This Book Is Anti-Racist

Synopsis

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Recommended by Oprah's Book Club, The Guardian, TIME, Evening Standard, Grazia, The Telegraph, Express and The Sun

Also available: This Book Is Anti-Racist Journal, a guided journal with more than 50 activities to support your anti-racism journey


Who are you? What is racism? Where does it come from? Why does it exist? What can you do to disrupt it? Learn about social identities, the history of racism and resistance against it, and how you can use your anti-racist lens and voice to move the world toward equity and liberation.

'In a racist society, it's not enough to be non-racist-we must be ANTI-RACIST.' -Angela Davis

Gain a deeper understanding of your anti-racist self as you progress through 20 chapters that spark introspection, reveal the origins of racism that we are still experiencing and give you the courage and power to undo it. Each lesson builds on the previous one as you learn more about yourself and racial oppression. An activity at the end of every chapter gets you thinking and helps you grow with the knowledge. All you need is a pen and paper.

Author Tiffany Jewell, an anti-bias, anti-racist educator and activist, builds solidarity beginning with the language she chooses - using gender neutral words to honour everyone who reads the book. Illustrator Aurélia Durand brings the stories and characters to life with kaleidoscopic vibrancy.

After examining the concepts of social identity, race, ethnicity and racism, learn about some of the ways people of different races have been oppressed, from indigenous Americans and Australians being sent to boarding school to be 'civilized' to a generation of Caribbean immigrants once welcomed to the UK being threatened with deportation by strict immigration laws.

Find hope in stories of strength, love, joy and revolution that are part of our history, too, with such figures as the former slave Toussaint Louverture, who led a rebellion against white planters that eventually led to Haiti's independence, and Yuri Kochiyama, who, after spending time in an internment camp for Japanese Americans during WWII, dedicated her life to supporting political prisoners and advocating reparations for those wrongfully interned.

Learn language and phrases to interrupt and disrupt racism. So, when you hear a microaggression or racial slur, you'll know how to act next time.

This book is written for EVERYONE who lives in this racialised society-including the young person who doesn't know how to speak up to the racist adults in their life, the kid who has lost themself at times trying to fit into the dominant culture, the children who have been harmed (physically and emotionally) because no one stood up for them or they couldn't stand up for themselves and also for their families, teachers and administrators.

With this book, be empowered to actively defy racism and xenophobia to create a community (large and small) that truly honours everyone.

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Summary

Chapter 1: What is race?
The first chapter of This Book Is Anti-Racist by Tiffany Jewell explores the concept of race and encourages readers to critically think about its definition. It starts off by stating that race is a recent creation and was created by humans, not by nature. The author explains how race has been used to justify discrimination, exploitation, and violence against people who are perceived as different.

To help readers understand the construct of race better, the author shares a real-life example of a common social experiment called the "Blue Eyes, Brown Eyes" exercise. In this experiment, a teacher divides a classroom of students based on their eye color and gives privileges to one group while discriminating against the other. The experiment aims to show that discrimination is arbitrary and based on perceived differences, rather than real ones. Through this example, the author helps readers understand that race is a socially constructed idea, and it is not rooted in science or genetics.

Chapter 2: Why talk about race?
The second chapter delves into the importance of talking about race and its impact on our lives. The author emphasizes that ignoring race does not make it go away; in fact, it perpetuates harmful systems of oppression. She explains how inequality and discrimination are ingrained in our society, and by not acknowledging it, we are contributing to the problem.

To illustrate this, the author shares a powerful story about a young black girl who was sent home from school because her natural hair was deemed against the dress code. This incident highlights how even seemingly harmless rules can reinforce racist ideologies and marginalize certain groups of people. By discussing race and its impact, we can start to unravel these harmful systems and bring about change.

Chapter 3: Who are you?
This chapter focuses on the importance of understanding one's identity and how it intersects with race. The author explains that our identities are complex and multi-faceted, and race is just one aspect of it. She introduces readers to the concept of intersectionality – the interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, gender, class, and sexuality – and how it affects our experiences.

To help readers understand this concept, the author shares the story of Claudia Jones, a Trinidad-born black feminist and activist who fought against racism, sexism, and capitalism. Jones' story shows how different aspects of her identity came together to shape her experiences and activism. By exploring our own identities and understanding how they intersect with race, we can better understand ourselves and others.

Chapter 4: The four levels of racism
In this chapter, the author breaks down racism into four levels – internalized, interpersonal, institutional, and systemic – and explains how they are interconnected. The author defines each level and provides examples to help readers understand how racism manifests itself in different forms.

To illustrate the four levels of racism, the author shares the personal story of a black boy who is bullied at school because of his race. She explains how this is an example of interpersonal racism, but it is also a result of internalized racism as the bully has been influenced by societal messages about race. The author also shows how institutional and systemic racism come into play as the school's policies and practices may also contribute to the bullying. This example highlights how racism operates at multiple levels and impacts individuals and communities.

Chapter 5: What is internalized racism?
The final chapter focuses on internalized racism – the beliefs and attitudes that people of oppressed groups internalize as a result of ongoing racism. The author explains how internalized racism can cause feelings of shame, self-hatred, and a sense of inferiority amongst people of color.

To help readers understand internalized racism, the author shares the story of Grace Lee Boggs, an activist of Chinese descent who struggled with her own internalized racism before becoming a leader in the Black Power movement. Boggs' story shows how internalized racism can affect personal beliefs and actions but also how it can be unlearned. The chapter concludes with strategies to resist and unlearn internalized racism, emphasizing the importance of self-love and community support.

In conclusion, This Book Is Anti-Racist provides a comprehensive and accessible guide to understanding and fighting against racism. By incorporating real-life examples and personal stories, the book helps readers connect the concepts of race and racism to tangible situations and experiences. It encourages readers to challenge their own beliefs and take action towards creating a more just and equitable society.