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Anti-Racism: A Resource List

The discussions centering on racism and inclusion within the knitting and crochet community in 2019 meant that many of us took a necessary pause to reflect on the important matters at hand, to learn, and to make changes. The murder of George Floyd on 25th May 2020 and the prominence of the #BlackLivesMatter movement surrounding his death has once again highlighted the very real effects racial prejudice has on the lives of BIPOC. We wanted to collate and share some of the resources which the Pom team have found helpful in the hope that they are of use to others. 

Instead of progressing a few more centimetres on your WIP, why not put down your needles and access some of the links or suggested reading material below? We’ve put together a list of ways you can practice anti-racism, ranging from donating to initiatives which need financial support, to how to offer non-financial aid, to how to effect long term change. We encourage you to follow the links in this document, or to download it and tick off these suggestions as you access them (but don’t stop when you get to the end, add your own)! This document is by no means exhaustive, so if this is the start of your anti-racism journey, then we urge you to think of these suggestions as a springboard to help you on your way. 


U.S. Black History Month

At a time when the true history of Black people in America is actively being censored, it’s more important than ever to celebrate and lift Black voices in our communities! 

Instead of using this month to simply follow Black makers and artists, make a plan for how you will actively support the Black community year-round. A single month of celebration and commemoration will never be enough while racism, police brutality, and even microaggressions are a part of everyday life.

For guidance and exploration of how to commit to this year-round, check out this post by Rachel Cargle. You can also financially support her work here.

Long Term Change 

After the news cycles have finished their revolution and the black squares are making their way down everyone’s grid never to be scrolled past again, the fight against racism must continue. Here are a few ways in which you can take responsibility and continue the work. 

Educate Yourself

The education system in the UK and the US has failed People of Colour, from neglecting to mention their roles in slavery and colonisation to prioritising white-authored literature. There’s a wealth of online and print resources with which you can learn about these topics, along with different forms of racism, and ways in which you can help combat inequality on a personal scale and beyond. Talking to people of colour about issues relating to race often demands a huge amount of emotional labour on their part. Therefore, do not ask BIPOC to educate you, and if you access a resource then pay the creator(s) for their anti-racism work if there’s an option to. 

Literature

Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race (2017) by Reni Eddo-Lodge 

Based on a blog post Reni Eddo-Lodge published in 2014, this book discusses the history of racism in Britain, and the other facets of identity which intersect with race, such as gender and class. 

Taking Up Space: A Black Girl’s Manifesto For Change (2019) by Chelsea Kwakye and Ọrẹ Ogunbiyi
Drawing on their personal experiences and the stories of other Black women, Chelsea Kwakye and Ọrẹ Ogunbiyi discuss the barriers Black people face both to and within the UK’s higher education system. To Black women they offer advice in navigating the university experience and space, to a white reader they offer an awareness of what that same experience looks like when you’re a person of colour. 

So You Want to Talk About Race (2018) by Ijeoma Olou
Each chapter centres on a topic relating to race and racism, such as police brutality, privilege, the BLM movement, and many more.

How to be an Anti-Racist  (2019) by Ibram X. Kendi 
A valuable education on the real history of racism in the United States and how it still survives to this day. On the author’s website is a downloadable discussion guide for book clubs (or among a circle of friends).

Me and White Supremacy (2020) by Layla F. Saad 
Galvanised by the popularity of her #MeAndWhiteSupremacy challenge on Instagram, Layla F. Saad published a book of the same name. Her publication is a workbook which teaches its reader how to recognise their own privilege and challenge it. 

The Good Immigrant (2016) edited by Nikesh Shukla and Chimene Suleyman 
This edited collection questions why people of colour in the UK only become ‘good immigrants’ when they achieve something outstanding, such as winning a world title. The book consists of 21 stories which explore what it means and feels like to be ‘other’ within the UK. 

Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center by bell hooks
An engaging and thoughtful examination of the history of Black women being left out of mainstream white women’s feminism. Predating the term, but directly discussing the need for intersectional awareness in our fight towards liberation.

‘The Best Kids’ Books to Read During Black History Month (and All Year Long)’ by The Strategist 

Journals

Gal Dem - an online and print publication committed to sharing perspectives from women and non-binary people of colour. https://gal-dem.com 

Ditto Kids Magazine - a publication aimed at children, dedicated to helping them be actively anti-racist. https://dittokidsmagazine.com 

Radical Threads - highlights BBIMP voices in the making community. https://radiclethreads.com  

Articles

‘106 Things White People can do for Racial Injustice’:  https://medium.com/equality-includes-you/what-white-people-can-do-for-racial-justice-f2d18b0e0234 

‘Three Black Women Tell Us How to Support the #blacklivesmatter movement that goes beyond posting an image on Instagram’: https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/how-to-support-black-lives-matter 

‘How To Ally’, by @wastefreemarie: https://www.instagram.com/p/CA8FJhIhhRt/ 

‘Sew Politik: why we need to understand sewing as a political act, and why it matters’, by Roisin Taylor: https://www.giveherpockets.com/post/sew-politik-why-we-need-to-understand-sewing-as-a-political-act-and-why-it-matters 

‘About a Pink Sweater’, by Sophie Cai: https://pompommag.com/blogs/blog/about-a-pink-sweater-an-essay-by-sophia-cai 

‘Learning and Unlearning: an interview with Emi Ito on cultural appropriation’, by Pom Pom Quarterly: https://pompommag.com/blogs/blog/learning-and-unlearning-an-interview-with-emi-ito-on-cultural-appropriation 

‘Guidelines for Identifying and Monitoring Antisemitism Online and Offline’, by A Jewish Contribution to an Inclusive Europe: https://ceji.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Guidelines-for-Acknowledging-and-monitoring-Antisemitism-on-and-offline-v2.pdf 

‘Working Definitions and Charters’, by International Holocaust Rememberence Alliance: https://www.holocaustremembrance.com/resources/working-definitions-and-charters 

‘Why the name thing is so triggering to me and so many other Asians’, by @michellekimkim

‘How To Be An Ally + Help Asian Americans Fight Anti-Asian Racism’, by @kimsaira and @annie_wu_22 

‘America’s Long History of Scapegoating Asian Citizens’, by Nina Strochlic. (Found via anti-asianviolenceresources.carrd.co).   

‘Show Up: Your Guide to Bystander Intervention’, by Public Access Design. (Found via anti-asianviolenceresources.carrd.co). 

‘American Asian Community Resources/Dono Post’,  by @sasponella

Consider Your Vocabulary 
Words are so important. You may not know it, but a word which is part of your everyday vocabulary could be harmful to others. This can be because it contributes to a discourse which is harmful to a marginalised group of people, or because it perpetuates a power dynamic you didn’t intend, or, if a word is borrowed from a marginalised culture, maybe you’re inadvertently participating in cultural appropriation. Sometimes, it’s just as important to understand the history of the term you’re using as it is to consider your usage of it! This is a constant process of unlearning and relearning; a process which the Pom team are still undertaking, too. Here are some of the terms we’ve started using, or, just as vitally, stopped using, and resources which are helping us on our journey. This is not exhaustive and we’ll continue to add to this as we learn.

Indigenous - we use this word instead of ‘Native’ or ‘Aboriginal’ to describe a group of people who’ve lived in a country before it was colonised and inhabited by white settlers. Please keep in mind that ‘Indigenous’ is a general term, should always be capitalised to show respect,  and it’s always best to be as specific as possible (for example, some Indigenous people in North America identify as ‘Indian’). Here are some articles we’ve found to be informative on this terminology:

‘What’s in a name: Indian, Native, Aboriginal or Indigenous’, by the CBC: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/what-s-in-a-name-indian-native-aboriginal-or-indigenous-1.2784518 

‘Indigenous Peoples Terminology Guidelines for Usage’, by Indigenous Corporate Training
https://www.ictinc.ca/blog/indigenous-peoples-terminology-guidelines-for-usage 

Kimono - a piece of traditional Japanese clothing. It’s a loose robe-style garment, usually with square sleeves,  which is tied at the waist. To describe a loose robe outside of a Japanese cultural context, here are some suggestions of alternative terms: cover-up, wrap, duster, & Haori jacket. (see Emi Ito’s interview on our blog for an explanation of the latter term.)

Poncho - a term taken from an Indigenous South American language and refers to a rectangular item of clothing, usually made from woollen fabric. Suggested alternative: cape. 

Raglan - a term with its origin in military-inspired fashion. Lord Raglan lost his right arm in battle and his tailor developed the idea of a diagonal sleeve to allow greater movement and make it easier for him to dress himself unassisted. Today, we feel Lord Raglan epitomises everything that’s wrong with empire and his actions are so against Pom Pom’s values that we considered using a different name entirely for our raglan sweater collection. The conclusion we came to is that raglan is the term most people recognise. If we renamed this style of sleeve, would people understand us? And would we erase a history that needed wider acknowledgement?

The Pom Team’s Fave Books by Authors of Colour

A Small Place (1988) by Jamaica Kincaid 

Americanah (2013) by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie 

Afropean: Notes from a Black Europe (2019) by Johny Pitts 

Hunger (2017) by Roxane Gay

All About Love (2000) by bell hooks 

The Bluest Eye (1970) by Toni Morrison 

Their Eyes Were Watching God (1937) by Zora Neale Hurston 

Girl, Woman, Other (2019) by Bernardine Evaristo 

Beyond the Gender Binary (2020) by Alok Vaid-Menon

Your Silence Will Not Protect You (2017) by Audre Lorde 

The Master’s Tools Will Never Dismantle The Master’s House (1984) by Audre Lorde

Women, Race and Class (1981) by Angela Y. Davis 

Other Media 

Blindspotting (2018), directed by Colin López Estrada 
The film’s protagonist, Collin, is a Black man who witnesses another Black man being fatally shot by a white police officer, and the PTSD he experiences from seeing the crime. Although this film was released a few years ago, the messages (often delivered in rap)  about police brutality against Black people in the US feels very relevant today.

Why the Jews: History of Antisemitism, by United States Holocaust Memorial Museum 
https://www.ushmm.org/antisemitism/what-is-antisemitism/why-the-jews-history-of-antisemitism 
This 13 minute video offers a history of antisemitism within Europe and Christianity. It reveals the many ways in which Jewish people have been marginalised over the centuries. A full transcript of the video is provided by the museum on the same web page, and the video is equipped with subtitles.

Explaining Holocaust Denial, by United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
https://www.ushmm.org/antisemitism/holocaust-denial-and-distortion/explaining-holocaust-denial 
This video explains why Shoah/holocaust denial is a form of anti-semitism, and the difference between hard-core and soft-core denial. CW: contains some distressing images and footage. 

Follow Educational Instagram Accounts 
It goes without saying that all the charities, authors, and publications we reference in this document are worth following if they have Instagram accounts, but here are a few bonus recommendations: 
@brownhistory - this account posts personal anecdotes from people who identify as South Asian or of South Asian descent and reminds their followers of important (and often not talked about) historical moments in South Asian history. 

@blackgirlknitclub - a community of Black women and women of colour based in London. They host workshops on colonialism and West African textile history, and post a number of tutorials for skills such as hand knitting.  

@thegreatunlearn - a monthly syllabus curated by @RachelCargle, dedicated to unlearning that which is presented as factual and objective in American history books. 

@booksfordiversity - a great resource for children’s stories which represent cultures and people from all over the world. 

@ardtakeaction - frequently shares infographics about contemporary issues faced by racial minorities and how you can help. 

@aafederation - Asian American Federation works to empower Asian Americans. 

@18millionrising - an online community committed to organising Asian America. 

Buy from PoC-Owned Businesses 

BIPOC in Fiber put together a directory of - you guessed it - BIPOC in fibre, including authors, dyers, and designers. When you’re planning your next project, why not check out this directory first? https://bipocinfiber.com/people/#s=1 

Accountability 

Please note that if you’re going to use any of the templates below, we recommend that you re-word them slightly, as emails which have been copied and pasted can often be automatically sorted into the recipient’s spam folder. 

  • Template for contacting Gavin Williamson (Secretary of State for Education, UK) and your local MP about diversifying the curriculum: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XHz8NJph6laVBFnuzhIzAzFTqjjfFt4-ucEt9EO6_Fw/edit 
  • Check out a brand’s feed before you buy from them. Can you see many (or any!) black or brown faces? If not many, maybe question whether their black square was a shallow marketing strategy to keep themselves relevant. 
  • Sign up to Anti-Racism Daily’s newsletter. Each day they send out a newsletter with a small task for you to complete which will help you on your anti-racism journey. Make their task part of your daily routine. https://the-ard.com 

Juneteenth

As many of you know, our two PPHQs are located in London and Austin. June 19th is an important day in Texan history. On this day in1865, the last enslaved people in the US were informed of their freedom, two and a half years after emancipation was supposed to have been enacted and enforced. In other words, it represents the date on which enslaved people in the southern states found out they were supposed to have been free over two years earlier. It is a day for celebration, but also for reverence and action. 


Resources Relating to Mental Health 

The Summit Wellness Group’s Top 61 BIPOC Addiction + Mental Health Resources , by The Summit Wellness Group. This resource was put together and reviewed by women of colour. 

41 AAPI Addiction and Mental Health Resources, by Detox Local 

Addiction and Mental Health Resources to Support Black People, by Live Another Day

 

Resources For Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders  

Anti-Asian Bias Reporting Form, by Asian American Federation 

Offering Emotional Support 

Not everyone is in a position to offer financial support to anti-racism initiatives. Here are a few ways in which you can show solidarity through anti-racist activity. 

Listen to Media by BIPOC creators

Zoe Amira has created a video of art by Black creators. 100% of the ad revenue generated from the video will be donated towards a BLM-related charity, depending on which cause has the greatest need at the time of donation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCgLa25fDHM 


Show Up for your BIPOC Friends 

Supporting Black Friends During This Time, by Good Night Out Campaign: https://www.instagram.com/p/CA7YRklHp-T/ 


Challenge Racism

How To Talk To Your Family About Racism, by @jenerous: https://www.instagram.com/p/CA-eKNfpmJu/ 

How South Asians can help make a change to stand with the Black community, by @farahdhukai: https://www.instagram.com/p/CA_DCaFpNA9/ 

Talking to Kids About Racial Stereotypes, by Media Smarts: https://mediasmarts.ca/sites/mediasmarts/files/pdfs/tipsheet/TipSheet_TalkingKidsRacialStereotypes.pdf 

Talking to Kids About Discrimination, by the American Psychological Association: https://www.apa.org/helpcenter/kids-discrimination 

A Template of Responses to Racist Comments, by @shityoushouldcareabout: 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CCX53mGgOx2/
So You Want to Talk About Critical Race Theory, by @soyouwanttotalkabout: https://www.instagram.com/p/COasz_BnIBl/?utm_medium=copy_link 


Black Lives Matter

https://blacklivesmatter.com 

#BlackLivesMatter was founded in 2010 after the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s murderer. This global organisation seeks to eradicate white supremacy by combating acts of violence inflicted on Black communities and creating space for Black joy and imagination. Their website is full of resources, important petitions, and videos to keep you up to date with contemporary issues black communities are facing. 

Offering Financial Support 

There are so many organisations out there doing fantastic, meaningful, and necessary ant-racist work. One way you can show support is by donating to them, if you’re able. 

US-Based Organisations 

The Loveland Foundation 
https://thelovelandfoundation.org 
This foundation is committed to showing up for communities of colour, with a particular focus on Black women and girls, and mental health. They seek to empower and liberate the communities they support.

The Color of Change 
https://colorofchange.org 
They lead campaigns that build real power for Black communities, challenge injustice and hold corporations and political leaders accountable, and conduct vital research into systemic inequality. 

Campaign Zero 
https://www.joincampaignzero.org/#vision  
Working towards a society without police violence, Campaign Zero offers 10 policy solutions and a large amount of information on issues such as broken windows policing, fair police union contracts, and demilitarisation. 

The National Black Justice Coalition 
http://nbjc.org 
NBJC is a civil rights organisation dedicated to the empowerment of Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and same gender loving (LGBTQA/SGL) people, including people living with HIV/AIDs. Their mission is to end racism, homophobia, and LGBTQA/SGL bias and stigma by focussing on federal policy. 

The Movement for Black Lives 
https://m4bl.org 
The movement is made up of hundreds of organisations that coordinate actions, messages and campaigns. They support Black-led rapid response efforts and long-term strategy, policy, and infrastructure investments in the movement ecosystem. 

National Bail Out 
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/freeblackmamas2020 
A Black-led and Black-centred organisation working to build community-based support for Black people and end systems of pretrial detention and ultimately mass incarceration. 

Austin Justice Coalition
https://austinjustice.org
The Austin Justice Coalition (AJC) serves people who are historically and systematically impacted by gentrification, segregation, over policing, a lack of educational and employment opportunities, and other institutional forms of racism in Austin, Texas.

#StopAsianHate Gofundme
https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/stop-aapi-hate
A community fund to uplift and protect Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

Heart of Dinner
https://www.heartofdinner.org
This charity aims to combat food insecurity by serving hot lunches with handwritten cards to Asian American seniors. (Found via anti-asianviolenceresources.carrd.co). 

Send Chinatown Love
https://www.sendchinatownlove.com
Following anti-Asian American sentiment throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses in Chinatown, NYC, suffered losses. This organisation helps keep business owners afloat. 

Noname Book Club 
https://nonamebooks.com/Bookstores 
An online and in-person community dedicated to uplifting voices from the global majority. They have compiled an on-going list of Black-owned and POC-owned bookstores in the US to support.

UK-Based Organisations

Black Minds Matter 
https://www.blackmindsmatteruk.com
The organisation is committed to helping Black individuals and families connect with free mental health services. They’re working to remove the stigma of mental health within Black communities and to make mental health care more relevant and accessible. 

Resourcing Racial Justice 
https://resourcingracialjustice.org 
They are committed to establishing a UK-wide fund to assist individuals and other organisations who are working towards racial justice. At present, their funds are being directed towards initiatives which help redress the disproportionate amount of PoC affected by COVID-19. 

BME Cancer Communities 
https://www.bmecancer.com/index.php/services 
BMECC organise and host awareness events of the most common cancers affecting BME communities and develop specific BME cancer resources. 

SARI (Stand up Against Racism and Inequality) 
https://www.sariweb.org.uk 
SARI provides support for victims of any type of hate crime, including racism, faith-based, disablist, homophobic, transphobic, age-based or gender-based. 

Stop Hate UK 
https://www.stophateuk.org 
A national organisation working to challenge all forms of hate crime and discrimination. One of the many services they provide is helplines specific to which form of hate crime you’ve been a victim of. 

Show Racism the Red Card 
https://www.theredcard.org 
An educational anti-racism organisation, who provide workshops, resources, and training sessions with the purpose of tackling racism in UK society. 

Runnymede 
https://www.runnymedetrust.org/about.html 
A charity which seeks to challenge racial inequality in Britain by researching and intervening in policy making and practice, and engaging with decision makers. 

The Black Curriculum 
https://theblackcurriculum.com/about
They describe themselves as a “social enterprise working to teach and support the teaching of black history all year round” both inside and outside schools. They deliver programmes, provide teacher training, and mobilise young people to facilitate social change.