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1/ It's been hard to focus this week on anything but the aftermath of the Minneapolis police's murder of George Floyd.
But a comment on a high school classmate's Facebook thread gave me a shred of hope, and it's inspired me to once again buy a boatload of books. Let me explain.
But a comment on a high school classmate's Facebook thread gave me a shred of hope, and it's inspired me to once again buy a boatload of books. Let me explain.
2/ Three years ago, I read a series of books that radically expanded my understanding of race in America:
- Just Mercy, by @eji_org founder Bryan Stevenson
- @thenewjimcrow, by Michelle Alexander
- Between the World and Me, by Ta-Nehisi Coates
- Just Mercy, by @eji_org founder Bryan Stevenson
- @thenewjimcrow, by Michelle Alexander
- Between the World and Me, by Ta-Nehisi Coates
3/ And inspired by a post I'd seen from @miaq, I decided that I'd buy any of my White friends a copy of any of those books if they were willing to read them and share their thoughts afterwards.
4/ Fifteen friends took me up on it: a portfolio company founder. A high school classmate who's now a HS principal in NYC. A co-worker. A soccer parent. A high school classmate who in 2017 was a Captain in the US Navy. Several others.
5/ BTW, I've read several other books since then that have further informed my understanding of race in America:
- The Color of Law, by Richard Rothstein (thanks @cbracy)
- Locking Up Our Own, by @jformanjr
- Slavery by Another Name, by Douglas Blackmon
- The Color of Law, by Richard Rothstein (thanks @cbracy)
- Locking Up Our Own, by @jformanjr
- Slavery by Another Name, by Douglas Blackmon
6/ Each helped me understand that our system is not broken, it's working as intended. Each book shed light on an aspect of our country's history that laid bare just how pervasive, how all-encompassing, how destructive, how insidious, White supremacy is.
7/ Back to my book offer. I bought fifteen books in 2017. Then forgot about it, until this week.
After I wrote a post on Facebook expressing my distress at George Floyd's murder, a Black classmate of mine from high school re-shared it on his wall.
https://www.facebook.com/rklau/posts/10158511891174429
After I wrote a post on Facebook expressing my distress at George Floyd's murder, a Black classmate of mine from high school re-shared it on his wall.
https://www.facebook.com/rklau/posts/10158511891174429
8/ And in the comments on that classmate's post, that (now retired) Captain from the Navy, said this (sharing with his permission):
9/ To be clear: not looking for an ally cookie here. Not seeking a pat on the back. But when I saw Elliott's comment earlier this week, it gave me hope that progress *is* possible. That those who aren't already aware - of the injustice, of the unfairness of it all - can learn.
10/ So @repklau and I are going to do it again, but with a bonus: we will match every dollar we spend on books with contributions to @eji_org and @NAACP_LDF, two organizations we believe are doing critical work to help this country reckon with its racist past and present.
11/ Let us buy you a book. Join us in doing the work necessary to understand why so many are protesting, to understand what they seek, and to join them in their cause. #BlackLivesMatter 
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeOOcMDGr7eL-3MRFUrWkYnrHfQSwS-ZR1yByqHJuP2UY3pSQ/viewform
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeOOcMDGr7eL-3MRFUrWkYnrHfQSwS-ZR1yByqHJuP2UY3pSQ/viewform
