meDia reviewS

Antiracist Reading List

compiled by chriSTina BeeLer

There are thousands of significant books about racism affecting Black people, indigenous people, and other people of color in the United States. All struggles against racism are important. This reading list is focused primarily on anti-Black racism because of the recent killings by police officers of unarmed Black people, including George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. The below recommendations are in no particular order.

These adult nonfiction books are focused on Black history, racism, and social justice. These books will guide readers in learning how to become antiracists who actively stand against racism. 1. How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X.

Kendi 2. Stamped from the Beginning by

Ibram X. Kendi 3. So You Want to Talk About Race by

Ijeoma Oluo 4. Between the World and Me by

Ta-Nahesi Coates 5. Biased: Uncovering the Hidden

Prejudice That Shapes What We See,

Think, and Do by Jennifer L.

Eberhardt 6. Chokehold: Policing Black Men by Paul Butler 7. The Fire Next Time by James

Baldwin 8. Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and

Redemption by Bryan Stevenson 9. The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by

Michelle Alexander 10. Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist

Discovers Her Superpower by Brittney Cooper

These adult fiction and poetry books written by Black authors are not solely about racism, but they have important things to say about racism and are all beautifully written. 1. The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett 2. The Revisioners by Margaret

Wilkerson Sexton 3. Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine 4. Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid 5. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou 6. The Water Dancer by Ta-Nahesi Coates 7. The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead 8. The Gone Dead by Chanelle Benz 9. Deacon King Kong by James McBride 10. Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

These young adult and children’s books show Black characters doing both ordinary and extraordinary things and will help parents talk about anti-Black racism with their children. 1. Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and

You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram

X. Kendi 2. The March Trilogy by John Lewis and Andrew Aydin 3. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas 4. Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline

Woodson 5. Monster by Walter Dean Myers 6. The Day You Begin by Jacqueline

Woodson 7. Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry 8. Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña 9. I Am Enough by Grace Byers 10. Antiracist Baby by Ibram X.

Kendi.

Christina Beeler graduated from the University of Houston Law Center in 2018. She recently completed an Equal Justice Works fellowship sponsored by Latham & Watkins LLP at the Juvenile and Children’s Advocacy Project, where her work focused on disrupting the school-to-prison pipeline by providing representation in school disciplinary proceedings. As a lifelong reader and a former high school English teacher, Beeler has read over 500 books during the past decade. She is currently a term law clerk in federal court.

Harvard’s Implicit Association Test Regarding Race

reviewed by koBy wiLBankS

During this time of national discourse surrounding racial disparities in our society, individuals and organizations are contemplating their roles and responsibilities in recognizing and reducing such disparities. The wide range of opinions on this topic are part of a multi-generational discussion that

will not reach a conclusion overnight. One popular discussion regarding racial justice is the debate regarding the extent that an individual’s internal views influence their actions, both explicitly and implicitly.

By its nature, implicit biases are difficult for anyone to recognize in themselves, but the Harvard Implicit Association Test (“IAT”) is publicly touted as the gold standard for recognizing various forms of implicit bias, including race.

The IAT is part of “Project Implicit,” a non-profit collaboration between researchers at various universities that are interested in collecting information and educating the public regarding their “thoughts and feelings outside of [their] conscious awareness and control.”1

The Race IAT measures the user’s internal bias towards or against faces depicting a lighter or darker skinned individual. The test has the user quickly associate positive and negative words test requires that you provide your demographic information (age, race, gender, etc.) as well as your email address and that Project Implicit publishes your anonymized results.2 Given general societal concerns with online privacy and the use (or non-use) of collected data (even when anonymized), users should consider their personal opinion on data privacy on such a sensitive topic before they provide such information. There is no way to take the test without providing such information.

In an effort to solicit opinions regarding the method and efficacy of the Race IAT, The Houston Lawyer Editorial Board voluntarily provided feedback after they took the test. Twenty board members Project Implicit’s data privacy policy, four users did not provide relevant comments, seven users pointed out flaws in the structure of the test, nine users thought the test results were accurate, ability than their implicit bias. Users found it too easy to train themselves er than taking the test without a specific result already in their mind. This comment is neys and non-attorneys alike, who point out that a user’s IAT results are influenced by many factors, including the user’s test taking ability, their current mood, or even the time of day. In fact, a user’s results are likely

influenced merely by the fact that they know they are being tested for racial

bias.

Many board

members also in-

dicated that they

agreed with, dis-

agreed with, or

were surprised by

their test results.

These mixed re-

sponses regard-

provided feedtest your implicit bias with science. Project implicit of the results back regarding was founded in 1998 by scientists of the universities parallel the rethe test. One of Harvard, Washington and virginia. sponses of many user chose not to take the test due to professionals in public discourse who

with lighter and darker colored faces. three users thought the test results were The test then measures the user’s response time to determine the user’s internal bias regarding race and provides the user with a result regarding whether they have a strong, moderate, slight, or ‘‘ The Race IAT measures the user’s internal bias not accurate, and two users were surprised with their results. Among the board members who pointed out flaws in the structure of the test, the most comno preference for a specific towards or against mon comment was the race. Before taking an IAT, us- faces depicting a fact that the test is more likely to measure an iners should be aware that the lighter or darker dividual’s test taking skinned individual. The test has the user quickly associate positive and negative words with lighter and darker colored faces”

to do well at the test rath-

echoed by others, attor-

ing the accuracy have mixed opinions regarding whether the test accurately tests for implicit bias in a single user or whether the results are accurate only when measured in the aggregate. Since the results of the IAT are publicly available, other organizations have conducted meta-analyses regarding the reliability of the test in predicting racist behavior and have generally found it to have weak predictive abilities.3

Regardless of your opinion on current discussions regarding racial justice, it is important to educate oneself on the issue, including introspection regarding internal beliefs and critical analyses of data and statistics underlying external discussions.

Koby Wilbanks is a senior associate at Murrah & Killough, PLLC, which provides privately owned businesses with legal advice and business support they need to grow and succeed. She is the associate editor for Media Reviews on The Houston Lawyer Editorial Board.

endnotes

1. https://implicit.harvard.edu/ 2. https://osf.io/y9hiq/ 3. https://qz.com/1144504/the-world-is-relying-on-aflawed-psychological-test-to-fight-racism/