Book review: Do the work! The Anti-Racist Activity Book’ will help you do this | Way of life

You’re out of energy, out of ideas, out of motivation, you’re completely exhausted from everything you’ve been doing lately. Seeing racism, fighting against inequality, speaking out against it, fighting for your friends and family all take a toll, and if you’re just tired, you need something to help you focus. You need to “Do the work!” W. Kamau Bell and Kate Schatz to energize you.

So you’re fighting racism and at the moment you’re just “exhausted” by it all. This process isn’t easy, and eliminating racism won’t happen overnight, but take a breath. This book is designed to help you in many ways. Sure it will help white people, but it’s also for anyone who needs ideas to fix what’s broken.

The first thing to do is talk about it. Discussing racism and why white people do it and black people do it can seem scary, but the conversation helps to clear the mind and foster understanding. It also helps to clear the air if you speak respectfully.

Do you know your privileges? If you’re white, you probably grew up not even realizing you had it – but you do. Admitting it is hard – after all, it’s what benefits you – and “checking your privilege” is necessary before moving forward. You also want to know that the privileges are changeable.

Learn to spot racism when it’s hidden, because what you see every day is “just the tip of the iceberg.” Remember, if you hate history, you “hate history class!” Meet some heroes who have already “done the work”. Learn how Jim Crow laws and redlining worked to reinforce racism in the last century and how gerrymandering is doing it now. Make a protest sign, play a few games, take a quiz or two, color in a page with a marker or pencil. Know the history of the police

Black people. “Get dirty” by being an ally. Remember that you will make mistakes and “may not win”.

Seriousness of topic and effort aside, “Do the work!” actually a very fun book. Authors W. Kamau Bell and Kate Schatz use humor, facts, and (careful!) four-letter words to get their point across, but this book also offers a break from anti-racist work in the form of a relaxing game, quiz, space to draw or fill in the blanks, note slots and cognitive games.

However, that doesn’t make it fluffy. Surrounding the fun and games are solid words that white people and their allies need to read, ideas to ponder and statements that will make you cringe, presented haphazardly with an invitation to dip in and out at will. Despite​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​occasional​​​​​​​​

Judging by the swearing and other language alone, this workbook is intended for older teens and adults only. You can take small children with you on the trip, but “Do the work!” this is the book you want to keep them away from.