Anti-Racism and Accountability Resource List

Learning Alongside Each Other
There are SO many good resources out there for people who want to learn more about racial equity, the history of white supremacy culture, and value of diversity/representation, and the reasons way these things matter to the Christian Church. This page is not meant to be an exhaustive list. But we’re excited to share some of the resources that we (the Taproot staff) have been reading and discussing together.

Staff Learning
As a whole staff, we have recently explored these two resources—scheduling time in our company meetings to discuss what we learned.

• artEquity’s video series: Talking Back
  A six-part web series that reveals the growing movement for justice in the theatre field. This series is hosted by artEquity Founder and Executive Director, Carmen Morgan. As theatre practitioners, we found this series helpful because it interviewed other theatre professionals about the change that is needed in our own industry.
• Dr. Tema Okun’s: ‘(divorcing) White Supremacy Culture’
  Expanding on her now famous list of the “Characteristics of White Supremacy Culture,” Dr. Tema Okun’s website creates nine reading/reflection pages that helped us consider the ways that these characteristics “show up” in our own organization.

White Learning Group
Taproot’s White Learning Group meets once a month for reading, discussion and mutual learning. Here are some resources that we have been studying.

• Waking Up White, and Finding Myself in the Story of Race by Debby Irving (book)
  Writer and educator, Debby Irving says, “Waking Up White is the book I wish someone had handed me decades ago. My hope is that by sharing my sometimes cringe-worthy struggle to understand racism and racial tensions, I offer a fresh perspective on bias, stereotypes, manners, and tolerance.” This was the first book that we read and it was a really great starting place.
• The Color of Compromise by Jemar Tisby (video series)
  As a man of the church, Jemar Tisby speaks the truth in love to the church. This video series explores the ways Christians have reinforced theories of racial superiority and inferiority, and outlines the kind of bold action needed to forge a future of equality and justice. All of the staff in our white learning group grew up in church, so we found this series challenging, eye-opening and inspiring.
• Reclaiming My Theology (podcast)
  Brandi Miller has spent the better part of the last decade as a writer and campus minister. In each episode of this podcast, she and her guests explore a different characteristic of White Supremacy Culture, patriarchy and other systemic oppression and the ways that these characteristics (i.e. individualism, perfectionism, paternalism etc.) have influenced the church. We’ve found that these discussions to also be relatable to working at a Christian non-profit like Taproot Theatre.

In addition, here is a downloadable list of terms used throughout the Anti-Racism Commitment and Accountability page.