Black Lives Matter: Three Week Challenge from Youth Group (Part One)

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By FMCSF Youth Group

The youth group is inviting you all to take part in a three week challenge based around the Black Lives Matter movement. Each week we will send out an email with a new theme and a small activity for everyone to participate in. These activities will be safe and accessible for people to do at home or with minimal contact, as we are mindful of people’s concerns through these times.

Menno Youth 4 Black Lives

This week’s challenge will be an opportunity to educate ourselves on the Black Lives Matter movement and the history surrounding it. The youth group has composed a list of books and movies, with links, based on our own or other’s recommendations. We are asking that all of you take a little bit of time out of your week to read or watch at least one of these.

Movies:
  • 13th  : Documentary analyzing the criminalization of African Americans in the US. Found on Netflix
  • Fruitvale Station: The Oscar Grant story. Found on Amazon Prime Video
  • Selma: Surrounds MLK’s movement, Found on Amazon Prime Video
  • Do the Right Thing: Comedy Drama produced/Written/Directed by Spike Lee about police brutality. Found on Amazon Prime Video
  • Rest in Power: the Trayvon Martin Story: Documentary series about the killing of Trayvon Martin. Found on Amazon Prime Video
  • Get Out: Horror film by Jordan Peele that deals with the concept of race. Found on Amazon Prime Video
  • The Hate U Give: Movie about a teenage girl who loses her friend to police brutality. Found on Amazon Prime Video
  • Remember the Titans: True story about a newly nonsegregated football team, good for families. Found on Disney+
  • Reconstruction: Docu-series about America after the civil war relating to race. Found on PBS
  • Just Mercy: Movie about African American defence attorney working to free inmates on death row. Found on Amazon Prime Video
  • Blindspotting: Movie based in Oakland about gentrification and police brutality. Found on Amazon Prime video.
  • Becoming: Family-friendly documentary about Michelle Obama’s life and message. Found on Netflix
Books (all pretty common but still very important at this time): 
For the books we recommend downloading a digital or audio version, borrowing from a friend, or buying from a local new/used bookstore in order to save resources. If you own any of these books or others and would like to offer to lend them that would be very much appreciated 😉
  • Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race : Author Reni Eddo-Lodge talks about the history of racism up to the ongoing battle of wealth inequality and other racist forms of oppression. Found on Amazon, Amazon kindle, and Audible
  • When they call you a terrorist: Written by one of the founders of the Black Lives Matter movement, Patrisse Khan-Cullors and Asha Bendele about the continued need for activism in America. Found on  Amazon, Amazon kindle, and Audible
  • The New Jim Crow: Author Michelle Alexander talks about the way the criminal justice system, along with many other factors are built to keep Black People in a second class status in America.  Found on  Amazon, Amazon kindle, and Audible.
  • White Fragility: Robin J. DiAngelo describes defensive behaviors of white people when confronted with the issue of racism and how it differs resolvement.  Found on  Amazon, Amazon kindle, and Audible.
  • How to be an Antiracist: Ibram X. Kendi explains how denial is essential to racism and self-awareness and criticization is required to be an active antiracist.  Found on  Amazon, Amazon kindle, and Audible.
Books for younger audiences:
  • The Hate U give: Written by Angie Thomas about a teenage girl who loses her friend to police brutality, better for a younger audience.  Found on  Amazon, Amazon kindle, and Audible.
  • All American Boys: Jason Reynolds and co-author Brenden Keily follow the perspectives of a black teen who experiences police brutality and a white boy the same age. Found on  Amazon, Amazon kindle, and Audible.
  • Dear Martin: Author Nic Stone writes about a Black Teen who’s best friend is killed by the cops and is then portrayed in the media as the one to blame. Found on  Amazon, Amazon kindle, and Audible.
  • Anger is a Gift: Written by Mark Oshiro, black Oakland teenager Moss is faced with tragedy when his father is shot and killed by police and he has to learn how to handle the anger he is left with. Found on  Amazon, Amazon kindle, and Audible.
  • Stamped: Jason Reynolds in the Author of this rewritten version of Stamped for kids, adapted from Ibram X. Kendi’s original “Stamped” a book on racism and antiracism.

If you don’t have time to read any of these books we also have a few options for book talks and articles from some of these authors:

I am sure many of you have read these books or watched these movies but hopefully there is something here for everyone. We hope you all use this opportunity because there is always more to learn. We look forward to continuing this challenge with you all. The next two activities will be a little more interactive but we encourage you to engage in conversation around these topics with family or other community members.

Lots of love to all of you,

Twyla, Patrick, and the Youth Group

 

1 thought on “Black Lives Matter: Three Week Challenge from Youth Group (Part One)”

  1. Pingback: Black Lives Matter: Three Week Challenge from Youth Group (Part Three) | Mennos By The Bay

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