Anti-Racist Book Discussions
These books have been used and appreciated widely by Unitarian Universalist people and congregations engaged in anti-racist multicultural transformation. This is, by no means, an exhaustive list, and new books and resources are constantly emerging. When a discussion guide is available that is designed for Unitarian Universalist contexts, a link is provided. Links to secular discussion guides are provided in some cases.
Books are listed alphabetically by title. If you are looking for a particular topic, use the Find on Page function in your browser to search for keywords here that address your particular transformational goals.
| Book and Author | Topics | Discussion Guide(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants, by Robin Wall Kimmerer | Indigenous Ways of Knowing; Collective Liberation, De-Colonization, Interdependent Living | Several secular discussions guides are available. |
| Breathe: A Letter to My Sons, by Imani Perry | Raising Black Children, Racism, Gender | UU Breathe discussion guides (PDF) include a general one and a BIPOC one. |
| Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, by Isabel Wilkerson | Structural Oppression, Racism, Classism | Foothills UU developed a UU guide to Caste (PDF) and publisher has a guide to Caste. |
| Centering: Navigating Race, Authenticity, and Power in Ministry, edited by Mitra Rahnema | Unitarian Universalist BIPOC Experiences, Racism, Intersecting Oppressions | UU discussion questions are built into the book. |
| Characteristics of White Supremacy Culture (2021 version), by Tema Okun | White Supremacy, Microaggressions, Racism, Culture | Characteristics and Antidotes (Google Drive) can be discussed in groups. |
| Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds, by adrienne maree brown | Anti-Oppression, Systemic Thinking, Interdependent Living, Collective Liberation | UU LeaderLab article |
| Holding Change: The Way of Emergent Strategy Facilitation and Mediation, by adrienne maree brown | Leadership for Intersectional Collective Liberation | No guides available currently. |
| How to Be an Anti-Racist, by Ibram X. Kendi | Anti-Racism, Creating Change | De Ramos and Eisenberg developed this secular study guide (Google Drive). |
| An Indigenous People's History of the United States, by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz | US History, Settler-Colonialism, Indigenous Peoples | UUA-developed discussion guide (PDF) |
| Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor, by Layla F. Saad | Anti-Racism, Examining White Privilege. Written for people who hold white privilege. | This secular guided journal is designed as a companion. |
| Mistakes and Miracles: Congregations on the Road to Multiculturalism, edited by Nancy Palmer Jones and Karin Lin | Unitarian Universalism, Anti-Racist/Multicultural Congregational Change | UUA-developed discussion guide (PDF) |
| My Grandmother's Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies, by Resmaa Menakem | Embodiment, Trauma Healing, and Racism’s Effects on Black and White Bodies | No, but book includes individual exercises and reflection prompts |
| Revisiting the Empowerment Controversy: Black Power and Unitarian Universalism, by Mark Morrison-Reed | UU History (1960s), Anti-Racism, Black Power | Author-developed discussion guide (PDF) |
| So You Want to Talk About Race, by Ijeoma Olou | Anti-Racism, White Supremacy, Microaggressions, Black Lives Matter | Publisher-developed discussion guide (PDF) |
| The Arc of the Universe is Long: Unitarian Universalists, Anti-Racism, and the Journey from Calgary, by Leslie Takahashi, Chip Roush, and Leon Spencer | UU History (1990s-2000s), Anti-Racism | Author-developed discussion guide (PDF) |
| The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness, by Michelle Alexander | Structural Racism in the US Criminal Justice System, US History | UUA-developed discussion guide (PDF) |
| White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism, by Robin DiAngelo | Whiteness, White Supremacy, Building white people’s capacity for anti-racism | UUA-developed discussion guide (PDF) |
| Widening the Circle of Concern: Report of the UUA Commission on Institutional Change | Anti-Racism, Anti-Oppression, Changing Unitarian Universalism | UUA-developed discussion guide |
If you have experience with other books that have helped your congregation's transformation, you're invited to tell us about them by contacting us at multicultural@uua.org.