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Resources for Transformation:
Food Banks and Pantries
Who are these resources for?
I don’t typically like resource libraries. People working in antiracism and Black liberation often receive requests for links to articles, lists of books to read, and more. I find that for many people, receiving resources is enough to scratch the itch of doing something. In and of itself, education doesn’t lead to much. What matters is action.
When white folks ask for resources from BIPOC folks, it can sometimes feel extractive and exploitative. It’s an education version of “mining for resources.” The average person of color on the street is not anyone’s teacher. With that said, I believe that people who want to learn should have access to the materials they need. I don’t trust a simple online search to deliver results that aren’t skewed by people desperate to maintain the status quo.
What I ask of you is this: do something with the information you receive. Read it, think about it, let it challenge your assumptions. Recognize that the assumptions we carry often have shards of white supremacy embedded in them like glass. Share what you learn with a friend, colleague, or family member. Use what you learn to interrupt white supremacy culture in your organization, club, or coalition.
Whatever you do, don't stop working towards an antiracist and liberatory practice. It's easy to feel overwhelmed, no matter where you are on the journey. Find ways to rest. Find new ways to act.
How are the resources organized?
This is a set of resources and information that food bank staff and supporters can use to transform a hunger-relief organization. I grouped these resources according to five major categories that most food banks and pantries will find useful. There are many more out there!
I do a lot of reading, so this list is reading-heavy. It also includes some information you can watch or listen to, no matter your preference. I’ll update this list whenever I find a good resource to share.
General Resources
Things to Read
What It Looks Like to Build a Pro-Black Organization, Liz Derias and Kad Smith for Non-Profit Quarterly
Feeding the Other: Whiteness Privilege and Neoliberal Stigma in Food Pantries, by Rebecca de Souza
Interview with Rebecca de Souza, Big Hunger blog
white supremacy is free, be the future
Characteristics of white supremacy culture, Tema Okun and Kenneth Jones
What to do when we f*ck up —because we will—a lot, Rebekah Giacomantonio for Community-Centric Fundraising
How One Organization Can Shorten Food Bank Lines Across the United States, Andrew Fisher for MIT Press Reader
Dancing on Live Embers: Challenging Racism in Organizations, Tina Lopes and Barb Thomas
Maintaining Hierarchies in Predominantly White Organizations: A Theory of Racial Tasks, Adia Harvey Wingfield and Renée Skeete Alston
the strings that bind, be the future
Things to Watch
Inclusologists-DiverseCity Learning Series explainer videos
Avoiding hierarchy in mutual aid groups where members take on different kinds of work, Dean Spade for Barnard Center for Research on Women
Barnard Center for Research on Women video series on many topics
Things to Listen to
Intersectionality in the Diaspora, Clara y Melo
Hope Is Not a Given. We Must Cultivate It Together., Kelly Hayes and Tanuja Jagernauth for Movement Memos podcast
To Build the World We Desire, We Must Dream Deeply Together, Kelly Hayes and Tanuja Jagernauth for Movement Memos podcast
Building Equity from the Ground Up with Dr. Darnisa Amante-Jackson, The Diversity Gap podcast
Decision-Making
Things to Read
Consent Decision Making, Sociocracy for All
Advice Process, Lumio
The Advice Process: Distributed Decision-Making, be the future
From Volunteerism to Collectivism, a New Chapter at Seattle Works, Seattle Works blog
How a Union is Benefiting SF-Marin Food Bank, Chris Costanzo for Food Bank News
Things to Watch
Targeted Universalism video series, Othering and Belonging Institute
Things to Listen to
Targeted Universalism with john a. powell, Who Belongs? podcast
Hiring / Personnel
Things to Read
To Avoid DEI Backlash, Focus on Changing Systems — Not People, Lily Zheng for HBR.org
What It Looks Like to Build a Pro-Black Organization, Liz Derias and Kad Smith for Non-Profit Quarterly
your culture does not include everyone … or what employers need to do for racial equity, Michelle Silverthorn for Ask A Manager blog
Authentic Diversity: How to Change the Workplace for Good, Michelle Silverthorn
Things to Watch
Cultures of Care video series, Othering and Belonging Institute
Cultures of Care: video with Sonya Passi, CEO of FreeFrom
Food we Distribute
Things to Read
ID in the Surveillance Age, be the future
I’m a Black Dietitian — Here’s What I Want You to Know About Food and Racism, Maya Feller for Healthline
Community Food Justice: An Interview with Garrett Broad, author of More than Food for Nursing Clio blog
Research Brief: Identifying and Countering White Supremacy Culture in Food Systems, Duke Sanford World Food Policy Center
Things to Watch
A Primer on Privilege in Dietetics and Nutrition, Kate G. Burt
Why I Hate Raisins, by Natalie Diaz
Things to Listen to
Making our Food Fairer: Don’t Call Me Resilient, The Conversation podcast
Extra Spicy podcast, Soleil Ho
Intake /Community Members
Things to Read
ID in the Surveillance Age, be the future
Community Engagement Almanac, TYTHE Design
Things to Watch
Rosalinda Guillen - Justice & Dignity for Farm Workers, Community to Community Development
Food insecurity proposal causes frustration on Indy's northeast side, WRTV Indianapolis
Campesino, by Luke McKinley
Things to Listen to
Episode 1: Awakening the Ancestors, Young and Indigenous podcast
Episode 10, Sentiments on Residential Schools, Young and Indigenous podcast
Donors
Things to Read
Leading with Trust: Our (Successful!) Experiment with Transformational Capacity Building, Sarah Benner-Kenagy and josh martinez for Community-Centric Fundraising
The Highs and Lows of CCF in Practice: 9 Approaches We’ve Championed, Maria Rio for Community-Centric Fundraising
Examining the equity implications of culture of philanthropy, Vu Le for nonprofitAF.com
The joy of fundraising: How fundraising can be truly, authentically joyful, Vu Le for nonprofitAF.com
White supremacy and the problem with centering donors’ interests and emotions, Vu Le for nonprofitAF.com
Things to Listen to
The Ethical Rainmaker podcast
Data Collection
Things to Read
5 Things I Learned From Facilitating my Data Equity Workshops, Meenakshi Das for Community-Centric Fundraising
Why am I Always Being Researched?, Chicago Beyond
Why am I Always Being Researched: COVID-19 Edition, Chicago Beyond
The Right Stuff, be the future