Anti-racism Library Resource Guide: ANTI-RACISM TOOLKIT

"The beauty of anti-racism is that you don’t have to pretend to be free of racism to be an anti-racist. Anti-racism is the commitment to fight racism wherever you find it, including in yourself. And it’s the only way forward" - Ijeoma Oluo

DEFINITION(S)

Anti-Racism

1. Anti-racism is defined as the work of actively opposing racism by advocating for changes in political, economic, and social life. Anti-racism tends to be an individualized approach, and set up in opposition to individual racist behaviors and impacts. Credit: Race Forward, “Race Reporting Guide” (2015).
2. the practice of actively identifying and opposing racism. The goal of anti-racism is to actively change policies, behaviors, and beliefs that perpetuate racist ideas and actions. Credit: Boston University Community Service Center
3. "the work of actively opposing racism by advocating for changes in political, economic, and social life. Anti-racism tends to be an individualized approach, and set up in opposition to individual racist behaviors and impacts." Credit: National Education Association - Racial Justice in Education

RELATED TERM(S)

1. Performative Diversity: is used to convey a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion; however, often neglects to assign a policy, action, or person designed to bring about racial equity. Performatives are ritual social practices that are enacted over time to avoid potential litigation or scrutiny from consumers or stakeholders. These performatives often begin with a company statement declaring a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, antiracism, or racial justice, that primarily addresses the current context (incident) and fail to identify and address well-entrenched cultural and institutional underpinnings of racism (systemic and institutional racism). These performative statements and their frequent use do nothing more than maintain power and privilege structures and the subordination of historically minoritized and marginalized individuals and communities. - Presidio Graduate School

DIG DEEPER

1. Anti-racist Pedagogy: From Faculty’s Self-reflection to Organizing Within and Beyond the Classroom, Kyoko Kishimoto, Journal Article
2. Antiracist Pedagogy: Definition, Theory, and Professional Development, Alda M. Blakeney, Journal Article
3. Are You Anti-Racist?, James Mulholland, Blog
4. How to Take Action Against Anti-Asian racism at Work and in Your Personal Life, Jennifer Liu, Web Article
5. Ignoring the History of Anti-Asian Racism is Another Form of Violence, Connie Wun, Web Article
6. Reading about racism won’t turn you into an ally – but it’s a step towards it, Micha Frazer-Carroll
7. Reading Is Only a Step on the Path to Anti-racism, Nicole Cooke, Web Article
8. The Displays: On Anti-Racist Study and Institutional Enclosure, David James Hudson, Web Article
9. The Master's Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master's House, Audre Lorde, Book Chapter
10. What it Means to be Antiracist, Anna North, Web Article

Credit: Tackling Institutional Racism Starts With You, Capita

"The term BIPOC was created "to highlight the unique relationship to whiteness that Indigenous and Black (African Americans) people have, which shapes the experiences of and relationship to white supremacy for all people of color within a U.S. context" - The BIPOC Project

DEFINITION(S)

1. BIPOC: A term referring to “Black and/or Indigenous People of Color.” While “POC” or People of Color is often used as well, BIPOC explicitly leads with Black and Indigenous identities, which helps to counter anti-Black racism and invisibilization of Native communities. Credit: Creating Cultures and Practices for Racial Equity: A Toolbox for Advancing Racial Equity for Arts and Cultural Organizations, Nayantara Sen & Terry Keleher, Race Forward (2021).

DIG DEEPER

1. The BIPOC Project, Website

"When we identify where our privilege intersects with somebody else’s oppression, we’ll find our opportunities to make real change" - Ijeoma Oluo 

DEFINITION(S)

Privilege

1. When one benefits from an aspect of their identity, because that component of their identity has not been historically and is not currently oppressed, and rather has historically and currently has been accepted by society and granted power over others. Having privilege DOES NOT mean that you do not experience hardship. Having privilege for a certain aspect of your identity just means that you have not experienced hardship because of that aspect of your identity. Credit: Diversify Our Narrative
2. Unearned benefits/entitlements or lack of barriers assigned to an identity that society considers a "norm" and therefore dominant. Privilege and oppression are well-maintained social systems that are reinforced by binarized, normative hierarchies that categorize certain identities as superior (privileged) and their supposed opposites as inferior (oppressed) (e.g. male and female; straight and queer; cisgender and transgender, etc.). There are various forms of privilege, some of them tangible and others less so. One form of privilege, for instance, is the representation of one's identity in mainstream media and books—something intangible but nevertheless valuable in our culture. Credit: Simmons Library Anti-oppression Libguide 

DIG DEEPER

1. Examples of Privilege, North Shore Community College, Webpage
2. White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack, Peggy McIntosh, Journal Article

Listen to the full podcast interview

"The victims of oppression and injustice don't need our spasms of passion, but our long obedience in the same direction" - Gary Haugen

DEFINITION(S)

1. Ally - An action, not an identity. Members of the advantaged group who recognize their privilege and work in solidarity with oppressed groups to dismantle the systems of oppression(s) from which they derive power, privilege and acceptance. Allied behavior means taking intentional, overt and consistent responsibility for the changes we know are needed in our society, and does so in a way that facilitates the empowerment of persons targeted by oppression. Allies understand that it is in their own interest to end all forms of oppression, even those from which they may benefit in concrete ways. The ally framework also implies that one does not feel directly implicated by the oppression. Credit: White Noise Collective

2. "Allyship is a process, and everyone has more to learn. Allyship involves a lot of listening. Sometimes, people say "doing ally work" or "acting in solidarity with" to reference the fact that "ally" is not an identity, it is an ongoing and lifelong process that involves a lot of work. 

   One type of ally is a white ally. A white ally acknowledges the limits of her/his/their knowledge about other people’s experiences but doesn't use that as a reason not to think and/or act. A white ally does not remain silent but confronts racism as it comes up daily, but also seeks to deconstruct it institutionally and live in a way that challenges systemic oppression, at the risk of experiencing some of that oppression. Being a white ally entails building relationships with both people of color, and also with white people in order to challenge them in their thinking about race. White allies don’t have it all figured out, but are committed to non-complacency." Credit: TriCollege Libraries Allyship and Anti-Oppression: A Resource Guide

3. Accomplice - "Accomplice has gotten a bad rap as it is often equated with wrongdoing. However, when it comes to diversity, equity and inclusion, accomplices are willing to take the necessary steps to ensure that their workplace is safe from physical, verbal, and mental abuse (i.e. microaggressions). To be an accomplice, one must be willing to do more than listen; they must be willing to stand with those who are being attacked, excluded or otherwise mistreated, even if that means suffering personal or professional backlash. Being an accomplice means being willing to act with and for oppressed peoples and accepting the potential fallout from doing so." Credit: Tai Harden-Moore, Kimberly Harden and cmaadmin (EDU)

RELATED TERM(S)

1. White Savior Complex - The idea that what a white person has to offer is better than what others have and they should share it. Reinforces white, colonial “norms.” Credit: White Noise Collective
2. Performative Allyship - The term performative allyship refers to easy and costless actions that often do not challenge the status quo and are motivated primarily by the desire to accrue personal benefits. Credit: Towards an understanding of performative allyship: Definition, antecedents and consequences

DIG DEEPER

1. Ally or Accomplice? The Language of Activism, Coleen Clemens, Web Article
2. Allyship Workshop, Williams College, Pdf
3. Holy shit, being an ally isn’t about me!, Voices of WOC & Allies, Web Article
4. How to Be an Ally if You Are a Person with Privilege, Frances E. Kendall
5. How to Distinguish Effective Allyship From Performative Allyship, Anna Fosberg, Amber Bynum, and Heidi Tripp, Web Article
6. Lean In's Allyship and Inclusion Journey, Rachel Thomas, Web Article
7. Opportunities for White People in the Fight for Racial Justice, Jonathan Osler, Website

Listen to the full podcast interview

Credit: Allyship Workshop, Williams College

If you see something that is NOT RIGHT, NOT FAIR, NOT JUST, you have a moral obligation to do something about it. - John Lewis

DEFINITION(S)

1. Racial Justice - the systematic fair treatment of people of all races, resulting in equitable opportunities and outcomes for all. Racial justice—or racial equity—goes beyond “anti-racism.” It is not just the absence of discrimination and inequities, but also the presence of deliberate systems and supports to achieve and sustain racial equity through proactive and preventative measures. Credit: Race Forward

DIG DEEPER

1. Black people are still seeking racial justice – why and what to do about it, Kwadwo Frimpong, Web Article

"The concern comes when admiration crosses the line into appropriation. “Every culture’s history is essential. Everyone deserves to have their lives elevated through the beauty of truthful representation.” - Rohit Bhargava

"Because when you have all white men in the writers' room trying to tell the perspective of cultural appropriation or what it's like to be black or Asian in America and not necessarily knowing what it's like, that's when everything gets mixed up." - Lexi Underwood

DEFINITION(S)

1. the act of taking or using things from a culture that is not your own, especially without showing that you understand or respect this culture. - Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

2.  

DIG DEEPER

1. Blackface sweaters and pizza with chopsticks: Problem cases and strategies for converting cultural appropriation into cultural appreciation in the fashion industry., Domenique Jones and Michelle Childs, Journal Article

2. Cultural Appropriation: What’s an Educator’s Role?, Blog

3. The Afterword: White people take everything from Black culture but the burden, Rachel McKenzie

4. The Law and Ethics of Cultural Appropriation, Mathias Siems, Journal Article

" 'Me? Biased?' Unconscious bias is like jealously : nobody likes to admit it, and often we're unaware of it" - Thais Compoint

DEFINITION(S)

1. Bias is a preference in favor of, or against a person, group of people, or thing. These initial human reactions, which are often unconscious, are rooted in inaccurate information or reason and are potentially harmful. Biases are also part of being human. Once we know and accept we have bias, we can begin to recognize our own patterns of thinking. With awareness and a conscious effort, we have the power to change how we think and to challenge the negative or harmful biases within ourselves. Credit: National Museum of African American History & Culture

DIG DEEPER

1. A Look at Implicit Bias and Microaggressions, Todd Finley, Web Article
2. Fear of the Black Man, How Racial Bias Impacts Crime/Labor, NPR: Michael Martin, Web Article
3. Examining Biases and White Privilege: Classroom Teaching Strategies That Promote Cultural Competence, Gina C. Torino, Journal Article

"Microaggressions add up. No matter how confident people from marginalized or underrepresented communities feel about their identities, microaggressions create unsafe spaces and make individuals feel like perpetual outsiders." - Mira Yang

DEFINITION(S)

1. Microaggression is a term used for commonplace daily verbal, behavioral or environmental slights, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative attitudes toward stigmatized or culturally marginalized groups. Credit: Oxford Language Dictionary

RELATED TERM(S)

1. Microassaults - verbal or nonverbal attack meant to hurt the intended victim through name-calling, avoidant behavior, or purposeful discriminatory actions. Credit: Culturally Responsive Teaching
2. Microinvalidations - Involves negating or ignoring the “psychological thoughts, feelings, or experiential reality of a person of color.” Credit: Culturally Responsive Teaching
3. Microinsults - insensitive communication that demeans someone’s racial identity, signaling to people of color that “their contributions are unimportant.” Credit: Culturally Responsive Teaching Example: Black people are asked about the price of groceries from liquor stores

DIG DEEPER

1. A Look at Implicit Bias and Microaggressions, Todd Finley, Web Article
2. “Don ’t Touch My Hair or But You Don ’t Seem Gay!: Microaggressions in the Library Workplace," Lori Thompson and Lindsey M Harper, Research
3. Microaggressions in Librarianship, Cynthia Mari Orozco, Blog
4. Microaggressions: Power, Privilege, and Everyday Life, Blog

"The concern comes when admiration crosses the line into appropriation. “Every culture’s history is essential. Everyone deserves to have their lives elevated through the beauty of truthful representation.” - Rohit Bhargava

"Because when you have all white men in the writers' room trying to tell the perspective of cultural appropriation or what it's like to be black or Asian in America and not necessarily knowing what it's like, that's when everything gets mixed up." - Lexi Underwood

DEFINITION(S)

1. the unacknowledged or inappropriate adoption of the customs, practices, ideas, etc. of one people or society by members of another and typically more dominant people or society. - Oxford Language Dictionary

2. the act of taking or using things from a culture that is not your own, especially without showing that you understand or respect this culture. - Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

DIG DEEPER

1. A Guide to Understanding and Avoiding Cultural Appropriation, Nadra Kareem Nittle, Web Article

2. Cultural Appropriation: What’s an Educator’s Role?, Blog

3. The Afterword: White people take everything from Black culture but the burden, Rachel McKenzie

4. The New Frontiers of Fashion Law, Rossella Esther Cerchia and Barbara Pozzo, eBook

"Not speaking the truth reinforces racism. It allows us to believe it's our normal" - Tiffany Jewell

DEFINITION(S)

Libraries as most people view them are hubs of communities, schools and academic institutions. They provide free access to books, textbooks, articles, audiovisual materials, wifi, computers and so much more. Library users have an ideology that libraries are safe spaces for all and are beyond egregious acts of mistreatment, microaggressions and racism. Libraries are not void of a systems of racism, oppression, bias and hierarchical negligence. Many librarians and library staff are leaving the field due to traumatic experiences. 

DIG DEEPER

1. An Apology for Segregated Libraries–ALA draft resolution, Press Release

2. Concealing White Supremacy Through Fantasies of the Library: Economies of Affect at Work, M.R. Santamaria, Journal Article

3. Desegregating Libraries in the American South: Forgotten heroes in civil rights history, Wayne A. Wiegand, Web Article

4. Impossible Burdens: White Institutions, Emotional Labor, and Micro-Resistance, Louwanda Evans, Wendy Leo Moore, Journal Article

5. Knowledge Justice: Disrupting Library and Information Studies through Critical Race Theory, 

   Sofia Y. Leung, Jorge R. López-McKnight, Book

6. Letter to Asian Diasporic Library Workers, Desmond Wong, Anastasia Chiu, Jessica Dai, Deborah Yun Caldwell, and Charlotte Roh, Web Article

7. 'The Library is Run Like a Plantation;' Indianapolis Public Library Leadership Accused of Racism, Breanna Cooper, Web Article

8. On ‘diversity’ as anti-racism in library and information studies: A critique. Journal of Critical Library and Information Studies, David James Hudson, Journal Article

9. Racism and the American Library Association, Lindsay McKenzie, Web Article

10. Reflections on Race and Racism, ALA Affiliate and Division Leaders, Web Article

11. Special Issue: A Critical Dialogue: Faculty of Color in Library and Information Science (pp. 169-238), Vol. 60 Issue 3 , July 2019, Journal Articles

12. Take the Bull by the Horns: Combatting Bullshit in Academic Libraries, A.B. Albert, Presentation

13. Trippin’ over the color line: The invisibility of race in library and information studies, Todd Honma, Journal Article

14. "When I Enter": Black Women and Disruption of the White, Heteronormative Narrative of Librarianship, Caitlin M. J. Pollock and Shelley P. Haley, Journal Article

15. White Librarianship in Blackface: Diversity Initiatives in LIS, April Hathcock, Web Article