Anti-Racism Resources & Organizations

Being Earnest stands with folx in fighting racism and uplifting POC communities. Black Lives Matter. AAPI Lives Matter.

 
 

On Being Earnest, we talk a lot about different kinds of earnestness, and what feeling things very genuinely means. Sometimes, that means talking about silly stories and things we love. Other times, that means taking a moment to feel sad, to feel angry and to stand in solidarity for equality and what's right. This is one of those times. We stand with with Black folx, Asian American and Pacific Islanders, protesters, and with the right side of history. We cannot stress this enough - Black lives matter. AAPI lives matter. 

We wanted to centralize a list of resources and organizations that we (and the experts in our lives) think are particularly useful and actionable. We’re definitely not experts on this subject, but we’re striving to learn more and be better allies, and we’d challenge our listeners to do the same. Give us a shout on social or at beingearnestpod@gmail.com if there’s books/podcasts/orgs you think we should add.

Special thanks to our wonderful friends/activists/educators Jared Bellot, Russyan Mark Mabeza, and Leela Singh for their contributions in compiling, curating, and editing this page.

Organizations to Support

In addition to giving to local bail funds, consider donating to the organizations below that support joy and mental health long-term in Black communities.

A Long Walk Home (Chicago)
Empowers young artists and activists to end violence against all girls and women.

APIENC (Bay Area, CA)
”Building transgender, non-binary, and queer API power…we inspire and train grassroots leaders, transform our values from scarcity to abundance, and partner with organizations to sustain a vibrant movement ecosystem.”

Assata’s Daughters (Chicago)
”AD organizes young Black people in Chicago by providing them with political education, leadership development, mentorship, and revolutionary services.”

BEAM (Los Angeles, National)
“We envision a world where there are no barriers to Black healing”

Brave Space Alliance (Chicago)
”BSA is a vehicle to empower and elevate queer and trans voices, particularly those belonging to people of color, to allow our communities a seat at the table on key decision making processes that impact the community of Chicago.”

Chicago Freedom School (Chicago)
”Through youth programs and trainings, we equip young people and adult allies with the tools develop actionable strategies for social change.”

CAAAV.org (New York)
”CAAAV is a pan-Asian community-based organization that works to build the power of low-income Asian immigrants in New York City.”

The Loveland Foundation (National)
Therapy and support, focusing especially to Black women and girls.

The Okra Project (National)
”The Okra Project is a collective that seeks to address the global crisis faced by Black Trans people by bringing home cooked, healthy, and culturally specific meals and resources to Black Trans People wherever we can reach them.”

Playmaker’s Laboratory (Chicago)
”We provide arts education programs to students aged 7-13 throughout Chicago, focused on storytelling, theater, and social-emotional skills.”

Reclaim The Block (Minneapolis)
”We organize around policies that strengthen community-led safety initiatives”

Sista Afya (Chicago)
Vision: “To improve Black women's mental wellness through community support in Chicago and beyond”

Ways to Self-Educate

Guides & Starting Points

Comprehensive lists of resources to consume and share:

Read/Listen

The media Josh and Paula are currently consuming:

  • How To Be An Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi (Book)

  • So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo (Book)

  • The 1619 Project (Podcast)

  • Code Switch (Podcast)

Where to Buy