producer
@issarae – comedian, writer, actress, producer
BUSINESSES
I am a bit biased, but I LOVE @blkandbold (https://blkandbold.com/). They are a black owned, Iowa based coffee and tea company who donates 5% of their profits to organizations around the country that serve at-risk youth. Their products are also incredibly delicious and can be found on their website, Target and target.com, and on Amazon.
If you’re in Chicago, check out @refinecltv (https://www.refinecltv.com/directory). It maps over 200 minority owned businesses in the city.
Many people have posted lists in every city. I suggest looking up minority owned businesses in your area and GOING to those places, buying from them online, etc. This way, you are supporting your community and combating racial injustices all at once!
EDUCATION
Honestly, you all need to go to https://blacklivesmatter.com/. I fear too many have assumed the purpose, mission, and message of BLM for far too long. Go to their page. Read their mission. Learn about their founders, their work. They also have great learning tools such as videos, petitions, and toolkits (linked here).
The Obama Foundation has released legislative suggestions and toolkits. It also has great resources for getting engaged in voting, in your community, and in volunteer efforts worldwide. Whether you agree with his politics or not, the Obamas are incredible leaders who are empowering young leaders through this organization.*
The Great Unlearn (@thegreatunlearn) is an education program created by Rachel Cargle. Membership pricing is super cheap ($5-15 per month depending on the membership) and provides coursework, resources and conversations to begin to unlearn the histories, stories, and systems upon which racial disparities have been built. Also, Rachel is a great leader in that she is direct, but kind.
Stanford has a plethora of reasonably priced online courses. This is a legal course on comparative equality and anti-discrimination and is $75. It also says that businesses can purchase it for employee training… umm, cool!!!
CONVERSATION
Two Major Points:
Listen to Black people. Too often we see things like “quit pulling the race card” and “don’t be divisive.” It is essential that we LISTEN, to truly understand not to respond, to Black people and their experiences. They are not lying to you.
I think it is important to create a safe space for conversations. When we attack, we get shut down or retribution. Create safe spaces within your circles in which people can vulnerably share their perspectives and then begin to offer a different viewpoint.
Racism as a spectrum
This is challenging for many white communities, especially in older generations. Racism used to be seen as overt acts: lynching, segregation, etc. The term is more broad however, as it encompasses microaggressions that perpetuate racism in your communities. *see graphic*
Microaggressions is a term used to describe many acts that are in the “socially acceptable” category. Here is an article that describes the term(s) well, though it might be an uncomfortable read.
White Privilege
Change the narrative. Privilege does not mean that you never had hardship, but that your struggles were not because of your race, nor further exasperated because of your race.
VOTING
Change the conversation from party politics, begin researching how a candidate stands and votes on race issues. Has the county/district attorney ever prosecuted a police officer in an unjust killing? What are the incarceration rates in your county? Do your politicians talk about it? Is police reform legislature on the table? Are their offices diverse, truly diverse?
DONATE
ACLU in your area
Black Lives Matter chapter in your area
EJI.org (After you read Just Mercy, you’ll be dying to donate here!)
ACT
Seek out Black stories and experiences. Phoenix has a really cool recurring event called The Whole Story (@thewholestoryshow on IG) in which the host, Rachel Egboro (@unrachable), invites Black people to share funny, empowering, and whatever stories they want to share. It is a great event. Seek similar ones out in your community.
I really like THIS list and think it is comprehensive.
You MUST be educated in and vote in local elections. They are essential.
I hope this list of resources is a beginning for you, it is your first step of many. Once you engage in an area, or with a resource, or follow a new instagram– I encourage you to listen and to engage further. You love following Amanda Seales? Great, who does she follow, repost, engage with? Connect there. You loved the toolkits on BLM? Great, how can you implement some ideas into your own community? YOU CAN engage and evoke change. Don’t slow down.
MEET TOR
