Racial Justice Learning Resources
Indwell’s Racial Justice Working Group has curated a list of resources that have had meaningful impacts on our staff. We are delighted to share these resources with you, our beloved support community, to emphasize that we’re all still learning—and to unify our faith and mission within the context of using our privilege to empower others.
NEW
The Third Option: Hope for a Racially Divided Nation
by Miles McPherson
The Third Option highlights how we all have “in” groups and “out” groups based on where we live, where we are from, and our experiences and interests. It then challenges our assumptions that we’d get along easier with those like us and tend to be more patient with only those like us. A significant theme in the book is honour—honour the human beings in front of US and the God who created them—by learning to change our words and thoughts that others experience as racist. We do this with the freedom of knowing that God is actively helping us perfect our imperfect behaviours and attitudes. This is The Third Option.
Purchase:
Amazon
Rediscipling the White Church: From Cheap Diversity to True Solidarity
by David W. Swanson
This book provides very practical approaches to cultivating genuine and deep relations between white people and other racialized groups. Rediscipling the White Church focuses on why social justice and Christianity are unified. Keeping these separate from one another causes issues with how our children see their faith—leading them to question its validity. I encourage any person in ministry—or who desires to be in ministry— to read this book.
Purchase:
InverVarsity Press
Amazon
Reading (The Bible) While Black: African American Interpretation as an Exercise in Hope
by Esau McCaulley
The number of emotions that I experienced while reading this book varied. McCaulley articulates the struggle I have had with my Christian faith and the battle for it to be accepted as a valid interpretation. As a young “woke” person of colour, the idea of choosing between my religion and my skin colour is something many young people struggle with, as the evangelical and culture do not entirely accept us if we decide to hold on to our faith. This book furthers arguments of why Christianity and social justice must be unified. I highly suggest reading both Rediscipling the White Church and this book together.
Purchase:
InverVarsity Press
Amazon
Podcast:
The Disrupters: Change What Is
The Skin We’re In: A Year of Black Resistance and Power
by Desmond Cole
My heart completely broke while reading this book. If you are interested in learning about how Blacks are treated in Canada—particularly in Ontario—please read this book. Desmond Cole does a beautiful job linking events that pre-date Canada’s confederation with the modern treatment of Blacks and other racialized and marginalized groups.
Warning: while reading this, you will experience anger, deep sadness, and a myriad of different emotions. Also, there is some language some may find offensive.
Purchase:
Amazon
Documentary:
The Snowy Day Read-Aloud
An Animated Story
The Snowy Day Read-Aloud shows a young black boy as the protagonist enjoying his time in the snow. An excellent book for your children to listen to.
If you’re a Netflix subscriber, here are some titles to check out:
