Antiracism Resources

The Alliance is committed to and actively working toward becoming an antiracist organization.

Joint statement on Racism in the U.S.

June 9, 2020

We have seen with dismay, pain and horror the destructive mark of racism on the soul of the
U.S. Throughout our history, racism being the backbone of this nation’s development and unjust
enrichment of many has become the choking source of black communities and people of color
affecting every aspect of our collective life. The coronavirus pandemic has exposed these racial
inequities that hurt black and brown communities by hindering their access to health but also
their development, freedom, and pursuit of happiness. George Floyd’s words became prophetic
for as a nation, we can’t breathe anymore.

The brutal and disturbing deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and Tony
McDade have shaken our nation to its soul and painfully demonstrated the daily danger of being
black in this nation. The resistance and slow response of the judicial system and the Law
enforcement agencies to bring justice in these murders demonstrate that racism is deeply
ingrained in our socio-political system and governmental policies. The recurring assaults on
black people and people of color (POC) prove again and again that these lives are not worthy.
The undersigned organizations publicly denounce the murder of George Floyd, its race-related
violence, including the police brutality shown, and demand that each one of the four police
officers involved in his death face justice for all engaged in disdaining the worth of this man as a
human being and as a citizen. As peacemakers, we painfully recognize the sinful prejudice
ingrained in our hearts, the violent actions deflecting the affirmation of justice, and the biased
attitudes justifying hurting other human beings just because of the color of their skin and commit
ourselves to dismantle racial oppression however we can.

As religious-based institutions serving communities with all diversities;
❖ We call the state and national governments to acknowledge the right of the
people to protest peacefully and without fear, and to recognize that the peaceful
protests all over our nation are a demand for justice in face of murder of black
lives.
❖ We call the state and the federal government to avoid the use of the military as a
response to quell peaceful protestors. The use of the military will exacerbate the
divisions within our society and send our nation in a spiral of violence like no
other in our history.
❖ We call our leadership from all sectors of our society – political, economic,
education, health, media related, etc., – to acknowledge the rage, grief, and pain
within our communities.
❖ We call the leadership from all sectors of our society and the state and federal
highest leadership, to create a national table that starts meaningful dialogues
with representatives from the grieving black communities to engage, united, in a
deep, authentic and sustainable social change to combat and dismantle racism
and discrimination in all its forms.
❖ We call on the state and the federal government to stop using the forces,
symbols, and themes of white nationalism to counter peaceful protestors. We
stand against the forces of white nationalism, enforcing “law and order” amid
peaceful protests organized and carried out primarily by Black, Indigenous, and
People of Color for their rights.

We acknowledge our present time is difficult. We have become overwhelmed with a pandemic
death toll surpassing 100,000 deaths, the desperation of millions unemployed, and the
continuous disregard of black human lives. While these successive “pangs of birth,” can
madden us, as peacemakers, it is essential to remember that grace and forgiveness heal our
hearts, that we belong to each other (Rom 12:4-5) and that justice will be done for we seek it
(Matt. 6:33). Under this yoke of darkness our actions today will define the future we want to
build. We ask the Spirit to break us free and help us breathe.

Organizations:
American Baptist Home Mission Society
Alliance of Baptists
Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America - Bautistas por la Paz

FAITH LEADERS: We invite you and your organizations to also sign onto this statement. Click here to sign on now.

Trouble the Water edited by Michael-Ray Mathews, Marie Clare P. Onwubuariri, Cody J. Sanders

Trouble the Water is a collaborative effort, edited by Michael-Ray Mathews, Marie Clare P. Onwubuariri, Cody J. Sanders, that issues a call to readers: Put your faith into action toward the cultivation of a new way of being in the world—a way of being that honors human difference through embodied action to bring about a more just and less violent world.

Trouble the Water is a resource for individuals and congregations endeavoring to take seriously the ever-increasing necessity of work toward racial justice while attending to the intersections of our identities and the intersecting nature of oppression, injustice, and violence. At a time in our country and in our world when expressions of interpersonal prejudice and structural racism are validated and even valorized, this is a resource addressing the pressing concerns of our current era. Deeply rooted in the Christian tradition and evidencing the flavors of peace-and-justice Baptists in particular, this book calls all of us to greater awareness and action in the ministry of racial justice.

This following document, compiled by Sarah Sophie Flicker, Alyssa Klein, is intended to serve as a resource to white people and parents to deepen our antiracism work. If you haven’t engaged in antiracism work in the past, start now. Feel free to circulate this document on social media.

To take immediate action to fight for Breonna Taylor, please visit FightForBreonna.org.

Resources for white parents to raise anti-racist children:

Articles to read:

Videos to watch:

Podcasts to subscribe to:

Books to read:

Films and TV series to watch:

  • 13th (Ava DuVernay) — Netflix
  • American Son (Kenny Leon) — Netflix
  • Black Power Mixtape: 1967-1975 — Available to rent
  • Clemency (Chinonye Chukwu) — Available to rent
  • Dear White People (Justin Simien) — Netflix
  • Fruitvale Station (Ryan Coogler) — Available to rent
  • I Am Not Your Negro (James Baldwin doc) — Available to rent or on Kanopy
  • If Beale Street Could Talk (Barry Jenkins) — Hulu
  • Just Mercy (Destin Daniel Cretton) — Available to rent
  • King In The Wilderness  — HBO
  • See You Yesterday (Stefon Bristol) — Netflix
  • Selma (Ava DuVernay) — Available to rent
  • The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution — Available to rent
  • The Hate U Give (George Tillman Jr.) — Hulu with Cinemax
  • When They See Us (Ava DuVernay) — Netflix

Organizations to follow on social media:

More anti-racism resources to check out:

Document compiled by Sarah Sophie Flicker, Alyssa Klein in May 2020.

#Charlestonsyllabus is a list of readings that educators can use to broach conversations in the classroom about the horrendous events that unfolded in Charleston, South Carolina on the evening of June 17, 2015. These readings provide valuable information about the history of racial violence in this country and contextualize the history of race relations in South Carolina and the United States in general. They also offer insights on race, racial identities, global white supremacy and black resistance. All readings are arranged by date of publication. 

#Charlestonsyllabus was conceived by Chad Williams (@Dr_ChadWilliams), Associate Professor of African and Afro-American Studies at Brandeis University. With the help of Kidada Williams (@KidadaEWilliams), the hashtag started trending on Twitter on the evening of June 19, 2015. The following list was compiled and organized by AAIHS blogger Keisha N. Blain  (@KeishaBlain) with the assistance of  Melissa Morrone (@InfAgit), Ryan P. Randall    (@foureyedsoul), and Cecily Walker (@skeskali). Special thanks to everyone who contributed suggestions via Twitter. Please click here to read more about the origin and significance of #Charlestonsyllabus.

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