{"id":24925,"date":"2023-02-15T12:21:19","date_gmt":"2023-02-15T17:21:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ngfm.org\/?p=24925"},"modified":"2023-02-15T12:22:55","modified_gmt":"2023-02-15T17:22:55","slug":"challenging-racism-february-15-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ngfm.org\/challenging-racism-february-15-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"Challenging Racism \/ February 15, 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"
At our February monthly business meeting Friends paused to consider the wording on the new signage for our Little Free Library. Several Friends have expressed concern that the term \u201cAntiracist\u201d implies that we are against people who are racist, and that some people just bristle at the word. The word \u201cAntiracism\u201d was suggested as a softer alternative that could not be mistaken for animosity toward people.<\/p>\n
At the risk of muddying the waters instead of clearing them, I\u2019d like to offer the rationale for the very intentional wording on the sign: \u201cLittle Free Antiracist Library\u201d. When the Peace and Social Concerns Committee brought the idea of a \u201clittle free antiracist library\u201d to monthly meeting for approval, the verbiage \u201cantiracist\u201d was used. A good number of us at New Garden had joined other Friends online for a book study hosted by North Carolina Friends Fellowship\u2019s Antiracist Committee. The book we studied over a period of several months was Ibram X. Kendi\u2019s \u201cHow to Be an Antiracist\u201d.<\/p>\n
In Kendi\u2019s book he defines: Antiracist<\/span><\/strong> – \u201cone who is supporting an antiracist policy through their actions or expressing an antiracist idea\u201d.<\/p>\n Antiracism<\/strong> \u2013 \u201ca powerful collection of antiracist policies that lead to racial equity and are substantiated by antiracist ideas\u201d.<\/p>\n The word \u201cAntiracist\u201d on our sign is an adjective for library, and the action of installing the library supports antiracism.
\nClear as mud? Let\u2019s keep digging together!<\/p>\n