DAY 3: Racial Socialization

Socialization is a process we all go through – it is how we develop values, habits, and attitudes and learn to function in the world. Understanding the process of socialization can help us understand how we came to where we are in our views of race and racism in the book industry (and other related systems) and what we are willing and able to do to work for justice.  Consider this model of socialization and look at the different forces at play that reinforce attitudes and beliefs, and also at what can create new patterns (a theme for the third week of the Challenge). Also, watch this short video (less than 4 minutes) on “the culture cycle” at play around race in society.

• What do you see as the most important influences in your own racial socialization (parents, other family members, community, teachers, friends, colleagues, institutions, etc.)?

• What forces push you away from deeper consideration of, and work for, racial equity? What supports might pull you towards more steady work for racial equity in the book industry and other systems?

• Share the cycle of socialization and/or culture cycle with friends, family members, and colleagues. Talk about your respective paths of socialization. What actions could you take to support each other in positive change? Start taking some small steps! Share with others to inspire and encourage them.

More Resources

• RESiliance
• Inheritence: An Autobiography of Whiteness by Baynard Woods
• Cycle of Liberation
• EmbraceRace: Stories
• Doing Race Through the Culture Cycle

Yesterday: Dismantling Bias
Tomorrow: Whiteness and Anti-Blackness

Author Photo Credit: Vaschelle Andre | Quote from Words of Change: Anti-Racism by permission of Sasquatch Books. Copyright 2020 By Kenyra Rankin. All rights reserved.

SIBA thanks its generous sponsors, who have made the 21-Day Racial Equity Challenge possible:

Many of the quotes used in the Challenge are excerpted from Words of Change: Anti-Racism by permission of Sasquatch Books. Copyright 2020 By Kenyra Rankin. All rights reserved.

Although SIBA has modified when appropriate for a bookseller audience, the majority of prompts and resources come directly from the 21-Day Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge created by Food Solutions New England (FSNE). We are so grateful for their extraordinary work creating this program and making it available to other organizations.