Beyond Fragility: A Skills-Based Guide to Effective Anti-Racist Allyship - Softcover

Mekawi, Yara; Watson-Singleton, Natalie; Dawson, Danyelle

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1962305066 ISBN 13: 9781962305068

Publisher: Bridge City Books, 2024

Synopsis

Anti-racism work cannot be reduced to a single checklist of “dos” and “don’ts.”

As society shifts its perspective on true allyship―moving from being “not racist” to “anti-racist”―White allies are being called upon to actively work toward changing the status quo. However, the vast majority of resources on this topic emphasize educating allies about anti-racism without teaching them how to actually do anti-racism work. This leaves well-meaning allies feeling stuck, frustrated, and afraid of getting it wrong.

Beyond Fragility fills this undeniable gap by providing you with a concrete, step-by-step approach to effective anti-racism allyship. Filled with case examples, guided reflections, and skill-building exercises, this book provides you with the skills to:

• Understand and avoid common mishaps in anti-racist work, such as misunderstanding what racism is, not knowing how to recognize racism, or not having a clear anti-racist identity
• Cope with intense emotions like guilt, fear, hopelessness, and anger that may arise when discussing racism and privilege
• Navigate complex interpersonal interactions, whether it’s validating the experiences of BIPOC peers, recovering from a racist misstep, or speaking out against racist comments

Anti-racist allyship is not an innate essence―nor is it something you were born knowing how to do. But with the tools in this book, you can learn new skills that allow you to engage in impactful and sustainable allyship in every space you occupy.

About this title

About the Author

Yara Mekawi, PhD, is a licensed psychologist, co-founder of the DEAR project, and assistant professor at the University of Louisville. She earned her PhD in clinical-community psychology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Her work focuses on examining racial discrimination and racial prejudice at the intersection of affect and cognition. She is interested in the assessment and integration of anti-racism and social justice oriented practices within organizations and the implementation of interventions designed to effectively dismantle White supremacy at individual, cultural, and systemic levels.

Edition details

• Publisher: Bridge City Books
• Publication date: 2024
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1962305066
• ISBN 13: 9781962305068
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 282