#RacialEquityAwarenessChallenge – Resources To Educate You On DEI

“2020 was an important year for racial equity, but 2021 is even more important. While people are wide awake and talking about racial discrimination now more than ever, there is still a need to educate on DEI. Thus, every month for this year, PositiveHire will bring a resource guide to help you understand more about racial equity, diversity, and inclusion.”

Change is hard. It isn’t easy even for the raging social justice revolution to get rid of the four centuries-worth histories of racism, intolerance, and racial inequality. This is why it is important to get yourself acquainted with diversity, equity, and inclusion. The internet is filled with guides that can help you understand them better. For January, I have compiled a complete list of DEI resources that you can READ up to further your knowledge of racial supremacy, oppression, social history, inequality, equity, and a lot more.

BOOKS TO READ TO EDUCATE ON DEI

Here is the list of books to get you started:

White Fragility: Why it’s So Hard For White People To Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo is a book that discovers in-depth about race relations in the United States. The book describes racism as often unconsciously perpetuated by individuals. It discusses in detail all the defensive instincts and reactions white people face when they are made to question their race.

Diversity Beyond Lip Service by La’Wana Harris is a book that uncovers the ugly reality of diversity. The major topic of discussion in it is diversity in the workplace and how hiring few people from minorities is considered an achievement. The book is a goldmine when it comes to pointing out diversity issues and then self-committing to do your part to resolve them.

Biased: uncovering the hidden prejudice that shapes what we see, think, and do by Jennifer L. Eberhardt is the perfect book for everyone who wants to know more about this term called ‘unconscious bias’. It touches upon the very important topic of ingrained biases that result in discrimination against people of color in everyday life.

Subtle Acts of Exclusion by Tiffany Jana and Michael Baran is the guide to understand, identify, and stopping microaggressions. This helpful guide addresses all the subtle hints and cues that hint toward microaggressions & biases and recommends ways to get rid of them.

How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi discusses various concepts of racism in-depth. It also has the author’s proposals for systemic changes and anti-racist individual actions. It should be the starter’s guide for all those who have the newfound learning of ingrained personal racism and want to find ways to deliberately get over it.

We Can’t Talk About That At Work by Mary-Frances Winters takes a bottom-up approach in dealing with sensitive subjects especially at work. The conversations surrounding race, religion, gender, and ethnicity are happening at the workplace every day, but they are seldom handled effectively. This book manages to show how to deal with sensitive topics while bringing people together instead of driving them apart.

35 Dumb Things Well-Intended People Say Surprising Things We Say That Widen the Diversity Gap by Maura Cullen is a different kind of book in this list but the one that might be helpful for so many. There are times when white people want to be effective in their communication when it comes to diversity but end up failing badly. This book serves as an essential guide for all the people who want to be inclusivity and diversity smart.

White Rage by Carol Anderson focuses on the concept of how the response of African Americans on their struggles is considered a ‘Black Rage’ when in fact, it should be ‘White Rage’ at work. The book carefully links history with the present and provides a strong viewpoint on the current condition in the United States.

Me And White Supremacy by Layla Saad is a guide targeted towards white readers to identify the impact of white privilege and supremacy in their lives.

So You Want To Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo reports white supremacy at its apex and focuses on the mass incarceration of Black Americans. It puts racism in the spotlight and points out various reasons why it is a difficult topic to talk about today.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Some other resources on the web that can help you in understanding the concepts better:

What Exactly Is Diversity, Equity & Inclusion? By Karen Armstrong is about exactly what the title suggests. It is decent work for all those who want to get real-time insight into the deep definitions of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

The Problem With That Equity VS Equality Graphic You’re Using by Paul Kuttner is a strong account of the famous picture that goes viral on Facebook and Instagram every few months comparing the difference between Equality and Equality. You will be blown away after reading this.

The White Space by Elijah Anderson is a sociology paper on Yale discussing the off-limit areas and places for black people that are often considered as ‘white only’. It expands on the stereotypes of the white & black places and the preconceived notions surrounding them.

Diversity In Tech by Information is Beautiful is a complete visualization of employee breakdown in key technology companies with the detailed analysis of key findings.