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] Anyone and everyone is welcome to join this group. Our intention is to be a welcoming space for discussion and learning on topics of racial justice. Our vision is to become better informed allies and advocates for racial justice, engage with individuals who may be new to the movement for racial justice, and support the important work of authors of color as they tell their stories. This is an online group, and anyone from anywhere is welcome to join. If you are local to Columbus, OH and would like to get involved with Columbus SURJ in real life, please write to surjcolumbusoh@gmail.com. We will read one book every 2 months or so, and you will have the opportunity to read at your own pace. A discussion thread will be posted at the beginning of the two months, and you can visit it to discuss, pose questions, etc. as often as you like. We understand that people have different schedules, so we wanted to make engagement as flexible and easy as possible. If there are books on racial justice topics that you would like to recommend to others in the group, feel free to add them to the "To Read" shelf on our group's bookshelf.

[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] Plunging into topics that rock our world, two books at a time. More info at http://modyst.club