Resources to Learn More About Racism

Learn more about race and racism

Videos for children

• “The Power of We” (Sesame Street)
  Four friends learn about their own racial identities and skin colors. They also learn to understand what it means to feel proud of their racial identities. Sesame Street has many resources around race and racism.
• “Arthur Takes a Stand” (PBS Kids)
  Arthur meets civil rights leader and Congressman John Lewis. He learns how to stand up for someone experiencing unfairness.

Videos for teens and adults

• “Allegories on race and racism” by Camara Jones, MD, MPH, PhD (TEDxEmory, 2014) (20 minutes)
• “How microaggressions are like mosquito bites” by Fusion Comedy (2016) (2 minutes) Disclaimer: This video contains a curse word.

Podcasts

• Code Switch®
  Conversations about race and how it affects every part of life today. Topics range from politics and pop culture to history, sports and everything in between.

Organizations

• Embrace Race®
  An organization dedicated to children’s racial learning.
• Racial Empowerment Collaborative®
  An organization that brings together community leaders, researchers, authority figures, families and youth to study and promote racial literacy and health in schools and neighborhoods.

Booklists for children

• Reading and RES: Choosing and Using Books to Discuss Race and Ethnicity
  A guide from the American Academy of Pediatrics® (AAP) on how to choose appropriate books. It also includes tips on how to use books to talk about race, racial justice and culture.
• Anti-racist children’s books
  List of recommended books about embracing and understanding different races and cultures from “The Conscious Kid.”

Mental health resources

• Mental Health Resources for Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC).
  A collection of therapists who are comfortable talking about how race affects your mood. The list also includes online support groups and self-guided virtual resources.

Learn about different groups of people

• Black in America®
  A long-running podcast that shares different historical and current people whose stories help bring awareness to the black American experience.
• Code Switch®
  Conversations about race and how it affects every part of society. Topics range from politics and pop culture to history, sports and everything in between.
• Kerning Cultures®
  A podcast that focuses on the Middle East, Northern African and the Arab American experience.
• Radio Ambulante®
  A narrative podcast that tells unique Latin American stories in Spanish.
• Red Nation®
  A podcast with discussions on Indigenous history, politics and culture.
• Self Evident®
  Shares in-depth stories and conversations from different Asian American communities.

Local advocacy organizations

• City Life Vida Urbana helps people stay in their homes by uniting community members to fight evictions, racism and economic injustice. If you are facing eviction, call 617-934-5006 (English) or 617-397-3773 (Spanish)
• Matahari Women’s Workers Center brings together women workers (including nannies, house cleaners, home health aides and restaurant workers) to fight for labor rights, oppose wage theft, and build community across race, ethnicity and multiple languages.
• The MassCosh Immigrant Worker Center is a safe place for immigrants to speak up about workplace abuse. Immigrants can join a powerful network of workers demanding safe, healthy working conditions. If you are facing exploitation or discrimination at work, call 617-505-8939 or 617-505-8940.
• Student Immigrant Movement is a Massachusetts-based youth organization that brings together young people who are immigrants to speak up for their rights.

Local resources to report instances of racism and discrimination

• Attorney General’s Office
  The Attorney General’s Office speaks up for and provides resources for people in Massachusetts, including those who experience racism and discrimination.
  To report discrimination, call 617-727-8400 or visit the Attorney General's website.
• Boston Public Schools
  To report racism in Boston Public Schools, visit the district website. Click on “Report a Biased Based or Sexual Misconduct Incident.”
• Greater Boston Legal Services
  To speak to a lawyer about discrimination you have experienced, contact Greater Boston Legal Services at 617-371-1234 or visit the GBLS website.
• Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination
  The Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination aims to end discrimination in Massachusetts. To file a report, visit the Commission's website.
• State Department of Education
  To report racism in schools that has not been able to be resolved at the local level, call the State Department of Education at 781-338-3000.
  File a complaint at on the Department of Education's website.

Important words to know

The words below are important to understand when talking about race and racism. You will see these words in bold throughout the handout.

Word	Definition
Discrimination	Unfair treatment of others based on their race, ethnicity, age, gender, religion, ability or other factors.
Economic injustice	The unequal distribution (sharing or spread) of income and opportunities among different groups of people.
Ethnicity	A person’s belonging to a certain group with shared cultural values, traditions, beliefs, history, language or religion.
Exploitation	When someone is treated unfairly so others may benefit from the unfair treatment.
Microaggressions	Indirect, subtle or unintentional (accidental) discrimination against people based on race, gender, age or other factors.
Racial identity	How a person identifies themselves and how others may perceive them in terms of race. A person’s racial identity depends on their family history, culture and ethnicity.
Racial learning	How and when children learn about different races.
Racial literacy	Education that helps people learn how to recognize, respond to and speak up against racism.

Rev. 6/2021. Mass General for Children and Massachusetts General Hospital do not endorse any of the brands listed on this handout. This handout is intended to provide health information so that you can be better informed. It is not a substitute for medical advice and should not be used to treatment of any medical conditions.