Like many white women wanting to lean more fully into allyship for people of color, I've been listening. And will continue to (along with the more active forms of allyship of donating, voting, advocating, protesting, and educating myself). I'm not going to send you a comprehensive list of resources because there are many of those circulating, and I've been seeing a lot of overwhelm in therapy sessions relating to information overload.
However, I will point you to a few people and organizations from whom I listen to in the areas of becoming antiracist personally, professionally, and as it relates to motherhood/eating disorder recovery.
Becoming anti-racist is the work of a lifetime. Robin DiAngelo says that she still has unconscious bias and internalized racism after twenty years of antiracism work, so I am a very, very, very humble snail behind her. For white people wanting to begin or continue your work toward becoming antiracist, check her out. Read her book, attend her workshops.
If you are a mom wanting to support moms of color, check out Black Women Birthing Justice. buy their book, and support their work:
"Black Women Birthing Justice is a collective of African-American, African, Caribbean and multiracial women who are committed to transforming birthing experiences for Black women and transfolks. Our vision is that that every pregnant person should have an empowering birthing experience."
BWBJ created a human rights report and educational book. Battling Over Birth, a new human rights report from Black Women Birthing Justice, by Chinyere Oparah, Linda Jones, Dantia Hudson, Talita Oseguera and Helen Arega shares stories from over 100 women who recently gave birth in California. The report reveals the culture of fear and coercion that has transformed birth into a battleground, a deep lack of trust of our hospitals, and a broken maternal health-care system that fails too many black women. The report shakes up our understanding of where state violence happens, and who it happens to; putting the human rights spotlight onto a system that is often unaccountable to black communities. Battling Over Birth also provides solutions. The report shares positive experiences by black women, and identifies best practices based on their experiences.
You can order the report/book HERE
BWBJ is committed to maintaining an independent voice to challenge birth injustice.
If you are mom wanting too find and buy and implement resources to raise more race-conscious and anti-racist kids, please check out The Conscious Kid.
The Conscious Kid is an education, research and policy organization dedicated to reducing bias and promoting positive identity development in youth.The Conscious Kid has fabulous material and just published a reading list of books confronting Anti-Blackness.
"Each year, there are more children's books published about animals than Black people. In 2019, 50% of the children's books published featured white characters, 27% featured animals, and only 10% featured Black characters (CCBC, 2019). Black representation comprised just 3% of all books published in 2014 and remained at that level or lower in the decades prior. Black people have historically been, and continue to be, underrepresented, misrepresented, or invisible in children’s literature.
Anti-Black structural racism and socialization need to be countered with intentional action from birth. This includes surrounding children with positive narratives and images of Blackness. All kids should know Black history and Black contributions, but equally as important are stories of Black kids just being: experiencing joy, being loved, and existing in their full humanity. Children's books can be one starting point for doing this."
Here is a link for Books celebrating Black Boys
You can donate to them and all donations go to a dedicated fund for us to get children’s books from our list of 41 Children's Books to Support Conversations on Race, Racism, and Resistance into classrooms across the country. To make a donation, click Here
You can also follow them and become a patron on instagram at @theconcsiouskid and receive lots of great information.
If you are wanting to find Body Liberation and Eating Disorder Recovery that is modeling what being inclusive and centering for BIPOC looks like, check out:
Sonia Renee Taylor
Sonya Renee Taylor is a ground breaking leader in the world of body liberation. She has two fabulous books: The Body is Not An Apology: The Power of Radical Self Love and Celebrate Your Body (and its changes, too!)The Ultimate Puberty Book for Girls.
"Sonya founded The Body is Not An Apology, as an online community to cultivate radical self-love and body empowerment. TBINAA quickly became a movement and leading framework for the budding body positivity movement. In 2015, The Body is Not An Apology developed a digital magazine, education and community building platform to connect global issues of radical self-love and intersectional social justice."
Nalgona Positivity Pride (NPP)
"Nalgona Positivity Pride (NPP) is an in-community eating disorders and body-positive organization dedicated in creating visibility and resources for Black, Indigenous, communities of color (BICC.) Since 2016, NPP has been raising awareness around the specific needs of BICC through digital media, education, grassroots eating disorders treatment models, and art. Rooted in Xicana indigenous feminism and DIY punx praxis, NPP emerged out of a great need not only to shed light on the experiences and barriers that exist in BICC affected by body-image and troubled eating but to create opportunities of healing by and for BICC."
