Listening to Black Voices
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Racism is not a problem that disappears overnight, and it’s important to keep educating and informing ourselves so we can be actively antiracist. This week, instead of sharing our writing, we’d like to share some of our favorite works by black authors, artists, and creators, along with articles exploring systemic racism in the United States and this moment in history.
Juneteenth is coming up on June 19. If you don’t know about it or need a refresher, read The Root’s explainer on the holiday and learn about the significance of red food from Atlas Obscura.
In celebration of Pride Month, you can pick up a couple of books from The New York Public Library’s trans, non-binary, and GNC recommended reading list.
News, Opinion, and Interviews
"How Public Opinion Has Moved on Black Lives Matter" by Nate Cohn and Kevin Quealy
"How to build an antiracist world" TED Talk by Ibram X. Kendi. We also recommend checking out his books, starting with How to Be an Antiracist, and listening to his interview on Armchair Expert.
"8 Journalists on Reporting While Black, With the Weight of History on Their Shoulders" published in Glamour
"The Lack of Mobilized Outrage For Police Killing Black Women Is An Injurious Erasure" by Treva Lindsay
"Language is part of the machinery of oppression – just look at how black deaths are described" by Patricia Williams
Books and Publishing
Schomburg Center Black Liberation Reading List
LIVE event today! LIVE from NYPL: N.K. Jemisin with W. Kamau Bell. In preparation, you can read Jemisin's short story "The Ones Who Stay and Fight." We also highly recommend her books.
#BlackPublishingPower Initiative Urges Readers to Buy Books from Black Authors by Erika Hardison
Movies
Ava DuVernay’s Selma and other movies about race in America are free to stream right now.
The Hate U Give, based on the novel by Angie Thomas, is available for free on all digital platforms.
Food
Chef and author Samin Nosrat has been recommending black chefs to follow on Instagram. We've listed a few of our favorites below, and you can find the rest on Nosrat's feed.
@chocolateforbasil (baking!)
@sweetpotatosoul (vegan!)
Art
Juxtapoz Magazine has been showcasing amazing black artists on their Instagram page. We listed some below, but check out their feed for more!