It sucks that I’m only finding your channel now because the a TH-cam algorithm is finally favoring black creators. I loved this discussion. Book tube needs to clean itself up honestly.
Same here. Only now are black creators being suggested to me. I am glad that I have found a few more channels but sad to see the way the algorithm has operated in the past.
Brilliant video, as ever. Agree with all of this. Wish people read diverse books all year around and not a certain month and not just non-fiction TBRs to help them understand racism. Read romance or Sci-Fi or even nature books by Black authors. Read Black people’s joy, dreams and everyday lives and not just their pain and suffering though important. It is SO frustrating - see the full spectrum.
Yeah that’s so true! I’ve had a people ask me to recommend books by black authors and I have to stop myself from jumping to stories about pain. We are so much more than our most painful stories!
Facts on facts on facts. THANK YOU for this insight and perspective. We don’t center or normalize black subjectivity, joy, or pain enough and we ignore this far too often.
I think there are so many different ways to be black, but we rarely get a full picture of that. Books are a great starting point for non-black people to start learning about what the world is like through our eyes, good and bad.
It’s crazy that I’m just now finding your channel and it’s sad that I found you because of this video. Thank you for speaking out and I love you for this. Black booktubers unite! 🖤
I haven't been part of BookTube, but I really appreciate hearing your voice about this. I've started listening to and looking for black voices and it has been such an expansion of my experience. At this point, I am focused on intentional learning and listening. I am still gathering thoughts and pondering how I can best help from where I am. However, I am committed to not just being a fair-weather friend, as it were. I have been going through my online communities and looking for the voices that have been glossed over because of their skin color and purposefully giving them a chance. I want to use my money to support people more intentionally. I'm not sure where to go from here yet. But I know I'm not done. Thank you again for the video.
Hi Diana! Great video! My reading is already focussed on women writers from around the globe as this is simply what I find most interesting. At the moment I am reading "Our sister Killjoy" by Ama Ata Aidoo, a "novel/poem" from 1977 which could have been written in our times as it is still topical! I cannot recommend this author enough! As an English teacher at a high school in Germany I have already been reading and discussing "The Good Immigrant" with several of my classes and have also recommended the recently published non-fiction books on racism in Britain (Eddo-Lodge, Hirsch, akala to name just a few) to my colleagues who also thought these were helpful books. I think the two things the average white person can do is 1) getting aware of and acknowledging that one is already privileged simply because of the system that was made by white people for white people (this awareness can already lead to a change in behaviour) and 2) to speak up when whitnessing daily racism. I truely hope that the protests won't just be a "fashion" and really hope that they lead to reforms and changes in legislation that would be necessary to really change something...
I reached out for my mum ´cause I wanted her to recommend a book or author to me, which I needed to get to know. It didn´t take long for her to choose one of James Baldwins books and I was really happy about that. I immediately wanted to know more about him, his life and work and started some research. That´s how I found your video. I´ve been reading books for such a long time (being 17 years old that actually sounds a little weird) but I realize that huge issue of not knowing, not seeing black authors and their stories. It´s fucked up. So I am glad I´ve seen your video. It´s great to speak about this on booktube and it should be done so much more. Because as you said: books are political, books are here to educate, to make aware and to see things that some people don´t want to see. And we need to speak about this, on every platform and in life in general. I´m taking your advise with me, I want to include black authors and their words into my reading consistently from now on. Starting off with James Baldwin. Have a great day and thanks for your work here on youtube
To your answer "why now" I hope that the answer is, because the world is changing, and needs to keep changing people need to keep speaking out not with violence, but showing love. I dont even want to compare racism to other world issues, when I say world issues, I mean, people thinking that's ok to not accept others for what they are, even if we dont know, how it is to be in that person shoes. I hope I really hope the world changes. I always spoke about equality maybe not on internet. But in person when facing some kind of discrimination. I mean before this happened. Thank you for your video.
I cant speak for everyone else but I can for me. I'm shook. Wish it didn't come to me in this way, but I'll say it's not a trending thing for me. It's honestly forced me to look at myself. I'm learning. I'm educating myself. I'm a far way from where I need to be, but I'm starting to change.
CONSISTENCY!! ppl on my socials have been slowly starting to revert back to their normal postings but we have to continue to be upset and to continue to speak out against the oppressors whether the big ones (the government,etc.) or the small ones (in ur daily life). ppl want to go back to normal/ be comfortable, but how can they do that when black people are dying. thank you for giving out information that is genuinely helpful especially on how to be a better ally, since i've been trying to figure out how to do that on this platform! this was a great video and i really do hope more people (esp in the booktube community) sees it
Appreciate you adding to the conversation, Diana 🙏🏾 I'm trying not to be cynical as well. Seeing insular communities like the Mennonites and insular countries like Japan join in the protests, gives me hope for humanity. The pandemic and subsequent economic uncertainty have created a ripe environment for change, as it has forced the world to stop and examine the racial, economic and social systems that enable one country to weather the pandemic better than another. I think society has become numb to gun violence and depictions of gun violence, and that's why the momentum from protests like Ferguson was hard to sustain. Black people being shot by police is just an everyday occurrence in may places, and many non-Black people had no urge to address this issue. But anyone with a conscience who watched the life slowly be crushed out of George Floyd, had to question what kind of systems allow that level of pathological brutality to exist in the first place. It feels like we're at a turning point in history and we need all hands on deck to sustain this momentum and make sure we don't go back to "normal." Looking forward to your upcoming videos!
I honestly hope this doesn't die down.. it's such an important issue that has been silenced for years, it's interesting that most of the world already knew how PoC were being treated especially the obvious systemic racism towards black people. I've always found it odd that people new about it but sort of turned a blind eye or considered it momentarily as something horrible and then moved on with their lives afterwards.. and only now that it's a global movement and that it's trending people want to speak out about it! What's upsetting is the booktubers especially the more well known ones aren't saying anything on their biggest platform... very interesting.. Anyway! I'm glad a found your channel btw!! I didn't even realise you were from NZ until you mentioned it hehe the kiwi accent is very subtle ;)
I LOVED everything about this video. New subscriber here. It reasonated with me the experiences we both share and I live in the US and you live in New Zealand. All of us are connected
"I understand that I will never understand" drives me insane too. it's well-intentioned but it's like, "what don't you understand? literally TELL ME and I will EXPLAIN." 😂 I hated when everyone was posting the black squares to instagram, with no message attached. like that's cool you're showing support but 1) that required almost no effort to post and 2) you need to actually take action as well and 3) PLEASE SAY SOMETHING IN YOUR OWN WORDS. something, anything! I know so many white people were worried they were going to "say the wrong thing" bc they're so unused to talking about race, but silence is compliance. like, show us how this is personal to YOU. prove to us that you actually really care this time and aren't just doing the newest, easiest, and trendiest thing as a performance. ugh.
I feel it's necessary to point out: it seems to me, sometimes, like some black people don't want white people to understand, or like they resent the fact that they think they _could_ understand. I've heard people say "You'll never understand." "If you're white you can't understand, don't pretend to" etc. Now, to me this is pretty staunchly an open rejection of empathy itself and an encouragement of "otherness." "I don't want your sympathy" seems very closely related to this. Why? What is *so* wrong with sympathy? I get that a big part of the objection is "your sympathy alone doesn't affect anything" but that's not what's being communicated literally, it makes it seem like the other person's natural reaction to the misfortune of others is invalid, and undesirable. Sympathy and empathy inform a desire to help, and rejecting such a powerful, personal motivator is like rejecting the other person themselves, it can feel like saying "I don't need you" which in turn sounds like "I don't need your help" (because they are intertwined) and that makes it *more* jarring when that person is then being told that they obviously don't care enough, and aren't doing enough to help. Well sympathy is a type of caring, and we just threw gasoline on it. I've seen a ton of these videos just today, and some black booktubers are hearting "I understand that I will never understand" comments. Everyone has a different benchmark for what they consider supportive, or otherwise meaningful and I don't want it to seem like this is my personal experience. But as person who tries to be practiced in empathy, as a storyteller, I can see how this combination of solidarity, pleading, empathy/resentment, indifference, and mistrust can present to some like an irreconcilable hostility. You can see it in the novelty acknowledged by Diana in her encouragement of white voices to speak out. A lot of people feel they're told it's not their turn to speak when serious issues of identity are raised that are not part of their lived experience, and so it can be overwhelming when suddenly silence is taken as complicity in a centuries long crime spree. No group is a monolith, but we are encouraged to see many of them that way, people who struggle with nuance are not going to get that even one _person_ might say two things that sound contradictory and they're going to have to ask, or more likely workout for themselves what sentiment is actually being communicated by the speaker
Wonderful video and you covered so much so concisely! And I love that you include concrete examples of ways to help and to CONTINUE to help. It was really interesting hearing you say you actually want white people to speak up in their own words-I’ve mostly heard from people who want us to promote Black voices and not give our perspective on current events and racism and police brutality (which I definitely understand! We should be listening and not talking). But like you said, it’s important to balance boosting the voices who need it rather than butting in, but also using our platform and privilege to draw attention to issues that matter. And yes to supporting and reading Black authors all year round! I also feel like specific shoutouts can be a double-edged sword: I don’t want it to feel like “hey subscribe to these people because they’re from a marginalized group!”, but if I just mix them into other shout-outs it’s harder for people to fill their sub box with diverse perspectives like we should be doing. Yes there are SO many resources out there and I’m so sorry people are treating you like a racism oracle or something! I’ve definitely realized I tend to gravitate towards fiction by people of color at the expense of nonfiction-though it shouldn’t have taken this to make me realize that. Thank you for always giving us such thoughtful content, Diana! Hopefully I didn’t ramble too much in this comment. Looking forward to your future videos as always
I found your channel a couple years ago when I was searching for books to read during BHM. While I try to read diversely all year I had a goal of reading books by only black authors of all genres. Finding 15-20 new books by black authors... that my library had... was hard. I mean really hard. However with in the last week book lists are popping up left and right. Its really nice to see these authors and books get the recognition they deserve. I’m in an interracial marriage and my husband and I have had the same conversations of why now... what made this different than all the others... where has everyone been. Just wanted to let you know I appreciate you and I appreciate your content. Thank you ❤️
It's always so nice to see you on my subscription feed, even though this is a heavy and raw topic. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and CONCRETE things non-BIPOC allies can do, both within the BookTube community and the global community as a whole. As long as diversity is seen as an "extra" step in peoples' reading, voices will continued to be silenced. It's so important that diverse reading be part of consistent reading behavior. Excellent video.
Thank you for making this video. It really helped me understand more of what non-black peoples should being doing. I think it is funny how other booktubers post information about BLM anywhere but TH-cam. I hope more people can understand that it takes more than online posting to make change and be an alley.
Thank you for another excellent video Diana💕💖 The Black community has been through so much shit, and booktube ought to be a place where Black creators can have a safe space. And it definitely says a lot when white or non Black creators say their platform is their safe space or non-political, or feel 'attacked' by peers calling out their silence. Like you said, you can't remove yourself from your experience as a Black woman and it's up to us to stay consistent: staying informed on current events, educating ourselves on Black history, and uplifting Black creatives! I appreciate your discussion on your experiences and observations on the community. Take time for your mental health💗 Can't wait for your future video!✨
I'm always glad to see you in my sub box 💞 and i agree with everything you said, i really hope this change will last and that ppl will keep caring and listening.
Hi, Diana, thanks for the suggestions in this video. I have been watching more TH-cam in general recently, and more Booktube in particular. I hear the anger, frustration, and fatigue expressed by more and more black participants, and I think they are justified in not trusting the rest of us. The onus is on the non-black community to prove that we mean what we say, and it's up to each individual if they want to offer their trust or not. It took me a while to sort out some of the messages I have been hearing directed at potential non-black allies on the one hand saying, "Don't subscribe to my channel if all you want me to do is educate you," while others want subscribers as long as the participation is genuine. I have found more black booktubers that read content similar to mine in the last few months than ever. (I have been watching Booktube since 2012, but I've only had a channel for a couple of months.) Sometimes, I don't subscribe because I don't think the creator wants me. I have been commenting more on videos produced by black creators, signing petitions, and listening to forums that discuss race relations. I am also looking for more book recommendations by black authors, and have found some excellent ones. The question in the back of my mind is, if I accept the responsibility to educate myself and seek help or feedback from someone who is black, but that person makes very clear that it's not their job to educate us [white people] then how can we all profit from each other's experience? It's my job to educate myself and evaluate the viewpoints, biases, and information I find, but I will be doing so through my own lens and the people I receive information from. In a better world, the things that make us different wouldn't be the things that divide us, they would be the platforms we have to share our humanity with everyone else, helping us become more enlightened, humble, and empathetic people. These are some of my thoughts, and I thank you for the opportunity to share them here. Please stay safe, and be healthy. Best wishes from California, USA.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. You are pulling so much weight here when it isn’t yours, and I wanted to say thank you for teaching ways to move forward when it’s not your responsibility. You have helped me to better come to terms with and understand some of the difficulties I’ve been experiencing with wanting to amplify the black lives matter movement while not screaming over top of it.
I had no idea you were based in NZ so very good to hear about the protests there. I agree with your cynicism, it can't just be reposting things on Instagram. Lovely video Diana, as always.
"i actually think it's more important, now more than ever, to hear white voices, and non-black/POC because it takes all of us working together to help this." yes, ma'am. i'm on it. and thank you, ma'am, for the clarification.
Thank you for posting this, I've been meaning to make videos on booktube but with meaning and with encouraging people to take action. After watching this I think I know how to use my privilege as a power for good.
it's really jarring seeing people suddenly "support" the movement since black lives matter's inception ~6 years ago. i'm angry that companies like youtube are only now confronting their downfalls, but i'm also happy that i'm able to watch booktubers like you (even tho i'm hella new to it). i hope you're taking care of your mental health and staying hydrated! 💖
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I really liked how you flipped the conversation on those in the white community wanting to be allies. The responsibility of figuring out what that looks like is on the person, not their black friends. It’s a more empowering narrative and calls out any underlying apathy a person might have. I do believe this moment in history is a step forward, but how big of a step forward remains to be seen. For the first time, the technology is there for everyone to see what the black community and communities of color go through every day in real time. Humans are capable of great empathy, and the longer the world’s attention stays engaged with these injustices, the more people will join the cause. I personally will do everything I can to continue this discussion. I look forward to engaging with more of your thoughts in the future.
omg you’re so right about reading books by black authors!! i have a lot of books written by black authors in my TBR pile, but i don’t pick them up 😓 this video pushes me to read those books, and i hope i’ll finish all of them this year ☺️
Always brilliant to see another video from you! Especially interesting to hear a bit about the atmosphere in NZ. I'm cynical about the actual level of investment the people suddenly requesting reading lists when that kind of information has been readily available all along, but I hope I'm wrong and it turns into a genuine long-term shift for them.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and I look forward to your next videos! The book community definitely needs to change and I see more than ever how we can do that individually instead of just promoting book titles.
So eloquently put. I have no idea why this was the one to blow up, why now? You're right there's a lack of genuine-ity and it's more trendy for brownie points. It must be so frustrating. I love how you say you want to hear our own words instead of repeating slogans. It's a white problem where the poc suffer. Words are meaningless if we don't prove it with actions and consistency, long term. Thanks for using your energy for this video. ❤❤
Agree 100% it’s so frustrating to see my friends reposting the same quotes and not voicing their own words and taking it a step further and doing something. It’s one post and then back to their normal social media programming. It’s bull shit. There’s not a lot of effort from some of these “I stand with you” serial posters. Thank you for this video. Hate this part of TH-cam because of everything you said. It’s too whitewashed and no efforts are made to diversity it.
This was so insightful. I have seen in many issues that things reach an exploding point in which things happen, like the ocuppy wall street movement, the me too movement or the extinction rebellion, this was one more and lets hope it stays. I was so stunned when I introduced my black partner to my dad and in the next six months he only talked to me once to tell me not to tell my grandma... I know that is a small thing compared to what the whole black experience is, but I guess that is when it brought home for me how internalized this is...
love the video as always, thank u for sharing 💕 everything you said about the inherent politics of books/booktube is so true, and important for the whole community to take in. looking forward to more videos x
Mr dear I agree with you. I have seen racism for years in the UK but it's all the rage now on the `tube'. I find this why is online movemments fade away too fast as they lack continuity. Remember occupy wall st in 2013 .
Wonderful video! Thank you for your words. I hope people are consistent as well and that true change happens. I will be working on educating myself as I am white, as well as reading more black authors. I haven't been doing nearly enough. Even though I already love to read diversely because i'm queer and disabled so I have to if I want to see parts of myself, picking up books by black authors wasn't something I did on purpose in the same way and I need to fix that. I have so much more to learn and read!
I always love watching you. I agree a hundred percent. And I look forward to your further videos and though I do read diversely I know I don't read a book by a black author each month. So challenge accepted. The surge is good (if genuine) but this is a marathon and not a sprint. Thank you for taking time to talk about this even when it's not your job and you are rightfully tired of the conversation.
"why is it suddenly trendy to support black issues and to speak out again racism?" THANK YOU! By the way TH-cam finally shows me black content creators on my feed! FINALLY! So I found your channel just like that. Hi. Subscribed. I'm all for supporting people of all kinds of minorities (I'm blind, biracial, asexual, pagan, adopted... depressed...you name it), I'm here for it, but why is this suddenly a cool thing? I see the hypocrisy. Thank you for saying that. If I say it it's wrong, 'cause I'm not black. So thank you. It's not my imagination. I mean, its good to share all the resources, it's very good, but this cool wokeness thing is real too.
I agree so much..... it sucks so much.... I kind of also hate when people say ‘i will never understand it fully’ because it just feels like that separates me as POC even more from white people who will NEVER have to experience racism. I really hope BLM is not just a ‘trend’ and that people are actually doing it to change something.
Hi Diana, I’ve just stumbled across your video in the suggested videos section. I agree that books are inherently political. I’m losing track of the number of people I’m unfollowing because of this kind of ignorance. I also get annoyed by the “this is a politics free space” argument from people who I know have discussed elections, environmental issues etc on their platforms. I appreciate you sharing your experience and thoughts on this topic x
Thank you for this video. I live in a very small, mostly white town, so what I want to do is teach my students to love everyone, teach them what racism looks like, and try to help give the next generation a better outlook. I don’t want to shut up and stay silent, so I hope that my efforts can make a difference in some way.
Thank you for this video, Diana. I haven't been on Booktube as much this year and completely missed your return. So good to see you again ❤️️ Ughhh the Twilight support is just...a choice. - Rebecca
You brought up some excellent points in this video! Consistency is key and accountability is what we (white people) need to check in with ourselves if we in fact made changes to our reading / booktube engagement / 'wokeness' in everyday situations (speaking up when we witness racism, calling people out etc.). I appreciate that you emphasize that white people need to engage in the conversation and use their own voices (as then it will effect their attitudes and behaviors more). The Baldwin quotation you mentioned really pinned it down.
Hey Diana. I really commend you for making this video. You always share your opinions with such poise and passion that it’s impossible not to stop and take notice. I’ll share a few thoughts of my own. And, to tell you the truth, I’ve drafted this a couple of times now. I began to wonder why. Am I afraid my words will be seen as insensitive? I think many white people, myself included, feel conscious of saying the 'right' thing. Nobody wants to be perceived as racist. Nobody wants to feel as though they’re contributing to the oppression of black people. I want to be part of the conversation, but I don’t want to feel as though I’m just regurgitating unhelpful ideas and solutions. Perhaps that’s why #BlackOutTuesday was so widespread. It spoke to a group of people who wanted to show solidarity but weren’t exactly sure how to express it in words for the fear of adding to the problem. I, myself, have chosen not to post anything on social media thus far for the fear of it appearing ingenuine. More recently, I’ve wondered if none of that matters. Perhaps it doesn’t matter if Black Lives Matter is ‘trendy’. Maybe it doesn’t matter why someone chooses to get involved or if their content is tiresome. Perhaps the momentum is more important than anything. For that matter, I really liked some of your suggestions. Consciously seeking out black authors, artists and directors feels like a relevant way to start (although I’m not sure I’ve ever read five books in one month). Beyond this, I’m going to ensure racism doesn’t go unchecked in everyday contexts. And it won’t solve everything; not even close. But, to me, it feels more concrete than quoting Martin Luther King on Instagram. Let’s talk about it properly the next time we see each other. For now, you’ve got a new subscriber.
Great to hear your thoughts. I am cautiously optimistic that this time we will have meaningful change. Mitt Romney marched and posted Black Lives Matter! I didn’t see that coming. I’m hoping that mobilization here in the US will get the current occupant of the people’s White House out of there in the fall. It’s been encouraging to see worldwide attention and support. Let’s hope in makes a difference this time! I’m working towards that end.
"Educate Yourself" That's so right. We aren't born with an encyclopedic knowledge of racism, if we were, there wouldn't be black Trump supporters. We have to study for years, aware that we may never know everything, but still pushing to learn more, and to continuing to try to see the larger perspective.
Thank you for this. The last thing I want is for me to come across as hollow. I also know that I have to PROVE my sincerity over time. I am going to do that in my life and on my channel. I also am going to spend A LOT of time privately looking at myself. And looking at my actions and thought patterns to see how I can be a better ally.
Yeah for me its been educational on picking up on the subtler forms of racism that has emboldened me to challenge it, I would never tolerate the N-word around anyone ever, and I think a lot of us would agree that we'd question that before all of this. But now, because dialogues have been a opening up in multiple formats on the issue, diving into every nook and cranny of it; its getting easier and easier to get informed right now. Because before that better understanding I didnt fully understand it well enough to challenge it because I couldn't quite put it to words but it felt wrong. And yes I totally agree my cynical side makes me question a lot of peoples motives aswell. Its like Pride month when I see a bunch of companies going "look how woke we are, 2 tins of beans for the price 1". Its shit it took lives to get people talking to eachother about race and our racist history, I feel stupid for not understanding it well enough up until a few months ago, but now we're talking about it i'm understanding it better than ever and I'm here for the long run because if I don't how the hell can I expect others to.
This is encouraging me to make a booktube channel. I'm a history/political science major and I started to take classes and read books about race when the black lives matters movement started in 2013. I think it's about time to use my privilege for good. Reading books at the end of the day, doesn't do anything useful for other people unless I teach people what are actually in those books. Your skepticism about it being trendy is valid. White people have failed you time and time again. I hope I don't become one of them.
At 2:40 when you asked why now is the support coming. I'll be honest with my answer: I didn't know it stopped... No one talked about it around me. I mean, I know there were people who still were racist but I didn't know how bad it was until now. I honestly thought racism wasn't that bad until recently. And I've woken up. I never watched the news, I never had anyone talk about anything going on in the world so I was oblivious. I didn't even know of the whole 'white people kill black people' thing until 2 days after the death of Mr. Floyd. I was BEYOND disgusted. I couldn't believe my eyes or ears and I desperately wanted to help. Just know that no matter what, I always have and always will support you and everyone else. I had friends who were black and I can't imagine how it must feel but I truly do support you. Dont let anyone define you by your skin color, be yourself and we're right beside you. No race should have to be behind the other, we aren't a food chain. We should all be equal and I wish one day racism will completely stop. For me, I can't do much, I am unable to donate or do something big. But I am working on a poem to give to black people and maybe write a story where the main character is a black woman instead of the black person being a side character. I'm not 100 percent knowing on the whole situation, but if I find any other way to help (Maybe write a song or more poems) I will do my best to spread the word. #BlackLivesMatter✊🏻✊🏼✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿
Hi Diana. I was wondering if you were going to step into this, what is the general feeling like in NZ? Your cynicism is frustrating to hear... as is my own because *I can't help but wonder the same.* And one of my issues with this on BT is that some creators here do read 'diversely' all year round, but I just don't see many of them _'friend'_ very diversely with their lives and collabs. Some DO walk the walk which is great to see, but others don't. I notice it particularly with some the UK ones, maybe because that's where I am. That's in part where MY cynicism comes from. Anyway, nice to see you despite the circumstances. TFS :)
Oooo I’d definitely love to go into this a bit more. There’s a lot to cover so maybe I should put it into a video? To sum it up there’s definitely an upsurge in support, people are taking to the streets and more conversations about race are happening. But when it comes to racism New Zealand has its own demons to face, as we don’t own up to our racist past nearly as much as we should. The Polynesian panthers, treatment of Asian New Zealand’s and own course the way we commodify our indigenous culture. Even the mosque shootings that happened last year. There’s a wider conversation to be had that’s still on the tip our our tongues. Racism is seen as this thing that doesn’t happen here and that’s dangerous because then we don’t address things that need to be addressed.
@@dianaincolour8414 I'd love to see a dedicated video if that's not too much to ask for. It's because of the issues that I know still effect NZ that made me ask and the fact that any such issues down under seem to get swept under the carpet in much the same they do in any European countries because 'at least it's not like in the US'. As if that is any great feat! Also, not sure if you can answer this or not, but is the problem in your experience/knowledge less widespread there than it is in Australia? I've seen a number of people recently citing how 'not racist' NZ is compared to Aus (where I also know it's _far_ more rampant than the general public realises and is much more akin to the US because it's history with the Aboriginal peoples) and of course you have PM there who it _seems_ to me on the outside is much more open to dealing with such things than in many other countries where racism is a structural problem... like her in the UK of course. As an aside, after reading the eye-opening and educational (to me) Terra Nullius by Australian Claire G. Coleman I watch her threads sometimes... and if that is an example of how 'not racist' Australians think they are then they really are nothing less than delusional. I'm still not familiar (yet) with any indigenous NZ authors and that is something I want to rectify before the end of this year.
OhSheReads had a great video about how white guilt is worthless, it's action that matters. So the question is, are the white people people protesting because they feel guilty and want to alleviate that guilt, or because they believe passionately in dismantling systemic racism? I can't speak for anyone else but myself, but for me it is the latter. I passionately believe not only in undoing systems of injustice and inequality, but also that the human race's potential can only be realized once we tear down cruel, ignorant divisions that hold us all back. No black child should grow up thinking he or she is "less than" or have to fear for their safety from the authorities. It angers me so much every story I hear--not just the ones where someone ends up dead, but the stories of people going about their day and having an incident that terrifies them. We hear about George Floyd and Breonna Taylor but we don't hear about the countless near-misses, or the individual stories of people locked up for "resisting" when they did nothing to deserve it. I think there are white people who just want to appear woke or alleviate their guilt, but I also think there are white people who have passionate humanist, anti-racist beliefs and will never stop fighting even when we win. It must be really hard for a black person to tell sometimes who they can and cannot trust among white allies. Just please know that there are ride or die people out there. You are a human being who is being oppressed because of something that doesn't make you any less than anyone else (beautiful dark skin). Everyone, of every skin color, should be disgusted and appalled by that. And I will never understand people who aren't.
Black people deem who is an ally to us. If you come up to me and tell me you're an ally but I don't know anything you've done or how you feel other than what you say, I need to be shown. And if you truly are an ally, you won't get all in your feelings and you'll roll up your sleeves to help.
the idea that books arent political struck me by redicilousness,, we are woke because we are informed and readers are at higher grounds at that,, especially those with voices opinions and platforms.. reading is a human right and thats a political fight and it took politics to make that happen its the method and catalyst to change,, so how if ever it isnt politicised,, i can understand if a youtuber is unlabelled but when it comes to human causes and global issues,, it is his civic duty to speak up and work on it and yes thats political and social so better do it informed and educated,, and thats the point of books. thank you
I always felt like book/educated circles should always be political, concerned with the state of the world and humanity's stories. Sadly, in real life I found that it becomes run by pretentious pseudo intellectuals bragging about their big brains and wagging their big book cocks.
Honestly, I got so fucking tired of seeing the "I don't understand, however I stand" type posts, and I am not even black... I feel like most white people are so preoccupied with their "white guilt" and "white privilage" that they forget to actually do the work and help the people that need help right now.
It sucks that I’m only finding your channel now because the a TH-cam algorithm is finally favoring black creators. I loved this discussion. Book tube needs to clean itself up honestly.
right?? I had NO idea there were so many black booktubers, what the heck
Truth!
Same here. Only now are black creators being suggested to me. I am glad that I have found a few more channels but sad to see the way the algorithm has operated in the past.
Honestly, I know a black author you might like. She does a podcast on Black history: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/black-and-education/id1230418660
#Subscribed
Brilliant video, as ever. Agree with all of this. Wish people read diverse books all year around and not a certain month and not just non-fiction TBRs to help them understand racism. Read romance or Sci-Fi or even nature books by Black authors. Read Black people’s joy, dreams and everyday lives and not just their pain and suffering though important. It is SO frustrating - see the full spectrum.
Yeah that’s so true! I’ve had a people ask me to recommend books by black authors and I have to stop myself from jumping to stories about pain. We are so much more than our most painful stories!
Lovely to see you back and to hear your thoughts. I'm going to be keeping myself accountable re the books! Thankyou. Xx
Thanks for watching lovely!
Facts on facts on facts. THANK YOU for this insight and perspective. We don’t center or normalize black subjectivity, joy, or pain enough and we ignore this far too often.
I think there are so many different ways to be black, but we rarely get a full picture of that. Books are a great starting point for non-black people to start learning about what the world is like through our eyes, good and bad.
It’s crazy that I’m just now finding your channel and it’s sad that I found you because of this video. Thank you for speaking out and I love you for this. Black booktubers unite! 🖤
I haven't been part of BookTube, but I really appreciate hearing your voice about this. I've started listening to and looking for black voices and it has been such an expansion of my experience. At this point, I am focused on intentional learning and listening. I am still gathering thoughts and pondering how I can best help from where I am. However, I am committed to not just being a fair-weather friend, as it were. I have been going through my online communities and looking for the voices that have been glossed over because of their skin color and purposefully giving them a chance. I want to use my money to support people more intentionally.
I'm not sure where to go from here yet. But I know I'm not done.
Thank you again for the video.
Hi Diana! Great video!
My reading is already focussed on women writers from around the globe as this is simply what I find most interesting. At the moment I am reading "Our sister Killjoy" by Ama Ata Aidoo, a "novel/poem" from 1977 which could have been written in our times as it is still topical! I cannot recommend this author enough!
As an English teacher at a high school in Germany I have already been reading and discussing "The Good Immigrant" with several of my classes and have also recommended the recently published non-fiction books on racism in Britain (Eddo-Lodge, Hirsch, akala to name just a few) to my colleagues who also thought these were helpful books. I think the two things the average white person can do is 1) getting aware of and acknowledging that one is already privileged simply because of the system that was made by white people for white people (this awareness can already lead to a change in behaviour) and 2) to speak up when whitnessing daily racism.
I truely hope that the protests won't just be a "fashion" and really hope that they lead to reforms and changes in legislation that would be necessary to really change something...
I reached out for my mum ´cause I wanted her to recommend a book or author to me, which I needed to get to know. It didn´t take long for her to choose one of James Baldwins books and I was really happy about that. I immediately wanted to know more about him, his life and work and started some research. That´s how I found your video. I´ve been reading books for such a long time (being 17 years old that actually sounds a little weird) but I realize that huge issue of not knowing, not seeing black authors and their stories. It´s fucked up. So I am glad I´ve seen your video. It´s great to speak about this on booktube and it should be done so much more. Because as you said: books are political, books are here to educate, to make aware and to see things that some people don´t want to see. And we need to speak about this, on every platform and in life in general. I´m taking your advise with me, I want to include black authors and their words into my reading consistently from now on. Starting off with James Baldwin. Have a great day and thanks for your work here on youtube
To your answer "why now" I hope that the answer is, because the world is changing, and needs to keep changing people need to keep speaking out not with violence, but showing love. I dont even want to compare racism to other world issues, when I say world issues, I mean, people thinking that's ok to not accept others for what they are, even if we dont know, how it is to be in that person shoes. I hope I really hope the world changes. I always spoke about equality maybe not on internet. But in person when facing some kind of discrimination. I mean before this happened. Thank you for your video.
I cant speak for everyone else but I can for me. I'm shook. Wish it didn't come to me in this way, but I'll say it's not a trending thing for me. It's honestly forced me to look at myself. I'm learning. I'm educating myself. I'm a far way from where I need to be, but I'm starting to change.
CONSISTENCY!! ppl on my socials have been slowly starting to revert back to their normal postings but we have to continue to be upset and to continue to speak out against the oppressors whether the big ones (the government,etc.) or the small ones (in ur daily life). ppl want to go back to normal/ be comfortable, but how can they do that when black people are dying.
thank you for giving out information that is genuinely helpful especially on how to be a better ally, since i've been trying to figure out how to do that on this platform! this was a great video and i really do hope more people (esp in the booktube community) sees it
Appreciate you adding to the conversation, Diana 🙏🏾 I'm trying not to be cynical as well. Seeing insular communities like the Mennonites and insular countries like Japan join in the protests, gives me hope for humanity. The pandemic and subsequent economic uncertainty have created a ripe environment for change, as it has forced the world to stop and examine the racial, economic and social systems that enable one country to weather the pandemic better than another. I think society has become numb to gun violence and depictions of gun violence, and that's why the momentum from protests like Ferguson was hard to sustain. Black people being shot by police is just an everyday occurrence in may places, and many non-Black people had no urge to address this issue. But anyone with a conscience who watched the life slowly be crushed out of George Floyd, had to question what kind of systems allow that level of pathological brutality to exist in the first place. It feels like we're at a turning point in history and we need all hands on deck to sustain this momentum and make sure we don't go back to "normal."
Looking forward to your upcoming videos!
I honestly hope this doesn't die down.. it's such an important issue that has been silenced for years, it's interesting that most of the world already knew how PoC were being treated especially the obvious systemic racism towards black people. I've always found it odd that people new about it but sort of turned a blind eye or considered it momentarily as something horrible and then moved on with their lives afterwards.. and only now that it's a global movement and that it's trending people want to speak out about it! What's upsetting is the booktubers especially the more well known ones aren't saying anything on their biggest platform... very interesting..
Anyway! I'm glad a found your channel btw!! I didn't even realise you were from NZ until you mentioned it hehe the kiwi accent is very subtle ;)
I LOVED everything about this video. New subscriber here. It reasonated with me the experiences we both share and I live in the US and you live in New Zealand. All of us are connected
"I understand that I will never understand" drives me insane too. it's well-intentioned but it's like, "what don't you understand? literally TELL ME and I will EXPLAIN." 😂
I hated when everyone was posting the black squares to instagram, with no message attached. like that's cool you're showing support but 1) that required almost no effort to post and 2) you need to actually take action as well and 3) PLEASE SAY SOMETHING IN YOUR OWN WORDS. something, anything! I know so many white people were worried they were going to "say the wrong thing" bc they're so unused to talking about race, but silence is compliance. like, show us how this is personal to YOU. prove to us that you actually really care this time and aren't just doing the newest, easiest, and trendiest thing as a performance. ugh.
I feel it's necessary to point out: it seems to me, sometimes, like some black people don't want white people to understand, or like they resent the fact that they think they _could_ understand. I've heard people say "You'll never understand." "If you're white you can't understand, don't pretend to" etc. Now, to me this is pretty staunchly an open rejection of empathy itself and an encouragement of "otherness." "I don't want your sympathy" seems very closely related to this. Why? What is *so* wrong with sympathy? I get that a big part of the objection is "your sympathy alone doesn't affect anything" but that's not what's being communicated literally, it makes it seem like the other person's natural reaction to the misfortune of others is invalid, and undesirable. Sympathy and empathy inform a desire to help, and rejecting such a powerful, personal motivator is like rejecting the other person themselves, it can feel like saying "I don't need you" which in turn sounds like "I don't need your help" (because they are intertwined) and that makes it *more* jarring when that person is then being told that they obviously don't care enough, and aren't doing enough to help. Well sympathy is a type of caring, and we just threw gasoline on it.
I've seen a ton of these videos just today, and some black booktubers are hearting "I understand that I will never understand" comments. Everyone has a different benchmark for what they consider supportive, or otherwise meaningful and I don't want it to seem like this is my personal experience. But as person who tries to be practiced in empathy, as a storyteller, I can see how this combination of solidarity, pleading, empathy/resentment, indifference, and mistrust can present to some like an irreconcilable hostility. You can see it in the novelty acknowledged by Diana in her encouragement of white voices to speak out. A lot of people feel they're told it's not their turn to speak when serious issues of identity are raised that are not part of their lived experience, and so it can be overwhelming when suddenly silence is taken as complicity in a centuries long crime spree. No group is a monolith, but we are encouraged to see many of them that way, people who struggle with nuance are not going to get that even one _person_ might say two things that sound contradictory and they're going to have to ask, or more likely workout for themselves what sentiment is actually being communicated by the speaker
It is hard for a successful person to understand constant failure and victimhood.
@@cabindweller8454 Really because I'm pretty sure white media at least pretends to be victims ad infinitum
Wonderful video and you covered so much so concisely! And I love that you include concrete examples of ways to help and to CONTINUE to help.
It was really interesting hearing you say you actually want white people to speak up in their own words-I’ve mostly heard from people who want us to promote Black voices and not give our perspective on current events and racism and police brutality (which I definitely understand! We should be listening and not talking). But like you said, it’s important to balance boosting the voices who need it rather than butting in, but also using our platform and privilege to draw attention to issues that matter.
And yes to supporting and reading Black authors all year round! I also feel like specific shoutouts can be a double-edged sword: I don’t want it to feel like “hey subscribe to these people because they’re from a marginalized group!”, but if I just mix them into other shout-outs it’s harder for people to fill their sub box with diverse perspectives like we should be doing.
Yes there are SO many resources out there and I’m so sorry people are treating you like a racism oracle or something!
I’ve definitely realized I tend to gravitate towards fiction by people of color at the expense of nonfiction-though it shouldn’t have taken this to make me realize that.
Thank you for always giving us such thoughtful content, Diana! Hopefully I didn’t ramble too much in this comment. Looking forward to your future videos as always
I found your channel a couple years ago when I was searching for books to read during BHM. While I try to read diversely all year I had a goal of reading books by only black authors of all genres. Finding 15-20 new books by black authors... that my library had... was hard. I mean really hard. However with in the last week book lists are popping up left and right. Its really nice to see these authors and books get the recognition they deserve. I’m in an interracial marriage and my husband and I have had the same conversations of why now... what made this different than all the others... where has everyone been.
Just wanted to let you know I appreciate you and I appreciate your content. Thank you ❤️
It's always so nice to see you on my subscription feed, even though this is a heavy and raw topic. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and CONCRETE things non-BIPOC allies can do, both within the BookTube community and the global community as a whole. As long as diversity is seen as an "extra" step in peoples' reading, voices will continued to be silenced. It's so important that diverse reading be part of consistent reading behavior. Excellent video.
Thank you for sharing a concrete list of steps that we can take to be better allies. (Also, I loved the bit of Twilight shade.)
Thank you for making this video. It really helped me understand more of what non-black peoples should being doing. I think it is funny how other booktubers post information about BLM anywhere but TH-cam. I hope more people can understand that it takes more than online posting to make change and be an alley.
It’s always a pleasure seeing and listening to you Diana. Yes come back for good. Stay safe and strong dear.
Thank you for another excellent video Diana💕💖
The Black community has been through so much shit, and booktube ought to be a place where Black creators can have a safe space. And it definitely says a lot when white or non Black creators say their platform is their safe space or non-political, or feel 'attacked' by peers calling out their silence. Like you said, you can't remove yourself from your experience as a Black woman and it's up to us to stay consistent: staying informed on current events, educating ourselves on Black history, and uplifting Black creatives!
I appreciate your discussion on your experiences and observations on the community.
Take time for your mental health💗
Can't wait for your future video!✨
I'm always glad to see you in my sub box 💞 and i agree with everything you said, i really hope this change will last and that ppl will keep caring and listening.
Hi, Diana, thanks for the suggestions in this video. I have been watching more TH-cam in general recently, and more Booktube in particular. I hear the anger, frustration, and fatigue expressed by more and more black participants, and I think they are justified in not trusting the rest of us. The onus is on the non-black community to prove that we mean what we say, and it's up to each individual if they want to offer their trust or not. It took me a while to sort out some of the messages I have been hearing directed at potential non-black allies on the one hand saying, "Don't subscribe to my channel if all you want me to do is educate you," while others want subscribers as long as the participation is genuine. I have found more black booktubers that read content similar to mine in the last few months than ever. (I have been watching Booktube since 2012, but I've only had a channel for a couple of months.) Sometimes, I don't subscribe because I don't think the creator wants me. I have been commenting more on videos produced by black creators, signing petitions, and listening to forums that discuss race relations. I am also looking for more book recommendations by black authors, and have found some excellent ones. The question in the back of my mind is, if I accept the responsibility to educate myself and seek help or feedback from someone who is black, but that person makes very clear that it's not their job to educate us [white people] then how can we all profit from each other's experience? It's my job to educate myself and evaluate the viewpoints, biases, and information I find, but I will be doing so through my own lens and the people I receive information from. In a better world, the things that make us different wouldn't be the things that divide us, they would be the platforms we have to share our humanity with everyone else, helping us become more enlightened, humble, and empathetic people. These are some of my thoughts, and I thank you for the opportunity to share them here. Please stay safe, and be healthy. Best wishes from California, USA.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. You are pulling so much weight here when it isn’t yours, and I wanted to say thank you for teaching ways to move forward when it’s not your responsibility. You have helped me to better come to terms with and understand some of the difficulties I’ve been experiencing with wanting to amplify the black lives matter movement while not screaming over top of it.
Hi Diana, it's always great to see you posting again. Consistency is key. Thank you for contributing your voice in this booktube conversation.
I had no idea you were based in NZ so very good to hear about the protests there. I agree with your cynicism, it can't just be reposting things on Instagram. Lovely video Diana, as always.
"i actually think it's more important, now more than ever, to hear white voices, and non-black/POC because it takes all of us working together to help this."
yes, ma'am. i'm on it. and thank you, ma'am, for the clarification.
Black people don't fix any problems. Of course black people need non-black people.
Thank you for posting this, I've been meaning to make videos on booktube but with meaning and with encouraging people to take action. After watching this I think I know how to use my privilege as a power for good.
I’m sorry to be so vain but YOU ARE GORGEOUS !! I don’t watch too many booktubers but I realize that I watch mainly black booktubers anyway.
it's really jarring seeing people suddenly "support" the movement since black lives matter's inception ~6 years ago. i'm angry that companies like youtube are only now confronting their downfalls, but i'm also happy that i'm able to watch booktubers like you (even tho i'm hella new to it). i hope you're taking care of your mental health and staying hydrated! 💖
You are so loved and worth it! We love you and we will stand with you! 🥺❤️
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I really liked how you flipped the conversation on those in the white community wanting to be allies. The responsibility of figuring out what that looks like is on the person, not their black friends. It’s a more empowering narrative and calls out any underlying apathy a person might have. I do believe this moment in history is a step forward, but how big of a step forward remains to be seen. For the first time, the technology is there for everyone to see what the black community and communities of color go through every day in real time. Humans are capable of great empathy, and the longer the world’s attention stays engaged with these injustices, the more people will join the cause. I personally will do everything I can to continue this discussion. I look forward to engaging with more of your thoughts in the future.
omg you’re so right about reading books by black authors!! i have a lot of books written by black authors in my TBR pile, but i don’t pick them up 😓 this video pushes me to read those books, and i hope i’ll finish all of them this year ☺️
This is an excellent resource. Thank you 😊
Thank you so much for putting yourself out there and letting your heart be known.
Always brilliant to see another video from you! Especially interesting to hear a bit about the atmosphere in NZ.
I'm cynical about the actual level of investment the people suddenly requesting reading lists when that kind of information has been readily available all along, but I hope I'm wrong and it turns into a genuine long-term shift for them.
Thank you for this video. It was a good reminder to check myself and reevaluate what I've been doing and what I can do better.
Thank you for this video
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and I look forward to your next videos! The book community definitely needs to change and I see more than ever how we can do that individually instead of just promoting book titles.
So eloquently put. I have no idea why this was the one to blow up, why now? You're right there's a lack of genuine-ity and it's more trendy for brownie points. It must be so frustrating. I love how you say you want to hear our own words instead of repeating slogans. It's a white problem where the poc suffer. Words are meaningless if we don't prove it with actions and consistency, long term. Thanks for using your energy for this video. ❤❤
Agree 100% it’s so frustrating to see my friends reposting the same quotes and not voicing their own words and taking it a step further and doing something. It’s one post and then back to their normal social media programming. It’s bull shit. There’s not a lot of effort from some of these “I stand with you” serial posters. Thank you for this video. Hate this part of TH-cam because of everything you said. It’s too whitewashed and no efforts are made to diversity it.
This was so insightful. I have seen in many issues that things reach an exploding point in which things happen, like the ocuppy wall street movement, the me too movement or the extinction rebellion, this was one more and lets hope it stays. I was so stunned when I introduced my black partner to my dad and in the next six months he only talked to me once to tell me not to tell my grandma... I know that is a small thing compared to what the whole black experience is, but I guess that is when it brought home for me how internalized this is...
You're the most genuine an informed booktuber! I am glad you are calling people out on their silence regarding BLM movement.
love the video as always, thank u for sharing 💕 everything you said about the inherent politics of books/booktube is so true, and important for the whole community to take in. looking forward to more videos x
Mr dear I agree with you. I have seen racism for years in the UK but it's all the rage now on the `tube'. I find this why is online movemments fade away too fast as they lack continuity. Remember occupy wall st in 2013 .
Wonderful video! Thank you for your words. I hope people are consistent as well and that true change happens. I will be working on educating myself as I am white, as well as reading more black authors. I haven't been doing nearly enough. Even though I already love to read diversely because i'm queer and disabled so I have to if I want to see parts of myself, picking up books by black authors wasn't something I did on purpose in the same way and I need to fix that. I have so much more to learn and read!
I always love watching you. I agree a hundred percent. And I look forward to your further videos and though I do read diversely I know I don't read a book by a black author each month. So challenge accepted. The surge is good (if genuine) but this is a marathon and not a sprint. Thank you for taking time to talk about this even when it's not your job and you are rightfully tired of the conversation.
I found your channel through Ellias and I am very happy I did.
"why is it suddenly trendy to support black issues and to speak out again racism?"
THANK YOU!
By the way TH-cam finally shows me black content creators on my feed! FINALLY! So I found your channel just like that. Hi. Subscribed.
I'm all for supporting people of all kinds of minorities (I'm blind, biracial, asexual, pagan, adopted... depressed...you name it), I'm here for it, but why is this suddenly a cool thing? I see the hypocrisy. Thank you for saying that. If I say it it's wrong, 'cause I'm not black. So thank you. It's not my imagination.
I mean, its good to share all the resources, it's very good, but this cool wokeness thing is real too.
It's great to see you back although I wish it wouldn't have to be for such an awful reason. Thanks for the great discussion.
Thank you for this video. I appreciate you for this and I’m sending you peace of mind, love and stressless-ness. ❤️♥️
thanks for your courage. i don't have the strength to post about this yet. you inspired me. i'm exhausted too.
I will always be proud of you. Thank you for your words and your thoughts and your life ❤️ love you forever Diana
I agree so much..... it sucks so much.... I kind of also hate when people say ‘i will never understand it fully’ because it just feels like that separates me as POC even more from white people who will NEVER have to experience racism. I really hope BLM is not just a ‘trend’ and that people are actually doing it to change something.
Hi Diana, I’ve just stumbled across your video in the suggested videos section. I agree that books are inherently political. I’m losing track of the number of people I’m unfollowing because of this kind of ignorance. I also get annoyed by the “this is a politics free space” argument from people who I know have discussed elections, environmental issues etc on their platforms. I appreciate you sharing your experience and thoughts on this topic x
You're a very beautiful person inside and out! Speak!
consistency is better than intensity
Thank you for this video. I live in a very small, mostly white town, so what I want to do is teach my students to love everyone, teach them what racism looks like, and try to help give the next generation a better outlook. I don’t want to shut up and stay silent, so I hope that my efforts can make a difference in some way.
Thank you for this video, Diana. I haven't been on Booktube as much this year and completely missed your return. So good to see you again ❤️️
Ughhh the Twilight support is just...a choice. - Rebecca
You brought up some excellent points in this video! Consistency is key and accountability is what we (white people) need to check in with ourselves if we in fact made changes to our reading / booktube engagement / 'wokeness' in everyday situations (speaking up when we witness racism, calling people out etc.). I appreciate that you emphasize that white people need to engage in the conversation and use their own voices (as then it will effect their attitudes and behaviors more). The Baldwin quotation you mentioned really pinned it down.
Hey Diana. I really commend you for making this video. You always share your opinions with such poise and passion that it’s impossible not to stop and take notice.
I’ll share a few thoughts of my own. And, to tell you the truth, I’ve drafted this a couple of times now. I began to wonder why. Am I afraid my words will be seen as insensitive?
I think many white people, myself included, feel conscious of saying the 'right' thing. Nobody wants to be perceived as racist. Nobody wants to feel as though they’re contributing to the oppression of black people. I want to be part of the conversation, but I don’t want to feel as though I’m just regurgitating unhelpful ideas and solutions.
Perhaps that’s why #BlackOutTuesday was so widespread. It spoke to a group of people who wanted to show solidarity but weren’t exactly sure how to express it in words for the fear of adding to the problem. I, myself, have chosen not to post anything on social media thus far for the fear of it appearing ingenuine.
More recently, I’ve wondered if none of that matters. Perhaps it doesn’t matter if Black Lives Matter is ‘trendy’. Maybe it doesn’t matter why someone chooses to get involved or if their content is tiresome. Perhaps the momentum is more important than anything.
For that matter, I really liked some of your suggestions. Consciously seeking out black authors, artists and directors feels like a relevant way to start (although I’m not sure I’ve ever read five books in one month). Beyond this, I’m going to ensure racism doesn’t go unchecked in everyday contexts. And it won’t solve everything; not even close. But, to me, it feels more concrete than quoting Martin Luther King on Instagram.
Let’s talk about it properly the next time we see each other. For now, you’ve got a new subscriber.
Excellent, just excellent!
Thank you for sharing all your thoughts!
Great to hear your thoughts. I am cautiously optimistic that this time we will have meaningful change. Mitt Romney marched and posted Black Lives Matter! I didn’t see that coming. I’m hoping that mobilization here in the US will get the current occupant of the people’s White House out of there in the fall. It’s been encouraging to see worldwide attention and support. Let’s hope in makes a difference this time! I’m working towards that end.
"Educate Yourself" That's so right. We aren't born with an encyclopedic knowledge of racism, if we were, there wouldn't be black Trump supporters. We have to study for years, aware that we may never know everything, but still pushing to learn more, and to continuing to try to see the larger perspective.
This is so helpful! Thank you for making this video. Subscribed
Thank you for this. The last thing I want is for me to come across as hollow. I also know that I have to PROVE my sincerity over time. I am going to do that in my life and on my channel. I also am going to spend A LOT of time privately looking at myself. And looking at my actions and thought patterns to see how I can be a better ally.
Yeah for me its been educational on picking up on the subtler forms of racism that has emboldened me to challenge it, I would never tolerate the N-word around anyone ever, and I think a lot of us would agree that we'd question that before all of this. But now, because dialogues have been a opening up in multiple formats on the issue, diving into every nook and cranny of it; its getting easier and easier to get informed right now. Because before that better understanding I didnt fully understand it well enough to challenge it because I couldn't quite put it to words but it felt wrong.
And yes I totally agree my cynical side makes me question a lot of peoples motives aswell. Its like Pride month when I see a bunch of companies going "look how woke we are, 2 tins of beans for the price 1".
Its shit it took lives to get people talking to eachother about race and our racist history, I feel stupid for not understanding it well enough up until a few months ago, but now we're talking about it i'm understanding it better than ever and I'm here for the long run because if I don't how the hell can I expect others to.
This is encouraging me to make a booktube channel. I'm a history/political science major and I started to take classes and read books about race when the black lives matters movement started in 2013. I think it's about time to use my privilege for good. Reading books at the end of the day, doesn't do anything useful for other people unless I teach people what are actually in those books.
Your skepticism about it being trendy is valid. White people have failed you time and time again. I hope I don't become one of them.
At 2:40 when you asked why now is the support coming. I'll be honest with my answer:
I didn't know it stopped... No one talked about it around me. I mean, I know there were people who still were racist but I didn't know how bad it was until now.
I honestly thought racism wasn't that bad until recently.
And I've woken up.
I never watched the news, I never had anyone talk about anything going on in the world so I was oblivious. I didn't even know of the whole 'white people kill black people' thing until 2 days after the death of Mr. Floyd.
I was BEYOND disgusted. I couldn't believe my eyes or ears and I desperately wanted to help.
Just know that no matter what, I always have and always will support you and everyone else. I had friends who were black and I can't imagine how it must feel but I truly do support you.
Dont let anyone define you by your skin color, be yourself and we're right beside you.
No race should have to be behind the other, we aren't a food chain. We should all be equal and I wish one day racism will completely stop.
For me, I can't do much, I am unable to donate or do something big. But I am working on a poem to give to black people and maybe write a story where the main character is a black woman instead of the black person being a side character.
I'm not 100 percent knowing on the whole situation, but if I find any other way to help (Maybe write a song or more poems) I will do my best to spread the word.
#BlackLivesMatter✊🏻✊🏼✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿
Nicely put. Thank you.
Thanks, Diana.
Hi Diana. I was wondering if you were going to step into this, what is the general feeling like in NZ?
Your cynicism is frustrating to hear... as is my own because *I can't help but wonder the same.* And one of my issues with this on BT is that some creators here do read 'diversely' all year round, but I just don't see many of them _'friend'_ very diversely with their lives and collabs. Some DO walk the walk which is great to see, but others don't. I notice it particularly with some the UK ones, maybe because that's where I am. That's in part where MY cynicism comes from. Anyway, nice to see you despite the circumstances. TFS :)
Oooo I’d definitely love to go into this a bit more. There’s a lot to cover so maybe I should put it into a video? To sum it up there’s definitely an upsurge in support, people are taking to the streets and more conversations about race are happening. But when it comes to racism New Zealand has its own demons to face, as we don’t own up to our racist past nearly as much as we should. The Polynesian panthers, treatment of Asian New Zealand’s and own course the way we commodify our indigenous culture. Even the mosque shootings that happened last year. There’s a wider conversation to be had that’s still on the tip our our tongues. Racism is seen as this thing that doesn’t happen here and that’s dangerous because then we don’t address things that need to be addressed.
@@dianaincolour8414 I'd love to see a dedicated video if that's not too much to ask for. It's because of the issues that I know still effect NZ that made me ask and the fact that any such issues down under seem to get swept under the carpet in much the same they do in any European countries because 'at least it's not like in the US'. As if that is any great feat!
Also, not sure if you can answer this or not, but is the problem in your experience/knowledge less widespread there than it is in Australia? I've seen a number of people recently citing how 'not racist' NZ is compared to Aus (where I also know it's _far_ more rampant than the general public realises and is much more akin to the US because it's history with the Aboriginal peoples) and of course you have PM there who it _seems_ to me on the outside is much more open to dealing with such things than in many other countries where racism is a structural problem... like her in the UK of course.
As an aside, after reading the eye-opening and educational (to me) Terra Nullius by Australian Claire G. Coleman I watch her threads sometimes... and if that is an example of how 'not racist' Australians think they are then they really are nothing less than delusional. I'm still not familiar (yet) with any indigenous NZ authors and that is something I want to rectify before the end of this year.
thank you so much for this :)
lov you sis And I'm from the U.S.
Sis you live in NZ?? Auckland represent!
People asking people to explain their own trauma and oppression to them are just messed up
OhSheReads had a great video about how white guilt is worthless, it's action that matters.
So the question is, are the white people people protesting because they feel guilty and want to alleviate that guilt, or because they believe passionately in dismantling systemic racism? I can't speak for anyone else but myself, but for me it is the latter.
I passionately believe not only in undoing systems of injustice and inequality, but also that the human race's potential can only be realized once we tear down cruel, ignorant divisions that hold us all back. No black child should grow up thinking he or she is "less than" or have to fear for their safety from the authorities. It angers me so much every story I hear--not just the ones where someone ends up dead, but the stories of people going about their day and having an incident that terrifies them. We hear about George Floyd and Breonna Taylor but we don't hear about the countless near-misses, or the individual stories of people locked up for "resisting" when they did nothing to deserve it.
I think there are white people who just want to appear woke or alleviate their guilt, but I also think there are white people who have passionate humanist, anti-racist beliefs and will never stop fighting even when we win.
It must be really hard for a black person to tell sometimes who they can and cannot trust among white allies. Just please know that there are ride or die people out there.
You are a human being who is being oppressed because of something that doesn't make you any less than anyone else (beautiful dark skin). Everyone, of every skin color, should be disgusted and appalled by that. And I will never understand people who aren't.
I'm brown. I feel left out.
Black people deem who is an ally to us. If you come up to me and tell me you're an ally but I don't know anything you've done or how you feel other than what you say, I need to be shown. And if you truly are an ally, you won't get all in your feelings and you'll roll up your sleeves to help.
the idea that books arent political struck me by redicilousness,, we are woke because we are informed and readers are at higher grounds at that,, especially those with voices opinions and platforms..
reading is a human right and thats a political fight and it took politics to make that happen
its the method and catalyst to change,,
so how if ever it isnt politicised,,
i can understand if a youtuber is unlabelled but when it comes to human causes and global issues,, it is his civic duty to speak up and work on it and yes thats political and social
so better do it informed and educated,, and thats the point of books.
thank you
I always felt like book/educated circles should always be political, concerned with the state of the world and humanity's stories. Sadly, in real life I found that it becomes run by pretentious pseudo intellectuals bragging about their big brains and wagging their big book cocks.
Honestly, I got so fucking tired of seeing the "I don't understand, however I stand" type posts, and I am not even black... I feel like most white people are so preoccupied with their "white guilt" and "white privilage" that they forget to actually do the work and help the people that need help right now.
Your a fucking gorgeous baby💓