We are in this with you and wanted to provide some resources that have impacted our team personally as we begin to process all that has being going on in our world. Check out the resources below for books, movies, shows, and podcasts recommended by our Repose team! We are still listening and learning so this list is not exhaustive by any means. Stay tuned on our instagram stories as we continue to add to our list of resources.
What We’re Reading
- “Race Cars: A Children’s Book about White Privilege” by Jenny Devenny
“This book is on its way to my house now, because I want to have honest, open, and important conversations with my boys. We want to raise them to do better; to recognize their privilege, to have compassion for and with their neighbours of every colour, and to stand up to injustice.” ~ Kathryn - “Between the World and Me” by Ta-Nehisi Coates
“This book is a letter by the author written to his son about the history of living in America as a Black man. He writes to his son about the fears and experiences he has had of trying to keep his son safe and what it is like to live in the body of a black man. I couldn’t put it down. It educated me, shocked me, woke me up and made me contemplate my ignorance.” ~ Melissa - “A Mind Spread Out on the Ground” by Alicia Elliott
“A book on indigenous racism and essays on indigenous views of mental health. I became aware of the need to be culturally curious in the way that other cultures view and define mental health.” ~ Melissa - “They Called Me Number One” by Bev Sellars
“An account of residential school in Canada and the cultural, family and personal trauma of it. It hurts to read but it’s important to understand the accounts of what our government did to the families and cultures of the first people that lived here. This will help give perspective on some of the generational trauma that our First Nations people are still living with.” ~ Melissa
What We’re Watching
- “When They See Us”
“My husband and I recently watched the limited series, “When They See Us” on Netflix about the “central park 5.” These young black boys were wrongfully accused and convicted of raping a white woman in central park. The way the system was bent against them was shocking to me. It was painful to watch how evidence (or lack thereof) was ignored and a crime was pinned on them because they were black and in the wrong place at the wrong time.” ~ Kathryn - “Just Mercy”
“This movie tells the true story of a young lawyer who defends a falsely accused man on death row in 1980’s Alabama. It paints the violent and dehumanizing way that people are treated, solely based on the colour of their skin. I would highly recommend this movie as it opened my eyes to what systemic injustice looks like and convicted me of my role in standing up against all forms of prejudice, discrimination, and racism.”~ Charmaine - “Bryan Stevenson: The Power of Mercy and Forgiveness”
“I watched Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday interview with Bryan Stevenson, lawyer and founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, about his book Just Mercy that was made into a documentary about his fight for justice. I also watched the movie which highlighted not just the systemic racism, racial bias, stereotype and prejudism experienced by Black people in the US but also the impact of this treatment on their sense of safety in the world. What stood out to me is the courage and conviction it takes to “stand when others are sitting and speak when others are silent” ~ Teresa - “13th”
“I just watched “13th” on Netflix outlining the history of systemic racism in the US against the black community, and this historic racism’s connection to police and the prison system. I can honestly say that this documentary, along with the recent events in the US and around the world, have opened my eyes like never before. I found myself uncontrollably weeping at the horrific injustice done to fellow human beings for centuries. We MUST do better.” ~ Kara - “Viral Wisdom #53: Caution – This may provoke your fragility”.
“Having watched this video by Dr. Shefali, I was deeply moved to acknowledge my own part in systemic racism – to face and acknowledge the pain of BIPOC. I loved how she clearly laid out from a psychological and therapeutic standpoint how we need to say “No More” and lift each other up. My response has been to genuinely say to BIPOC “I’m sorry, I see your pain, your anger is justified.” ~ Julia
What We’re Listening To
- “Me and White Supremacy: How to Recognize Your Privilege, Combat Racism, and Change the World” by Layla F Saad
“For most of my life I would have told you that I wasn’t racist, I was wrong. This workbook, on Audible or in print, educated me in the way I viewed my well-meaning actions as actually buying into white privilege. It humbled me, it opened my eyes and is a must read in learning how to combat racism in ourselves and in the world.” ~ Carolyn - Podcast: “Brené with Ibram X. Kendi on How to Be an Antiracist”