Tag: social justice

From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry

~ rachelbenzine ~ Leave a comment

Plot:

In 1982, a Chinese American man named Vincent Chen was beaten to death by two white men. Off-duty police officers witnessed the murder. The men pled guilty to manslaughter, had to pay a $3,000 fine, were placed on probation for three years, and served no jail time. From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry is the story of how this terrible tragedy sparked the Asian American movement. I listened to the audiobook, and would highly recommend it in this format.

What I loved most:

Y’all, there’s just so much history that I don’t know about. I’ve been trying to intentionally expand my knowledge base over the last few years, and I have so much to learn. Paula Yoo did a great job in From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry of not only discussing the murder of Vincent Chen, but giving the bigger picture of the general culture at the time. Especially with the rise in hate crimes against Asian American people over the last year… this is a crucial read. Check it out.

Read this book if you like:

Know My Name by Chanel Miller, social justice, #BlackLivesMatter, narrative nonfiction

Book details:

  • Author: Paula Yoo
  • Publisher: Norton Young Readers
  • Date of Publication: April 20, 2021
  • Interest Level: High school students – Adults

Revenge of the Red Club

~ rachelbenzine ~ Leave a comment

Plot:

At Hawking Middle School, after you get your period for the first time, you’re invited to join the Red Club. It’s an after school club that serves as a safe space for girls to support each other through having their periods, and also through all the complexities entailed in the lives of middle school girls. Riley has loved being a member of the club; however, when a parent complains to the school, the club is no longer allowed to meet. Riley and her friends decide to fight for their beloved club to remain open, and try to create a more positive environment in their school while they’re at it.

What I loved most:

Man, at the age these characters are at, having your period is just such a big deal. In our current culture, it’s also so stigmatized. Every woman has hidden a tampon in their sleeve for a walk to the bathroom at one point in their life. Yet periods are a natural thing, and literally half of the world’s population gets periods. I love the concept of girls these age coming together to support one another through this process, and to remove the stigma from this natural bodily process. Also, I’m HERE for teaching kids to advocate for themselves, and to fight for what they think is right. Middle school girls are going to love this book.

Read this book if you like:

Activism, social justice, being proud to be a girl, contemporary fiction

Book details:

  • Author: Kim Harrington
  • Publisher: Aladdin
  • Date of Publication: October 22, 2019
  • Interest Level: 5th – 8th graders

Sisters in Hate

~ rachelbenzine ~ Leave a comment

Plot:

The alt-right, or the white nationalist movement, is the contemporary arm of the movement that has its roots in the KKK and other racist groups. Proponents of this movement proudly proclaim that white people are superior to any other racial or ethnic group, and that America should be for white people only. While men are the primary leaders in this movement, as most white nationalists also believe that men should lead and women should be supporters, women are a key component of the continuing success and growth of the movement. Journalist Seyward Darby introduces readers to three women who have been in the past or are currently white nationalists: Corinna Olsen, Ayla Stewart, and Lana Loketeff.

What I loved most:

I read this shortly after finishing White Fragility (check out my review here), and it was a fascinating juxtaposition. Both books centered around whiteness as a concept, and the question of what it means to be a white person in today’s day and age. It feels vaguely weird to say I loved Sisters in Hate? But honestly, it was one of the most captivating books I have read this year so far. One of my favorite things is to hear from people about why they make the decisions that they make, how their attitudes have formed over the years, and all that other fascinating stuff that makes them who they are. The white nationalist movement is so hardcore, so extreme – and it was fascinating to hear about how these women came to hold such radical beliefs.

Read this book if you like:

Sociology and group dynamics, psychology, anti-racism, doing a deep-dive into people’s thoughts and behaviors

Book details:

  • Author: Seyward Darby
  • Publisher: Little Brown and Company
  • Date of Publication: July 21, 2020
  • Interest Level: Adult
  • Look up Sisters on Hate on WorldCat to find it at a library near you!