Rosie Johnson Illustrates
Freelance illustrator
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Resources for Anti-Racism

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Let’s start by saying that I have no expertise or insight here. I am just sharing what I’m doing as a white woman in the UK to get better educated about our history (and present) in relation to race, diversity and discrimination. I’m hoping you will help me keep this updated with recommendations of your own. You can use the contact page or find me on social media.

I’ve been compiling lists of helpful resources from other people that I trust. I’ll add a whole list of links to all those sources at the end. None of this is a result of extensive research or hard work for me. I’ve googled stuff and followed certain social media accounts. It’s not tricky. I understand that the tricky stuff is what comes next and that I’m in for an uncomfortable ride, examining all my own biases and conceptions.

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Errr… Rosie, you know you can write this all down in a diary, don’t you? You don’t actually need to put this on your website.

Well, permanently nagging inner voice, yes that’s true, but if I share it there’s a chance it might help someone else on a similar path and if not, it’s not actually mandatory to read every page of my website, so people could always skip it. It also helps me feel accountable in some way if I make it a bit more public and talking about this stuff is important, so shhhh.

BOOKLIST

These are titles that have been recommended to me. I’m going to put them all down here and then, as I finish them, edit this section with a little review of what I got from them. I’ll add links to buy them from independent bookshops where I can.

If you want to buy your books from Black owned/ run bookshops- and why wouldn’t you-

I’ve been recommended Afrori Books and This is Book Love who have a great children’s range too.

Notes so far:

How to Argue With a Racist is a great introduction to the science and some of the history of the spurious arguments made by racists to back their arguments- for example- the physiology of black people makes them faster, stronger athletes. Adam Rutherford calmly and systematically dismantles these arguments and warns of the dangers of ‘science’ being used as an absolute truth when often it’s old or poorly prepared or reviewed studies which are inconclusive at best. The final line of the book is “If you are a racist then you are asking for a fight, but science is my ally, not yours and your fight is not just with me, but with reality.” Boom.

Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race - Wow. This book has really had an impact. It’s written in a clear and engaging way stemming from a blogpost Reni Eddo-Lodge wrote a few years ago. It has helped me to start to shift my thinking. I confess that I subconsciously grew up believing that racism was about Black people. But of course it’s about White people and how we have consistently allowed structures that help us and harm others to continue. I cannot recommend this highly enough, it has made me feel even more determined. I’ve heard many times the MLK quote which concludes by hoping that one day children will be judged not by the colour of their skin, but the content of their character. However, Eddo-Lodge introduced me to a lesser quoted MLK statement, written in a letter from Birmingham Jail:

“I have reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro’s great stumbling block in the stride towards freedom is not the White Citizen Council-er or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate who is more devoted to order than to justice.”

That was written in 1963, but doesn’t it feel prescient? It makes us comfortable to feel that we’re not the bad guy. That’s the MAGA hat wearing, hard right thug, right? That’s not me! I’m off the hook. Well, no. None of us are. And I have to be fully honest and say that when I heard calls for police defunding I balked at it too. I had the internal narrative of “But surely that’s a step too far…” But when it gets uncomfortable, that is the time to listen MORE not less. Please have a listen to the Distraction Pieces podcast episode on this subject, it’s so interesting and brings up some indisputably good points.

White Fragility
EDIT: I have been learning that it’s inappropriate to continue to share and signpost a book written by and profiting a white woman. It’s not that non-Black people can’t and shouldn’t be involved in conversation and action, but that when there’s a product such as a book or lecture tour- it’s different. I wanted to acknowledge that here, rather than quietly remove it and hope no-one noticed.

White Teeth I read almost 20 years ago and I’m going back in as I remember loving it but not much of the detail!

I saw Small Island in play form via one of the National Theatre’s live streaming to the cinema things last year and bawled my eyes out. It’s partly what is spurring the desire to learn more about our country’s appalling past, not just the Windrush, which this book is partly about, but our colonial past too.

Me and White Supremacy started as an Instagram monthly challenge. It’s written, therefore, in easily digested daily chunks with prompts for reflection and action. I spent the first few chapters feeling ok about myself if I’m honest. I interrogated my feelings and was feeling smugly alert to prejudices I had addressed in my past. Then, inevitably, I read on, delved deeper and realised just how much internalised racism and preconception I hold onto. It’s not comfortable. It’s horrible. Things like hearing a Black person being interviewed and subconsciously thinking ‘you won’t be taken seriously using those phrases.’ The phrases being something considered too much like youth slang. I had to question why I think that and whose problem that really is. What connotations I associate with such terms and the judgements I make about that person’s education and expertise.

I know that my first thought is not always what I truly believe- my instinctive thought might be a conditioned response. What matters is my more conscious thoughts and actions after that. Me and White Supremacy is teaching me that it’s likely that I’ll have plenty of prejudices stored away and that I shouldn’t let that be a barrier to exploring fairer ways of thinking and acting. It’s almost a relief- I know I’m going to be flawed and wrong and unsure throughout- that’s a given, so I don’t need to worry about it- I just need to keep going and do better in small ways over and over again. There’s no end point.

Anti Racist Ally I really love the way Sophie Williams writes. It’s very accessible and this is such an easy way into considering anti racism work. I bought it as a Christmas present for lots of people! Straightforward headings like Not Being Racist is Not Enough and I Feel Guilty guide you along and make the book a great one to refer back to when you’re struggling. I’d definitely recommend this as a great starting point for anyone feeling a bit daunted.

Reni Eddo-Lodge has urged people to borrow her book and donate what you would have spent to funds supporting racial and societal justice. You can read more by clicking on her name.

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Free online course

PODCASTS

A not at all exhaustive list here, but these are what I’m currently listening to:

Nova Reid is a diversity and anti-racism campaigner and has an incredible online course which is out of my price range at the moment, so I’m listening to her podcast series and her Ted talk for now.

Reni Eddo-Lodge’s podcast is a few years old but let’s face it, I’m just catching up. Really interesting guests including Riz Ahmed and Nish Kumar

Have You Heard George’s Podcast is also not ‘new’ content but it’s a great listen- mix of storytelling, fiction and music.

Pod save America is a podcast I’ve listened to for years from a group of ex- Obama speech writers. It’s mainly about American politics and the Democratic fight for victory in the the presidential, state and congress elections. It covers Trump’s many horrific errors with humour and outrage and expert insight. Obviously massively partisan!

Full Fact Podcast, quite like the BBC programme More or Less, tries to dispel the rumours, fake news and propaganda with actual facts. They breakdown trending news stories and don’t take an editorial position. I often use their website to check sources of information when I share stuff.

TV AND FILM

Update-

A House Through Time has been utterly fascinating both through the prism of race- looking at the wealth brought to our country thanks to the work of enslaved people - and also class, gender issues, wealth and poverty.

Watching that lead me to Britain’s Forgotten slave owners, also with David Olusoga, charting the history of the thousands of British people who owned enslaved people and how their wealth has built Britain. It’s on iPlayer right now!

I am Not Your Negro is also now on iPlayer and I’m half-way through. It’s a really classy bit of filmmaking as well as being hard hitting and powerful AF.

Follow on Instagram-

Again, not an endless list, just a few of the accounts I’m finding beneficial. I’ve taken the majority of my suggestions from Bustle

  • Black Girl Fest - The UK’s first arts and culture festival celebrating Black British women and girls

  • UK Black Pride - Europe’s largest celebration for LGBTQ people of African, Asian, Caribbean, Middle Eastern and Latin American descent

  • Black Cultural Archives - The only national heritage centre dedicated to collecting, preserving and celebrating the histories of African and Caribbean people in Britain

  • The Black Curriculum - UK initiative that teaches Black history all year round in schools

  • UK Isn’t Innocent - Instagram account highlighting 21st century racism against Black people in Britain, as well as the history of racism in the UK

  • Fill In The Blanks - Campaign led by students from former British colonies seeking to mandate the teaching of colonial history

  • WowSancho - the account for the ethical clothing and homewares shop, run by Kalkidan Legesse- Mekuria. Anti-racism discussion, sustainability and ethics. (Really bloody lovely clothes too)

NON BLACK people sharing really helpful information:

Let me know your top tips for more. xx

A comprehensive site filled with free resources to help the teaching of RE that challenges racism whilst exploring beliefs, differences and common ground