This week, we're continuing our learning around race with three great books on white supremacy, anti-racism and Black feminism. We have rediscovered a local bookstore specialising in Black literature and discovered a new cruelty-free candle brand and handcrafted kitchenware made in London.
This Week's Discoveries
Image from Good Reads
Image from Good Reads
Going beyond the acknowledgement and disapproval of racist behaviour, Kendi uses his own personal journey to being actively anti-racist to explain the steps it takes to be proactive and progessive in order to achieve racial equality.
This book discusses and aims to understand the defensiveness that arises around conversations around race inequality in white dominated situations and within the white supremacist culture that we live in today. Explaining the white responses of guilt, fear and anger, Di’Angelo explains how this behaviour is halting progression in anti-racism.
A wonderful reflective piece from author and public speaker Britteny Cooper, this book is educational and inspirational. Looking directly at the power of Black feminism as well as self acceptance and celebration, this book is great to help motivate you to find your own power and use it for good.
Image from @grainandknot on Instagram
Image from @selfmadecandleco on Instagram
To shop at: New Beacon Books
We’re completely behind the resurgence of buying from a local bookstore instead of retail giants like Amazon. New Beacon Books is one of our favourites in London. With an incredible history (being the UK’s first black publisher, specialist bookshop and international distributor), the store still has a loving following who funded the store’s reopening in 2017. Today, the store still specialises in Bliack literature.
To shop at: Grain and Knot
The beautiful products by Grain and Knot are the work of artist Sophie who hand makes each piece herself in her London Studio. Made from reclaimed timber, all of the kitchenware is functional as well as beautiful. Her online shop is updated monthly.
To shop at: Self Made Candle Co
Candles make a room, are we right? We think so, and especially if they are hand poured, vegan, cruelty free and smell amazing. We get that all from the new brand Self Made, run by Rikki in London. Using soy wax and wonderful essential oils in fragrances like Geranium, Rosemary and Mandarin.
Image from @nycxclothes on Instagram
Image from @dominiquedrakeford on Instagram
To follow: @nycxclothes
NYCxClothes is a storytelling platform run by sisters Shelcy and Christy. From Haiti but now residing in New York, they work as content creators to visually explore brands from their own unique perspective. Through their platform, they are open about discussing being black women in the creative industry with a focus on celebrating their heritage.
To follow: @theconsciouskid
The Conscious Kid is a platform and organisation focussed on educating youth on race providing parents and carers as well as other organisations and education facilities with an abundance of resources. They are aiming to normalise the conversation, but also promote healthy behaviour in children when it comes to racial identity development.
To follow: @dominiquedrakeford
Dominque is one of our favourite people we see in our news feed. As a co-founder of movement Sustainable Brooklyn, she is an incredible voice starting and continuing conversations around sustainability and race and everything that interlinks them, promoting the importance of starting at community level.
We'll be back with more recommendations next week!