Black History Month Celebration: Divination Hollow’s Antiracist Reading List

SpotlightBlack History Month
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Antiracist Reading List

I know what you’re thinking, what does a list of books on how to live an antiracist life and body positivity have to do with the media Divination Hollow usually covers? Lots. Our aim here at Divination Hollow is to cultivate an inclusive, accepting, and open-minded environment in the bookish and media communities online. We actively call for our peers, community supporters, fellow readers, and even writers to make sure they read diversely and on a variety of subjects or genres, including non-fiction. Consuming a broad range of topics and viewpoints will help you become a better reader, a more empathetic person, and well-rounded in self-education.

Participating in group events highlighting underserved and marginalized voices in various communities is awesome, but it isn’t enough. We love hosting these events, but we also know there is a lot more work to be done on a continual basis.  Events and holidays are fine and dandy and do a lot to raise awareness, but we need to do the internal work to facilitate real change and improvement in our communities. The work doesn’t stop just because you’re “tired.” Think of all the marginalized voices that don’t get a day off? Think of all the marginalized people who can’t check out of who they are, and experience ongoing violence on the daily? It’s not enough to just share during highlight months or special events, and if that’s all you’re willing to do, your actions are performance and spectacle and disingenuous. You have to do more; we have to do more. You have to be more; we have to be more. That all starts by doing the inner work and continuing to put ourselves under a microscope and examine our inner biases and learned behaviors. And we must not let our passion and fervor wane; it is our responsibility continue to explore these themes, to unlearn the old and learn to do better, and to encourage others to join us on that journey.

I’m including a list of these books specifically to remind folks that we need to continuously do inner work and inner soul searching. We need to challenge our inherent racism and inherent bias and do our best to sit with it, examine it, and grow beyond those negative learned tendencies. In doing so, we’ll be better able to receive the work of others, better able to support our peers and family members, and be able to dismantle systemic racism starting with our own person. No one is perfect, surely, but we can all do better. We must do better.

Reading the suggested texts on this page may also offer added value and better perspective into the lived experiences of Black, Brown, Indigenous, Asian, and other marginalized creators and the motivation behind their work. Make sure these books are not only on your shelves, but also in your hands and in front of your eyes. Join us here at Divination Hollow in our commitment to doing the uncomfortable work of dismantling inherent bias and building a more inclusive community.

Anti-Racist Books for Younger Readers and Teens

This collection of titles is a mix of non-fiction options along with fictional stories rooted in true experiences and historical context.

We’ve also included a list of board books and picture books to introduce the topics of anti-racist ideals to younger readers and continue the education as they grow and mature.

Listicle by Ellen Avigliano

Twitter: @imaginariumcs
Instagram: @imaginariumarts
Website: www.imaginariumarts.com

 
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