Nonfiction Review: THE OTHER TALK: Reckoning with White Privilege

White people don't need 'the talk" that Black parents feel they need to give their children about how to survive racism. But white people do need "the other talk," though their parents rarely set aside any time to deliver it. This other talk is about taking responsibility for White privilege and doing something about it.

Brandon Kiely, a YA author, got his first novel published at the same time as Jason Reynolds, a Black YA author got his first book published. Because of this timing they were sent out on a book tour together to promote their books. Kiely, who is White, couldn't help but notice all the instances where he and Jason Reynolds were treated differently, often with complete disrespect to Reynolds. A deep friendship formed between the men and they have partnered on writing a book together. His experiences during this book tour were the catalyst for Kiely to start thinking about White privilege in a new way and to start looking for ways that he could make a positive difference toward moving forward the discourse about racism in our country. As he was coming to terms, often uncomfortable terms, with his Whiteness, Kiely became more and more convinced that Whites need to talk to Whites about White privilege and about the ways that people with power “legalized, institutionalized, and systematized racism in America.”

In a lot of ways the book is a memoir because Kiely writes about his own experiences growing up White while comparing them to the experiences of members of the Global Majority (BIPOC). For example, when Kiely was a new driver, he got pulled over for speeding. I was driving 40 miles over the speed limit. Instead of getting a ticket, or getting hauled off to jail, he got a fatherly warning from the police officer, "Go home, be safe, keep your friends safe." We all have heard of contrasting stories where Black teens are pulled over for minor traffic infractions and they end up hauled to jail or worse, shot to death.

As I made my way through The Other Talk I realized that this is the book I've needed to read. As a White person who is trying to become less racists and more antiracist, I've had a hard time fully appreciating the message when it is delivered by a person of color (Global Majority). I also don't think that BIPOC people should have to spend their whole lives trying to make White people see the light.  As I described the book to my Bible Study class, filled with old white ladies like myself, all of them said they wanted to read it. They have been looking for a book to help them bridge the gap in their understanding on the topic of White privilege.

Over a month ago I checked the list of books nominated for the Cybils Nonfiction category. As a second round judge I wanted to get a jump on reading the books that may be chosen as finalists. I am hoping and keeping my fingers crossed that this book is selected as a finalist. It is an important book, one that should be read by teens, its target audience, and adults alike.

I hope you will read it, too. Request it from your library. If they don't have a copy, ask them to buy it. It's that good and even more important that this book gets read by as many people as possible. (BTW-I'm buying a copy for my church library so all those gals  in my Bible Study CAN and hopefully WILL read the book. No excuses.

-Anne

THIS IS YOUR TIME Ruby Bridges

Our dryer isn't drying anymore. No big deal. We call a repairman who says he'll come and fix it in a few weeks. A few weeks? Well, maybe that is a big deal. In the meantime we have two loads of wet laundry and only liquid sunshine outside. Time to visit a laundromat. Now for some of you this is probably no big deal but for spoiled me it caused a mild panic attack, especially after I read a Yelp review of the closest laundromat: "Nice place as long as you ignore the Meth heads hanging around."  I talked my husband into going with me on the promise that we could walk the dog together as we waited for the clothes to dry. So we went with two laundry baskets full of wet clothes, our pockets full of quarters, and the dog all leashed up ready for a walk. Since the laundromat was in a neighboring town to ours we started off our walk, after stuffing the driers full of clothes and quarters, with an air of expectation. What did this new town have to offer us? We didn't get far before we found our first big surprise. (No it wasn't a Meth head!) It was a house covered with Black Lives Matter signs and messages and a small library on the corner of the lot. Inside was a message about how this library was intended to enhance cultural and racial understanding and equity issues. I was entranced. The note went on to say that any books not on these types of topics would be removed but users of the little library were welcome to donate other books on BLM, equity, social justice, anti-racism, etc. 

I borrowed a small children's book called This Is Your Time by Ruby Bridges. Inside the front cover was this sticker (see photo, left.) What a clever, affirming idea. To have a little library which is so cute and inviting, full of literature about social justice.

We all think we know a lot about Ruby Bridges, the brave little girl who helped desegregate schools in Louisiana when she was six, because the famous illustration of her done by Norman Rockwell. The hatred and vitriol that was thrown on this one little girl by grown adults is beyond awful. She had to escorted to school every day by federal marshals and she attended class alone every day, since all the white parents withdrew their children from school. What I didn't know before reading this book was Ruby and her teacher, Mrs. Henry, formed a bond during their year together.

"I felt safe and loved, and that was because of Mrs. Henry, who, by the way, looked exactly like the white women in that screaming mob outside. But she wasn't like them. She showed me her heart, and even at six years old, I knew she was different. Barbara Henry was white, I was black, and we mattered to each other. She became my best friend. I knew if I got past the angry mob outside and into my classroom, I was going to have a good day" (18).

There is a photo in the book of Ruby Bridges and Mrs. Henry when they reunited in 2014, 64 years after the year they spent together at William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans.

Ruby Bridges words in This Is Your Time are a call for action today and a look back, accompanied by black and white photographs from back in the 1950s and 1960s, when her saga was first unfolding.

Today we have to go back and visit the laundromat again. The repairman came and was unable to repair our dryer without the required part. He put us off for another few weeks when he should be able to fix the dang thing. It is time for another walk as our clothes dry in the laundromat. This time when we pass the Anti-Racists for Social Justice library I will replace This Is Your Time, perhaps donating my Claudia Rankine book for the cause.

Anne

Review and quotes: STAMPED: RACISM, ANTIRACISM, AND YOU by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi

Title: STAMPED: RACISM, ANTIRACISM, AND YOU: A REMIX OF THE NATIONAL AWARD WINNING STAMPED FROM THE BEGINNING by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi

WINNER of the 2021 Cybils Award for High School Nonfiction.

Book Beginnings Quote:
"This is NOT a history book.
This is a book about the here and now.
A book to help us better understand why we are where we are.
A book about race." 

Quote from page 56:
      "In 1776 Thomas Jefferson, a thirty-three year old delegate to the Second Continental Congress, sat down to pen the Declaration of Independence. At the beginning of the declaration, he paraphrased the Virginia Constitution and wrote 'All men are equal.' 
     Bears repeating. All men are created equal.
     Say it with me. All men are created equal.
     But were slaves seen as 'men?'''
 
Summary: The history of racism., but not presented in a history book format or using a tone one expects to find there either.

"An amazingly timely and stunningly accessible manifesto for young people....At times funny, at times somber but always packed with relevant information that is at once thoughtful and spot-on, Stamped is the book I wish I had as a young person and am so grateful my own children have now." ―Jacqueline Woodson, bestselling and National Book Award-winning author of Brown Girl Dreaming

Review: I finished reading Stamped on May 30th, just days after George Floyd was murdered at the hands of a police officer. Of course my head was swirling with everything I was learning from news reports but also what I was learning and feeling by reading this book. Jason Reynolds, a respected award-winning YA author, came alongside Ibram X. Kendi to remix the 2016 National Book Award winner for nonfiction: Stamped From the Beginning. Reviewers for the Oprah Magazine say this book should be essential reading material on every high school curriculum.  It takes the academic adult version of the book, Stamped from the Beginning, and makes "it fast-paced and blisteringly honest language that will grip teens from page one." I would add that most adults will find it gripping, too. One does not need to be a teen to find this book very compelling.

Right now is prime time to pick up some books on the topic of racism and antiracism. We can do better and be better. This is a good place to start. I recommend it highly.

What I liked about the book:

• The tone makes the book and information very accessible for teen readers. The chapters are short and always end on a note which increases interest to read on.
• I learned a ton and I'm an old person who should have known most of this information by now.
• Every part of the book leads the reader to thinking about themselves and what kind of person they want to be from this time forward: a segregationist (hater), an assimilationist (a coward); or an antiracist (someone who truly loves).
• There are plenty of pages of end notes and bibliography to enhance future research projects.

What I didn't like about the book:

• The 1st edition of the book was published by Little, Brown and Company and the book is friendly with plenty of white space on the pages to invite teens to read it. Another edition of the book published by Gale is not friendly. The font is too large and the binding makes it seem very schoolish. Anyone who knows teens, knows this is a turn off.
  

Source: Print book from public library. 
-Anne

Reviews: Books to help me become an anti-racist

After George Floyd was murdered by police while the world viewed the horrifying 8:46 minutes on live TV, I said to myself 'enough is enough.' I needed to find a way help however I could so that this never happens again. My first inclination was to get out and protest and march on the streets of Tacoma or Seattle. But my concerns about the coronavirus kept me indoors. Instead I opted to create a list of books I can recommend on the topic of black lives matter, or books I thought would at least advance the discussion. (See that list here.) 

In addition, I started reading furiously to educate myself. 

First our church book club had to scramble to find a book to read for the month since the library book kits weren't available. We opted to read Me and White Supremacy by  Layla Saad. (I hyperlinked the title. Please visit my review of that book by clicking it.) The book was an eye-opening experience for me. It was written by Saad as an Instagram 28-day challenge and then consolidated into a book with each chapter being one day of the challenge. I had to read it faster than was recommended because I didn't have enough time to digest it slowly before the next club meet. But the book certainly started me on my goal of educating myself to become a better anti-racist. I recommend you read this book, but give yourself longer than a month to read it and find a support group to discuss it as you move through the material.

A few weeks later my husband and I also joined a small book group at our church, one designed to start a conversation about how our congregation can move in a positive direction toward anti-racism and supporting equal justice in our community. Our group met once a week on Zoom with a facilitator and seven other participants to discuss the book, Be the Bridge: Pursuing God's Heart for Racial Reconciliation by LaTasha Morrison and the topics it proposed. In a lot of ways this book piggy-backed on my learnings and insights gained from the first book, Me and White Supremacy, but the material was written toward a Christian audience (or perhaps, a congregation of any faith.) It was organized into nine or ten chapters, each concluding with discussion questions which made us dig into the topic-of-the-week deeper and had us reflecting on ways we could apply what were were learning to our own congregation. When I read Me and White Supremacy I felt like I was being jabbed in the stomach with a sharp stick, this book caused a much milder visceral reaction but I still felt extremely challenged to pick up the mantle and to become a "better ancestor" through my readings and discussions. The biggest difference and value of this book over the first was the small group discussion and camaraderie that we formed with the other participants. To a person we all decided that the book provided a good jumping off spot but we needed more and hope that the church will continue to support and organize groups on this topic in the future. For me personally, I also enjoyed being in a small group discussing a book with my husband. He had a lot to offer to the discussion since he has helped organize group discussions on racial sensitivity at this place of employment and had insights from those experiences to share. It isn't often that I get to be a "student" with him and I enjoyed this shared experience.

One of the first nonfiction books I read on the topic was This Book Is Anti-Racist: 20 Lessons on How to Wake Up, Take Action, and Do the Work by Tiffany Jewell. (I guess I am reviewing them in reverse order.) Prior to George Floyd's murder this book came to my attention as an excellent nonfiction title for young adults, so I ordered a copy for myself thinking I would donate it to a high school library after I read it. Oddly I wasn't quite finished reading it before I started the other two books, so the information is a bit jumbled in my head. What this book has going for it that the other two don't is cool graphics and colorful pages and illustrations to attract its target audience: teenagers. Each chapter is assigned to a section like WAKING UP: UNDERSTANDING AND GROWING INTO MY IDENTITIES, with four sections in all. At the end of each chapter the reader is given permission to journal their thoughts and feelings. It is less about answering questions and more about personal reflections. I started off completing the daily reflections but didn't find them to be very applicable since I am well beyond teenage years. Occasionally I would simply skip that step as I moved to the next chapter. I personally found this book to be the least challenging to me but if I were a young adult, I am sure I would have the opposite point of view. If you are a high school librarian and you don't have a copy of this book in your library, order one today! You need it in your collection. Or, if you have a teenager at your home, buy them a copy.

Several poetry collections caught my attention on topics related to Black Lives Matter. I especially found the National Book Award poetry winner Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine moving. This is what I said in my review of this astonishing volume---"Of all the books I've read so far, Citizen has brought me the furthest at the fastest pace. By page two I was seething, and cringing, and crying, and praying 'God help us find another way.'" I highly recommend it, even if you aren't a big poetry reader. Don't Call Us Dead by Danez Smith contains some very volatile poems where blacks speak from the grave about the issues that killed them. I had a harder time understanding this poems, though I certainly felt the anger and frustration that the poet was expressing.

Lastly, I want to direct you to a middle grade, graphic novel that won the Newbery Medal last year, New Kid by Jerry Craft. The author/illustrator said he creates books he wishes he had when he was a kid. Jordan, the book's protagonist, is not only in middle school, which is hard enough, but he is the new kid in the school and one of only a handful of black students. All the awkward moments of middle school and puberty are compounded by his race. One teacher keeps calling him by the name of another black boy at the school. When he corrects her, she is defensive or dismissive but never apologetic. It is not surprising that she calls him the wrong name over and over with similar non-apologies. Other teachers and students assume that Jordan is good at sports but have low expectations for the academics, another racial stereotype. Actually Jordan likes to draw and carries his drawing journal with him everywhere. In it he draws his interactions with others at his school. When he leaves the journal behind at his desk one day. The next day the teacher who retrieved it, gets angry with how he characterized her. (Yes, she looked inside his private journal!) The very point he was making with the characterization, that she can't get past her own racial blind spots to be able to see him as an individual, is what she is angry about. I was completely convicted by this book. As a teacher I would sometimes make assumptions about students or call them by the name of another student of the same race. How mortifying for my students. Ugh. I hate to think about what that must be like to go through a lifetime of that sort of behavior. I am so, so sorry. I resolve to do and be better.

I haven't read the book White Fragility by DiAngelo, but I have become familiar with the term and what it means. Since we live in a largely segregated society, whites are often insulated from racial discomfort, so that they fall to pieces at the first application of stress. Like the teacher in the book getting angry with the kid for calling him the wrong name. "Mostly unconsciously white people feel that they are entitled to peace and deference, so they lack the 'racial stamina' to engage in difficult conversations. This leads them to respond to 'racial triggers'.” I resolve to be more conscious of myself and my feelings around racial topics and to stop myself when I start to feel fragile. One (all?) of the above books spoke about the determination for folks to become a better ancestor. I like that. I am not perfect but I am determined to do better and be better every day toward my goal of becoming anti-racist.

-Anne

Sunday Salon, More Good News Edition

Strawberries are so irresistible this time of year. So are grandsons covered with berry juice.

Weather: It was overcast and partially rainy on Saturday, who knows how the weather will shake out Sunday.

I am attempting here to deliver, in one spot, all the good news I can find in one week of searching. If you missed last week's good news edition, follow this link.

More good news:

• Supreme Court ruled in a stunning 6-3 decision written by Justice Neil Gorsuch, that LGBTQ people cannot be discriminated against on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity. (NPR)
• Supreme Court blocked Trump from ending DACA. (CNN)
• Researchers in the UK have discovered that the low-dose steroid treatment dexamethasone is a major breakthrough in the fight against the deadly coronavirus.The drug, which is inexpensive and readily available worldwide, helps persons with severe cases of COVID to recover. It cuts the risk of death by one-third.(BBC)                                                                                               
• A San Francisco company is using ex-convicts to recycle electronics and other recyclables.
  

  “Our main mission is not recycling, at all. Our mission is to help people that are coming out of jail and prison with training, mental health, drug addiction, housing, and then help them get a job,” said program director Andrew King. “We do that through recycling.” (GNN)

• Pandemic of Love: a new website sprung up in March by one women hoping to help her own community. Now it has over 400 volunteers all over the US who have helped over 132,000 people hit hard by this pandemic. (P of L Website)
• 'Breonna's Law was created by the Louisville, KY City Council after taking a 26-0 (unanimous) vote. Police will no longer be able to obtain and use no-knock warrants. It is named for Breonna Taylor who was asleep in her bed when police entered her home on a no-knock warrant looking for her boyfriend. She was shot eight times. (CNN)
• Fox News mistakenly covers troll using a quote from the 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail' film when reporting on Seattle protests. Not recognizing it as a quote from the movie, Fox News referred to it as if the group in question was real. (Watch the little clip of it here on The Independent.) Ha-ha!
• A new park in Florence, Oregon needed a name. The citizenry was asked for suggestions and the winning name was 'Exploding Whale Memorial Park.' Why such a quirky name? You have got to see this short news clip for the answer. (It will make your day.  I promise you will laugh for hours!)
• A Kentucky tattoo parlor is creatively covering up hateful, racist, or gang-related tattoos for free. (GNN)
• Blood plasma from recovered COVD patients is now considered a safe treatment for those ill from the disease. The sooner they get the plasma, the better for full recovery. (WaPo)
• Friday was Juneteenth, a oft forgotten day in American history. But thanks to Trump's blunders this past week, everyone knows about this holiday now and many companies are declaring it a business holiday. Sen. Harris and Booker are asking the Senate to make it a National holiday. Things are changing fast, folks! Hang on for more good news to follow on this topic.
  

  "Juneteeth commemorates the ending of slavery in 1865, when the last enslaved Americans learned that they had been freed. Today, we educate ourselves about our history, listen & learn, & determine what actions we can take to create a community free of hate, violence, & racism."

• And the sweetest love story, couple, married for 67 years, were reunited after five weeks of separation due to COVID. (Today Show)
• Books about racism and antiracism are topping the best-seller lists! (NYT)
• Trump supporters in Michigan are burning their absentee ballot applications in protest. Ha-ha! Talk about shooting yourself in the foot. Come November when coronavirus is raging, they may wish they had that absentee ballot!  (Detroit Daily News)

Needs some laughs? Here you go:

This isn't funny. It is terrifying.

And some important thoughts for the day...

On a personal note:

1. I finished reading Hinds' Feet in High Places by Hannah Hurnard. It is a thought-provoking Christian allegory.
2. My grandson and his mom picked strawberries (see photo above.) We saw him afterwards and think he was wearing more strawberries than he picked.
3. For Father's Day, our daughter and grandson, took Don and I on a lovely hike in the Grove of the Patriarchs, part of Rainier National Park. We had a lovely hike and made it back to the car just as it started to rain. Whew!

Don, Rita, Ian, and I in the Grove of the Patriarchs

4. Lastly,  Fred and George discovered computer mice this week.

-Anne

Sunday Salon, Good New Edition

Weather: rainy and cool. Lucky it is still Spring or I'd say this is a lousy summer.

This week: my sister and Mom came up for a visit. My mother had a chance to see her sister who is currently on hospice, for two short visits. It was a blessing that they had a chance to see each other in this time of coronavirus lock-downs. It was so good to be with members of my family again!

"Get your knee off our neck" Rev. Al Sharpton at George Floyd's memorial service in Minneapolis:

This week---lots of good news!

1. Some good things are happening here and abroad since the George Floyd protests began.

• Several cities and states are redefining policing and instituting police reforms. Minneapolis, Colorado, New York, and Louisville, KY are a few places making changes.
• The NFL Commissioner apologizes for not getting it right on Black Lives Matter, though he did not apologize to Colin Kaepernick personally. (WaPo)
  
• NASCAR has banned the use of the Confederate Flag at any of their events or on any of their sanctioned materials. (ESPN)
• Confederate statues are finally coming down, most with little fuss. (CNN)
  
• The 10 military bases named for Confederate "heroes" may be renamed. (NYT)
  
• The Marines ban depictions of the confederate flag, including on bumper stickers and mugs. (CNN)

2. French company discovers an enzyme that breaks down plastic in hours and allows for high-quality recycling. Yay. This is very good news indeed.

3. In a world full of hate, be a light...
 

4. #StrikeforBlackLives: Scientists went on strike this week, speaking up about anti-Black racism.

5. This isn't good news, but it is kind of funny when viewed from this angle:

6. Mt. Everest: The reduction of vehicular emission due to the #COVID19 lockdown has cleaned the air over Nepal and northern India. So much so that for the first time in many years, Mt. Everest can be seen again from Kathmandu Valley even though it is 200km away. (Photo taken about a month ago.) Photo taken by Abhushan Gautam.

7. Sesame Street hosts a town hall on racism with CNN: We can do better. We can be better.

On the hour-long special, which you can watch in its entirety for free on CNN's website, Sesame Street characters Big Bird, Elmo, Abby Cadabby, and Rosita, along with CNN's Van Jones and Erica Hill, joined experts to answer questions submitted by families and address the complex topic of racism in America. The start of the town hall featured Elmo's dad Louie explaining to his son why people are protesting.

8. Fact check: The Lincoln Memorial was not defaced. Images of it were manipulated and doctored for the 'Michael Knowles Show.' Don't just pass everything along, folks! Fact check first!

9. Netflix beat out the US Government to trademark the name Space Force. Ha ha! Read all about it and the hilarious tweets by fans of the show here.

10. Speaking of tweets: Isn't this one the truth? This year sure does seem like a bunch of headlines one would only expect to see in a satire source.---

11. Best protest sign I've seen. Memorize it! Live it.

12. Millions of COVID cases and deaths averted by lockdown measures. Researchers of the study wrote:

“The last several months have been extraordinarily difficult, but through our individual sacrifices, people everywhere have each contributed to one of humanity’s greatest collective achievements,” Hsiang said. “I don’t think any human endeavor has ever saved so many lives in such a short period of time. There have been huge personal costs to staying home and canceling events, but the data show that each day made a profound difference. By using science and cooperating, we changed the course of history.”

13. Extraordinary ocean creatures use mucous to clear carbons and microplastics. In the weird, wonderful world God created there are even mucous monsters! See the picture of these guys below.

***********************************************************************

A few laughs for the week:

First this...

Now this...

You know ANTIFA isn't really a group, right? Or they are a group as much as 'People who hate Raisin Bran' are a group, which proves my point. But what if... ?

We should all be worried. Very worried.

Just think what future history books will say about 2020.

Whose driving all the protests? According to one news station it is Yiddish-speaking Anarchists. What?

(Chyron editors: It's a Molotov cocktail, not Mazel Tov cocktails)

Book finished this week:

• The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith. The #2 book in the Cormoran Strike series. I really enjoyed it. Print and Audio, I would go back and forth.
  
• Currently reading:
• Hinds' Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurrard. A Christian allegory. Audio.
• The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins. Considered to be book 0 of the Hunger games series. Print.
  

What have Fred and George been doing this week? Playing in forts (George) and with shoes (Fred), of course.

-Anne

Sunday Salon, Black Lives Matter Edition

Weather: Cool with sun breaks and light showers throughout the day (light showers with the five-minute exception for a downpour of rain and hail earlier this afternoon).

Black Lives Matter: With the events of this week I want to deviate from my typical Sunday Salon and post items I have found that I think advance the conversations we need to be having about social justice and Black Lives Matter. I have a lot of links which, if you follow them all, will probably lead you down a lot of rabbit-holes. I hope you take the time to at least follow a few of them and then find a friend or family member with whom you can talk about what you read.

It is okay to grow and change as we learn new information. Here is a good place to start:

All four living former Presidents speak out about the actions taken by Trump in the wake of the George Floyd protests: Carter, Clinton, Bush, and Obama. It couldn't be clearer that the current President is on the wrong path. New York Intelligencer, June 3rd, 2020.

In his video (on the linked page referenced above) Obama mentions a 12-year-old boy singing about how hard it is to be a black boy. Here is that video:

In a surprising twist of events, the NFL and other sports teams are doing an about-face on the issue of Black Lives Matter:

• NFL Statement: "We were wrong on kneeling player protests."
• Sports Stars and brands against racism
• Nike Ad---For Once, Don't Do It

My own way of fighting for equality---with literature. This week I created the beginnings of a list of books to advance the discussion about social justice and equality in our country. I hope you will click this link and visit my list and give me suggested book titles if you know of others. Otherwise, just make a comment to let me know that you saw it. Also, feel free to share this list widely. I know that reading helps us expand our minds. We can change as we learn new information.

White supremacists attempted to get a hashtag #whitelivesmatter trending on Twitter. But K-Pop fans were way ahead of them. Every time that hashtags was clicked it would take the viewer to a message like the one below making fun of white supremacists, calling them clowns and racists. It was the most fun thing on Twitter this week. Clever K-Pop fans beat the system!

We can do better, we can be better:

It feels like things are different this time. Maybe we are on the precipice of a new day? I hope so. Take a musical break here. "What's Going On"/Playing for Change.

And now for a little bit about politics:

This sign has become popular in a community in Florida. People are abandoning Trump left and right.

This week's polls have been devastating to Trump with a disapproval rating of 54%, the highest of any President.

And anti-Trump groups are creating ads which are devastating to Trump and his re-election campaign. It isn't just Democrats who want him out. Will other Republicans start to jump ship soon?

George Will, a conservative columnist, says "Trump must be removed. So must his congressional enablers." (Washington Post, June 1, 2020) We must not only remove the President by voting him out of office, but also retake the Senate.

On that note, George Floyd protests have led to a surge in voter registration.

Emotional debate about anti-lynching legislation this week. Really? We can't get this done now?

Remember coronavirus? It is still out there and I still have a few funny/thought-provoking memes to share:

Books and reading:

• Currently reading
• Silkworm by Robert Galbriath. I can't "attend" to heavy books right now so I started this second book in the Cormoran Strike series just last night. E-book. 1%.
• Recently abandoned
• The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh by Candace Fleming. This book is getting book reviews but I cannot make myself care about what happened to this man so many years ago. I am setting it aside for now but maybe forever. 15% complete. E-book.
• Children of Virtue and Vengeance by  Tomi Adeyemi. The second book in the Legacy of Orisha series. I liked the first book a lot. It was based on Nigerian folktales and myths. It has just been too long since I read the first book and I cannot remember anything to help me get started on this second book. I am removing this one from my TBR pile and will be done with it. 10% completed. Audio.
• Finished this week
• The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates. A timely reading selection about slavery and the underground railroad. Excellent. Audiobook.
• Separate is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez and Her Family's Fight fro Desegregation by Duncan Tonatiuh. Another timely read. This is a children's book and I got it free from Kindle. See if you can, too. E-book.
• So Big by Edna Ferber. I read this for the Classic Club spin. It was written in 1924 and won the Pulitzer. I liked it for the fact I got to see a slice of life from the beginning of the last century, otherwise I wasn't that impressed. E-book.

Required cat photo? This week I was only inspired by one of my daughter's shots of her boys, Fred and George. In it you see Fred not quite relaxing on his cat play structure. What a goofball cat.

We did get away from all the craziness for a lovely hike this past Wednesday: We hiked the Greenwater Lakes Trail which is located on the Western slope of the Cascades about an hour from here. It was a lovely day--not too warm or buggy.

I close this week with a collage of flowers blooming in my garden right now. The yard is lovely this time of year and so peaceful. All these photos were taken on one day, June 4th.

-Anne

Black Lives Matter: a look at books to bring the discussion forward

“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” — Martin Luther King, Jr.

“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.” — Desmond Tutu

 “I don’t want your love and light if it doesn’t come with solidarity and action. I have no interest in passive empathy.” — Rachel Cargle

In light of the events of this week we all are called to action, to speak up on behalf of our brothers and sisters of color. No longer should anyone feel comfortable sitting quietly on the sidelines, no matter how empathetic they feel toward the cause of true equality for ALL.

But what can I do to help? Today it hit me. I can use my voice to talk about what I know: books. More specifically, books about racism/anti-racism, inclusion, and justice. And to highlight the works of authors who are truly making a difference writing and illustrating books so that children, teens, and adults recognize their own stories in literature.

This is not an exhaustive list, but I want it to be a more extensive list than I can compile alone. So help me out. In the comment section below (or on my email link on the sidebar) add selections and descriptions of additional books you suggest and I will add them to this list. Together we can make this a great resource for people looking for ways to educate themselves about how to become anti-racists today and to raise up a new generation of anti-racists for tomorrow!

Adult nonfiction:

• Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson. If you want to start someplace impactful, start here. "A powerful true story about the potential for mercy to redeem us, and a clarion call to fix our broken system of justice — from one of the most brilliant and influential lawyers of our time." Today the movie about Stevenson and his work is available free for Amazon Prime members. Act quickly. 
• Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi. "As Kendi shows, racist ideas did not arise from ignorance or hatred. They were created to justify and rationalize deeply entrenched discriminatory policies and the nation's racial inequities. It offers us the tools we need to expose racist thinking. In the process, he gives us reason to hope." I haven't read this version of the book but was so interested by what I learned from the YA version (see description below.)
• Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates. A letter from a father to his black son. "Between the World and Me offers a powerful new framework for understanding America's history and current crisis, and a transcendent vision for a way forward." This is not an easy book to read, but a vital one.
• White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo. "Groundbreaking book exploring the counterproductive reactions white people have when discussing racism that serve to protect their positions and maintain racial inequality."(Suggested by Helen at Helen's Book Blog)
• An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz. Justice is justice and it needs to be extended everywhere. “Justice-seekers everywhere will celebrate Dunbar-Ortiz’s unflinching commitment to truth—a truth that places settler-colonialism and genocide exactly where they belong: as foundational to the existence of the United States.”
  —Waziyatawin, PhD, activist and author of For Indigenous Minds Only. A YA version is also available. (Suggested by Helen at Helen's Book Blog)
• So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo. "Widespread reporting on aspects of white supremacy--from police brutality to the mass incarceration of Black Americans--has put a media spotlight on racism in our society. Still, it is a difficult subjec by t to talk about. How do you tell your roommate her jokes are racist? Why did your sister-in-law take umbrage when you asked to touch her hair--and how do you make it right? How do you explain white privilege to your white, privileged friend" (Suggested by Sandy WB.) 
• How to Be An Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi. "Antiracism is a transformative concept that reorients and reenergizes the conversation about racism—and, even more fundamentally, points us toward liberating new ways of thinking about ourselves and each other." (Suggested by Sandy WB)
• No Ashes in the Fire: Coming of Age Black and Free in America by Darnell L. Moore. "Moore is an award-winning writer, a leading Black Lives Matter activist, and an advocate for justice and liberation. In No Ashes in the Fire, he shares the journey taken from scared, bullied teenager who not only survived, but found his calling." (Suggested by Sandy WB)
• White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide by Carol Anderson. "From the Civil War to our combustible present, acclaimed historian Carol Anderson reframes our continuing conversation about race, chronicling the powerful forces opposed to black progress in America." Even the title makes me angry. We have got to do better. (Suggested by Emma at Words and Peace) 
• An American Summer: Love and Death in Chicago by Alex Kotlowitz. "Alex Kotlowitz doesn’t provide solutions to the violence that plagues Chicago. Instead, he eloquently bears witness to a single summer on its streets, chronicling a community’s ongoing struggle with murder, misery, and rage. This deeply empathetic and perceptive book isn’t easy to read. But we can only see into the neglected corners of America when someone shines a light."--Christian Science Monitor. (Suggested by Deb Nance at Readerbuzz)
• They Can't Kill Us All: The Struggle for Black Lives by Wesley Lowrey. "A deeply reported book that brings alive the quest for justice in the deaths of Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, and Freddie Gray, offering both unparalleled insight into the reality of police violence in America and an intimate, moving portrait of those working to end it." (Suggested by Lynn at Lynn's Film and Book Reviews)
• Be the Bridge: Pursuing God's Heart for Racial Reconciliation by LaTasha Morrison. "With racial tensions as high within the church as outside the church, it is time for Christians to become the leaders in the conversation on racial reconciliation."
• Black is the Body: Stories from My Grandmother's Time, My Mother's Time, and Mine by Emily Bernard. "The author has led an interesting life, growing up African American in the South, going to an Ivy League college and moving to the very white state of Vermont, marrying a white man, and adopting two little girls from Ethiopia. Bernard's interconnected personal essays cover a wide range of topics." (Recommended by Sue at Book by Book) 
• Tell Me Who You Are: Sharing Our Stories of Race, Culture, and Identity by Winona Guo and Priya Vulchi "The authors recount their experiences talking to people from all walks of life about race and identity on a cross-country tour of America. " (Recommended by Rummanah Aasi at Books in the Spotlight)

Adult fiction:

• Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi. "Homegoing follows the parallel paths of two sisters and their descendants through eight generations: from the Gold Coast to the plantations of Mississippi, from the American Civil War to Jazz Age Harlem. Yaa Gyasi’s extraordinary novel illuminates slavery’s troubled legacy both for those who were taken and those who stayed—and shows how the memory of captivity has been inscribed on the soul of our nation." If you want to understand the long term effect of slavery, read this book. It will break your heart.
• Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead. “What if the underground railroad was a literal railroad? And what if each state, as a runaway slave was going north, was a different state of American possibility, an alternative America?” (WSJ) Though this book is about slavery, it is also very NOW. Colson Whitehead has won two Pulitzers, one for this book and one for The Nickel Boys. He has a lot to tell us. Be prepared to think new thoughts and to grow.
  
• An American Marriage by Tayari Jones. Explores the impact that incarceration has on marriages and relationships.
• The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates. "Coates brings his considerable talent for racial and social analysis to his debut novel, which captures the brutality of slavery and explores the underlying truth that slaveholders could not dehumanize the enslaved without also dehumanizing themselves. Beautifully written, this is a deeply and soulfully imagined look at slavery and human aspirations." Booklist (Starred Review)
• If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin. A moving story about love in the face of injustice. Written in 1974, the story remains pertinent today.

YA nonfiction:

• Just Mercy (Adapted for Young Adults): A True Story of a Fight For Justice by Bryan Stevenson. "Stevenson's story is one of working to protect basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in American society--the poor, the wrongly convicted, and those whose lives have been marked by discrimination and marginalization. Through this adaptation, young people of today will find themselves called to action and compassion in the pursuit of justice." I liked the adult version better than this YA version, but I'm an adult. Ha! Both are very good.
• Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi. "A timely, crucial, and empowering exploration of racism — and antiracism — in America." A remix of the National Book Award winning, Stamped From the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi. This book has been reworked with a YA audience in mind, but it is excellent for any age group.
• One Person No Vote: How Not All Voters are Treated Equally by Carol Anderson with Tonya Bolden. "In gripping, enlightening detail Anderson explains how voter suppression works, from photo ID requirements to gerrymandering to poll closures. And with vivid characters, she explores the resistance: the organizing, activism, and court battles to restore the basic right to vote to all Americans as the nation gears up for the 2020 presidential election season." I got so angry I wanted to throw this book against the wall. There is lots of room for action on this topic. This is the YA version of the adult book by the same title.
• March: Book 1, 2, and 3 by John Lewis and Andrew Aydin, illustrated by Nate Powell. The story of Civil Rights Activist and Congressman John Lewis told in three graphic memoirs. Lewis, who marched alongside Martin Luther King, Jr. wanted his memoir to be published in the comic-book style because it was a comic of MLK that got him activated in the first place back in the late 1950s.

YA fiction:

• The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. This book could have been written about what happened in Minneapolis this past week: police kill unarmed black teen, the community erupts in violence. I haven't seen the movie of the same title, but the book is excellent and eye-opening on many levels. Thomas' next book, On the Come Up, takes a hard look at many of the issues that teens of color must deal with on a daily basis. The latter book is also worth the read.
• Black and White by Paul Volponi. Two best friends, one black and the other white, commit a crime together. After they are caught, the disparity in their experiences with the justice system could not be more stark. Volponi, a white author, wrote this book after seeing for himself the unequal nature of the justice system when he was a teacher for incarcerated youth.
• All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Keily. "In this New York Times bestselling novel, two teens--one black, one white--grapple with the repercussions of a single violent act that leaves their school, their community, and, ultimately, the country bitterly divided by racial tension." I recommend reading any book written by Jason Reynolds.
• With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo. "The acclaimed author follows up her celebrated The Poet X with a love letter to food and a tribute to young, single mothers... Acevedo's second serving offers a much-needed nuanced exploration of teen parenting that belongs on all shelves." School Library Journal (Starred Review). What I liked best about this book is the positive message it gives about making the most of your life. The main character is a teen mom who works hard to make her dreams come true and she never regrets her decision to have and keep 'baby-girl.' The author's first book is similarly inspiring. It is time we start changing the narrative of what to expect from characters of color. A "don't-miss-her-books" author. 
• X: A Novel by Ilyasah Shabazz and Keikla Magoon. A novelization of the life of Malcolm X written by his daughter.
• Dear Martin by Nic Stone.“A powerful, wrenching, and compulsively readable story that lays bare the history, and the present, of racism in America.” –John Green. It's sequel, Dear Justyce is coming out later this summer. (Suggested by Deb Nance at Readerbuzz)
• Monday's Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson. "When Monday goes missing, only one friend notices and no one is doing anything about it." BIPOC women often go missing without so much as an investigation into their whereabouts. (Recommended by Rummanah Aasi at Books in the Spotlight)

Middle Grade nonfiction:

• Locked Up for Freedom: Civil Rights Protestors at the Leesburg Stockade by Heather E. Schwartz. "In 1963, more than 30 African-American girls ages 11 to 16 were arrested for taking part in Civil Rights protests in Americus, Georgia. They were taken without their families' knowledge to a Civil War-era stockade in Leesburg, Georgia, where they were confined in unsanitary conditions and exposed to brutal treatment." I read this book with my mouth hanging open. How could this happen in America?
• Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson. A memoir of this celebrated author's life growing up during the Civil Rights era. Written in poems.
• Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott by Russell Freedman. "Now a classic, Freedman's book tells the dramatic stories of the heroes who stood up against segregation and Jim Crow laws in 1950s Alabama." Grade 6 and up. (Suggested by Deb Nance at Readerbuzz)

Middle Grade fiction:

• New Kid by Jerry Craft. This is a graphic novel about a new kid at school where the diversity is low and the desire to fit in is high. This was the 2020 Newbery Medal award winning book. This book is spot-on about the way people often inadvertently treat students of color, without malice aforethought. Yet the remarks are so hurtful. This would be a wonderful book to read with your kids and discuss.
• The Watsons Go to Birmingham 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis. Your kids will likely read this one in school. If not, read it together.
• All the Days Past, All the Days to Come by Mildred D. Taylor. "Mildred Taylor completes her sweeping saga about the Logan family of Mississippi, which is also the story of the civil rights movement in America of the 20th century." (Suggested by Deb Nance at Readerbuzz)
• Genesis Begins Again by Alicia D. Williams. "This is the story of a thirteen-year-old girl who is filled with self-loathing and must overcome internalized racism and a verbally abusive family to finally learn to love herself." (Recommended by Rummanah Aasi at Books in the Spotlight)
• From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks. "Zoe Washington isn’t sure what to write. What does a girl say to the father she’s never met, hadn’t heard from until his letter arrived on her twelfth birthday, and who’s been in prison for a terrible crime? A crime he says he never committed." (Recommended by Rummanah Aasi at Books in the Spotlight)
• Revolution by Deborah Wiley.  "Revolution is about The Freedom Summer – the summer of 1964 when college students and other volunteers from all over the country traveled to Mississippi to help end discrimination and segregation in a part of the country that was outright ignoring federal laws to that effect." (Recommended by Sue at Book by Book)
• Glory Be by Augusta Scattergood. "A Mississippi town in 1964 gets riled when tempers flare at the segregated public pool." (Recommended by Sue at Book by Book)

Children's nonfiction:

• Undefeated by Kwame Alexander, illustrated by Kadir Nelson. This book is a love letter, written in poetic form, to black life in America. "It highlights the unspeakable trauma of slavery, the faith and fire of the civil rights movement, and the grit, passion, and perseverance of some of the world's greatest heroes." Both this author and the illustrator are not-to-be-missed talents.
• I Have a Dream by Martin Luther King, Jr., illustrated by Kadir Nelson. This book also contains an audio CD (remember those) of King delivering his famous speech. Once again, do not miss books illustrated by Kadir Nelson. For ages 7 and up.
• Rosa by Nikki Giovanni, illustrated by Bryan Collier. "Award-winning poet, writer, and activist Nikki Giovanni's evocative text combines with Bryan Collier's striking cut-paper images to retell the story of this historic event from a wholly unique and original perspective."
• Separate Is Never Equal by Duncan Tonatiuh. "Almost 10 years before Brown vs. Board of Education, Sylvia Mendez and her parents helped end school segregation in California. An American citizen of Mexican and Puerto Rican heritage who spoke and wrote perfect English, Mendez was denied enrollment to a “Whites only” school." This is an inspiring story about the Hispanic community's fight to desegregate schools in California. I read this book yesterday as Amazon offered the e-book for free.

Children's fiction:

• Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson. Acts of kindness can make all the difference.
• A is For Activist by Innosanto Nagara. A board book for very young children, the future of our country.
• White Water by Michael Bandy and Eric Stein, illustrated by Shandra Strickland. A young boy has an epiphany. A good discussion starter for young children.
• Something Happened In Our Town: A Child's Story About Racial Injustice by Marianne Celano, Marietta Collins, and Ann Hazzard, illustrated by Jennifer Zivoin. "Something Happened in Our Town follows two families -- one White, one Black -- as they discuss a police shooting of a Black man in their community. The story aims to answer children's questions about such traumatic events, and to help children identify and counter racial injustice in their own lives." (Suggested by Deb Nance at Readerbuzz)

Poetry:

• Martin Rising: Requiem for a King by Andrea Davis Pinkney, illustrated by Brian Pinkney. "Andrea's stunning poetic requiem, illustrated with Brian's lyrical and colorful artwork, brings a fresh perspective to Martin Luther King, the Gandhi-like, peace-loving activist whose dream of equality -- and whose courage to make it happen -- changed the course of American history. And even in his death, he continues to transform and inspire all of us who share his dream." Also by this writing duo, Boycott Blues. Grade 4 and up.
• Selected Poems of Langston Hughes: A Classic Collection of Poems by a Master of American Verse by Langston Hughes. Includes: "Montage of a Dream Deferred"; "I, Too"; "Refugee in America." *Note: I tried to check out an e-book of Langston Hughes poetry from my library. They are all checked out! When does that happen?
• And Still I Rise by Maya Angelou. Admit it. You should just read ALL the Maya Angelou books and poetry collections.
• Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankin. "A book-length poem about race and imagination."-The New Yorker. (Suggested by Deb Nance at Readerbuzz)
• Don't Call Us Dead: Poems by Danez Smith. "Don’t Call Us Dead is an astonishing and ambitious collection, one that confronts, praises, and rebukes America—“Dear White America”—where every day is too often a funeral and not often enough a miracle."

Essays/Speeches/Letters:

• Letter from a Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King, Jr.
• Obama's Speech on Race by Barack Obama
• The Meaning of the 4th of July for the Negro by Frederick Douglass

Now it is your turn. Please help me make this list as exhaustive as possible. Make suggestions of books I should include in the comments below.

Note: All the hyperlinks will take you to an Indy bookstore's website. Whenever you can, support small business owners and keep as many bookstores open as possible.  Right now many books about racism and social justice are sold out. Take that as a good sign and get yourself in line to get the books you want when they become available. Also check out your library homepages. They may have e-books available for check out even if your library is still closed due to the pandemic.

Quotes not attributed to a specific source come from the material provided by the publisher.