I had a lighthearted summer reading post scheduled for the May “Month in Review”. It was filled with lots of exclamation points, and giddiness over my stockpile of books perfect for curling up with on a lawn chair.
Then the events of the past few weeks happened.
Like most Americans, I am absolutely heartbroken by the images and videos I’ve seen on my screens. The hatred and racism must stop. Our country needs love right now, and tolerance, and understanding. We also need to take responsibility for these systems that have been oppressing the Black community for hundreds of years.
Everyone has different opinions on the best way to take action in this moment. I’m doing what I know how to do best – reading, writing and having discussions to help me discover and remedy my personal blindspots regarding race and privilege.
With that being said, I wanted to share six of the books that have helped me start to learn more and think differently over the past few months. All of the following works are by Black, female-identifying authors.
Fiction
- Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
- Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson
- What We Lose by Zinzi Clemmons
Nonfiction
- The World According to Fannie Davis by Bridgett M. Davis
- The Pretty One by Keah Brown
- Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad
What books do you recommend? What about podcasts, art, or other creative works? I’d love to hear from you.
Image credit: Pexels
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