2019: Read, Listen, and Subscribe

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This is the time of year to make some resolutions, and hope for a stronger, brighter new year. It’s also prime time to renew your commitment to anti-racism and fighting injustices in the world.

We’ve compiled a list of our top books and podcast recommendations. This is not a comprehensive list but a great place to start 2019.

  1. Obvs, go read White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo. Go get a copy from King’s Books RIGHT NOW.  We know it’s the IWL book club text but it is required reading for anyone who claims to be a progressive white person. We’d love for you to share you insights, comments, or conundrums by tweeting with the hashtag #readlessbasic

  2. Good and Mad: The Revolutionary Power of Women’s Anger by Rebecca Traister. I drank the PSL latte when I listened to her interview on the Ezra Klein show “Women’s Rage is Transforming America”. You’ll find yourself “amening” immediately.

  3. Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine. You might think you’re a woke white person, but this book (technically a book of poetry) will  remind you about why the intersections of oppression matter. If you’re white, take your time through each page. Give yourself space to consider what it’s like to be on the receiving end of racial microaggressions. Then, understand that your existence occurs 99.9?% of the time on the side of the aggressor. Cry a few tears and then resolve to stop perpetuating racism, sexism, and so on.

  4. Channel 253. Um, yo did you know there’s a network of fantastic podcasts RIGHT HERE IN TACOMA!!??? Let’s not pretend that Hope isn’t biased towards the @NerdFarmPod host. But, ALL the shows are worth your time. Also, become a subscribing member to the network. Just $4 a month!

From our listeners:

  • Strangers in Their Own Land by Arlie Hochschild. “In the realm of emotions, the Right felt like they were being treated as criminals and the liberals had the guns.”

  • How Democracies Die by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt. “This puts in words something that has been gnawing at the back of my brain. Periods of political polarization correspond with periods of racial progress. Also, it puts Trumpism in context with right wing movements around the world that I really appreciate.”

  • Our Body Is Not an Apology by Sonya Renee Taylor. “The cover is AHMAZING. The book focuses on radical acceptance of bodies--our own, others, all colors and abilities. It helps us think about what that acceptance looks like in action (and how self love is impossible without it).”

  • Why is This Happening with Chris Hayes. “Makes me realize how little I know about many topics I thought I had a decent grasp on.”

  • Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi. “This book ignites the imagination and ties in with reality.”

A Special Thank You to our Listeners

We wanted to thank each of our listeners for giving our podcast a chance. We appreciate the comments, feedback, and push back. Most of all, we love the ongoing conversations happening in cars, bars and living rooms about how we can all be less basic. 

Here are our top 3 most downloaded shows:

#3 “Shame Bell Your Gender Norms & Pumpkin Spice Yogurt”

From serious to sarcastic, in this episode we go ham with our shame bell. Shame, Shame, Shame, Shame, Shame. We've also never had more fun taste-testing artificially flavored pumpkin spiced foods and smacking our lips into a microphone.

#2 “Don't Send a Letter, Have a Conversation”

Sheree Cooks and Megan Clark bring the real talk as parents, community members, and community organizers. They challenge us to understand what it means to truly engaged with our families and communities--and they call on all of us to get more involved in our neighborhoods.

The most listened to episode yet....

#1 “Seeing and Being Seen”

A special thanks to Soneya Lund and Bernadette Ray for being our first guests on the show! Their honesty and candid commentary on what it means to be a woman of color set the tone for future episodes.

 

Here's to a better 2018! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Thank you for listening to the show and please share it with your friends and family!