Embedded Files
Scroll down for resource lists- organizations, books, podcasts, videos & more
Scroll down for resource lists- organizations, books, podcasts, videos & more
What is Civic Engagement?
What is Civic Engagement?
"Civic engagement involves working to make a difference in the civic life of one’s community and developing the combination of knowledge, skills, values and motivation to make that difference. It means promoting the quality of life in a community, through both political and non-political processes.”1 Civic engagement includes both paid and unpaid forms of political activism, environmentalism, and community and national service."- Youth.gov
"Civic engagement happens wherever there are people. Yet, some communities show a higher degree of engagement than others, which leads to fewer intractable problems and a higher quality of life. Where there is inclusive civic engagement, in which everyone has a place at the table to define, direct and implement public services and amenities, there is greater civic pride and responsibility, which then lead to sustained community wellbeing." National Civic League
"Citizenship or civic participation consists of behaviors, attitudes, and actions that reflect concerned and active membership in a community. This includes the more traditional electoral citizenship activities, such as voting, serving on nonprofit boards or school boards, as well as less traditional forms of political participation, such as community organizing and social activism. It includes participation in small neighborhood-based efforts and the larger national and international movements." nationalservice.gov
What is Social Action?
What is Social Action?
In the most simple definition social action is the involvement of ordinary citizens in causes and organizations that promote equal treatment, opportunity and rights for all. Many organizations that participate in social action are known as social justice organizations.
"Social justice refers to a concept in which equity or justice is achieved in every aspect of society rather than in only some aspects or for some people." National Education Association
"The objective of creating a fair and equal society in which each individual matters, their rights are recognized and protected, and decisions are made in ways that are fair and honest." Oxford Reference
Should I be participating?
Should I be participating?
Civic engagement is part of the International Baccalaureate's learner profile.
Civic engagement is part of the International Baccalaureate's learner profile.
What does this mean?
What does this mean?
Consider these words by social anthropologist Margaret Meade “never depend upon institutions or government to solve any problem. All social movements are founded by, guided by, motivated and seen through by the passion of individuals.”
Individuals ultimately make their own decisions about getting involved, but it is encouraged at WIS because civic engagement is integral to the values of an IB education and the school's mission. Therefore, the Community Service and CAS program at WIS are designed to help students participate in civic engagement and social action. At an international school such as ours, there is an added benefit of students being able to share perspectives on how opportunities for civic engagement differ around the world.
Individuals ultimately make their own decisions about getting involved, but it is encouraged at WIS because civic engagement is integral to the values of an IB education and the school's mission. Therefore, the Community Service and CAS program at WIS are designed to help students participate in civic engagement and social action. At an international school such as ours, there is an added benefit of students being able to share perspectives on how opportunities for civic engagement differ around the world.
Our mission is to be an exemplary learning community—enriched by differences, informed through inquiry, global in reach.
Our mission is to be an exemplary learning community—enriched by differences, informed through inquiry, global in reach.
There are many ways to participate in civic engagement and social action. Here are four primary forms:
individual volunteerism
community engagement efforts
organizational involvement
government work such as non partisan electoral participation
The Service Learning and CAS program at WIS is designed to help students learn to participate in civic engagement and social action. It is our mission to nurture our students into citizens of any nation who exhibit the characteristics of the IB Learner profile.
The aim of all IB programmes is to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world.
The aim of all IB programmes is to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world.
The IB learner profile represents 10 attributes valued by IB World Schools. We believe these attributes, and others like them, can help individuals and groups become responsible members of local, national and global communities.
The IB learner profile represents 10 attributes valued by IB World Schools. We believe these attributes, and others like them, can help individuals and groups become responsible members of local, national and global communities.
I am a student, what can I do?
I am a student, what can I do?
There are many ways to participate in civic engagement and social action.
As of June 3, 2020 we are witnessing protests and social unrest in cities across the United States of America, and around the world-sparked by a resurgence of racial violence and police brutality in this country. This is a complex issue that is influenced by and affects everyone living in The United States America.
What else can I do? Educate yourself and others.
What else can I do? Educate yourself and others.
As a recent case study, beginning in late spring 2020 incidences of police brutality led to protests and social unrest in cities across the United States of America — and around the world. This is a complex issue that is influenced by and affects everyone.
There are copious resources on the racialized history in the U.S.A. and the roots of ongoing social unrest. There are many scholars, educators, and social justice organizations sharing reading lists, trainings, and courses, as well as hosting conversations and teach-ins. The lists below are only a starting point, but useful to begin a journey of life-long education about social injustices around the world.
Educational and Non-Profit Social Justices Organizations:
Educational and Non-Profit Social Justices Organizations:
From their website: "We are activists, educators and experts. We fight anti-Semitism and all forms of hate. We advocate for a safe and secure democratic Jewish State of Israel and combat efforts to delegitimize it. We help shape laws locally and nationally, and develop groundbreaking model legislation. We work with students to respect inclusion and to challenge bias and bullying. We train law enforcement officers about extremism, terrorism and hate crimes.
We never give up trying to build a better world inspired by our democratic sense of unity: There is no them – only us."
Resource: Empowering Young People in the Aftermath of Hate
From their website: "The Critical Media Project is designed to serve high school instructors and other educators who seek to incorporate media literacy into the classroom. The site contains a wide range of media artifacts that explore the politics of identity across issues of race and ethnicity, class, gender and sexuality."
From their website: "We help students learn about hatred and bigotry so they can stop them from happening in the future."
Free Radicals: End Extremism and Hate
From their website: "We're a lifeline. If you or someone you know is stuck in the dark world of hate and racism, we understand. Because we've been there, too. And it's time you got out. We can help."
From their website: "Life After Hate, Inc., a 501(c)(3) U.S. nonprofit, was created in 2011 by former members of the American violent far-right extremist movement. Through powerful stories of transformation and unique insight gleaned from decades of experience, we serve to inspire, educate, guide, and counsel.
Whether working with individuals who wish to leave a life of hate and violence or helping organizations (community, educational, civic, government, etc.) grappling with the causes of intolerance and racism, Life After Hate works to counter the seeds of hate we once planted. Through personal experience and highly unique skill sets, we have developed a sophisticated understanding about what draws individuals to extremist groups and, equally important, why they leave. Compassion is the opposite of judgment and we understand the roles compassion and empathy play in healing individuals and communities."
National Museum of African-American History and Culture (Smithsonian Museum): Let's Talk About Race
From their website: "Talking about race, although hard, is necessary. We are here to provide tools and guidance to empower your journey and inspire conversation."
NAACP: National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
From their website: "The mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is to secure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons.
From their website: "Kids first start recognizing a world structured by racial injustice at three years old. The first time we talked about race in school was in tenth grade. We must start this timely conversation earlier: our hope lies in every teacher’s power to shape generations of unity and love."
Race Forward & The Center for Social Inclusion
From their website: "Race Forward's mission is to build awareness, solutions, and leadership for racial justice by generating transformative ideas, information, and experiences. We define racial justice as the systematic fair treatment of people of all races, resulting in equitable opportunities and outcomes for all and we work to advance racial justice through media, research, and leadership development."
SEED: Seeking Educational Equity & Diversity
From their website: "SEED is a peer-led professional development program that promotes change through self-reflection and interpersonal dialogue and builds capacity for more equitable curriculum, campuses, workplaces, and communities."
From their website: "The Southern Poverty Law Center is dedicated to fighting hate and bigotry and to seeking justice for the most vulnerable members of our society. Using litigation, education, and other forms of advocacy, the SPLC works toward the day when the ideals of equal justice and equal opportunity will be a reality."
From their website: "Instead of discussing current events only on Tuesdays or only in response to traumatic events, let’s help students use the curriculum to understand and act against current injustices."
From their website: "The Zinn Education Project promotes and supports the teaching of people’s history in middle and high school classrooms across the country. Based on the lens of history highlighted in Howard Zinn’s best-selling book A People’s History of the United States, the website offers free, downloadable lessons and articles organized by theme, time period, and reading level."
People's Historians Online- Zinn Education Project, Spring 2020, Black Freedom Struggle: From Reconstruction to the Civil Rights Movement
Books, selected:
Books, selected:
See my booklist for more suggestions. Here are a few anchors I recommend:
Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria and Other Conversations About Race - Dr. Beverly Tatum
Lies My Teacher Told Me - Brian Keeler and James Loewen
A People's History of the United States- Howard Zinn (read online | website )
The New Jim Crow- Michelle Alexander
Waking Up White: Finding Myself in the Story of Race - Debbie Irving
What it Means to Be White - Dr. Robin Diangelo
White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide - Carol Anderson
Read anything by Ibram X. Kendi
Read anything by Tim Wise
Blindspot: The Hidden Biases of Good People - Mahzarin R. Banaji
Witnessing Whiteness: The Need to Talk About Race and How to Do It Second Edition by Shelly Tochluk
Whistling Vivaldi: How Stereotypes Affect Us and What We Can Do by Claude M. Steele and DeMario Clarke
The History of White People by Nell Irvin Painter
America's Original Sin: Racism, White Privilege, and the Bridge to a New America by Jim Wallis and Patrick Lawlor
An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde
Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin
The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander
This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color by Cherríe Moraga
When Affirmative Action Was White: An Untold History of Racial Inequality in Twentieth-Century America by Ira Katznelson
White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo, PhD
May/June 2020 Articles:
May/June 2020 Articles:
“America’s Racial Contract Is Killing Us” by Adam Serwer | Atlantic (May 8, 2020)
Ella Baker and the Black Freedom Movement (Mentoring a New Generation of Activists
”My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant” by Jose Antonio Vargas | NYT Mag (June 22, 2011)
The 1619 Project (all the articles) | The New York Times Magazine
“The Intersectionality Wars” by Jane Coaston | Vox (May 28, 2019)
Tips for Creating Effective White Caucus Groups developed by Craig Elliott PhD
“Where do I donate? Why is the uprising violent? Should I go protest?” by Courtney Martin (June 1, 2020)
”White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” by Knapsack Peggy McIntosh
“Who Gets to Be Afraid in America?” by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi | Atlantic (May 12, 2020)
'Teaching for Black Lives’ — a handbook to fight America’s ferocious racism in (virtual or face-to-face) classrooms, The Washington Post
Organizations to follow on social media:
Organizations to follow on social media:
Antiracism Center: Twitter
Equal Justice Initiative (EJI): Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
The Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
National Domestic Workers Alliance: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ): Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Talking about the social construction of race in the United States of America and white privilege, selected resources:
Talking about the social construction of race in the United States of America and white privilege, selected resources:
Make sure to check out the resources in the Watch or Listen & Learn category for additional resources
Race: The Power of an Illusion - PBS Documentary Series
How to Talk Race with Your Family - NPR Codeswitch Podcast episode
MTV's Decoded with Chelseigh -MTV produced excellent short educational videos about a variety of social justice issues
Scene on Radio: Seeing White- Podcast series with study guide
Sometimes You're a Caterpillar- Animated video about empathy for all.
Color blind or Color brave? - Video Description "The subject of race can be very touchy. As finance executive Mellody Hobson says, it's a "conversational third rail." But, she says, that's exactly why we need to start talking about it. In this engaging, persuasive talk, Hobson makes the case that speaking openly about race — and particularly about diversity in hiring — makes for better businesses and a better society." Ted Talk by Melody Hobson
Systematic Racism Explained. - Video Description "Systemic racism affects every area of life in the US. From incarceration rates to predatory loans, and trying to solve these problems requires changes in major parts of our system. Here's a closer look at what systemic racism is, and how we can solve it. " by Act.TV
Let's Get to the Root of Racial Injustice - Video Description "In this inspiring and powerful talk, Megan Francis traces the root causes of our current racial climate to their core causes, debunking common misconceptions and calling out "fix-all" cures to a complex social problem." TedX Talks
Understanding my Privilege - Video Description "University Chancellor, Susan E. Borrego, reflects on her life as an emancipated minor and dissects the emotionally charged conversation surrounding race relations in the United States. This raconteur uses her powerful first-person account of "White Privilege" and "Black Lives Matter" to underscore the responsibility each one of us has to bring about change. " TedX Talks
Resources for White People to Learn and Talk About Race and Racism
Anti-racism Resources for White People: a compilation of resources for white people and parents to deepen our work in anti-racism
Array Now: Started by Ava DuVernay, director of Now They See Us, this is a compilation of African American independent films- an array of stories and voices.
Teaching Tolerance: Teaching about race, racism, and police violence
75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice: Curated by Medium and updated regularly.
Talking with Children About Racism, Police Brutality and Protests -- Aha! Parenting (updated for the death of George Floyd, May 2020)
More than 80% of teachers in the U.S. are white. But most don’t know that their whiteness matters. Teaching While White (TWW) seeks to move the conversation forward on how to be consciously, intentionally, anti-racist in the classroom. Because "white" does not mean a blank slate. It is a set of assumptions that is the baseline from which everything is judged; it is what passes for normal. This means if you are not white or don’t adhere to those assumptions, you are abnormal or less than. TWW wants to have conversations about those assumptions: what they are, how they impact our students, and how we can confront our assumptions to promote racial literacy.
Watch or Listen and Learn:
Watch or Listen and Learn:
Race: The Power of an Illusion - PBS Documentary Series
How to Talk Race with Your Family - NPR Codeswitch Podcast episode
MTV's Decoded with Chelseigh -MTV produced excellent short educational videos about a variety of social justice issues
Scene on Radio: Seeing White- Podcast series with study guide
About Race - Podcast | From their website "Co-discussants Anna Holmes, Baratunde Thurston, Raquel Cepeda and Tanner Colby host a lively multiracial, interracial conversation about the ways we can’t talk, don’t talk, would rather not talk, but intermittently, fitfully, embarrassingly do talk about culture, identity, politics, power, and privilege in our pre-post-yet-still-very-racial America. This show is "About Race.""
Code Switch (NPR) Podcast | From their website "What's CODE SWITCH? It's the fearless conversations about race that you've been waiting for! Hosted by journalists of color, our podcast tackles the subject of race head-on. We explore how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and everything in between. This podcast makes ALL OF US part of the conversation — because we're all part of the story."
Intersectionality Matters! hosted by Kimberlé Crenshaw Podcast | From their website "Intersectionality Matters! is a podcast hosted by Kimberlé Crenshaw, an American civil rights advocate and a leading scholar of critical race theory."
Momentum: A Race Forward Podcast - Podcast | From their website "Momentum: A Race Forward Podcast features movement voices, stories, and strategies for racial justice. Co-hosts Chevon and Hiba give their unique takes on race and pop culture, and uplift narratives of hope, struggle, and joy, as we continue to build the momentum needed to advance racial justice in our policies, institutions, and culture. Build on your racial justice lens and get inspired to drive action by learning from organizational leaders and community activists."
Pod For The Cause (from The Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights) Podcast | From their website "The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the civil and human rights of all persons in the United States. Through advocacy and outreach to targeted constituencies, The Leadership Conference works toward the goal of a more open and just society – an America as good as its ideals."
Pod Save the People (Crooked Media) Podcast | From their website "Activism. Social Justice. Culture. Politics. On Pod Save the People, organizer and activist DeRay Mckesson explores news, culture, social justice, and politics with fellow activists Brittany Packnett Cunningham and Sam Sinyangwe, and writer Dr. Clint Smith. They offer a unique take on the news, with a special focus on overlooked stories and topics that often impact people of color.
Sometimes You're a Caterpillar- Animated video about empathy for all.
Color blind or Color brave? - Video Description "The subject of race can be very touchy. As finance executive Mellody Hobson says, it's a "conversational third rail." But, she says, that's exactly why we need to start talking about it. In this engaging, persuasive talk, Hobson makes the case that speaking openly about race — and particularly about diversity in hiring — makes for better businesses and a better society." Ted Talk by Melody Hobson
Systematic Racism Explained. - Video Description "Systemic racism affects every area of life in the US. From incarceration rates to predatory loans, and trying to solve these problems requires changes in major parts of our system. Here's a closer look at what systemic racism is, and how we can solve it. " by Act.TV
Let's Get to the Root of Racial Injustice - Video Description "In this inspiring and powerful talk, Megan Francis traces the root causes of our current racial climate to their core causes, debunking common misconceptions and calling out "fix-all" cures to a complex social problem." TedX Talks
Understanding my Privilege - Video Description "University Chancellor, Susan E. Borrego, reflects on her life as an emancipated minor and dissects the emotionally charged conversation surrounding race relations in the United States. This raconteur uses her powerful first-person account of "White Privilege" and "Black Lives Matter" to underscore the responsibility each one of us has to bring about change. " TedX Talks
Black Feminism & the Movement for Black Lives: Barbara Smith, Reina Gossett, Charlene Carruthers
"How Studying Privilege Systems Can Strengthen Compassion" | Peggy McIntosh at TEDx
George Floyd, Minneapolis Protests, Ahmaud Arbery & Amy Cooper | The Daily Social Distancing Show, Trevor Noah
Page updated
Report abuse