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Divided: Racism, Medicine and Why We Need to Decolonise Healthcare by Dr Annabel Sowemimo

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Divided: Racism, Medicine and Why We Need to Decolonise Healthcare by Dr Annabel Sowemimo

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Wish we knew what to say: Talking with children about race by Pragya Agarwal

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Wish we knew what to say: Talking with children about race by Pragya Agarwal

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Sway: Unravelling unconscious bias by Pragya Agarwal

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Sway: Unravelling unconscious bias by Pragya Agarwal

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Black and British: A short, essential history by David Olusoga

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Black and British: A short, essential history by David Olusoga

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Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race: Reni Eddo-Lodge

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Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race: Reni Eddo-Lodge

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The black friend: on being a better white person by Frederick Joseph

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The black friend: on being a better white person by Frederick Joseph

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The hill we climb: An inaugural poem by Amanda Gorman

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The hill we climb: An inaugural poem by Amanda Gorman

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https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jan/20/amanda-gorman-poem-biden-inauguration-transcript

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I belong here: A journey along the backbone of Britain by Anita Sethi

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I belong here: A journey along the backbone of Britain by Anita Sethi

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Silence is not an option: You can impact the world for Change by Stuart Lawrence

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Silence is not an option: You can impact the world for Change by Stuart Lawrence

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Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You: A Remix of the National Book Award-winning Stamped from the Beginning by Jason Reynolds Ibram X. Kendi

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Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You: A Remix of the National Book Award-winning Stamped from the Beginning by Jason Reynolds Ibram X. Kendi

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Brit (ish) )n Race, Identity and Belonging by Afua Hirsch

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Brit (ish) )n Race, Identity and Belonging by Afua Hirsch

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So you want to talk about race by Ijeoma Oluo

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So you want to talk about race by Ijeoma Oluo

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A straightforward exploration of racism in America today.

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Akala addresses the Oxford Union about African History.

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Akala addresses the Oxford Union about African History.

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Akala | Full Address and Q&A | Oxford Union

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Afua Hirsch: The system isn't broken. It was built this way.

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Afua Hirsch: The system isn't broken. It was built this way.

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The system isn’t broken. It was built this way.

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Watch the TED Interview With the Founders of Black Lives Matter

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Watch the TED Interview With the Founders of Black Lives Matter

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Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors and Opal Tometi: An interview with the founders of Black Lives Matter

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Born out of a social media post, the Black Lives Matter movement has sparked discussion about race and inequality across the world. In this spirited conversation with Mia Birdsong, the movement's three founders share what they've learned about leadership and what provides them with hope and inspiration in the face of painful realities.

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The danger of a single story. TED Talk by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

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The danger of a single story. TED Talk by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

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Our lives, our cultures, are composed of many overlapping stories. Novelist Chimamanda Adichie tells the story of how she found her authentic cultural voice -- and warns that if we hear only a single story about another person or country, we risk a critical misunderstanding.

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Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine

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Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine

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Watch former president Obama's speech where he calls for our collective awakening, and for the terrible death of Floyd George to be used as an opportunity to make a change, to galvanise America to ‘live up to its highest ideals.’ His faith in young people is encouraging. As he says, ‘Dr King was a young man’. Listen, feel inspired. 

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Watch former president Obama's speech where he calls for our collective awakening, and for the terrible death of Floyd George to be used as an opportunity to make a change, to galvanise America to ‘live up to its highest ideals.’ His faith in young people is encouraging. As he says, ‘Dr King was a young man’. Listen, feel inspired. 

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Historian David Olusoga explores the enduring relationship between Britain and people whose origins lie in Africa.

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BBC Two - Black and British: A Forgotten History

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A look at the relationship between Britain and people whose origins lie in Africa.

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How to argue with a racist: History, Science, Race and Reality by Adam Rutherford 

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How to argue with a racist: History, Science, Race and Reality by Adam Rutherford 

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White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo

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White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo

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Talk on Youtube by Dr Robin DiAngelo (22 mins) Deconstructing White Privilege

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Talk on Youtube by Dr Robin DiAngelo (22 mins) Deconstructing White Privilege

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General Commission on Religion and Race of The UMC

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Deconstructing White Privilege with Dr. Robin DiAngelo

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Natives: Race & Class in the ruins of Empire by Akala

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Natives: Race & Class in the ruins of Empire by Akala

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Our unique approach combining pedagogy, classroom resources, professional development and ongoing support equips teachers with the tools and strategies they need to help students become thoughtful, responsible citizens.

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Our unique approach combining pedagogy, free teaching resources, CPD opportunities and ongoing support equips teachers with the tools and strategies they need to support student motivation, engagement, academic performance and active citizenship.

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Frederick Douglass: My bondage and my freedom

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Frederick Douglass: My bondage and my freedom

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SOAS blog: Decolonising the curriculum: What's all the fuss?

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SOAS blog: Decolonising the curriculum: What's all the fuss?

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You may have recently read false news reports that SOAS students have called for the removal of white philosophers such as Plato and Kant from their reading lists. It bears repeating that these reports are untrue - they are calling for a greater representation of non-European thinkers, as well as better historical awareness of the contexts in which scholarly knowledge has been produced. This is part of a wider student campaign to 'decolonise the university ', which includes discussions around the curriculum and teaching, support and outcomes for BME students, terms and conditions for campus workers and other aspects of university life.

Why would anyone want to 'decolonise the curriculum', and what does this mean for academic study? Like the word 'democracy', 'decolonisation' can mean different things. Below, I offer three interpretations of what it means to 'decolonise the curriculum' and how they can make our universities better places.

First, 'decolonising the curriculum' asks us to look at our shared assumptions about how the world is. It is accepted in many disciplines that in the past, assumptions regarding racial and civilizational hierarchy informed a lot of thinking about how the world worked, what was worth studying in it and how it should be studied. Such assumptions also informed and justified the expansion of colonial rule in Asia, Africa and the Middle East until the mid-twentieth century.

Whilst many of these assumptions have been challenged with the dismantling of colonial rule, many persist in public discourse as well as academic study. For example, whilst many may not call societies 'backward' explicitly today, many theories and practices of development depend on this very assumption. Is this justified? What else does this assume? One interpretation of 'decolonising the curriculum' means interrogating such assumptions, models and frameworks for these specific biases. We have been doing this for a long time in different fields, but understanding it as 'decolonising the curriculum' connects it to this wider sphere of activity.

Second, 'decolonising the curriculum' asks the crucial questions about the relationship between the location and identity of the writer, what they write and how they write about it. Would we find it acceptable if the writings and teachings on the situation of women and gender relations were done almost exclusively by men? How would this influence the kinds of perspectives presented? Similarly, is it acceptable if writings and teachings about international regions or global affairs are done almost exclusively by writers from or based within the West? How does this influence our understanding? If we think that there is some kind of a relationship between position and perspective on an issue, and we want to broaden our understanding through engaging with more perspectives, we need to diversify the sources we engage in our scholarship. Again, this is something that has been underway for some time within SOAS and beyond it - our teaching on World Philosophies and World Englishes are good examples of these trends. Combined with the previous point, there is a powerful case for why a diversified curriculum enables more knowledge and more intellectual rigour.

Third, 'decolonising the curriculum' asks us to think about the implications of a more diverse student body in terms of pedagogy and achievement. Because we live in a society marked by structural inequalities of different kinds, as educators we must work hard to give our students equal opportunities to flourish and succeed. This includes defining and dealing with racism as it is woven into different aspects of university life. When BME students report a sense of alienation from particular topics of study or dynamics in the classroom, we have a duty to address this through dialogue amongst teachers and students.

Although at SOAS our BME attainment rates are significantly better than the UK average, racialized attainment gaps anywhere are not an acceptable part of higher education. Dealing with such gaps does not entail compromising academic standards, abandoning academic freedom or avoiding controversial topics, as much of the coverage would have you believe. Nor does it involve taking everything that is said at face value. Rather, it involves cultivating an environment in which all of us can have an honest, respectful and rigorous discussion about what is happening, how it can be set right and what that entails. In doing so, we need to apply precisely the kind of skills that we seek to cultivate in universities - intellectual clarity, evidence, courage, openness to new ideas - and a commitment to an education system that works for all.

'Decolonising the curriculum' can mean many things and is not something that happens overnight; it requires a sustained and serious commitment within the institution and across the sector. We might also remind ourselves that contestations over the politics of knowledge are as old as universities themselves, and in this sense the present student campaign is itself a manifestation of that fusty old academic tradition - to challenge received wisdom, to ask questions about society and to generate the insight needed to change the world.

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Decolonising the curriculum: what's all the fuss about?

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Why would anyone want to 'decolonise the curriculum', and what does this mean for academic study? Like the word 'democracy', 'decolonisation' can mean different things. Here I offer three interpretations of what it means to 'decolonise the curriculum' and how they can make our universities better places.

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Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom by David w. Blight

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Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom by David w. Blight

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How to be an antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi

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How to be an antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi

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The Good Immigrant USA edited by Nikesh Shukla

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The Good Immigrant USA edited by Nikesh Shukla

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Black Boy: A record of youth and childhood by Richard Wright

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Black Boy: A record of youth and childhood by Richard Wright

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What is race? Who are racists? Why does skin colour matter? And other big questions by Claire Heuchan & Nikesh Shukla

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What is race? Who are racists? Why does skin colour matter? And other big questions by Claire Heuchan & Nikesh Shukla

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Between the world and me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

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Between the world and me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

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Slay in your lane by Yomi Adegoke & Elizabeth Uviebinene. The Black Girl Bible.

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Slay in your lane by Yomi Adegoke & Elizabeth Uviebinene. The Black Girl Bible.

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Desert Island Discs with Malorie Blackman. (2013) A prolific and multi-award winning author, Malorie Blackman has powered her way to success not just through talent but determination and perseverance. From the careers teacher who told her, "black people don't become teachers," to the 82 rejection letters she received before she was published, significant parts of her life seem to have been spent proving people wrong. As a writer her books have tackled challenging themes: bullying, teenage pregnancy, racism and terrorism.

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Desert Island Discs with Malorie Blackman. (2013) A prolific and multi-award winning author, Malorie Blackman has powered her way to success not just through talent but determination and perseverance. From the careers teacher who told her, "black people don't become teachers," to the 82 rejection letters she received before she was published, significant parts of her life seem to have been spent proving people wrong. As a writer her books have tackled challenging themes: bullying, teenage pregnancy, racism and terrorism.

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Another chance to listen to the writer speaking to Kirsty Young in 2013.

Another chance to listen to the writer speaking to Kirsty Young in 2013. A prolific and multi-award winning author, Malorie Blackman has powered her way to success not just through talent but determination and perseverance. From the careers mistress who told her, "black people don't become teachers," to the 82 rejection letters she received before she was published, significant parts of her life seem to have been spent proving people wrong. A technology whiz, her first career was in computing. As a writer her books have tackled challenging themes: bullying, teenage pregnancy, racism and terrorism. A former Children's Laureate, her own formative years were spent in South London where as a little girl she went from thinking everyone was her friend to feeling, as a teenager, that the world was her enemy. She says, "Good stories made me reassess the world and people as I thought I knew them. Great stories made me reassess myself."

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BBC Radio 4 - Desert Island Discs, Classic Desert Island Discs: Malorie Blackman

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Another chance to listen to the writer speaking to Kirsty Young in 2013. Another chance to listen to the writer speaking to Kirsty Young in 2013. A prolific and multi-award winning author, Malorie Blackman has powered her way to success not just through talent but determination and perseverance.

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Let's face it: Most white people don't like being accused of racism or hearing that they have white privilege.

For many whites, these types of accusations have nasty connotations, hearkening back to slavery, colonialism, rape, genocide, segregation and disenfranchisement. But although it may be uncomfortable, these connotations can't be swept under the rug. Learning about the history of racial oppression in America is an important step toward understanding whymany people of color have a hard time trusting white people.

For multiple generations, people of color have had negative experiences encountering institutional racism and microaggressions, so it is no surprise that they may prefer not to deal with whites altogether.

This isn't to say that all white people are racists, or even that all white people have direct culpability in creating or sustaining racism in America. Indeed, being pushed away by people of color or being called-out on racism - directly or indirectly - may instead inspire feelings of resignation or hurt. And some whites truly wish to help as best as they can while cultivating strong relationships with people of color.

Unfortunately, there isn't extensive education in American classrooms that examines racism throughout history. As a result, there are not nearly enough opportunities for whites to learn how they can bridge gaps of misunderstanding, distrust and guilt towards achieving true equity and inclusion for people of color. For too long, whites have only heard about racism in the context of what not to do, but rarely, if ever, do white people hear about how they can be proactive about the issue.

By taking the leadership of people of color in the broader conversation about eradicating racism, whites can take steady, even simple steps towards becoming allies in the fight against racial inequality, not merely bystanders - or worse, perpetrators:

1. Listen when people of color talk about everyday racism and white privilege.

When a white person speaks up about racism, other whites tend to listen carefully and respectfully, even if they disagree. But more often than not, when blacks and people of color speak about racism, the instinct is to jump to conclusions, to interrupt, call them liars, question their intelligence or walk away from the conversation altogether.

Ending such a dialogue because one might feel uncomfortable does little to push the conversation forward, and reinforces white privilege. People of color live with the burden of institutional racism, but there are little-to-no consequences for whites who choose to ignore a historically violent and oppressive system from which they benefit every day.

Instead, a more productive solution comes through listening carefully and reserving judgment when people of color openly discuss the pain they have endured.

2. Honor the feelings of people of color in the discussion. It is not about your white guilt.

If white people are tired of hearing people of color "whine" or "rant" about white privilege, then imagine how exhausting and burdensome it is to directly contend with racism every day for years.

The last thing people of color need to hear from white people is how they should deal with or talk about encountering racism. Even with the most well-intentioned effort, white people must acknowledge they will never have the same understanding or range of experiences that people of color bring to the conversation. This is not to say that white people can't join the discussion, but that they must focus on a solution.

Too often, white people overreact to criticism, become defensive and turn their feeling of uncomfortableness back on their peers. People of color have long been policed for their "tone" or "overemotional attitude," feelings that are human and valid after dealing with something as infuriating as racism.

3. Ask plenty of questions. Earnestly seek to understand people of color before trying to have your viewpoint understood.

During a heart-to-heart about racism, don't assume that everything being said immediately makes sense. The best way to seek clarity and bridge any gaps of knowledge is to simply ask for more information, just as you would for any other topic that isn't your area of expertise.

It's OK to admit that you don't know how it feels to be racially profiled by cops, surrounded by advertisements that reinforce Eurocentric beauty standards or be presumed unintelligent or inferior until proven otherwise - all because of the color of your skin. By being inquisitive, you're more likely to reach a place of understanding and empathy. Once this connection is established, you have a stronger foundation to share your own personal experiences.

4. Educate yourself about racism as much as possible before asking people of color for help.

It's important to listen and defer to people of color during discussions about racism, but remember that they, too, are humans with limits on their time, resources, attention spans and emotional reserves. Sometimes, they may not have the energy to educate white people about racism because they've talked about it so much already. It may also trigger pain, resentment and sadness from dealing with oppression.

So if a person of color backs away from the conversation and asks for space, respect that. There is no lack of information on the topic. Take responsibility and educate yourself, using the many books, recorded speeches, poems, news articles, research studies and other sources of information publicly available.

5. Challenge other white people in your life to think critically about racism - family, friends, coworkers, teachers and even public officials.

If you see or hear something, say something. Don't ignore discussions of racism when they emerge in the news cycle or sit by idly while someone perpetuates racial stereotypes or blatant disrespect - even if that disrespect is coming from a close friend, family member or superior. Encourage white people in your life to engage in the same kind of critical thinking that you yourself are engaging in.

6. Direct peers towards the perspectives of people of color. Becoming a "savior" is not cool.

It's crucial not to hog all of the air in the conversation, or act as the spokesperson for people of color - because white people can't truly present the perspectives of people of color. In addition, white perspectives and voices have historically been given priority over the lived experiences and knowledge produced by people of color.

Instead, actively affirm the leadership of people of color in the conversation. Consider limiting the amount of personal perspective you offer and refer other white people to the same sources of enlightenment and insight that helped you best understand how to put anti-racism into practice.

7. Avoid conflating other oppressions with racism unless it's directly relevant to the conversation.

In an often well-intentioned, yet half-hearted way of empathizing or identifying with someone else's struggle with racism, it's easy to say "I know what that's like" because I'm gay, or a woman, or poor, or disabled or a religious minority. These other identities may intersect with racial inequality, but are not about race. Yes, experiencing another form of oppression should help you empathize, but that doesn't mean that you'll ever really know what racism feels like.

Instead, it can come off as insulting, or make it seem like you'd rather shift the discussion toward a subject you feel more comfortable talking about. Even worse, this type of conversational pivot can imply that your differing oppression takes priority, something that strains the potential bond that could be formed in the conversation.

8. If you make a mistake, ask people of color how you can fix it.

It's good to admit you've done wrong and own up to your mistakes - it's a much more positive and effective reaction to backlash than dismissing racism critiques or denying there's a problem. As with any other situation that reveals a personal fault line, ask how you can behave better in the future and show that you genuinely care about ensuring that people of color are truly welcomed, affirmed and respected.

Keep in mind that as a person who has power and privilege in the situation, you have a responsibility to ensure others aren't being continually impacted by oppression, especially if it comes from you.

9. Adopt intersectionality as an approach to all aspects of everyday life and start taking it seriously.

Intersectionality is much more than just an abstract academic theory developed by feminist scholars like Kimberlé Crenshaw and writers and advocates of color. Indeed, it's a liberating way of living, working and even connecting with other people.

Intersectionality matters because it acknowledges that there are multiple perspectives that need to be honored and understood on any given issue - big or small - because each individual experiences a variety of privileges and limitations based on their identities. For example, a person can experience prejudice because they aren't heterosexual and because they aren't wealthy, but still can exercise their racial privilege as a white person. All of those identities coexist.

For the individual above, the experience of being white, gay and poor will differ from someone who shares the same set of identities, but is instead a person of color. Intersectionality teaches us that race impacts the amount of difficulty or relative ease two individuals of different racial backgrounds will experience, while navigating an otherwise similar set of institutional challenges.

10. Openly call out and reject any and all white privilege you witness or experience.

Yes, this means giving up your privilege in order to level the playing field.

This could mean speaking up when a cab zooms past a black woman and picks up you and your white friends instead, a phenomenon known as destination discrimination. Or it could mean objecting when asked to speak about racism in lieu of a person of color who is more qualified, or after witnessing a person of color receive harsher punishment for something that earned you a mere slap on the wrist.

Reject and name that privilege - because you didn't earn it and it's not one you chose. Recognize it for what it truly is: a perpetuation of some of the worst, lingering elements of racism and white supremacy.

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10 Simple Ways White People Can Step Up to Fight Everyday Racism

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Let's face it: Most white people don't like being accused of racism or hearing that they have white privilege. For many whites, these types of accusations have nasty connotations, hearkening back to slavery, colonialism, rape, genocide, segregation...

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Grounded with Louis Theroux. Talking to Lenny Henry

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Grounded with Louis Theroux. Talking to Lenny Henry

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Louis speaks to Sir Lenworth George Henry, better known as comedian, campaigner and actor Lenny Henry. Lenny discusses racism in the UK, his relationship with his mother and disco ‘🤬 tracks’.

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Louis speaks to comedian, campaigner and actor Lenny Henry. Lenny talks about his relationship with his mother, racism in the UK and disco 'snog tracks'.

Louis is using the lockdown to track down some high-profile people he's been longing to talk to - a fascinating mix of the celebrated, the controversial and the mysterious.

Louis speaks to Sir Lenworth George Henry, better known as comedian, campaigner and actor Lenny Henry. Lenny discusses racism in the UK, his relationship with his mother and disco 'snog tracks'.

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BBC Radio 4 - Grounded with Louis Theroux, 4. Lenny Henry

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Louis speaks to comedian, campaigner and actor Lenny Henry. Lenny talks about his relationship with his mother, racism in the UK and disco 'snog tracks'. Louis is using the lockdown to track down some high-profile people he's been longing to talk to - a fascinating mix of the celebrated, the controversial and the mysterious.

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Campaign Zero is a comprehensive platform of policy solutions to end police violence in America.

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“Here is what I would like for you to know: In America, it is traditional to destroy the black body—it is heritage.”

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Black communities across the world are rising up with revolutionary fervour. From the spark ignited in Minneapolis, we have seen a wave of deeply held pain and grief rush to the surface and express itself on the streets across the US, in London, Paris, Berlin, and beyond.

At the same time, many of us have lost count of the number of days we have been in isolation, starved of human contact and intimacy, so much so our own thoughts and what we consume through social media have become our closest friends. Black mortality has been brought to the centre of our collective attention and unlike the innumerable times this has happened within our lifetimes, we are faced with the predicament that expressing our rage and grief on the streets could exacerbate the disproportionate deaths from Covid-19 in the black community. Many of us feel at an impasse, aggrieved by the state of the world and the disregard for black lives, but conflicted. We know that taking to the streets could put our own lives at risk and the lives of our loved ones.

These past few months have felt overloaded with the consumption of black death and pain. During this pandemic, the structural violence of our system has been laid bare. We read about the death of Kayla Williams, a black woman who died in her home after being told that she was "not a priority" during the upward curve of this pandemic. We have been reminded day after day that people of colour across the UK in key worker positions are dying at an alarming rate. We were shaken by the death of Belly Mujinga, who was spat on by a man claiming to have Covid-19. An even more bitter taste was left in our mouths after the decision was made, just weeks later, to close the case and take no further action. The past few weeks have brought to bear the harsh realities of life in Britain and an emphatic reminder that black lives indeed do not matter in this country to those in power. The news from the US has only exacerbated the conditions; the lynching of Ahmaud Arbery, the murders of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Tony McDade and David McAtee by the police in recent days and weeks have truly shaken the world.

When Mark Duggan was murdered we took to the streets, when Trayvon Martin was murdered we took to the streets. When it was Sarah Reed, Philando Castile, Rashan Charles, Edson Da Costa, Eric Garner, Sandra Bland: we were on the streets.

Protest has the function of agitating the state, though I believe it's more moving function is one of collective catharsis. It allows us to come together as a collective and share in the grief and pain that we are all feeling. It gives us a place to channel and externalise the rage and hurt that runs through our veins each day in this white supremacist world. Still, the conflict remains - how many more lives may we put at risk by taking to the streets during a pandemic?

Here are a few ideas of things you can do to channel that grief and anger when the risk is too heavy to bear, or when the streets are not an option:

Centre care

We are all fighting for black life, for it to be cared for and for it to be sustained. We must keep ourselves and our minds as well as we possibly can and remember that this is a deeply radical act in a world that does not want us to survive. The government has failed time and time again to protect our lives, so this is something we must do for ourselves and each other. How are you caring for yourself today? How are you expressing love to yourself, your friends, community, and family? How are you asking for help and support where you may need it? Black women and non-binary people often give too much and forget that our wells of love and empathy must first be directed towards ourselves.

To me, self-preservation and care looks like getting all the way into my spiritual bag through meditation, ancestral connection, and divination. It means connecting with spiritually gifted healers in our community including Leona Nichole Black, Grace the Community Witch, and Suhaiyla Shakuwra. It means limiting my consumption of social media, especially that which is triggering and reproduces images of black death. Instead, I replenish my mind with information that has no relationship to this current historical moment. Netflix has been a good friend. It also means caring for the body that carries me - eating well, taking my vitamins. Feeling well at this moment in time can come with a deep sense of guilt, so I implore you all to release any sense of guilt or shame for not doing enough - you existing and being happy and healthy is truly revolutionary in and of itself.

Radicalise yourself

When the dust settles, it is crucial that we hold a vision for radical change in our communities and broader society. As cliché as this sounds, transformation must happen in the mind just as much as it happens on the streets. As South African anti-apartheid revolutionary Steve Biko wrote: "The most potent weapon of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed". We have all collectively been raised in a society that has amnesia about our histories. We are taught that the system can be reformed from the inside and that this will allow justice to prevail, but the bitter truth is that black death is not a failure in the system, it is the system working in precisely the way it was designed to. The answer cannot be reform, it must be the abolition of structures and institutions that were designed to oppress us.

The process of unlearning is a deep and life-long journey and it is only through that process of unlearning that we can begin to imagine different collective realities for black people. Some books that I have read and others that I have returned to during these times are bell hooks All About Love and The Will to Change: Men, Masculinity and Love, Huey P. Newton Revolutionary Suicide, Charlene A. Carruthers Unapologetic: a Black, Queer, and Feminist Mandate for Radical Movements, Assata Shakur Assata, Steve Biko I Write What I Like, Audre Lorde Sister Outsider, Octavia Butler Parable of the Sower, and Adrienne Maree Brown Pleasure Activism: The Politics of Feeling Good. There are some incredible resources online that give free access to some of these texts and other revolutionary work by black people including; The Gold Womyn Library, The Free Black University, and ZLibrary.

Connect with black organisations online

There are a number of groups doing work to support black people across the UK both during these critical times and beyond. Find ways to connect with them, build with them, support them and get involved in the activism they do. The only way we can work towards creating longstanding and systematic change is through sustained work and community building. Excitingly, activists around the world are bringing their work to the digital space.

Just a few groups I would suggest checking out are The Racial Justice Network, an organisation of black activists that brings together people across West Yorkshire fighting racial injustices and addressing colonial legacies, the London Campaign Against Police and State Violence and The Northern Police Monitoring Project, community organisations mobilising against police brutality and the many violences of the state. The Movement for Black Lives is a coalition of black activists from across the US, doing a lot of work specifically to bring what they do online and are building a great resource for folks across the globe. And, of course, Black Lives Matter UK, who are connected to activists across the country. They are in the process of developing resources, reaching out to offer support, and working through mechanisms to build and broaden the community base.

Remember, supporting a cause can come in innumerable ways from a simple follow, to a donation, to actively getting involved in the work. Doing what you can is always doing enough.

Organise with the people around you

In the face of this global pandemic, the ways in which we resist need to evolve, but it's always been the case that a single idea amongst a small group of friends can change the world. This has happened over and over again throughout history, including with the Black Panther Party, which started with discussions amongst friends and comrades. From the Brixton Black Women's Group and the Organisation of Women of African and Asian Descent to the Combahee River Collective, black people have a long-held tradition of collectively meeting to discuss our conditions and our freedom. People that have changed the world were people just like any of us, so it's time to get thinking, strategising and connecting, on Zoom if not IRL. There is so much power in community, so consider building with yours.

People across the black British community are already imagining different ways to revolt and respond. As suggested by the writer Varaidzo, action from young people could include banding up with their peers and refusing to go back to school, or striking on the grounds of public health.

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Whatever you do right now, remember it is enough. As black people, when we centre self-preservation we are literally letting the world know that Black Lives Matter. So take care of yourself, love yourself, and get organised if you have the capacity and desire to do so. Black folk, you are truly loved.

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What to do if you can't protest on the streets for Black Lives Matter | gal-dem

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Black communities across the world are rising up with revolutionary fervour. From the spark ignited in Minneapolis, we have seen a wave of deeply held pain and grief rush to the surface and express itself on the streets across the US, in London, Paris, Berlin, and beyond.

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Stephen's story is both challenging and inspirational. He was a normal young person who made the most of everyday opportunities. Although his life was short, Stephen provides a positive role model of a life well lived.

Stephen Lawrence was born and grew up in south-east London, where he lived with his parents Neville and Doreen, his brother Stuart and sister Georgina.

Like most young people, he juggled an active social life, school work, family commitments, and part-time employment. But he also had ambitions to use his talent for maths, art, and design to become an architect, and wanted to have a positive impact on his community.

Tragically, his dream of becoming an architect was never realised. On 22 April 1993, at the age of just 18, Stephen was murdered in an unprovoked racist attack. He didn't know his killers and his killers didn't know him.

After the initial police investigation, five suspects were arrested but not convicted. A public inquiry into the handling of Stephen's case was held in 1998, leading to the publication of the Macpherson Report, which has been called 'one of the most important moments in the modern history of criminal justice in Britain'.

It led to profound cultural changes in attitudes to racism, to the law and to police practice. It also paved the way for a greater understanding of discrimination of all forms and new equalities legislation.

Justice for Stephen is about all of us, every one of us, in society having justice. There are still too many young people who do not have a sense of hope, who just don't get the chance to live their dreams. I want all our children and young people to feel inspired, be confident and have hope in their own future. We are building hope but there is more to do.

Baroness Lawrence, speaking at 20th anniversary memorial in 2013

Discover the pivotal moments from Stephen's life and legacy by downloading our Stephen Lawrence Timeline (PDF).

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Stephen's story | Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust

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Stephen's story is both challenging and inspirational. He was a normal young person who made the most of everyday opportunities. Although his life was short, Stephen provides a positive role model of a life well lived. Stephen Lawrence was born and grew up in south-east London, where he lived with his parents Neville and Doreen, his brother Stuart and sister Georgina.

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March: Book One by John Lewis (graphic novel 1 in a 3 book series)

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March: Book One by John Lewis (graphic novel 1 in a 3 book series)