Austin Channing Brown on Racial Justice (Re-Release)

Jun 3, 2020

Austin Channing Brown, a passionate advocate for racial justice, shares her insights as a writer and speaker. She discusses the importance of using emotions like anger to foster creativity and connection in the fight for racial equality. Austin explores the challenges of discussing race in predominantly white spaces and the impact of implicit bias. She emphasizes the power of education and community engagement in addressing complex racial issues and highlights the necessity of listening and personal growth to promote understanding and reconciliation.

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INSIGHT

The Uses of Anger

Anger is neither positive nor negative; it simply signals something is wrong.
We can use anger constructively to address the underlying issue causing it.

ADVICE

Managing White Fragility in Conversations

Acknowledge the potential for emotional responses during discussions about race, especially white fragility.
Establish ground rules to manage these emotions without derailing the conversation.

ANECDOTE

Seating Chart Bias

A teacher realized she subconsciously used seating charts to separate students of color, assuming they'd be disruptive.
This realization led her to acknowledge her internalized racial bias and work towards change.

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I'm still here

Austin Channing Brown

Austin Channing Brown's memoir, *I'm Still Here*, offers a powerful account of growing up Black, Christian, and female in a predominantly white America. The book delves into her journey of self-worth and critiques the pitfalls in attempts at racial justice, highlighting the role of white, middle-class Evangelicalism in rising racial hostility. Brown invites readers to confront apathy and explore how embracing blackness can lead to a more inclusive society.

Disunity in Christ

Uncovering the Hidden Forces that Keep Us Apart

Christena Cleveland

In 'Disunity in Christ', Christena Cleveland delves into the unseen dynamics that lead to divisions within the Christian community. Using social psychology, she explains why Christians struggle with unity despite their desire for it. The book offers practical strategies for overcoming these divisions and fostering greater unity.

The new Jim Crow

Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness

Karen Chilton

Michelle Alexander

In this book, Michelle Alexander argues that the U.S. prison system has created a new racial caste system, where people of color are disproportionately incarcerated and disenfranchised. She examines the historical and contemporary factors contributing to this crisis and advocates for a more equitable justice system.

Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?

And Other Conversations About Race

Beverly Daniel Tatum

In this book, Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum delves into the psychology of racism and racial identity development, addressing questions about racial segregation in schools and other settings. The book, first published in 1997 and revised in 2017, discusses the stages of racial identity development, the importance of racial group identity for Black youth, and the systemic impacts of racism on education and society. Tatum argues that understanding and discussing these issues is crucial for creating a more inclusive and equitable environment. The book also provides insights into how parents, teachers, and other adults can support the healthy development of racial identity in children and adolescents[2][4][5].

Sister Outsider

Essays and Speeches

Audre Lorde

Audre Lorde's "Sister Outsider" is a collection of essays and speeches that explore themes of race, gender, class, and sexuality. Lorde's writing is characterized by its powerful and personal voice, challenging readers to confront their own biases and prejudices. The essays cover a wide range of topics, from the experiences of Black women in America to the importance of self-love and self-acceptance. Lorde's work has had a profound impact on feminist and anti-racist movements, inspiring generations of activists and scholars. Her legacy continues to shape conversations about social justice and intersectionality.

Austin Channing Brown is a writer, speaker, and practitioner who helps schools, nonprofits, and religious organizations practice genuine inclusion. She is passionate about the advancement of racial justice and reconciliation and her words will most certainly move you to action. In her work, she shares her experiences as a black woman who “navigates whiteness on a regular basis”. After listening to this interview and reading her book, your mind and heart will be broadened towards understanding and inclusion – regardless of where you are on that spectrum today.

We’re re-releasing this episode because as we’re in the midst of a crisis point of racial injustice here in the United States, Austin Channing Brown is a leading voice on racial justice and her wisdom and perspective can benefit us all.

We hope you’ll take some time to pause, listen to what she has to say, and consider the ways in which you might take some action to further healing and justice at whatever scope and scale you are able.

To that end, we’ve created a small resource guide to point you in a few directions that we think might be helpful as you look to further educate yourself on what action steps to take.

Donate to or get involved with:

Southern Poverty Law Center- The Southern Poverty Law Center is dedicated to fighting hate and bigotry and to seeking justice for the most vulnerable members of our society. Using litigation, education, and other forms of advocacy, the SPLC works toward the day when the ideals of equal justice and equal opportunity will be a reality. https://www.splcenter.org

NAACP Legal Defense Fund- –https://www.naacpldf.org/– The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. is America’s premier legal organization fighting for racial justice. Through litigation, advocacy, and public education, LDF seeks structural changes to expand democracy, eliminate disparities, and achieve racial justice in a society that fulfills the promise of equality for all Americans.

Campaign Zero- https://www.joincampaignzero.org/– Funds donated to Campaign Zero support the analysis of policing practices across the country, research to identify effective solutions to end police violence, technical assistance to organizers leading police accountability campaigns and the development of model legislation and advocacy to end police violence nationwide.

Ideas of other ways to get involved:

Sign the petition for George Floyd- Yes millions have signed and so can you.

75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice

So many of the changes we need to see regarding police brutality have to happen at the local level. That is good news because it’s easier to get involved and have moe impact. This page has Campaign Zero’s list of issues by city and state:

There are so many books out there but here are some books that come highly recommended:

“White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk about Racism” by Robin DiAngelo

“How to Be an Antiracist” by Ibram X. Kendi

“Biased: Uncovering the Hidden Prejudice That Shapes What We See, Think, and Do” by Jennifer L. Eberhardt

“Raising White Kids” by Jennifer Harvey

“So You Want to Talk About Race” by Ijeoma Oluo

“The Black and the Blue: A Cop Reveals the Crimes, Racism, and Injustice in America’s Law Enforcement” by Matthew Horace and Ron Harris

“The Fire Next Time” by James Baldwin

“Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race” by Reni Eddo-Lodge

“They Can’t Kill Us All: Ferguson, Baltimore, And A New Era In America’s Racial Justice Movement” by Wesley Lowery

“The Third Reconstruction: How a Moral Movement Is Overcoming the Politics of Division and Fear” by Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove and William Barber II

“Between the World and Me” by Ta-Nehisi Coates

“Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You” by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi

“The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness” by Michelle Alexander

In This Interview, Austin Channing Brown and I Discuss Racial Justice and…

Her book, I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in A World Made for Whiteness
The importance and value of anger
How we can fight the monsters without becoming the monsters
That anger reveals something is wrong
White fragility – sadness and anger
Naming the things that can come in the way of a discussion, before the discussion happens
Realising racial bias
Transformation comes after a moment of realization
The idea of “whiteness being normal”
Books to read to gain an understanding of racial injustice
Disunity in Christ
Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?: And Other Conversations About Race
How to look for opportunities to talk with others about topics of racial injustice
Check out “Be the Bridge”
The white confessional being a shortcut to true reconciliation
Skipping the confessional story and moving straight to the action step you’ll take next
What reconciliation means to her
Racial justice and reconciliation
Radical Reconciliation
How reconciliation should revolutionize the relationships we have with each other
The celebration of blackness that is throughout the book
Cultural misappropriation

Austin Channing Brown Links

austinchanning.com

Facebook

Twitter

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