When Layla Saad began an Instagram challenge called #meandwhitesupremacy, she never predicted it would spread as widely as it did. She encouraged people to own up and share their racist behaviors, big and small. She was looking for truth, and she got it. Thousands of people participated in the challenge, and nearly 100,000 people downloaded the Me and White Supremacy Workbook. Updated and expanded from the original workbook, Me and White Supremacy, takes the work deeper by adding more historical and cultural contexts, sharing moving stories and anecdotes, and including expanded definitions, examples, and further resources. Conversations about racism can be difficult and uncomfortable, but they’re absolutely essential in the dismantling of systems of oppression. Books are a great place to start in informing ourselves on these systems: their history in this country, how many of us benefit from and uphold them, and action plans for combatting their hold. So we want to know: what are some of your favorite nonfiction books about racism and white supremacy? Come shout them at us on Facebook and Twitter using the hashtag #riotrecommendations; we’ll round up your answers and be back next week to share a roundup with your fellow Riot readers. Let’s open up the conversation and learn from one another on our way to affecting real change.
