Whiteness and Racial Literacy: Websites and Community Resources
This is a non-exhaustive curated list of resources for KCAI students, to promote inclusiveness and to supplement and enrich the student experience in the classroom, the studio and in campus life. Please share your suggestions and your feedback.
Whiteness and Racial Literacy focused Website and Community Resources
These are links to resources found outside of the Jannes Library catalog or database subscriptions. That may include local or national organizations, podcasts, articles on the web.
Recommendations in any format are welcome!
Films on the Web
Rat Film (2016)"Across walls, fences, and alleys, rats not only expose our boundaries of separation but make homes in them. "Rat Film" is a feature-length documentary that uses the rat—as well as the humans that love them, live with them, and kill them--to explore the history of Baltimore. "There's never been a rat problem in Baltimore, it's always been a people problem". " - from film's website
13th (2016)"Combining archival footage with testimony from activists and scholars, director Ava DuVernay's examination of the U.S. prison system looks at how the country's history of racial inequality drives the high rate of incarceration in America." - from video description
"Intended for those who have yet to engage directly with Creative Reaction Lab, those who have worked with us before, and anyone in between, the Redesigners in Action Webinar Series is a public-facing virtual learning opportunity that brings together people who are looking to increase their capacity for cultivating a mindset that produces action grounded in equity, inclusion, and justice." - From website page
Look at https://www.cacgrants.org/impact/equity/racial-equity-resources for more resources.
Organizations Supporting Racial Justice in Kansas city
Black RainbowFrom twitter bio: "Abolitionist organization dedicated to liberation for all oppressed peoples while centering Black lives."
One Struggle KCFrom bio: "One Struggle KC is a coalition of Kansas City activists, seeking to connect the struggles of oppressed Black communities, locally and globally."
KC Community Bail FundFrom the homepage: "Through the use of a revolving fund, our mission is to provide bail for people without the resources to post their own bail while awaiting trial - giving them a higher chance of a positive outcome in their case. We want those detained pretrial to have the ability to keep their jobs, their spot in school, their housing, and provide care for their children while maintaining their presumed innocence - rather than sitting in jail without access to resources and costing themselves and the taxpayers money. By doing so we will be advocating for the abolition of money bail, pretrial detention, and mass incarceration by example.
We believe that the right to freedom should not be based on one's ability to afford bail."
KC TenantsFrom the about page: "Kansas City Tenants (KC Tenants) is an organization led by a multigenerational, multiracial, anti-racist base of poor and working class tenants in Kansas City. KC Tenants organizes to ensure that everyone in KC has a safe, accessible, and truly affordable home."
Showing Up for Racial Justice, Kansas City"Through personal support, political education, and solidarity action, SURJ moves white people to act as part of a multi-racial majority for justice with passion and accountability. We do this work from a set of seven shared values, which we believe are also essential points of unity for a winning racial justice movement." - from homepage
The average American white racist - With Friends Like These"On the Season 1 finale, reformed extremist Christian Picciolini [4:02] joins Ana to talk about his experience as a white supremacist, how his mind changed, and the work he does today to show people that there is life after hate. They discuss the rise and shifts in white supremacy within the United States and the way that white supremacists have softened their image by using coded language and racial dog whistles. The conversation turns to the ways in which white supremacy is like an addiction, and the possibilities of treating them both through recovery, kindness, and empathy. He also shares his own perspective on how to confront white supremacy: not with violence, but by helping people identify and fill in the holes in their lives, and showing how they can change. Later on, Ana and Christian touch on one of the most important things to keep in mind when dealing with not just white supremacy but ordinary interactions with people in everyday life: everybody is going through something we can’t see. The conversation ends with what makes Christian worried, and hopeful, about the society we now live in." - from episode description
BlackAFinSTEM with various Ologists - Ologies with Alie Ward"The most ologists in one Ologies! And maybe my favorite episode ever. #BlackBirdersWeek was such a force that we wanted to keep the energy going by spotlighting not one, but 30 ologists. You’re about to meet 30 new science heroes who are @BlackAFinSTEM and chatting about electric fish snouts, urban birds, falcons, lizards, crocodiles, economics, carnivores, sea turtles, porcupine noses, butt breathing, Ivory Towers, microaggressions, and how being an ally is a learning process we can all get better at. Walk side by side through life as a Black academic and hear their tips to best support them as well as guidance to Black students. Follow and fawn over your 30 glorious new nerd friends." - from webpage
Code Switch"What's CODE SWITCH? It's the fearless conversations about race that you've been waiting for. Hosted by journalists of color, our podcast tackles the subject of race with empathy and humor. We explore how race affects every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, food and everything in between. This podcast makes all of us part of the conversation — because we're all part of the story. Code Switch was named Apple Podcasts' first-ever Show of the Year in 2020." - from the website
