Oppression

[close] This book club formed in Hillsborough Township Public Schools in NJ by a group of concerned educators including teachers, school counselors, and administrators. We originally intended to read the two books suggested for book clubs by the BARWE (Building Antiracist White Educators) group from Philadelphia, PA. We did that and we continue to read books that stimulate thought, conversation, and action around antiracist education.

[close] A book club dedicated to the oppressed. Literature has always been a platform for those who face systemic oppression to humanize themselves. In this book club, we will mainly look at books written by/for them.

[close] This group is open to anyone who wants to join and agrees to our Ground Rules. This group is specifically aimed at providing continual accountability and opportunity to learn and unlearn what we know about systems of oppression. Topics are largely non-fiction but can include various topics, such as, race, activism, intersectional feminism, nationality, immigration, ability, policy change, socialized values, law, privilege, allyship, etc. This group is a BRAVE space, as safety cannot be guaranteed. Participation is "challenge by choice". However, there will be gentle encouragement and accountability provided by this community, particularly for embracing uncomfortable conversations in the spirit of learning and growth. Acknowledging a brave space is critical when learning about identity and discussing privilege and oppression. A brave space is inclusive to all races, sexes, genders, abilities, immigration status, and lived experiences. A brave space allows individuals to express themselves, challenge one another in a positive way (call-in vs. call-out), and learn from one another. Priority for reading / discussion material is placed with authors of minoritized identities.

[close] Welcome! This is a book club for everyone. This book club may be of particular interest to you if you wish to learn more about a variety of topics that fall into the category of social justice, including themes related to (but not limited to) discrimination of all kinds, both racial oppression and privilege, feminism, mental health, poverty, criminal justice, gender, addiction, sexuality, religion, abuse, healing… and more. We will read fiction and non-fiction, books that are quite obviously related to a particular SJ topic, as well as books that might be a bit more abstract. My goal is to choose books that pull you in and hold your interest, simultaneously informing, entertaining, and provoking deep critical thinking. I will avoid lengthy, overly academic pieces and try to choose books that capture our minds and hearts. We will read biographies and science fiction and historical fiction and classics and everything in between. My hope is that members will engage in respectful discussion with each other, not just about the books that we read specifically, but also about the themes and topics highlighted in the material. Invite your old classmate with whom you used to have really great intellectual discussions. Invite your roommate that just recently moved to the US. Invite your aunt that doesn’t believe white privilege is actually a thing. Invite your brother that’s a veteran. Invite your friend that keeps talking about wanting to join a book club. Let’s chat. Let’s debate. Let’s learn. Let’s grow. Let’s show the world how to discuss hard topics respectfully and learn from each other. THIS IS A BOOK CLUB FOR EVERYONE.