White Folk Resource Guide
The Antiracist White Chick: Episode 11
When I first awakened to the harmful lies of white supremacy and saw how my inactions to racism were actually racism, I knew I needed to do something but I didn’t know how to start. I felt really lost and alone and stuck in my very white life and I needed help and some kind of community.
I just began with my first step. I went down antiracist IG rabbit holes and followed, liked, saved anything that spoke to me. I read books, listened to podcasts and watched videos. Most importantly, I found a safe white space where I could unlearn racism together with other White folk and not expose People of Color to any undue trauma from my process. Unlearning racism and learning antiracism with other White people is essential so we can work through our defensiveness, fragility, guilt, and shame together and have other White folk witness and hold space for us.
Welcome, the White Folk Resource Guide!
The Guide below is broken down into what I think the work of antiracism for white folk is. It’s:
1) BUILDING YOUR CAPACITY AND AWARENESS AND STARTING THE DIALOGUE BY FINDING A WHITE SPACE COMMUNITY
2) EDUCATING YOURSELF BY READING BOOKS, LISTENING TO PODCASTS, WATCHING ANTIRACIST CONTENT
3) DEDICATING YOUR TIME, YOUR BODY, YOUR ENERGY, YOUR RESOURCES TO ANTIRACIST ACTION
This Guide is only a list of some things that helped me and I have found but there are many ways into this work. Please add anything that you know or love in the comments so we can create a great resource for all!
The work of antiracism can seem overwhelming and possibly scary but you only have to take the first step. There is no wrong way to do this. Watch a video, go to a white space workshop, listen to a podcast, take some online action, read an antiracist book. There are so many resources (below!) and so many people here to help (me!) and ready for you to begin your journey. Antiracism isn’t only about bettering the world for others, it’s about bettering YOU for the world.
- Get your own “End White Supremacy” T-Shirt! IG: @endwhitesupremacytshirts
Check out more of Nicola Graham’s YouTube videos here, or watch the series on Medium:
Check out The Anti-Racist White Chick on Facebook!
The story was previously published on The Good Men Project.
About Nicola Graham
Nicola Graham is an actress, comedian, host, writer, and content creator based in Los Angeles. She has acted in numerous film, television, and new media projects and has hosted multiple internet shows and podcasts. Known for comedy and her sketch projects and characters, Nicola’s passions and creative desires changed dramatically upon the death of George Floyd. Finding new social justice awareness and facing her own racist inactions caused her to reflect on the type of work she wanted to create in the world. She began the series “The Antiracist White Chick” to tell her personal journey of her learnings on how to be an antiracist. Nicola is currently writing a comedy pilot to demystify racism for White folk and further open the dialogue on this important movement.
Follow Nicola on Twitter and Instagram: @Nicola_Graham
For more on Nicola and her work, visit NicolaGraham.net