Hello Meltingpot Community,
I know it’s not Friday, but I wanted to launch this special Rewind episode of the podcast – with a new intro – as soon as possible. This moment that we’re in right now as a nation, demands it. I wanted to talk about what role white people, Black people and other POCs must play in the work we have ahead of us. This episode on how we fight white supremacy is the perfect starting point.
Back in April 2019, journalists Akiba Solomon and Kenrya Rankin joined me on the show to talk about their new book, How We Fight White Supremacy. While I knew at the time how powerful the episode was, today I am convinced that this episode was made for this moment. Not only do Akiba and Kenrya break down exactly what white supremacy is and what it looks like in our daily lives, we also talk about the many ways we can all participate in the fight to dismantle this pernicious and multi-layered system of oppression.
The episode is extremely informative and enlightening, but more importantly, it is encouraging. Yes, there are tears on this episode, but I promise there is laughter too. My hope is that all who listen will understand why we have to fight white supremacy and how to get started. Nobody is promising a simple or easy battle, but it is possible once you understand that white supremacy is a lie and a distraction that harms us all.
Even if you listened to this show when it first aired in 2019, I beg you to listen again with fresh ears. Considering what is happening in America right now, I guarantee this conversation will resonate deeply.
For More Information
To buy your own copy of How We Fight White Supremacy, please consider purchasing a copy from an independent bookstore like Bookshop.org
To keep up with journalist Akiba Solomon, follow her on Twitter at @akibasolomon. Update: At the end of 2019, Akiba left Colorlines to become Senior Editor at The Marshall Project.
To keep up with journalist Kenrya Rankin, visit her website, Kenrya.com. Update: At the end of 2019, Kenrya became Editorial Director of Colorlines.
For more resources on how to fight white supremacy and racism, please visit the Resources page here on My American Meltingpot.
If you want to join the My American Meltingpot book club, we’re doing a diverse reading challenge for 2020.
Please remember that one of the easiest things you can do in this fight and bring someone else along who needs to get to work but doesn’t know where or how to start. Please share this episode with someone who needs to hear it.
Thank you.
Peace!
Comments
2 responses to “MAMP Podcast Ep#40: A Message for this Moment on How We Fight White Supremacy”
Hi Anne,
Thank you for listening to the episode and I’m so glad it resonated with you. And I love that story about your daughter. Our children get it. If we could just let them rule the world. 🙂 But we can take our cues from out little ones. As far as books, please check out the My American Meltingpot page on Pinterest. If you look on my boards for multicultural resources and Kids Lit you’ll find lots of titles for your daughter. Good luck and good for you for recognizing that you have work to do. Keep it up!
Thank you. This was incredible to listen to. I’m about as white & privileged as you can get and this is helpful as I continue my journey. About 3 years ago, my then 4 yo came home from preschool crying that she didn’t want to be white since black was so much prettier. I didn’t want to tell her to be proud to be white since that just smacked of white supremacy. We talked about how every shade was beautiful and ultimately decided she was pink since her cheeks glowed. We then went an bought a black doll to play with. Little steps. I hope that she is better than me at fighting white supremacy. Any suggestions for books for 7yo white girls to help combat white supremacy?