Hello {{ first name | friends}},
January was a long year for anyone affected by the flurry of activity from the dictator in the White House - and let's face it, with the position of the US on the global stage, those tentacles spread worldwide. As such, many of this month's articles focus on making sense of and resisting what's happening. There are also articles about racism in the UK and Canada. Let's dive in...
1. Dear Black People, It’s Time We Divest from The American Experiment by Louis Byrd
To kick us off this month, Louis Byrd reminds us of one aspect of the history of resistance during the Civil Rights movement in the US - divestment - and challenges Black Americans to do it again. And he warns that now, as then, the moves 47 and his cronies are making have but one goal:
“This is not about making America great again. It is about making America silent again, compliant again, blind again to its own contradictions. They are not trying to restore greatness; they are trying to restore the comfort of unchallenged power, the ease of unquestioned authority.”
2. Why Black Women Are Still Cringing At The Lean In Strategy by Camille Dundas
It's hard to lean in when you can barely get in; when the glass cliff is waiting for you, if you get that far. As this writer and her interviewees point out, this strategy often does NOT work for Black women in corporate, and even Sheryl's Sandberg's recent attempts to address this have fallen flat:
“Even when we are aware of the stats, do you think a Black woman is entirely comfortable leaning into them, when she’s just endured a weeks-long process of emotional tax to make it to the final interview? From shortening her name to make it more “pronouncable”, to worrying about her accent, or her hair. These are all the types of things most white women just do not ever have to worry about. They are part of the “double burden” Black women face in the corporate world.”
3. The Modern Tower of Babel and the Words That Divide Us by Diversity Nexus
File this one under "food for thought" (though I'm resisting any effort to redefine "woke" away from the original meaning). This author suggests a process for reaching a shared understanding of common terms so we can move forward. What do you think?
“If we don’t acknowledge how words like “woke,” “Black,” “ally,” or “community” have different, sometimes contradictory meanings to different people, we can’t build real connections.”
4. DEI Is the New Black by Michael Harriot
Here Michael Harriot lays out the history that underpins the troubling present, and what he describes as an "attack on Black people":
“ In the early 1800s, writing about the inhumanity of slavery was a federal crime. Newly emancipated freedmen who demanded equal treatment of the law were considered “Black radicals.” Whether you peacefully demanded your civil rights like John Lewis or demanded Black power like Malcolm X, to the FBI and white America, you were a Communist.”
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5. Trump 2.0 Is Here — and So Is the New Black Resistance by Word in Black
If you're looking for inspiration on how to resist, look no further than these ideas from several Black thinkers and activists:
“Black people are no strangers to tough political times, and presidents have rarely been on our side. While Trump 2.0 takes us into unprecedented territory — and while it is tempting to check out and let white America reap what it has sown — don’t forget this is our country, too. Black America literally built this nation, and we should not give up without a fight. Our ancestors would demand it.”
6. Project 2025 has arrived. Here's how WE can fight the Anti-DEI movement. by Black Dollar Index
As we move further into what's looking like a long and bleak period in US and world history, many are starting to think about what's next. This article outlines several strategies:
“So how do we uncover the truth? The same way conservatives are applying pressure, we believe we’re within our rights to pause our spending and demand clarity (and we should). And frankly, if they can appease conservative activists, WE can withhold our money UNTIL we are shown that our humanity and our dollars are respected.”
7. The shocking rise of racism in primary schools by Dan Worth
That there's racism in primary schools is not a surprise, as people are people, and children learn from their significant adults and peers. That it's on the rise is not a surprise to me. That said, these stats and stories make interesting reading:
“Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT school leaders’ union, says it is “shocking, but sadly not surprising” that the data shows an increase in racist abuse in primary schools. He adds that the figures underline why it is so important that schools remain committed to tackling racism.”
8. Response to the question "Why do Black people have so much anger?" by Dwayne Buckingham, Ph.D
Though I detest the "angry Black woman" stereotype, there's no denying that sometimes anger is justified. Here, Dwayne Buckingham lays out some of the reasons why:
“Black anger is a deeply rooted and multifaceted response to the historical and ongoing injustices faced by Black individuals and communities. It is not a monolithic emotion but rather a complex expression of pain, frustration, resilience, and the desire for change.”
9. Let’s Cut the Bull—Why Many Black and Brown CEOs Are Just "Faces" in a Broken System by Christian Ortiz
Diversity in the boardroom matters, and despite the presence of a few people of the Global Majority, their ability to make change is limited. Read this article for a few ways to make true change beyond the optics:
“The next time someone tells you a company is progressive because it hired a Black or Brown CEO, ask this: Are they empowered to make real decisions and bring upon change, or are they just there for show?”
10. One Good Thing: Honoring Ancestral Wisdom by Joquina Reed
One of the threads that keeps running through recent discussions I've been having is the way capitalism and colonialism have divorced all of us - no matter what identity we hold - from the foundational practices of our ancestors. That's why the title of this piece drew me in. In addition to the author's own wisdom, she points to other useful resources:
“Why focus on ancestral wisdom? Because in times of despair, it’s a reminder that we are never alone. We are the product of generations who dreamed, fought, and loved us into existence. We inherit not only their struggles but also their tools for survival, stories, rituals, practices, and a capacity for joy that refuses to yield.”
Of Note - Things Worth Highlighting
This post by Felicia M Scarpati has hundreds of comments pointing to books about Black history, so is a great one to expand your reading list.
Kweli.tv, a subscription service amplifying global Black stories
Prioritizing Us: And Doing it Without Apology by Theresa M Robinson
Well, that’s our reading list for this month. What action will you take based on what you’ve read and learned today?
Thanks for reading,
Sharon
What did you think of today's article?
Note: poll feedback is private - if you’re happy to share your thoughts in public, then please also leave a comment.
*Note: all articles linked here were free to read when I put together this edition. However, some may be paywalled by the time it is published, because capitalism. There’s not much I can do about that, but I hope the included quotes give you a flavour of the content.
© Sharon Hurley Hall, 2025. All Rights Reserved.
I am an anti-racism educator and activist, the author of “I’m Tired of Racism”, and co-host of The Introvert Sisters podcast. This newsletter is published on beehiiv (affiliate link).