I am a little embarrassed. The BLM movement has really experienced an upsurge in visibility since the wrongful death of George Floyd on 25 May and I have yet to speak about it on this platform. In my own, very small way I have been campaigning – I have included BLM highlights on both my professional and lifestyle instagram pages, where you can find a wonderful range of resources by people who are far better equipped to talk about racial issues than I am. But why haven’t I spoken about it on this platform?
The reason I have yet to speak up on this matter is because I feel very unqualified to do so. I am fully aware of my privilege as a white, cisgender, heterosexual woman and often feel that I am very uneducated on issues relating to those who experience less privilege than me. However, in this instance, I feel that I should say something to show my support for this movement.
I thought long and hard about what I could say, after reading the fantastic Nicole’s post on her blog ‘Black Lives Matter, in every language’ and decided the most productive thing I could use my (admittedly small) platform to do is to promote the wonderful range of resources that are out there that can help white people in particular to educate themselves on this topic. Instead of trying to speak over all the black voices that are rightly speaking up at the moment, I want to highlight some of the myriad of resources out there.
YouTube
There are many wonderful videos that have come out in the wake of the tragic passing of George Floyd, but some that particularly resonated with me are:
In this video, Ariel Bissett discusses the specific issues relating to being black on Booktube (Youtube for people who vlog about books) with two black Booktubers. While not directly related to the injustices black people face at the hands of the police (especially in America), it does address race issues on one of the most popular platforms on the internet.
In this video, Ali talks about what he has learned about racism in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement. The most important take away from the video is that we all have a duty to educate ourselves and shouldn’t rely on black people to educate us on issues of race.
Anthony Padilla has a fantastic range of interviews with a variety of people that are incredibly informative. One of the most important things we can do in life is to listen to other people’s stories and experiences to learn from them about how they experience the world and how the world treats them. In this particular video, Anthony talks to people who have experienced police brutality. Not all of the interviewees are black themselves, but I think the video gives an important insight into the reality of police brutality. Another very useful video from Anthony is when he spoke to Black Lives Matter protesters:
Books
I am ashamed to say that I actually haven’t read any books on race yet, but have ordered the following to educate myself. I will update you when I have read them.
Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race – Reni Eddo-Lodge
‘Exploring issues from eradicated black history to the political purpose of white dominance, whitewashed feminism to the inextricable link between class and race, Reni Eddo-Lodge offers a timely and essential new framework for how to see, acknowledge and counter racism. It is a searing, illuminating, absolutely necessary exploration of what it is to be a person of colour in Britain today.’[1]
Me and White Supremacy – Layla F. Saad
‘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 over 90,000 people downloaded the Me and White Supremacy Workbook.’[2]
Podcasts
Code Switch
I started listening to this when I saw it recommended after the Black Lives Matter really began to boom in the wake of George Loyd’s unlawful death. Hosted by journalists of colour, this podcast tackles a variety of issues surrounding race.
Articles
The racism that killed George Floyd was built in Britain, Afua Hirsch, The Guardian
This article really shows that, while we may think of racism and police brutality as being predominantly an issue in the United States, it is still a problem in the UK.
I would like to extend a discount to anyone out there affected by these issues. Whether you need something translating in the fields of literature, international development or medicine or need a certificate of some description translating, I want to help. I can also offer help proofreading or copy-editing of your articles on this subject. If you would like to contact me about these services, you can contact me through my contact page or on verity.roat@cantab.net.
There are many other amazing resources out there and these are just a handful. If you have any recommendations, please let me know in the comments or on social media, as I would like to continue to educate myself on this topic.
[1] https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33606119-why-i-m-no-longer-talking-to-white-people-about-race?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=ne6ICoKcv1&rank=1
[2] https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46002342-me-and-white-supremacy?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=fugGTyHYby&rank=1
verityroatlanguagesolutions.com 