Reader Series: Combating Racism

In the wake of the killing of another unarmed Black man by the police, protests have sprung up around the globe, and many people are now seeking ways to educate themselves on racial inequality and oppression in the US. In this series, we will read and discuss three popular books centered on racism in the US.

So You Want to Talk About Race will provide foundational explanations for commonly heard concepts and questions like “what is a micro aggression?” and “why can’t I say the N-word?”.

White Fragility, the 2018 book by Dr. Robin DiAngelo, will help us to analyze the discomfort felt by white people when they are asked to discuss racism or to examine their own privilege. DiAngelo’s goal in writing White Fragility is to help white people move away from a place of defensiveness when challenged on their beliefs about racial inequality to one where we can engage these conversations more constructively.

The final book, How to Be An Antiracist, will serve as a call to action for many of us as we try to imagine a society that is vehemently anti-racist. By taking a closer look at our personal beliefs and then the history, laws, and policies that have landed us in our present predicament, we can start to understand what active roles that we can take to build this new society.

This class is presented in partnership with the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage. Maltz Museum members can register for the member price. All profit from this class will be donated to the Northeast Ohio Black Health Coalition.

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Remote Class Info

This class will meet online one Wednesday a month from 7-9pm using Zoom video conferencing. On the first day of class, we will give you a tutorial on how to use Zoom. Once you sign on using the instructions we will provide, you will be able to see and talk with your instructor and your fellow participants—just like you would in one of our meeting rooms. All you need is a good internet connection and a computer or smartphone with a camera and microphone. Not sure if your system is compatible? Just click here. Have any questions about online classes? Email or call associate director Matt Weinkam at mweinkam@litcleveland.org.