How to be an Antiracist (Kendi)

In June of 2020, Bishop LaTrelle Easterling of the Baltimore-Washington Conference of the UMC suggested that all members of the conference read Ibram X. Kendi’s 2019 book How to be an Antiracist to help them reflect on their personal and corporate antiracism journeys. Like so many churches, mine has revamped its antiracism efforts in recent months. Our racial justice ministry has been a cornerstone of our ministry for years, but we are trying to take a more strategic approach to intentionally engage antiracism efforts across all ministry areas. One of the ways we’ve done this is by creating an all-church study around this book. Our pastor is doing a sermon series on themes related to the book, we have 65 people participating - at least half of whom do not regularly participate in small groups. The racial justice team is helping create some action items to capitalize on the momentum of the study.

This book should be required reading for all Americans. It posits definitions of racism and antiracism with precision and invites readers to reshape their understanding of the source of racist ideas (hint: it’s self-interest, not hatred). It takes readers on a truncated history of racist ideas, and offers a fundamentally hopeful paradigm: those whose behaviors are shaped by racist ideas can change. While his definitions will be challenging for some - and are intended to be - they are effective in helping readers reflect on power, self-interest, and the honesty and confession that are at the heart of true antiracist work.

This 6 week small group resource is a collaboration with a scholar and a pastor, both of whom graciously agreed to assist me as I prepped these study materials. I am thankful for their insight, wisdom, and feedback. Each session includes a Bible study and questions designed to put the content of the book in conversation with the reader’s experience, faith, and spheres of influence in the world.