Racial Justice Resources

The New Tech Northwest team and community believe in the power of equity, inclusion, respect and dignity for everyone because the more people that are happy, and thriving, the better our world is for all of us. We see and hear our BIPOC community members and we are here for you.

If you are a non-Black anti-racist person looking for assistance to understand your own white supremacist behaviors and create justice for BIPOC and underestimated people, then the books, videos, podcasts, websites and other media on this page can be a good start.

If you are a man with the inclusive goal to meet people where they are, allowing us to help them achieve their fullest potential, then check out the Better Man Movement.The Better Man mission is to contribute to the development of more inclusive, supportive leaders who show up as allies and use their power and privilege to transform corporate culture. Also, immediately read Letters to My White Male Friends by Dax-Devlon Ross who has spoken at Better Man Conferences.

If you work at an anti-racist tech company in Washington please join the WTIA Coalition to Dismantle Racism in the Tech Industry. New Tech Northwest is a proud member of this pact.

If you are a BIPOC person in the Pacific Northwest tech community please check out our Diversity & Underestimated Folks in Tech resource page for local and national organizations that can be helpful with your career.

Together we’ll dismantle the systemic racial barriers that have blocked social & economic equity, opportunity, and progress for BIPOC folks as we create new equitable systems for everyone.

CELEBRATING AND SUPPORTING THE BLACK COMMUNITY

45 Black Podcasts To Get Hooked On!– A list of podcasts to give your life everything you need, from news to comedy to some romance. In no particular order, here are 45 incredible Black podcasts to listen to while in quarantine and beyond.

African American Literature Book Club – The oldest, largest, and most popular online bookstore dedicated to African American literature and Black Literature from around the world. We celebrate Black culture, through books, for ALL readers to enjoy.  AALBC is BooksAuthorsReviewsEventsResourcesDiscussionsa BlogBook ClubArticles, Home to #ReadingBlack, and Much More.

The BIPOC Project – Aims to build authentic and lasting solidarity among Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC), in order to undo Native invisibility, anti-Blackness, dismantle white supremacy and advance racial justice. We use the term BIPOC to highlight the unique relationship to whiteness that Indigenous and Black (African Americans) people have, which shapes the experiences of and relationship to white supremacy for all people of color within a U.S. context. We unapologetically focus on and center relationships among BIPOC folks.

Black Authored Leadership Book List  – A compiled list of leadership books written by Black authors in the United States. This list is meant to be a resource, not an official endorsement.

Black Business List – Since 1997, we have been dedicated to helping minority business people start, maintain, and grow viable businesses.

BlackExcellence.com –  a digital platform to share noteworthy, empowering, and entertaining stories in the global black community.

Black Founder Startup Grant – Black women entrepreneurs receive less than .5% of venture capital funding. We are standing up to help change that by providing at least (3) $10K and (6) $5K cash grants to Black women or nonbinary entrepreneurs.

Black Innovation Alliance -an entity comprised of support organizations that serve Black innovators. We are on a mission to ensure that Black ownership is increasing through equitable participation in the innovation economy. BIA exists to strengthen the ecosystem that cultivates Black entrepreneurs, innovators, and creative technologists. It brings together support organizations leading work in this space and is the first of its kind. We are experts on what our community needs in order to obtain fair and equitable access to the innovation economy, and we enlist those who wish to direct resources towards Black economic empowerment to trust our collective voice and invest in OUR VISION for what is necessary and sufficient.

Black Men Matter – Understanding and addressing mental health issues among black and African American males requires a long view of their historic collective experience, assessing how it impacts their current life and the embedded issues of identity and access disparity that can preclude proper clinical treatment. Visit this page to learn more and discover great resources for black men’s mental health.

Black Owned Business – We are a community of vetted, high-quality Black-owned professional services companies. Need to hire a vendor? Consider our companies in the following categories: Technology, Marketing & Web Design, Sales & Business Consulting, Finance & Accounting, Law, HR & Staffing. Become a proud supporter and display our logo on your site.

Black Youth Mental Health Resources – It’s challenging to make legitimate inroads toward solving the Black youth mental health crisis without systemic bedrock change and institutional reform on multiple levels, including areas of everyday life that can lead to mental health challenges and addressing the inequities that persist in treatment access. There are, however, many resources for members of the Black and African communities struggling with mental health issues by virtue of their identity. Here are some resources to explore if you or your loved one are struggling.

Blax – A Black Owned Business Directory. Search to Find & Connect with the Best Black Owned Businesses.

dei.ai – identifies patterns in your language to help you better understand how you communicate and miscommunicate. Rather than simply searching and replacing terms, the app offers explanations and context to help you determine the best language for your intention and the impact you want to have on your audience. DEI.AI empowers you to learn real principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion through everyday communication.

Founders Unfound [Podcast] – a media project created to tell the stories of exceptional entrepreneurs and tech founders from underrepresented backgrounds – starting with founders of African descent. We have a regular podcast and complimentary blog created to shine a light on the broad spectrum that reflects all the diversity in entrepreneurship today. We spotlight black entrepreneurs working on venture-worthy, big opportunity ideas. We know behind every founder team is an origin story that deserves to be boldly told.

Independent Black-Owned Magazines – This  AALBC.com list is restricted to print magazines.  Digital only magazines will be included in a future list. Ultimately, we’d like to grow this into a global database of magazines, to include links to subscribe, publisher information, publication location, magazine description, sample covers, contact info and more.

Independent Black-Owned Newspapers in the United States -“Henceforth Blacks should speak to themselves and for themselves. No other can speak for us.”—Samuel Cornish, publisher of Freedom’s Journal, the first African-American owned and operated newspaper published in the US. This is a list of independent, Black-owned newspapers.  Most are members of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA).

Independent Websites Dedicated to Authors of African Descent – Our database contains information on independent booksellers whose primary focus is on books written by people of African descent.

Mental Health Issues Facing the Black Community –  “Racism is a public health crisis,” according to a May 2020 statement from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). This means that racism — whether unintentional, unconsciously, or concealed — has affected Black Americans’ access to equal and “culturally competent” health care.

Northwest African American Museum – At the heart of the African American experience in the Northwest is the story of our journey to this region, the establishment of our vibrant community, and the ways in which we have survived. To tell this ever-unfolding story, the Museum’s exhibitions and programs feature the visual arts, music, crafts, literature and history of African Americans in the Northwest. Cognizant of the black community’s continuous evolution, NAAM focuses on African Americans whose route to the new world was through slavery as well as recent immigrants arriving from places such as Somalia, Sudan and Ethiopia.

Official Black Wallstreet – The largest app and digital platform helping consumers find, review, and support Black-owned businesses. Mandy Bowman is the Founder and CEO of Official Black Wall Street. After studying Entrepreneurship and Global Business Management at Babson College, she set out to empower the Black community through economics and ownership. Since launching the platform in 2015, and the app in 2017, Mandy has been at the forefront of the #BuyBlack movement, helping Black businesses around the world gain the exposure and resources they deserve. The Brooklyn native is a fierce advocate for economics and ownership within the Black community and a two-time TEDx speaker.

The Plug – Smart reporting on the Black innovation economy. The Plug humanizes Black people’s engagement in technology related markets and industries one investigative narrative at a time. Our work moves beyond popular deficit narratives to show the substantive ways that Black people are affected by and engaged with the innovation economy, including analyses of modern technologies, how and by whom they are developed, and the structures and cultures of related ecosystems.

The Top 50 Black-Owned Websites – Our mission includes uplifting websites created by, and for, people of African descent. These sites are sorted by the strength of their AALBC Score. Check out the more than three hundred (and growing) popular, Black-owned, websites considered for inclusion on this top 50 list.

Ya’ll Hiring [Podcast] – Conversations that lead to strong takeaways. No matter if you are just starting out, moving into leadership, or chilling at the executive level, this podcast was designed with you in mind. Tune in to check out Seattle local Roz (Recruiting leader @warnermedia) and her industry colleagues, as they discuss all the things that you have been dying to know. Nothing is off limits and nothing is sugar coated. The goal is to inform those thinking of joining the profession and to validate and inspire those that are already amongst us.

UNDERSTANDING SYSTEMIC RACISM

Bias [Film]-The toxic effects of bias make headlines everyday: sexual harassment, racial profiling, the pay gap. As humans, we are biased, yet few of us are willing to admit it. We confidently make snap judgments, but are shockingly unaware of the impact our assumptions have on those around us. The documentary feature bias follows filmmaker Robin Hauser on a journey to uncover her hidden biases and explore how unconscious bias defines relationships, workplaces, our justice system, and technology. bias contemplates the most pressing question: can we de-bias our brains?

Black Nouveau [Video] – James Causey Interviews diversity trainer and human rights activist Jane Elliott. Part one of a two part interview.

Code : Debugging the Gender Gap [Award-Winning Film] – CODE documentary exposes the dearth of American female and minority software engineers and explores the reasons for this gender gap. CODE raises the question: what would society gain from having more women and minorities code?

Coming to Terms With Racism’s Inertia: Ancestral Accountability [Video] – TedX Talk by Rachel Cargle

Define American – A narrative and culture change organization that uses media and the power of storytelling to transcend politics and shift the conversation about immigrants, identity, and citizenship in a changing America. We’ve been recognized by Fast Company as one of the most innovative companies in the world for causing a stir by leveraging the power of television networks to make the world more equitable and for reshaping American public opinion. We humanize the conversation on immigration through television consulting, original content development and production, media advocacy, and live events. Define American has consulted on more than 45 films and television projects, such as Grey’s Anatomy and Superstore, spanning networks like ABC and NBC and streaming platforms such as Netflix and Hulu.

Documented [Award-Winning Film] – In 2011, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas outed himself as an undocumented immigrant in the New York Times Magazine. Documented chronicles his journey to America from the Philippines as a child; his public struggle as an immigration reform activist/provocateur; and his journey inward as he reconnects with his mother, whom he hasn’t seen in 20 years. A broken immigration system leads to broken families and broken lives.

Marshawn Lynch: A History [Award-Winning Film]– a kaleidoscopic look at former Seattle Seahawk NFL star Marshawn Lynch and his use of silence as a form of protest. Culling more than 700 video clips and placing them in dramatic, rapid, and radical juxtaposition, the film is a powerful political parable about the American media-sports complex and its deep complicity with racial oppression.

Systemic Racism Explained [Video]– Systemic racism affects every area of life in the US. From incarceration rates to predatory loans, and trying to solve these problems requires changes in major parts of our system. Here’s a closer look at what systemic racism is, and how we can solve it.

Talking About Race [Website] – an online portal designed by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture to help individuals, families, and communities talk about racism, racial identity and the way these forces shape every aspect of society, from the economy and politics to the broader American culture. Talking About Race builds upon decades of work by the museum’s educators. It is the result of extensive research, studies, consultations, and educational resources from these fields: history, education, psychology and human development. It includes published research from leading experts, activists, historians, and thought leaders on race, equity, and inclusion, including Brené BrownKimberlé Williams CrenshawRobin DiAngeloJulie Olsen Edwards, Jerry Kang, Ibram X Kendi, Enid Lee, Audre Lorde, Beverly Daniel Tatum, Bishop Desmond Tutu, and Tim Wise. “The portal offers a wealth of resources to inform and guide discussions—videos, role-playing exercises, targeted questions and more”, said Spencer Crew, interim director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. “We hope that people will use this site to become more comfortable about engaging in honest dialogue and self-reflection.”

Therapy for Black Girls –  So often the stigma surrounding mental health issues and therapy prevents Black women from taking the step of seeing a therapist. This space was developed to present mental health topics in a way that feels more accessible and relevant. Dr. Joy Harden Bradford is a licensed psychologist, speaker and the host of the wildly popular mental health podcast, Therapy for Black Girls. Her work focuses on making mental health topics more relevant and accessible for Black women and she delights in using pop culture to illustrate psychological concepts. She has been featured in O, The Oprah Magazine, Forbes, Bustle, MTV, Huffington Post, Black Enterprise, Refinery29, Teen Vogue, and Essence.

Undocumented [Film] – an eye-opening look past media half-truths to all sides of illegal immigration, the biggest cultural phenomenon facing America today. Increasingly having to “request” to use English, noticing the rise in Spanish-only billboards and with the passing of English as the official language of Farmer’s Branch, Director Justin Malone knew he had to capture the cultural influences that were changing the face of his hometown. Malone and his team traveled to over 24 U.S. cities and Guatemala; compiling nearly 320 hours of interviews, protest rallies and heated exchanges from multiple perspectives.

We are witnessing America as a failed social experiment [Video] – Dr. Cornell West CNN Interview

What Matters [Video] – A series produced by Black Lives Matter combining documentary narrative with interviews to illuminate specific, timely issues, aiming to create safe dialogue to promote freedom, justice, and collective liberation. What Matters is a salve and a safe place where we can connect, learn, think freely, and transform the world. New and upcoming episodes include interviews with Rep. Karen Bass, BLM South Bend, Donna Brazile, Dr. Cedric Dark, Jane Fonda, and Marc Lamont Hill.

Why Is This Happening? with Chris Hayes: The 400 year Legacy with Nikole Hannah-Jones and Ibram X. Kendi [Podcast]-Nikole Hannah-Jones, the architect behind The 1619 Project, and Ibram Kendi, author of “How To Be an Antiracist”, join Chris Hayes to examine the 400 year legacy of slavery in America. Together they examine the sinister discrepancy between the history of this nation as it *was* and the history of this nation as we are taught it, and discuss what that history then demands from us in this moment.

ALLYSHIP

5 Ways tech leaders can address racial inequity, from diversity expert and tech CEO Dr. Cheryl Ingram by Todd Bishop

20+ Allyship Actions for Asians to Show Up for the Black Community Right Now by Michelle Kim

21 Signs You or Your Organization May Be the White Moderate Dr. King Warned About by Nonprofit AF

Dear Allies and Adversaries by Dr. Cheryl Ingram

The Devil Within Us (White women’s violence is a time-honored American tradition. But it doesn’t have to be.) by Rose Ernst

Maintaining Professionalism In The Age of Black Death Is….A Lot by Shenequa Golding

Workshops for White People: a training series in support of the Movement for Black Lives Presented by Make Yourself Useful

The Dehumanizing Condescension of White Fragility: The popular book aims to combat racism but talks down to Black people – by John McWhorter

HOW TO DISCUSS RACE WITH YOUR KIDS

4 Things We Should All Teach Kids About Racism Right Now by Mia Mckenzie

Raising Race-Conscious Children by Joanna Goddard

Talking About Race [Website] – an online portal designed by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture to help individuals, families, and communities talk about racism, racial identity and the way these forces shape every aspect of society, from the economy and politics to the broader American culture. Talking About Race builds upon decades of work by the museum’s educators. It is the result of extensive research, studies, consultations, and educational resources from these fields: history, education, psychology and human development. It includes published research from leading experts, activists, historians, and thought leaders on race, equity, and inclusion, including Brené BrownKimberlé Williams CrenshawRobin DiAngeloJulie Olsen Edwards, Jerry Kang, Ibram X Kendi, Enid Lee, Audre Lorde, Beverly Daniel Tatum, Bishop Desmond Tutu, and Tim Wise. “The portal offers a wealth of resources to inform and guide discussions—videos, role-playing exercises, targeted questions and more”, said Spencer Crew, interim director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. “We hope that people will use this site to become more comfortable about engaging in honest dialogue and self-reflection.”

BOOKS FOR NON-BLACK PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THE BIPOC EXPERIENCE

10 Books About Race To Read Instead Of Asking A Person Of Color To Explain Things To You

16 Books About Race That Every White Person Should Read

17 Books On Race Every White Person Needs To Read

An Antiracist Reading List [NY Times]

Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen by Jose Antonio Vargas

ANTI-RACIST RESOURCES FOR EDUCATION AND ACTION

If you want to take meaningful action right now to help the families of Ahmad Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and the many other Black Americans unjustly murdered and abused by law enforcement and other protectors of white supremacy go to Resources for Accountability and Actions for Black Lives.

If you’re looking for resources for a living document to facilitate growth for white folks to become allies, and eventually accomplices for anti-racist work check out Scaffolded Anti-Racist Resources.

If you’re a White person looking to learn more about how to support Black people your answers are in Corinne Shutak’s article 75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice.

If you’d like ideas of more anti-racist actions to take read the Catalyst Projects’ 15 ways to strengthen anti-racist practice.

If you’re protesting know your rights according to the ACLU  , read the Black Lives Matter Protestor Safety Guide and review this article on Citizen Journalism and Political Protests to protect against COVID-19, and get tips on safety, filming, how to protect against tear gas, etc.

If you’d like support in your company to create more diversity, equity and inclusion reach out to Dr. Cheryl Ingram at Diverse City and Inclusology.

If you’d like to better understand your own unconscious bias and de-bias your brain watch the film “Bias“.

If you’d like to donate to anti-racist organizations here’s MSN’s list.

If you’d like to support minority-owned businesses in Seattle you can use the Intentionalist as your guide.

If you’d like to support Black owned restaurants here’s a good Seattle Times list.

If you’d like to support Black youth STEM education locally check out the good work being done by Technology Access Foundation and iUrban Teen.

If you’d like to support underestimated folks in tech, check out our resource page highlighting organizations making a difference on this front.

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