The media that we consume daily is incredibly important and influential on our beliefs. Therefore, it’s vital that we expand our horizons and expose ourselves to new ideas. Since I love reading, I often use books to learn about new things and inform myself about global issues. I try to read at least one non-fiction book each year, which can sometimes be difficult because I love fiction so much.
The non-fiction books that I enjoy the most tend to be about social justice and anti-racism. These books are not necessarily easy to read, but they are supposed to be challenging, and they tend to make a bigger impact and leave a more lasting impression than anything else I read. If you are also looking to read more about social justice and anti-racism, here are some recommendations. The first three books are some that I have read and have found to be impactful, and the last two are books that are on my to-read list.
“White Women: Everything You Already Know About Your Own Racism and How To Do Better” by Regina Jackson and Saira Rao
Regina Jackson and Saira Rao are cofounders of the organization Race 2 Dinner, an organization through which Jackson and Rao have conversations with white women over dinner about how they are contributing to racism and oppression. Similar to these dinner conversations, “White Women” is not meant to be easy and light. Jackson and Rao make it clear that white women know they are complicit and perpetuate systemic racism, but we are too focused on appearing “nice” and “perfect” to care that we are helping build systems of oppression. And if you think that you are the exception, if you think you are the perfect, anti-racist white woman, you are not. That’s the whole point. As Jackson and Rao point out, anti-racist work cannot ever be perfect, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth doing.
“We Do This ‘Til We Free Us” by Mariame Kaba
Mariame Kaba is an organizer, educator, activist and writer who has been advocating for the abolition of the prison industrial complex. Kaba holds the radical belief that all violence should be eradicated, including violence against perpetrators. “We Do This ‘Til We Free Us” is a collection of essays Kaba has written over the years about the prison industrial complex and how it harms Black people, Black women and victims of physical and sexual abuse. Kaba makes readers question “what happens when you define policing as actually an entire system of harassment, violence, and surveillance that keeps oppressive gender and racial hierarchies in place?” “We Do This ‘Til We Free Us” shows readers how society could be transformed if we favored consequences and healing over punishment and reducing harm over perpetuating it.
“All About Love: New Visions“ by bell hooks
bell hooks was a famous author and activist who focused her work on the intersectionality of race, gender and capitalism. “All About Love: New Visions” focuses on the idea that our society has lost the ability to know what love is. We have ideas of what it may be like to be loved or what passion and intimacy are supposed to look like, but rarely do we actually engage in mutually loving and meaningful relationships. hooks examines the origins of our lack of love, such as the patriarchy and systematic racism, and how our lack of love perpetuates these systems. hooks invites readers to stop trying to protect themselves and instead be open to real love and feeling.
“How To Be An Antiracist” by Ibram X. Kendi
Ibram X. Kendi is an antiracist scholar and author who has written sixteen books, and “How To Be An Antiracist” is one of his most popular. It focuses on the idea that the opposite of racist isn’t “not racist.” In interviews as well as the introduction of this book, Kendi points out that one either confronts racism or allows it to persist. “The claim of ‘not racist’ neutrality is a mask for racism.” There is no middle ground. However, Kendi also explains that anyone can be racist or antiracist at any moment based on their actions, and most people are both.
“Under The Skin: The Hidden Toll Of Racism On American Lives” by Lisa VillarosaIn
In 2018, Lisa Villarosa published an article with The New York Times Magazine on how Black maternal deaths and infant mortality are increasing. This article caught the attention of many readers, and soon after, Villarosa published “Under The Skin” in 2022. As Oprah writes in her review of the book, Villarosa exposes why “Black people in our society ‘live sicker and die quicker.’” “Under The Skin” uncovers why healthcare settings cause harm and negative treatment outcomes for Black Americans, as well as how socioeconomic discrimination, government policies, pollution, and more contribute to poor health among Black people. This book is a must-read for anyone wanting to enter the healthcare sector.