Hello friends, below I share some links to peers, influencers and activists who have made simple to follow reading lists, things to listen to, people to follow, actions to take and causes to support in dollars and cents, pounds and pence or whatever your currency (and volunteering, protesting and canvasing totally counts).

I am using this time to reflect on my own dance practice, teaching pedagogy and purchase patterns and to assess and implement the things that are sustainable for me. Firstly – I dance a Black dance form and I am a guest in this culture. Secondly – I am an educator and need to understand and share the contextual historical backdrop of Black racism in America with each of my students as they learn jazz and lindy hop. Finally, this appreciation, knowledge and context will only amplify the appreciation of the incredible music, movement and joy of lindy hop and its creators.

As stated above, I share below some resources. This list isn’t exhaustive. It’s an entry point for me to begin to have the language and context to have deeper conversations about structural racism.

Anti-Racism Resources (this has articles, books, podcasts, media, causes to donate to and more).

Syncopated City dance school compiled a reading list with some recommended podcasts, causes to donate too or share and ways to invite Black artists to participate in swing dance events.

My friend Tine shared a number of posts by Moncell Durden and he’s been a great person to follow on Instagram. Moncell Durden is a dance educator, choreographer, ethnographer, embodied historian and author who specializes in pedagogical practices that prove cultural and historical context in Afro-Diasporic social dance formations (bio from the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance website). He has been hosting IGTV video discussions with dancers, dance historians and legacy bearers on ‘Intangible Roots’. I have found these really helpful – particularly the episode and over time with dancer, educator and Tradition Bearer Latasha Barnes.

Free until the 30 June, the Diversity and Resilience Institute of El Paso is sharing an online 3 module Anti-Racism training course found here. It’s three 2 hour modules. Register at the link above. If you’d like to discuss the training when you’ve completed it – I’d love a discussion partner/buddy.

Resmaa Menakem’s 5 session e-course has also been recommended to me and is also a free resource from the Cultural Somatics University. As above, if anyone wants to discuss this course when they’ve taken it as a discussion buddy – I’d welcome it.

Keep well and speak soon.