WAYS to LEARN ABOUT and WORK AGAINST RACISM

Read Brittany Packnett’s reflection on how white people can spend their privilege wisely ​to spread
awareness about underrepresented issues, to challenge and train themselves toward true solidarity.
https://www.thecut.com/2018/08/nia-wilson-spend-your-privilege.html

How culturally responsive are local school and public library collections? ​As the helpful resource below
asks, “​Does your classroom library contain books that include main characters of color or with disabilities?
Do your books featuring people of color only focus on issues of race, prejudice, or discrimination? Do they
go beyond ethnic heritage months? Do they only focus on cultural traditions and foods?” Check it out:
https://blog.leeandlow.com/2017/05/22/classroom-library-assessment-how-culturally-responsive-is-your-classroom-library/

Plan to make an educational trip this summer to the Green McAdoo Cultural Center in Clinton ​with friends
or family to learn about the desegregation of Clinton High School, the Clinton 12, the 1950 lawsuit that
resulted, and how this case was related to 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education Supreme Court decision.
http://www.greenmcadoo.org/

Learn more about how to be a strong ally ​through this powerful article by Renée Cherez entitled “An Open
Letter to My White Friends”:
https://medium.com/@reneecherez/an-open-letter-to-my-white-friends-8613fa1e2dec​.
Consider donating to the national Showing Up for Racial Justice organization at
https://www.showingupforracialjustice.org/donate.html​. SURJ asks every donor to make a matching gift to a
Black-led racial justice organization and includes a list of suggested organizations on their donation page.

During this PRIDE month, we affirm that intersectionality is at the core of SURJ’s work. ​Learn about “We
Are the South” (​http://wearethesouth.org/​), “a photo campaign amplifying the robust lives, intersectional
organizing, and leadership of LGBTQ people, people of color, and immigrant communities and organizations
who are living and loving at the intersection of racial justice and LGBTQ liberation in the South.”

Learn more about how to work against racism through SURJ’s toolkits and online resources. ​For example,
learn about the characteristics of white supremacy culture here:
https://www.showingupforracialjustice.org/white-supremacy-culture-characteristics.html​.

Get involved in anti-racist work with organizations such as Blount County United, our local NAACP
chapter, ​the Knoxville Black Lives Matter chapter, Southern Poverty Law Center, United Negro College Fund,
Black Youth Project 100, or other anti-racist organizations. Join list-servs and take recommended actions.

Attend a BLOUNT COUNTY UNITED meeting​: 4​th​ Sat. at 1:00 pm St. Paul AME Zion Church, Maryville.
Invite Blount County United’s Education Committee​ to develop a program for your church or civic group.
For more information, contact BCUEdCmte@gmail.com
Join the Alcoa/Blount branch of NAACP​: 4​th​ Sat at 11:45 am at St. Paul AME Zion Church, Maryville.
You can find a digital version of this material under the “Take Action” tab on our website
https://blountcountysurj.weebly.com/​.
Sign up for Blount County SURJ’s email list​: Contact us at ​blountcountySURJ@gmail.com
Visit and share our Facebook page:​ ​https://www.facebook.com/blountcountysurj/

A publication of Blount County Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) June 2019