Antiracism Resources for Allies
Address your biases so you can be a better scientist and help dismantle white supremacy
Below is a scaffolding of anti-racism resources to facilitate growth for allies and, eventually, accomplices for anti-racist work.
As you explore these resources, try to purchase books directly from authors or local bookstores, especially those owned by Black people, Indigenous people, or people of color (BIPOC). Note that the stages below are cyclical and often overlap. Recognize that growth is continual, and you may need to revisit previous stages.

Stage 1
- I don’t intentionally or consciously act in racist ways.
- I mostly talk to people who look and think like me.
Take Action:
Read and listen to resources created by BIPOC. Financially compensate them for educating you.
Increase exposure to real-world experiences that make your whiteness and the privilege that comes with it apparent.
Stage 2
- I understand racism is a problem, but I don’t see my role in ending it.
- I am uncomfortable talking about race and feel guilty for having privilege.
Take Action:
Stay engaged! Sit with your feelings and don’t let discomfort stop you.
Notice your actions and inactions around race-related issues. Continue to educate yourself about racial inequality and bias.
Stage 3
- I get defensive about my biases and knowledge gaps.
- I want to speak up on behalf of marginalized people, but I’m afraid to make a mistake.
Take Action:
Mistakes will happen because you are human! Correct yourself and remember this work is hard, but necessary.
Review this graph and reflect on your own behaviors and beliefs with curiosity and open-mindedness.
Stage 4
- I hear feedback from a place of curiosity and hold myself accountable.
- I use my privilege to step in the way of racism and actively work against systems of oppression.
Take Action:
Advocate for racial justice. Have conversations about privilege and oppression.
Relinquish power, resources, verbal and physical space, visibility, etc. and redistribute it to BIPOC communities, professionals, etc.
STEM-specific resources
Stage 1
- NEW! 60+ Free STEM Resources and Opportunities for BIPOC, AAPIs, and Allies by Columbia Engineering
- AAAS’ Talking About Leaving Revisited
- “Oscar-nominated ‘Hidden Figures’ and the ongoing legacy of overlooked contributions in STEM” by Heather Metcalf
- Modern Figures podcast
- IF/THEN Collection (Photo and video assets)
Stage 2
- “Science must clean up its act” by Heather Metcalf
- “Intersectionality: A Critical Framework for STEM Equity” by Heather Metcalf, Aspen Russell, and Rochelle Williams
- “Creating a shared vocabulary: Intersectionality” by Chanda Prescod-Weinstein
- Transforming STEM Leadership Culture by Aspen Russell and Heather Metcalf
Stage 3
- Science and Social Inequality: Feminist and Postcolonial Issues by Sandra Harding
- “What I wanted when I called for a Strike for Black Lives” by Chanda Prescod-Weinstein
- Picture a Scientist
- The Chicana Motherwork Anthology by Cecilia Caballero et al
- Objectivity and Diversity: Another Logic of Scientific Research by Sandra Harding
- The Courageous Scientist podcast by Kate Clancy
Stage 4
- Supporting Faculty During & After COVID-19: Don’t Let Go of Equity by Leslie D. Gonzales and Kimberly Griffin
- Recreating Wakanda by promoting Black excellence in ecology and evolution, by Christopher J. Schell, Cylita Guy, Delia S. Shelton, Shane C. Campbell-Staton, Briana A. Sealey, Danielle N. Lee & Nyeema C. Harris in Nature.
- “Combating Systemic Racism in Higher Education: An Open Letter to STEM from Faculty of Color” authored by Paul H. Barber and tyrone B hayes (and signed by hundreds of faculty of color)
- AWIS Public Policy Resources and Advocacy Webinars by Aspen Russell
Articles and Toolkits
Stage 1
- NEW! Pandemics: A history of discrimination by Shailesh Sharma
- White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack by Peggy McIntosh
- “Walking While Black” by Garnette Cadogan
- Working from Home While Black by Laura Morgan Roberts and Courtney L. McCluney
- The long, ugly history of anti-Asian racism and violence in the US by Gillian Brockwell
- Asian American Women Have Never Been Truly Safe by Christine Liwag Dixon
- If You’re Surprised by the Anti-Asian Violence in Atlanta, You Haven’t Been Listening. It’s Time to Hear Our Voices by Eric Nam
Stage 2
- NEW! Antiracism Toolkit for Organizations by the Coalition for Diversity and Inclusion in Scholarly Communications
- NEW! Antiracism Toolkit for Allies by the Coalition for Diversity and Inclusion in Scholarly Communications
- Harvard’s Implicit Association Test on race
- What is White Privilege, Really? By Cory Collins
- How to Be a Better Ally to Your Black Colleagues by Stephanie Creary
Stage 3
- “The Uses of Anger: Women Responding to Racism” by Audre Lorde
- “When Feminism is White Supremacy in Heels” by Rachel Elizabeth Cargle
- “White Women Doing White Supremacy in Non-Profit Culture” by Heather Lane Talley
- “Confronting racism is not about the needs and feelings of white people” by Ijeoma Oluo
Stage 4
- “Restorative Justice in the Workplace” by Ellie Mejia
- 20 Things Allies Can Do Right Now
- The 7 Hallmarks of an Antiracist Organization by Tiffany Jana
Books
Stage 1
- Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria by Beverly Tatum
- The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin (related teaching guide here)
- Freedom is a Constant Struggle by Angela Davis
- A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn
- A Black Women’s History of the United States by Daina Ramey Berry and Kali Nicole Gross
- An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
Stage 2
- killing rage: ending racism by bell hooks
- White Guys on Campus by Nolan Cabrera
- Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram Kendi
- Borderlands/La Frontera by Gloria Anzaldua
Stage 3
- Me and White Supremacy by Layla F Saad
- When They Call You A Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir by Patrisse Khan-Cullors and Asha Bandele
- We Want to do More Than Survive by Bettina Love
- So You Want to Talk About Race? by Ijeoma Oluo
- The Body is Not An Apology by Sonya Renee Taylor
Stage 4
- Why I No Longer Talk to White People about Race by Reni Eddo-Loge
- No More Heroes: Grassroots Challenges to the Savior Mentality by Jordan Flaherty
- Pleasure Activism by Adrienne Maree Brown
Podcasts
Stage 1
- 1619 by the New York Times
Stage 2
- Intersectionality Matters by Kimberlé Crenshaw and the African American Policy Forum
- “How to Be an Anti-racist” by Brené Brown + Ibram X. Kendi
- Pod Save the People with DeRay Mckesson
- Silence is Not an Option with Don Lemon
Stage 3
- Racist Sandwich
- “Side Effects of White Women” (Small Doses with Amanda Seales)
- “Well Meaning White People” (Smartest Person in the Room)
- All My Relations by Matika Wilbur and Adrienne Keene
- “A Decade on Watching Black People Die” (Code Switch)
Stage 4
- Cite Black Women by the Cite Black Women Collective
- Intersectionality Matters by Kimberle Crenshaw and the African American Policy Forum
Videos
Stage 1
- “How I’m fighting bias in algorithms” TEDTalk by Joy Buolamwini
- Texts to Table: A Conversation About Race and Leadership
- Asian Americans (PBS)
- Sandra Oh’s speech at Stop Asian Hate rally in Pittsburgh
Stage 2
- The urgency of intersectionality TEDTalk by Kimberle Crenshaw
- “Why Are White People So Bad at Talking About Race?” – short video summarizing the book by Robin DiAngelo
Note: Adapted from Scaffolded Anti-racist Resources compiled by A. Stamborski, N. Zimmermann, and B. Gregory at University of Minnesota Crookston.

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