DAY 18: Sovereignty

Equity within fundamentally dehumanizing systems is not the goal. Rather, equity is tied to “liberation” (from racism, othering, white supremacy, patriarchy, extractive forms of governance, and economics) when it lifts up sovereignty and self-determination. Sovereignty in the context of liberation from racism and white supremacy is based on the experience, needs, and aspirations of those BIPOC communities who are marginalized in the current system. It focuses on power, access, and control for those to whom it has been denied. And built on truthful and authentic healing, solidarity, and liberation for people (verified by those who have been oppressed)

• What systems of governance in the bookselling world are you a part of, and what and who do these serve?

• Have you read their governance policies? Are they anti-racist?

• Are those in charge of governance modeling diversity?

Trade organizations like the American Booksellers Association and the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance have begun developing anti-racist governance practices. Those policies can serve as models that may be applied to your own business, as well as any local associations you belong to. Small business alliances, Main Street economic development associations, and local Chambers of Commerce are all confronting these issues. Be a voice for implementing anti-racist governance practices in your local business alliances.

More Resources

• Interrupting Bias in the Book Business and Race, Equity, and Book Publishing
• Diversity issues in literary organizations (New York Times)
• Permanently Organized Communities
• 10 Resources on Economic Democracy and Black Liberation
• Remaking the Economy in the Black Belt

Yesterday: Reparations
Tomorrow: New Patterns, New Vision

Author Photo Credit: Brick Cave Media | Excerpted 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.