May 31 is the 100th anniversary of the Black Massacre in the Greenwood District of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Known as the "Black Wall Street," Greenwood was destroyed and up to 300 people were killed in 1921. The massacre was the worst act of racial violence in U.S. history. There are many TV programs coming up that discuss the massacre and its cover up by Tulsa.

This week’s recommendation is shared by Josephine Njoroge and Bill Tammeus.

Nathaniel Bozarth, who produced the “Dividing Lines” tour that many of us have driven, has produced a new version with added material that you can watch on a mobile device or a desktop computer.

This week's recommendation is shared by Lydia Jeter.

Love is the Way: Holding on to Hope in Troubling Times
by Bishop Michael Curry

This week’s anti-racism recommended resource is shared by Geneva McAuley.

In a recent article, the staff of Chicago Parent recommended five kid-friendly podcasts that discuss race and diversity. These podcasts can help teach children about anti-racism work as they hear real stories, learn about history and figure out what to do next.

This week's recommendation is shared by Ellen Long.

This interview, entitled "How to Address the Surge of Anti-Asian Hate Crimes" was aired on March 4, 2021 on PBS News Hour. Amanda Nguyen, activist and one of the participants in the interview, is quoted here.

"In order for there to be true peace, one must hold up a light to the darkest corners of our experience," Nguyen added. "In order for us to heal as a nation we must learn, we must acknowledge where we are at now, and then together working cross-community, we're able to move forward into a more equitable future."

Watch the video here. The discussion begins about 1 minute, 30 seconds into the video.

This week’s anti-racism recommendations, shared by Deb Meinke, are two podcasts: (1) “The Promise,” which focuses on the state of integrated public education in Nashville, TN, and (2) Episode 34 of the Lady Science podcast, “Women and the National Parks: Race and Gender in the Making of the National Parks.”

What is structural racism?
Dismantling structural racism is one of Second's commitments as a Matthew 25 church. The Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture has done a great job of explaining this and other terms that often get used when talking about racism. Take a look at these definitions, noting which ones are new to you.

This week’s recommendation from our Anti-Racism Group is shared by Carolyn Nesbitt.

Dr. Ibram X. Kendi's books and ideas resonate with us, expanding our knowledge and leading us to seek and support anti-racism efforts through awareness and action. Last month, Dr. Kindi and Netflix announced they will be partnering to adapt three of his bestselling books -- "Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America," "Stamped: Racism, Antiracism and You," and "Antiracist Baby" -- for the screen. Learn more.

This week, in recognition of Black History Month, we have two recommended reading lists from Geneva McAuley. The first is a reading list for young kids and elementary students from Today’s Parent, available here. The second list, for youth and young adults, is provided by Epic Reads and is available here.

In a video published by The Kansas City Star this week, Hakima Payne, founder of Uzazi Village, describes the important role doulas can play in promoting better birth outcomes for Black mothers and infants.

This week's recommendation, from Marcia Tammeus, is a video clip from the Today Show in which Jon Bon Jovi introduces his amazing pastor.

This week's Anti-Racism Group recommendation is shared by Carolyn Nesbitt.

Sometimes we need to explore powerful voices and inspiring ideas, in small one-page doses but with long-lasting effect, leading to prayer and action. That is the case with a book from 2020: Anti-Racism (Words of Change series): Powerful Voices, Inspiring Ideas, compiled by Kenrya Rankin. In her words, "On the following pages, you will find wisdom, inspiration, and encouragement from people who are doing the work of banishing racism."

A great way for teens, young people, and those new to anti-racism to learn the core ideas and principles of the movement, this vibrant collection of quotes centers today's BIPOC voices from current activists such as Alicia Garza, Ibram X. Kendi, Serena Williams, Darnell Moore, and Jason Reynolds to heroes of the past like Bayard Rustin and Ida B. Wells. Learn more here!

This week's Anti-Racism Group recommendation is shared by Deb Meinke.

After the violent and shocking events of this (past) week that we are still processing, I reached back into the past for a hopeful listening experience and found "The Kids Are All Right" episode of NPR's Codeswitch podcast: https://www.npr.org/2020/09/08/910836728/the-kids-are-all-right