Education, Activism, and Becoming Anti-Racist

Over the past few weeks, the world has seen the result of four hundred years of oppression, segregation, and discrimination across the United States. We are both sorrowed and outraged by the countless lives taken across the United States as a result of systemic and deep-rooted racism. We are consciously aware of the social division continuing to widen across the United States as a lack of empathy and understanding for diversity and inclusion.

It is clear that both American and global society need to do better. It is not enough to simply speak up when certain injustice goes viral. It is our commitment to spend each and every day working to educate ourselves, our students, and one another, and actively participate in creating a world that is anti-racist.

It is easy to express both anger and frustration, but it is more important to take action. We wanted to offer a space for students to access resources and opportunities to initiate and influence change. Now that summer break is here for some, and just around the corner for others, we’ve compiled a reading, listening, and watching list for you to visit in your free time. We encourage you to continue your education outside of the classroom and learn about becoming an active and supportive citizen.

If reading is for you, we recommend reading: An Anti-Racism Reading List by Ibram X. Kendi,

The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander, Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson, So You Want To Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo, and White Fragility by Robin Diangelo for starters. If you would like more recommendations, please do not hesitate to reach out! If you are unable to purchase these books, many local libraries allow readers to virtually borrow/check out these titles as ebooks!

If you have a road trip planned for the summer or enjoy long walks, you may want to consider exploring podcasts that address these topics. Some of our favorites are Code Switch by NPR,

The Stoop: Stories from Across the Black Diaspora, and The Nod by Gimlet Media.

If television and film are your channel of choice for learning more about racism, stereotypes, and the Black-American community, we recommend watching: “13th” directed by Ava Duvernay (available on Netflix), “When They See Us” directed by Ava Duvernay (available on Netflix), “Dear White People” directed by Justin Simien (available on Netflix), and “Blackish” (available on Hulu).

If you are looking to fundraise for a cause, there are many organizations seeking support. To support efforts in ending police violence in America, consider fundraising for Campaign Zero. Founded in 2013, Black Lives Matter, is a global organization whose mission is to build local power, eradicate white supremacy, and intervene in violence towards Black communities. The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund is the premier source for racial justice and equality. These are only a few of the many incredibly impactful organizations in need of financial support. There are many more to consider including The American Civil Liberties Union and the George Floyd Memorial Fund. While financial donations are possible for some, we know it’s not accessible for all. You can always share resources with your network as an alternative!

Crimson Education and the Crimson Youth Fund are committed to actively funding student-led projects that create a positive lasting impact on the Black community. We are deeply invested in bettering our company by offering underserved students the opportunity and ability to access support and resources to aid their education. To learn more about how you can become involved in the Crimson Youth Fund, click here.

As an international company, we are overwhelmingly fortunate to work with students, families, and educators of different races, religions, ethnicity, and creeds from all around the world. Diversity is integral to the makeup and culture of our company, and we are welcoming and proud of various backgrounds, beliefs, and incredible individuals that make up our Crimson Family.

We invite you to join us in using our hearts to foster empathy, our eyes to identify privilege, our mouths to speak out against injustice, and our hands to take action. At Crimson, we work with high school students around the world, and time and time again, we've seen just how powerful and mission-driven your generation is. We have full belief in YOU and your ability to change the world.