Anti-Racism Reading List

In Black Boys Like Me, Matthew R. Morris explores his complex journey of navigating Black identity, revealing the tensions between cultural performance and authentic self-discovery through his experiences as a young Black man and educator.

Unbroken is a compelling memoir and investigative work by Angela Sterritt, an award-winning Gitxsan journalist who survived life on the streets. As a teenager, she turned to journaling to navigate her struggles and find her identity. Now an acclaimed journalist, Sterritt uses her platform to fight for justice and inspire hope for Indigenous women, girls, and survivors.

Stonewall Book Award Winner, this sweeping novel spans three generations of an Iranian family. In 2019, gay teen Moud uncovers family secrets on a trip to Tehran. In 1978, Saeed flees revolutionary Iran for an unwanted life in America. In 1939, Bobby navigates the dark side of Hollywood fame. Set in Tehran and Los Angeles, this is a powerful story of love, family, and identity.

The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story expands on the groundbreaking New York Times Magazine issue, reframing American history by centering the legacy of slavery and its enduring impact on contemporary society. Through eighteen essays and thirty-six works of poetry and fiction, it explores how the systems born in 1619 continue to shape politics, culture, and identity in the United States today.

Michelle Good's Five Little Indians follows the lives of five Indigenous residential school survivors as they navigate the trauma of their past and struggle to find belonging in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. Spanning decades, the novel portrays their interconnected journeys of pain, resilience, and the enduring impact of Canada's residential school system on their identities and futures.

An examination of how white people's defensive reactions to discussions about race perpetuate racial inequality. Exploring the emotions and behaviors that characterize white fragility they offer strategies for engaging in more constructive cross-racial dialogues.

In his graphic memoir The Talk, Darrin Bell shares how conversations about racial bias shaped his life from childhood to adulthood, illustrating his experiences with systemic racism through humor and powerful visuals. The narrative culminates in his reflections on passing these difficult discussions to his own son, connecting personal stories to broader societal issues.

Decolonizing Sport explores how sport has been both a tool of colonial oppression and a means of Indigenous resistance across regions like Turtle Island, Australia, and Kenya. Through powerful examples, it examines the dual role of sport in dispossession and decolonization, envisioning a future where Indigenous cultures and games reclaim their rightful place.

Unsettling Canadian Art History brings together diverse scholars to examine how settler colonialism, enslavement, and racialized diasporas have shaped Canada’s visual and material culture. By centering Black, Indigenous, feminist, queer, and Two-Spirit perspectives, this collection challenges colonial narratives and envisions transformative, decolonial futures for art and scholarship.

Isabel Wilkerson's Caste examines America's hidden caste system, comparing it to those in India and Nazi Germany, and reveals the societal pillars that sustain these hierarchies. Through compelling narratives, she illustrates how caste shapes every aspect of life and calls for dismantling its pervasive influence.

"White Benevolence" reveals how helping professions reinforce racism against Indigenous people, urging white professionals to confront their role in colonial systems and adopt anti-racist practices.

Extra Bold is an inclusive design career guide that combines elements of a textbook, comic book, and self-help manual. Featuring diverse voices and practical advice, it explores workplace power dynamics, addresses systemic inequalities, and offers guidance on navigating various professional challenges.

"Decolonizing Equity" is a collection that explores how racialized workers can approach equity planning through a decolonial lens. It centers Indigenous, Black, and racialized voices to reimagine equity work that acknowledges and addresses the realities of colonialism and racism in Canada and the United States.

A comprehensive guide for business leaders in building diverse, equitable, and inclusive company cultures. Drawing from James D. White's corporate experience, the book provides practical strategies for creating workplace environments that promote justice and equity.

The Skin We're In chronicles Desmond Cole's year-long exploration of anti-Black racism in Canada, exposing systemic inequalities through his personal activism and journalistic work. Drawing from his experiences challenging police practices and confronting institutional racism, Cole provides a provocative examination of Canada's ongoing struggle with racial injustice.