WAYS to LEARN ABOUT and WORK AGAINST RACISM

Looking for a summer read focused on race and racism to read with a young teen in your life? Check out
Blended​ by Sharon Draper. ​In the voice of 11-year-old Isabella, Draper weaves an incredible tale of resilience
through the challenges this young girl faces, which include her parents’ divorce, confusion and wonder about
her biracial identity, racist incidents at school, and an experience with police bias and brutality.
Read the recent article “Environmentalism Was Once a Social Justice movement” ​in the Atlantic to learn
about connections between environmentalism and movements for racial and economic justice. Join the
discussion of this piece in our Blount County SURJ Facebook group.
https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2016/12/how-the-environmental-movement-can-recover-its-soul/509831
/
Do you want to learn more about differential school discipline rates and practices faced by students of
color? ​Listen to author and social justice scholar Monique Morris address this question: “Why Are Black Girls
More Likely to be Punished in School?”

https://www.npr.org/2019/03/29/707191363/monique-morris-why-are-black-girls-more-likely-to-be-punished-in-school

Read Utah Jazz basketball player Kyle Korver’s powerful piece called “Privilege” ​where he describes his
own personal journey as a white man toward seeing, acknowledging, and actively working against racism
after learning about and truly listening to his teammates’ experiences as Black men in America.
https://www.theplayerstribune.com/en-us/articles/kyle-korver-utah-jazz-nba?fbclid=IwAR0rpnwFQDByQglHQOBJfMZxk
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Learn about the history of the Highlander Center and consider making a donation ​to their ongoing work for
justice, equality, and sustainability through ​popular education, participatory research, and cultural work​.
https://www.highlandercenter.org/our-history-timeline/

Learn more about code switching, language, and culture from Jamila Lyiscott’s TED talk entitled “3 Ways
to Speak English. ​Reflect on the notion of code switching and the impact of your own culture on your
dialects. ​https://www.ted.com/talks/jamila_lyiscott_3_ways_to_speak_english?language=en

Learn more about how to work against racism through SURJ’s toolkits and online resources. ​For example,
learn about the characteristics of white supremacy culture here:
https://www.showingupforracialjustice.org/white-supremacy-culture-characteristics.html​.

Get involved in anti-racist work with organizations such as Blount County United, our local NAACP
chapter, ​the Knoxville Black Lives Matter chapter, Southern Poverty Law Center, United Negro College Fund,
Black Youth Project 100, or other anti-racist organizations. Join their list-servs and take actions they
recommend.

Attend a BLOUNT COUNTY UNITED meeting​: 4​th​ Sat. at 1:00 pm St. Paul AME Zion Church, Maryville.
Invite Blount County United’s Education Committee​ to develop a program for your church or civic group.
For more information, contact BCUEdCmte@gmail.com
Join the Alcoa/Blount branch of NAACP​: 4​th​ Sat at 11:45 am at St. Paul AME Zion Church, Maryville.
You can find a digital version of this material under the “Take Action” tab on our website
https://blountcountysurj.weebly.com/​.
Sign up for Blount County SURJ’s email list​: Contact us at ​blountcountySURJ@gmail.com
Visit and share our Facebook page:​ ​https://www.facebook.com/blountcountysurj/

A publication of Blount County Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) May 2019