The BMPC Anti-Racism Taskforce invites members of the congregation to take part in a 21-day pledge to read, listen or watch one item related to race, racism or privilege each day.

This challenge was originally developed by educators Eddie Moore Jr and Debbie Irving. You can find more information about their work at the above links.

From Debby Irving’s website:

Have you ever made a successful change in your life? Perhaps you wanted to exercise more, eat less, or change jobs? Think about the time and attention you dedicated to the process. A lot, right? Change is hard. Creating effective social justice habits, particularly those dealing with issues of power, privilege, supremacy and leadership is like any lifestyle change. Setting our intentions and adjusting what we spend our time doing is essential. It’s all about building new habits. Sometimes the hardest part is just getting started. The good news is, there’s an abundance of resources just waiting to empower you to be a more effective player in the quest for equity and justice.

1. Sign up here to received complete Challenge instructions and regular encouragement in the project.

2. Download this daily tracker that you can use to reflect on what you learn each day of the Challenge.

3. Use the selected resources below to complete the Challenge. Click here to find an even fuller list of things to read, watch, and listen to over the 21 Days.

4. Share your reflections on the Challenge with friends and family. Consider becoming part of one of our BMPC Anti-Racism Book Groups to have ongoing conversation partners in this work.

What My 10-Year-Old Daughter Taught Me About the Death of Freddie Gray  The Rev. Dr. Charles Howard’s reflection on his daughter’s experience in Lower Merion Schools

Black Main Line Speaks An open forum for students and alumni of Main Line public and independent schools to share their experiences of racism and discrimination.

On the Church in this Moment in History from the 2020 PCUSA General Assembly

A Statement from the PCUSA Special Committee on Racism Truth and Reconciliation - June 2020

The Confession of Belhar A statement of faith added to the Book of Confessions in 2016 taken from the Reformed Church in South Africa.

Talking About Race Resources from the National Museum of African American History

How White People Got Made by Quinn Norton, exploring where the term “white people” comes from and which ethnic groups have and have not been able to become “white” through U.S. history.

White Fragility Groundbreaking 2011 article by Robin DiAngelo, which led to a 2018 book of the same title, exploring why it can be so hard for white people to talk about race, and how the resulting silence and defensiveness functions to hold racial dynamics and racial oppression in place.

21 Racial Microaggressions You Hear on a Daily Basis Using a series of photographs by photographer Kiyum Kim, Heben Nigatu elaborates on the term “microagression.”

Guide to Allyship Created by Amélie Lamont this site strives to be an ever-evolving and growing open source guide meant to provide you with the resources for becoming a more effective ally.

Racism is Real A split-screen video depicting the differential in the white and black lived experience. (3 minutes)

Confronting ‘intergroup anxiety’: Can you try too hard to be fair? Explores why we may get tongue tied and blunder when we encounter people from groups unfamiliar to us. (5 minutes)

I Didn't Tell You Ever wonder what a day in the life of a person of color is like? Listen to this poem, written and spoken by Norma Johnson. (7 minutes)

CBS News Analysis: 50 states, 50 different ways of teaching America's past Ibram X. Kendi reviews current history curriculum production and use across the U.S. (5 minutes) 

The Disturbing History of the Suburbs An Adam Ruins Everything episode that quickly and humorously educates how redlining came to be. (6 minutes)

New York Times Op-Docs on Race Multiple videos with a range of racial and ethnic perspectives on the lived experience of racism in the U.S. (each video about 6 minutes)

Why “I’m not racist” is only half the story Robin DiAngelo explains the function of white fragility in maintaining racial hierarchy. (7 minutes)

What Would You Do: Bicycle Thief Episode? ABC’s popular show explores the impact of racial and gender bias and prejudice at a family-friendly park. Before this video, would you have anticipated this differential treatment?

How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Discussing Race TEDx talk by Jay Smooth that suggests a new way to think about receiving feedback on our racial blindspots. (12 minutes) 

How to deconstruct racism, one headline at a time TED Talk by Baratunde Thurston that explores patterns revealing our racist framing, language, and behaviors. (10 minutes) 

The danger of a single story, TED Talk by Chimamanda Adiche, offers insight to the phenomenon of using small bits of information to imagine who a person is. (18 minutes)

The Work of Anti-Racism A conversation between the Rev. Rebecca Kirkpatrick and Anita Friday.

DC Pastor On The Role Of Diversity In Places Of Worship NPR June 2020

The Legacy of White Supremacy in American Christianity Fresh Air Interview with Robert P. Jones, author of White Too Long.

Nice White Parents Three-episode podcast from This American Life on the role of race in one public school in NYC.

Teaching While White Hosted by longtime educators Jenna Chandler-Ward and Elizabeth Denevi, TWW’s podcast focuses on how whiteness shows up in the education sector and what anti-racist educators are doing to challenge that. Episodes feature different nationally renowned anti-racist educator guests. (Any episode; times vary)

All My Relations Hosted by Matika Wilbur (Swinomish and Tulalip) and Adrienne Keene (Cherokee Nation) this podcast “explores indignity in all its complexity.” Episodes focus on issues such as DNA identity, appropriation, feminism, food sovereignty, gender, sexuality, and more while “keeping it real, playing games, laughing a lot, and even crying sometimes.” (Any episode, one hour each)

Code Switch Hosted by journalists Gene Demby and Shereen Marisol Meraji, both people of color, this podcast is curated by a team of National Press Club journalists of color who navigate the complexities of race, both professionally and personally, daily. Episodes focus on a wide range of issues overlapping race, ethnicity, and culture. (Any episode; times vary)

Black Like Me Host Dr. Alex Gee “invites you to experience the world through the perspective of one Black man, one conversation, one story, or even one rant at a time.” (Any episode; times vary)

Scene on Radio - Seeing White Series Host John Biewen and collaborator Chenjerai Kumanyika explore whiteness over the course of 14 episodes. Where does it come from? What does it mean? Why does it exist? (Episode S2 E1: Turning the Lens - 16 minutes)

TED Radio Hour - Mary Bassett: How Does Racism Affect Your Health? Host Guy Raz speaks with Dr. Mary T. Bassett, director of the FXB Center for Health and Human Rights at Harvard University, about how and why race affects the medical attention you receive, your baby's chances of living, and even life expectancy. (12 minutes)

Here & Now - Without Slavery, Would The U.S. Be The Leading Economic Power? Host Jeremy Hobson explores with Edward Baptist, author of The Half Has Never Been Told: Slavery and the Making of American Capitalism, how slavery established the United States as a world economic power. (15 minutes)