Welcome

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Welcome to our Social Justice Resources for WVMCCD Students, Faculty, Staff, and Community Members.

More than ever, we aim to help people understand the many ways that racism and bias can operate in our world. To this end, we have developed our inaugural social justice resource page to provide free resources to educate and instill insight into the landscape of social justice in our District Community and beyond. We urge you to view and investigate our resources.

The page is designed to provide selected resources including articles, videos, podcasts, books, and guides about histories or racism and oppression primarily in the United States. These resources are meant to enhance opportunities for individuals and groups to provide further enrichment and education on social justice and anti-racism. [Note: This list is not exhaustive and will be updated periodically.]

Anti-racism work requires sustained, proactive education and engagement as well as systemic intentional efforts at the micro- and macro-levels. We encourage you to use this specific resource in tandem with other resources available across WVMCCD and other personal and professional networks.



 Assessment

Not sure where to start? Take a free bias assessment.

This is an online test of quick responses to a series of words and pictures; the test measures response time to the computer images as a proxy for implicit bias. Many—including those who are major researchers in the field of implicit bias and who have committed themselves to work for civil rights, equality, and diversity—find the bias reflected by their scores to be surprising and troubling. The site itself offers this disclaimer:

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 Reading List

SJ3.jpg"You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them." 
- Ray Bradbury

Books

I am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban 

by Malala Yousafzai

I AM MALALA is the remarkable tale of a family uprooted by global terrorism, of the fight for girls' education, of a father who, himself a school owner, championed and encouraged his daughter to write and attend school, and of brave parents who have a fierce love for their daughter in a society that prizes sons. I AM MALALA will make you believe in the power of one person's voice to inspire change in the world.

Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond

In Evicted, Princeton sociologist and MacArthur “Genius” Matthew Desmond follows eight families in Milwaukee as they each struggle to keep a roof over their heads. Hailed as “wrenching and revelatory” (The Nation), “vivid and unsettling” (New York Review of Books), Evicted transforms our understanding of poverty and economic exploitation while providing fresh ideas for solving one of twenty-first-century America’s most devastating problems. Its unforgettable scenes of hope and loss remind us of the centrality of home, without which nothing else is possible. 

Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson

Bryan Stevenson was a young lawyer when he founded the Equal Justice Initiative, a legal practice dedicated to defending those most desperate and in need: the poor, the wrongly condemned, and women and children trapped in the farthest reaches of our criminal justice system. One of his first cases was that of Walter McMillian, a young man who was sentenced to die for a notorious murder he insisted he didn’t commit. The case drew Bryan into a tangle of conspiracy, political machination, and legal brinksmanship—and transformed his understanding of mercy and justice forever. Just Mercy is at once an unforgettable account of an idealistic, gifted young lawyer’s coming of age, a moving window into the lives of those he has defended, and an inspiring argument for compassion in the pursuit of true justice.

Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance

The Vance family story begins hopefully in postwar America. J. D.’s grandparents were “dirt poor and in love,” and moved north from Kentucky’s Appalachia region to Ohio in the hopes of escaping the dreadful poverty around them. They raised a middle-class family, and eventually, one of their grandchildren would graduate from Yale Law School, a conventional marker of success in achieving generational upward mobility. But as the family saga of Hillbilly Elegy plays out, we learn that J.D.'s grandparents, aunt, uncle, sister, and, most of all, his mother struggled profoundly with the demands of their new middle-class life, never fully escaping the legacy of abuse, alcoholism, poverty, and trauma so characteristic of their part of America. With piercing honesty, Vance shows how he himself still carries around the demons of his chaotic family history.

We Should All Be Feminist by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie 

In this personal, eloquently-argued essay—adapted from the much-admired TEDx talk of the same name—Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie offers readers a unique definition of feminism for the twenty-first century, one rooted in inclusion and awareness. Drawing extensively on her own experiences and her deep understanding of the often masked realities of sexual politics, here is one remarkable author’s exploration of what it means to be a woman now—and an of-the-moment rallying cry for why we should all be feminists.

Children's Literature

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. Her parents took action by organizing the Hispanic community and filing a lawsuit in federal district court. Their success eventually brought an end to the era of segregated education in California.

The Youngest Marcher: The story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, a Young Civil Rights Activist 

by Cynthia Levinson

Meet the youngest known child to be arrested for a civil rights protest in Birmingham, Alabama, 1963, in this moving picture book that proves you’re never too little to make a difference. Audrey Faye Hendricks was confident and bold and brave as can be, and hers is a remarkable and inspiring story of one child’s role in the Civil Rights Movement.

Let's Talk About Race by Julius Lester

"This stunning picture book introduces race as just one of many chapters in a person's story" (School Library Journal). "Lester's poignant picture book helps children learn, grow, discuss, and begin to create a future that resolves differences" (Children's Literature). Julius Lester said: "I write because our lives are stories. If enough of these stories are told, then perhaps we will begin to see that our lives are the same story. The differences are merely in the details."

I am a story. So are you. So is everyone.

Articles

Stirring Up Justice by Laurel Schmidt 

Explores the value and process of teaching students about activism. Offers a template for how to engage students in authentic conversations about difficult issues, ask themselves what they can do about social justice issues, consider ways they have already acted in the past, study how other kids and young adults have successfully solved problems, and participate in their own social justice projects. 




 Podcasts

The Wealth Gap Addressing Economic Inequality in the U.S

Wealth inequality has always existed, but the extremes we see today are dramatic. In this episode, we look at what’s driving economic inequality in the U.S. and examine how race and zip code affect prosperity.

What does 'Hood Feminism' Mean for A Pandemic?

The coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated issues that disproportionately affect women. So on this episode, we're talking to Mikki Kendall — author of the new book, Hood Feminism — about what on-the-ground feminism practiced by women of color can teach us that the mainstream feminist movement has forgotten.

Reproducing Racism

As racial disparities in health come into the spotlight amid COVID-19, we explore how the legacy of racism affects maternal health in the U.S. Plus, we hear from doctors working hard to turn things around.

About Race

Our National Conversation About Conversations About Race

Code Switch (NPR)

Race. In Your Face.

Ear Hustle

The daily realities of life inside prison shared by those living it, and stories from the outside, post-incarceration

Momentum: A Race Forward Podcast

A Race Forward Podcase features movement voices, stories, and strategies for racial justice.

Pod For The Cause (from The Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights)

This podcast was created for those of you wanting to effect change, who understand the importance of restoring democracy and want to engage in deep conversation around the issues.

 Video

Below you will find various  Tedx talks, youtube,movies, and documentaries all with Social Justice, Diversity and Inclusion related topics and themes. Some of the videos can be view from the page, others are just listed as resources. 

How do we span the racial wealth gap? |William A. Darity Jr. | TEDxDurham


"Imagine a world where every young person can succeed no matter what their parent's financial situation is." In this talk, William Darity proposes a bold solution he has created to span the racial wealth gap. William A. (“Sandy”) Darity Jr. is the Samuel DuBois Cook Professor of Public Policy, African and African American Studies, and Economics and the director of the Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity at Duke University. He has served as chair of the Department of African and African American Studies and was the founding director of the Research Network on Racial and Ethnic Inequality at Duke. Previously he served as director of the Institute of African American Research, director of the Moore Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program, director of the Undergraduate Honors Program in economics, and director of Graduate Studies at the University of North Carolina.


Social Justice Belongs In Our Schools | Sydney Chaffee | TEDxBeaconStreet


For National Teacher of the Year Sydney Chaffee, teaching is a political act. She has been traveling the country urging all teachers to make social justice a central part of their mission. Talking to students about justice can't be a niche for certain kinds of teachers or certain schools. When students understand inequity and have the tools to work towards a more just world, they see why their education truly matters. As Teacher of the Year, Sydney Chaffee is committed to taking risks for her students and, as National Teacher of the Year, will encourage all educators to take risks – on their students, on each other and on themselves.

How to Overcome Bias? Walk boldly toward them|TEDxBeacon Street

Our biases can be dangerous, even deadly — as we've seen in the cases of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and Eric Garner, in Staten Island, New York. Diversity advocate Vernā Myers looks closely at some of the subconscious attitudes we hold toward out-groups. She makes a plea to all people: Acknowledge your biases. Then move toward, not away from, the groups that make you uncomfortable. In a funny, impassioned, important talk, she shows us how.

Let's get to the root of racial injustice | Megan Ming Francis | TEDxRainier

 

In this inspiring and powerful talk, Megan Francis traces the root causes of our current racial climate to their core causes, debunking common misconceptions and calling out "fix-all" cures to a complex social problem.

Megan Ming Francis is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Washington where she specializes in the study of American politics, race, and the development of constitutional law. She is particularly interested in the construction of rights and citizenship, black political activism, and the post-civil war South. Born and raised in Seattle, WA, she was educated at Garfield High School, Rice University in Houston, and Princeton University where she received her M.A. and her Ph.D. in Politics.

Are you biased? I am | Kristen Pressner | TEDxBasel

What do you do when you realize you have a bias, even against yourself? Kristen Pressner is the Global Head of Human Resources at a multinational firm, and a tireless advocate for, and promoter of, women in the workplace. In this enlightening talk, Kristen explores how we can recognize our own hidden, irrational biases — and keep them from limiting us.

The urgency of intersectionaility|Kimberle' Crenshaw|TedWomen 2016

Now more than ever, it's important to look boldly at the reality of race and gender bias -- and understand how the two can combine to create even more harm. Kimberlé Crenshaw uses the term "intersectionality" to describe this phenomenon; as she says, if you're standing in the path of multiple forms of exclusion, you're likely to get hit by both. In this moving talk, she calls on us to bear witness to this reality and speak up for victims of prejudice.

Documentary:

A Walk in My Shoes: Social Justice in Education Full Documentary (YouTube)

This film touches on the lives and experiences of five dynamic educators whose passion for social justice was forged when they were in school. Their personal accounts bear witness to both the overt and subtle forms of injustice that create critical barriers to quality learning and inclusion. Each person enacted their beliefs in equity, access, and respect in order to provide a just and quality education for the learners they serve. We invite people everywhere to learn from their experiences and see what they can do to make education more just and equitable for all. 45 minutes in length.

 


Movies:

Bully (2011)
From Sundance Award-winning filmmaker, Lee Hirsch, comes a beautifully cinematic, character-driven documentary following five kids and families over the course of a school year. Offering insight into different facets of America's bullying crisis, the stories include two families who have lost children to suicide and a mother awaiting the fate of her 14-year-old daughter, who has been incarcerated after bringing a gun on her school bus. With an intimate and often shocking glimpse into homes, classrooms, cafeterias and principals' offices, this is a powerful and inspiring film that every educator, parent and teenager should see.
Hidden Figures (2016)
Starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monae, this film highlights the U.S. space program's unsung heroes: the black female engineers and mathematicians of NASA who helped launch the first American into orbit in outer space. It's adapted from the nonfiction book of the same name by Margot Lee Shetterly.
 If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)
A black man gets accused of a crime and placed in prison at the point where his life was about to take a shift for the better. With no money for his love or his legal fees, his lover (Layne) and her mother (King) on their paths trying to make sense of what life has turned into for both of them. Shot beautifully, acted superbly, and extremely reflective of what life ends up being for many black men and women in the system.
 BlacKkKlansman (2018)
BlacKkKlansman tells the true story of Ron Stallworth (John David Washington), the first black detective to serve in the Colorado Springs Police Department, as he plots to infiltrate and expose the Ku Klux Klan with the help of colleague Flip Zimmerman (Adam Driver) in the early 1970s. 
 Food, Inc. (2008)
There are a number of shock-and-awe food docs. 2017's What the Health, for example, scared all your friends into going vegan. Food, Inc. is a little less salacious as it examines where our food really comes from in the U.S. It details the effects of agribusiness on the environment, employees, animals, and consumer.
RESIST (2018) - Docuseries
It centers on Patrisse Cullors, co-founder of Black Lives Matter, as she and a group of community organizers work together to shut down a new jail L.A. county is trying to break ground on. If you want to see how grassroots activism really works, this is a firsthand account. Rosario Dawson and other recognizable figures make an appearance as well





 Online Resources

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