Resources for Listening & Learning from People of Color
Art by Danielle Coke of Oh Happy Dani
I’ll never forget when Dorena Williamson came on the podcast and shared with me that when we don’t fill our children’s file folders (aka their minds and hearts) with truth, it will be filled by something or someone else about big, important things like racism and how we view other people in this world. Our hearts and minds have been filled as well. What will we throw out? What will we unpack and examine? What will we tell our children? This is hard and holy work. Its never too late to start. Let’s listen, and let’s learn from our friends of color. They have been overshadowed and muted for far too long.
People to Lean In and Learn from:
-You can also support them and their causes by purchasing their books, listening and sharing their sermons/teachings, buying their art, etc.-
Latasha Morrison and Be the Bridge
Dr. Tony Evans
Jackie Hill Perry
Preston Perry
Priscilla Shirer
Danielle Coke (Oh Happy Dani)
Dorena Williamson
Chris Williamson- (Dorena’s husband and pastor of Strong Tower Bible Church)
Jemar Tisby
Austin Channing Brown
Jo Saxton
Jada Edwards
Trillia Newbell
Osheta Moore
Morgan Harper Nichols
Dr. Michelle Reyes
Carlos Whittaker
Grassroots Law Organization
The And Campaign
Books for Adults: *NONE of these books in this blog are affiliate links of any kind.
Be The Bridge: Pursuing God’s Heart for Racial Reconciliation by Latasha Morrison
The Color of Compromise: The Truth About The American Church’s Complicity in Racism by Jemar Tisby
I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown
Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson
The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas
The Strange Career of Jim Crow by C. Vann Woodward
The Ghost of Medgar Evers: A Tale of Race, Murder, Mississippi, & Hollywood by Willie Morris
Books for Kids:
Colorfull: Celebrating the Colors God Gave Us by Dorena Williamson
Little Legends: Exceptional Men in Black History and Little Leaders Bold Women in Black History both by Vashti Harrison
**Vashti Harrison has a TON of books I didn’t even realize existed! This is a link to her amazon page for board books with POC and varying cultures in them as well.
When God Made You by Matthew Paul Turner
Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly (condensed for kids!)
God’s Very Good Idea: A True Story About God’s Delightfully Different Family by Trillia Newbell
Music:
Have you checked your playlists lately? Are there people of color listed among the artists and creators? I am still honestly going through this process, to diversify what I listen to, especially with “Jesus music” as my 7 year old would say. Here’s a link to my Spotify playlist of where I’ve gotten started. Below is a list of some of the artists featured and even additional new ones to me lately:
Anthony Evans Jr.
Koryn Hawthorne
Lecrae
Derek Minor
Nicole C. Mullen
Kirk Franklin
Donald Lawrence
Tasha Cobbs Leonard
The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
Marvin Sapp
Osby Berry
Mandisa
Tauren Wells
William McDowell
Rheva Henry
These are places to START. I hope and pray that all that are listening and looking for the first time ever, would have ears to hear, and eyes to see. And not just for right now, but until the work He began is made complete.
““Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” ”