21 Day Racial Equity Challenge

Day 19 Theme: Representation Matters

The role of media in the maintenance of White supremacy cannot be overstated. The news we consume, the movies and television shows we watch, the books we read, and the ads we see all condition us to view ourselves and people of other races in certain ways that fuel the power imbalance behind persistent social inequities. We invite you to engage with the following resources and think about how underrepresentation and misrepresentation contribute to the “single story.” How do these single stories foster racism at the different levels we’ve discussed in the Challenge? What can you do to create, seek out, and lift up more complex, truthful and positive depictions of marginalized people (all linked below?

The Roots of Negative Stereotypes (3-minute video)

Guardian article: When the media misrepresents black men, the consequences are felt in the real world

Middle Eastern and Muslim Stereotypes (7-minute TedTalk video)

Constance Wu on why representation matters (2-minute video)

Local Swinomish and Tulalip photographer Matika Wilbur’s Project 562

Spend some time thinking about how home and family life shape the ideas children develop about race and broader social norms. One of the most common ways that perceptions about racial identity of the self and others are transmitted is through books. Check out the articles below from the School Library Journal and EmbraceRace.org regarding the lack of diversity in children’s books and how to read with your children using a race-conscious lens.

Reflect & Respond:

As racial equity advocates, what responsibility do we have with regard to the media we consume and create? What are some effective ways you’ve seen or used to have conversations with children about the images and ideas they receive through the media?

When the media misrepresents black men, the effects are felt in the real world | Leigh DonaldsonWe need a nuanced narrative of African-American men, as well as black history, culture and life in America. We are individuals, not types

An Updated Look at Diversity in ChildrenUsing numbers from the Cooperative Children's Book Center, this infographic—updated from 2015—illustratesrepresentation in children's literature. The quantity of diverse books may have gone up, but thatdoesn't necessarily indicate accuracy and quality oftitles.

Reading Picture Books With Children Through A Race-Conscious LensHow to guide children to and through picture books with positive racial representations; and how to support children in resisting or reading against problematic, racist content.