Resources
As FCC responds in action and prayer to the movement of Black Lives Matter, many have asked for specific responses to help make us better-informed allies and advocates. Here is a brief collection of resources that leaders and lay members of our church family have found helpful.
Books
I’m Still Here, Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness, Austin Channing Brown
White Fragility, Robin DiAngelo
When They Call You A Terrorist by Patrisse Cullors
Dear Church: A Love Letter From A Black Preacher to the Whitest Denomination in America by Lenny Duncan.
Between The World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
The New Jim Crow; Mass Incarceration in The Age Of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander
Just mercy; A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson
White Guilt (How blacks and whites together destroyed the promised of the civil rights era) by Shelby Steele.
Tears We Cannot Stop, A Sermon to White America by Rev Michael Eric Dyson
How to be an Antiracist by Ibram Kendi
Also, memoirs written by black authors are always incredible teachers:
Becoming, Michelle Obama
My Vanishing Country, Bakari Sellers
Fire Shut Up in My Bones, Charles blow
Negroland: A Memoir, Margo Jefferson
The Yellow House, Sarah Broom
The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family by Annette Gordon-Reed
Writings by Maya Angelou, James Baldwin, James McBride, John Lewis, Frederick Douglas and Martin Luther King, Jr. are also helpful.
Social Media
Not sure where to start? Take each of those author’s names and follow them. Move them to the top of your news feed. Follow black artists, speakers, authors, creators, and musicians. Facebook will continue to suggest people and pages to follow based on your interests and who you already follow. By following black leaders you will have access to learn about more black voices.
Sharing is caring. If you see posts, videos, or literature on social media from black leaders that inspires you or touches you in some way be sure to widen their reach by sharing their content. Share content that amplifies black voices to keep the conversation and education on going.
Podcasts
Side Effects of White Women Podcast Episode with Amanda Seales
- Smartest Person in the Room’s episode on Well Meaning White People
Code Switch podcast A Decade on Watching Black People Die
Still Processing episode on Kaepernick
- White Lies (NPR)
Race and Parenting: Parenting forward (Cindy Wang Brandt)
Teaching the next generation
A comprehensive website for parents on how to talk about race with your family:
https://www.prettygooddesign.org/blog/
Media
TedX Talks in Ann Arbor, Michigan featuring FCC Member Peri Patterson
Things Not to Say to Someone of Mixed Race
Emailed Equity Challenge
5 Day Equity Challenge is put together by the Washtenaw United Way. You receive an email for 5 days giving you a choice of things to watch or read and takes about 15 minutes. It examines the history of racism in Washtenaw County and ties it to the Covid pandemic’s impact. There is also a 21-day challenge on the same site if you want to continue.