Systemic Racism 101

After this comment in MetaTalk that followed many similar requests, this page is for Mefites to gather links and accessible resources to help other Mefites better understand systemic racism, and to then understand themselves and others better, and then to do better.

General advice for having a better discussion:

• “Believe people when they tell you about things in their own lives.”
• “Don’t make abstract theoretical statements about classes of people. They’re right here and they can speak for themselves.”
• “If you’re about to ask ‘Why don’t they just...’ you are probably about to offend.” source

Videos

• This really short video is an excellent "101": How To Be Less Stupid About Race by Dr. Crystal M. Fleming of SUNY Stony Brook
• Ijeoma Oluo: "So You Want to Talk About Race" | Talks at Google (YouTube)

Books

• If the video above seemed good, the book How To Be Less Stupid About Race is worth your time. Fleming is a professor but this book is plain-spoken and to the point.
• Ijeoma Oluo's So You Want to Talk About Race - recommended by rather be jorting

Articles

• "White Supremacy Culture" is a short article that explains how we grow up exposed to certain biases. (Recommended by Mefite solotoro.)
• Ibram X Kendi on why not being racist is not enough (Owen Jones, Guardian Interview) The historian on how he confronted his own racism and the lessons he learned along the way, the far right’s abuse of free speech, and why the rise of the Squad gives him hope (via)
• White supremacists 'swatted' my home to silence me. I will not be silent (Ijeoma Oluo, Guardian Opinion) Author Ijeoma Oluo’s son was endangered when someone called police, pretending to be him, and said he murdered two people – and the harassment didn’t stop there

See also

• White Privilege 101