Last week we released a statement in support of Black Lives Matter:

We must all work together to End Racism. 91 Ways stands against injustice, no matter where in the world it is happening or against whom, and we stand resolutely against inequality and hatred. The events of the last few weeks have shocked and appalled us, but for many people, including those who face discrimination commonly, this is a brutal reminder that that we still have a long way to go before we live in a fair and equal world. We must work together to eradicate racism from our world. Bristol is a proud city of 91 language communities, with people from all backgrounds and cultures and 91 Ways works hard to make each and every person who calls Bristol their home, feel a part of the city, valued, safe and secure. At these times, we can feel anxious, even fearful, and we are reaching out to offer support and help to anyone who needs it – whether you are trying to understand what is going on or are concerned for your community. Now more than ever, we all need to strive be the best version of ourselves in how we treat and value one another. Please do contact us if you need any support. – Kalpna Woolf, 91 Ways Founder

In the aftermath of the Black Lives Matter protests and the toppling of the Edward Colston statue in Bristol last week, various members of our community have told us they want to learn more about race equality, but don’t know where to start.

We thought it might be useful to put together a short list of resources intended to be used as a ‘starter pack’ as with a topic as huge as race it can feel a little overwhelming knowing where to begin. The important thing is to start somewhere and we hope the following is useful for that. 

Bristol and Race

• Race relations in Bristol 
• Bristol and the slave trade
• 1963 Bristol bus boycott
• How the Bristol bus boycott changed UK civil rights
• The Windrush Generation in Bristol
• Riots in St Paul 1980s riots

To Read

• Black and British: A Forgotten History – David Olusoga
• Brit(ish): On Race, Identity and Belonging – Afua Hirsch
• How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
• Me and White Supremacy – Layla Saad
• Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire – Akala
• Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race – Reni Eddo-Lodge

We’ve seen a huge amount of anti-racism reading lists pop up over the last couple of weeks and for further reading including some fiction picks, we recommend this one in The Times from Olivette Otele, Professor of History of Slavery at Bristol University, and this one on Bustle that focuses on race in Britain. 

To Watch

• BBC Two, Black and British: A Forgotten History 
• Channel 4, Black Lives Matter Explained
• Youtube / Channel 4, Windrush Generation: The Scandal that Shook Britain
• Youtube, Akala | Full Address and Q&A at Oxford University
• BBC Black and British Collection

To Listen 

• About Race with Reni Eddo-Lodge 
• Have You Heard George’s Podcast?
• We Need To Talk About The British Empire with Afua Hirsch

We hope this is useful as a starting point – there is a much more extensive list of resources available over at the Beyond the Hashtag website, including petitions to sign, people to follow, and businesses and charities to support.