Book Review: So You Want to Talk About Race

Ijeoma Oluo's new book, So You Want to Talk About Race is a must read.

Most especially for white people.

We all know those out of touch, overtly racist relatives and those you see in the Target checkout line. But the more covert and micro-agressiveness types of racism are still so prevalent and overlooked but desperately need to be tackled. Precisely because most white people don't think it exists. Racism = a loud boorish person singing the N word, not someone coming up and touching a person of color's hair and then getting mad at them for slapping their hands away.

This book lays out, step by step, how to address the systematic racism that's been the backbone of much of the United States since white people landed on the shores.

This how to manual is broken into seventeen chapters, covering topics like "What is intersectionality and why do I need it?" to "What is the school-to-prison pipeline?" to "What are microaggressions?" Each chapter covers a different section of the white supremacist state and how moving parts are in place to subjugate communities and people of color. The entire book is incredibly helpful and well paced. Oluo tackles complex topics but never dilutes any chapter, while still making it accessible for those who want to dismantle systematic racism.

White people who want to step up after the horrific election of the current resident in the Oval Office, but aren't quite sure how, can turn to this book as a great starting point. Buy it for every white person in your life.

Sunday Snippets: Resistance

(From the DC March: http://jessehimself.tumblr.com/post/156190166378)

(From the DC March: http://jessehimself.tumblr.com/post/156190322488)

SOCIETY & CULTURE20 Million Muslims March Against ISIS and The Mainstream Media Completely Ignores It

300 Plumbers Poured Into Flint, Michigan, To Install Water Filters For Free

Fuck everything about this

Don't be a Bystander: 6 Tips for Responding to Racist Attacks This video has great tips about helping those who need it.

This is Psychological Warfare

Sunday Snippets: Almost July?

I've gotten so much done in the last few weeks but can't believe it's almost July.

This. All this. Fuck that racist twat waffle.

See gifs for explanation

or

lol, I love dogs.

"I take it back!"

*slow clap*

Essential reading for white anti-racist work

Extreme TW for an awful case of domestic violence Beyond heartbreaking and awful.

Indeed. A case of WTF? How dare you?

I may be a bit biased, but black kitties are awesome.

All the truth

*pets* & *moar pets* & *gah!*

Double ugh

Late last year, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Representative Rose DeLauro of Connecticut, both Democrats, introduced the Family and Medical Insurance Leave Act, which proposed offering new parents and caretakers the ability to take 12 paid weeks off each year. Workers would contribute 0.2 percent of their wages to the Social Security Administration, which would handle paying bills. Employees could only get up to 66 percent of their monthly income, but that's a great deal more than the 0 percent workers in 47 states currently receive if they stay home with a loved one. 

Feels. All of them

Because puppies

Because goats

Because guinea pigs

Sunday Snippets: Relaxing Weekend

My back was acting up most of Saturday so I spent it on the couch, with Cheryl Strayed and The Mummy movies. Which are the best. End of story.

Omg, The kitties! I really am going to end up an old cat lady.

Babies: four legged and two legged Gah, cuteness!

Anti-Racism

Yes, racism looks like hate, but hate is just one manifestation. Privilege is another. Access is another. Ignorance is another. Apathy is another. And so on. So while I agree with people who say no one is born racist, it remains a powerful system that we’re immediately born into. It’s like being born into air: you take it in as soon as you breathe. It’s not a cold that you can get over.

Beautiful picture of ice

LOL So very true.

YES!

And when we frame all women as being someone’s wife, mother or daughter, what are we teaching young girls?

We are teaching them that in order to have the law on their side, they need to be loved by men. That they need to make themselves attractive and appealing to men in order to be worthy of protection. That their lives and their bodily integrity are valueless except for how they relate to the men they know.

Awesome

Diane J. Humetewa, a member of the Hopi tribe and former U.S. attorney in Arizona, has been nominated to serve on the U.S. District Court for the district of Arizona as a federal judge. If confirmed, she would be the first active member of a Native American reservation, and first Native American woman to serve as a federal judge.

Sunday Snippets: Finally Fall

I'm happy to get back on schedule around these parts, had some work issues that meant I was basically living in my office for most of September. Now that that has finally calmed down, there are two book reviews that are forthcoming (one hopefully this week!)

In the meantime, here are some reads from around the web.

An older article/list but saw it reblogged recently- I've seen different variations of this type of anti-racist lists, but always reblogging.

Beautiful- I love how the other pasta companies have responded.

I need these printed

How disgustingly cute is this picture? Do they make socks for kitties?

Food, in a different light The starkness is correctly startling.

Newspapers, in a beautiful light I would have these framed around my house. Then again, if I had everything framed around my house, my walls would buckle.

A neat way of thinking about books

*headdesk* for all of this