Resources for a Learning Community

The intention we hold as the Live Engaged community is to authentically listen and learn – to get close to what is happening in our friend and family circles, workplaces, neighborhoods, communities, nations, and world at large. Bryan Stevenson states that “You can’t understand most of the important things from a distance. You have to get close.” It is our belief that by getting close, we increase our awareness, care, and concern while deepening relationships and better informing our actions. We do not expect perfection, but we are committed to intentionality – a hallmark of living engaged.

In that spirit, we have tried to craft a collection of resources that support a variety of learning styles and time windows. Not everyone has the space to dedicate hours to reading but may have a quick commute or lunch break. Learning comes in many legitimate forms. If it is helpful to you, we would gladly share a more complete list of resources (including books for kids & teens) that our team is using and benefiting from. In the meantime, we have included a narrower selection below hoping not to inundate you with options but rather offer a few on-roads to engagement.

For the evening movie person: Just Mercy, Selma, 13^th, or the True Justice documentary

For the web surfer: Check out the Equal Justice Initiative website – it’s an incredible resource about their work and the present realities that make it essential. You can choose between a criminal justice reform and racial justice track – or complete them both!

For someone with 15-30 minutes over a lunchtime refueling:

• Videos: Race in America, Slavery to Mass Incarceration
• TED Talks:
  • We need to talk about an injustice
  • Racism has a cost for everyone
  • How to overcome our biases? Walk boldly toward them
  • Color blind or color brave
  • How we’re priming some kids for college – and others for prison
  • How forgiveness can create a more just legal system

For the power walker or end-of-day commuter:

• Podcasts: Code Switch, Lynching in America, Be the Bridge, The Diversity Gap

For those who prefer a book (these are also often available in audiobook format):

• The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander
• Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
• The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein
• Lies My Teacher Told Me by James W. Loewen
• The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilderson
• The Sun Does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton
• On the Courthouse Lawn by Sherrilyn A. Ifill
• The Myth of Equality by Ken Wytsma
• Be the Bridge by Latasha Morrison

We would love to hear what has been impactful for you as you engage with race and justice! Send us a line or share a resource with us at LiveEngaged@dairyalnd.com.

The options above are by no means comprehensive, nor do all necessarily reflect the opinions or positions of Dairyland.