A collection of creative resources in support of Black Lives Matter

Over the last few weeks many people have taken to the streets across the US, the UK and other parts of the world in protest of racial abuse and inequality that has led to the death of many and left countless fearing for their lives. The situation has become impossible to turn a blind eye to these events happening in our own cities.

Marvel stands in solidarity with black communities around the world against racism, white supremacy, discrimination, injustice and oppression. ⁠We also recognise that we can all do better. Going forward we will use our marketing channels to feature profiles and talent of BIPOC designers and from BAME backgrounds on a more regular basis - if you are interested in being featured, please leave your details in our Typeform. As we build awareness into our company culture, we will also have themed months open for discussion and learning.

Movements such as the Black Lives Matter and others are often embraced and empowered in times of tragedy, but it shouldn’t just be the only time that we should explore and seek an understanding of the persistent victimhood of people of colour. These events shouldn’t be moments as this implies that they are far more fleeting than actuality.

If you’re looking to expand your education and or improve your allyship, we’ve rounded up some resources that offer explanations and observations from every angle.

Books

There is something powerful about long-form storytelling that you can’t get from any other medium. If you are looking to order any books, we recommend that you shop from small and independent bookstores as opposed to buying from Amazon or larger chains, in light of the COVID-19 crisis. The African American Literature Book Club has an extensive list of black owned bookstores in the US. If you live in the UK, then have a look at Stylist’s or Bustle’s lists of bookstores. If ebooks or audiobooks are more your thing then try Kobo or your local library.

• Between the World and Me | Ta-Nehisi Coates
  Coates weaves a personal narrative with reportage to explain racism in America - in history and as it exists today.
• Breathe: A Letter to My Sons | Imani Perry
  An autobiography that explores coming of age as a Black person in current-day American and speaks of the challenges of parenting black children in an unjust world.
• Hood Feminism | Mikki Kendall
  A collection of critical essays that explores modern day feminist movement, its blind spots and its failure to secure equality for all women.
• How to be an Antiracist | Ibram X. Kendi
  An instruction manual explaining why being neutral is not an option and to stand against racism, we have to be actively anti racist.
• Me and White Supremacy | Layla F. Saad
  An engaging book that takes readers on a journey of the many layers of white supremacy. It presents each chapter in bite-sized lessons which the readers can reflect and engage in essential conversations with friends and family members.
• When They Call You a Terrorist | Patrisse Khan-Cullors, Asha Bandele
  A poetic and powerful memoir about the founding of Black Lives Matter - a movement that demands justice for all.

Articles

• Guide to Allyship | Amélie Lamont
• How to Build Inclusive Culture | Nicole Sanchez
• 10 Steps to Non-Opical Allyship | Mireille Cassandra Harper
• What does sponsorship look like? | Lara Hogan
• “Social Justice 101” | Erika Hart
• Anti-Racist Resource Guide | Victoria Alexander
• Design as Protest | De Nichols and Bryan Lee
• Anti-Racist Classroom | Students at the Art Centre College of Design
• Graphic designers share illustrations in supporting BLM | Dezeen

Podcasts

• Code Switch | Online, Apple, Spotify, Google
  Hosted by journalists of colour Gene Demby and Shereen Marisol Meraji, NPR’s weekly “Code Switch” show explores how race plays a role in everything from beauty ideals to networking.
• Co-Conspired Conversations | Online, Apple, Spotify, iHeart Radio
  Hosted by Myisha T, a mental health activist and author, who sits down with white guests; mothers, community leaders, entrepreneurs and more to have a candid and revealing discussion about the guest’s own relationship with privilege, racism and power.
• Seeing White | Online
  This 14-episode series is led by John Biewen and regular guest Dr. Chenjerai Kumanyika. They dive into the construction and meaning of whiteness, and topics like the structural innovations upon which American slavery was built, as well as those who have claimed to have proof of racist hierarchies. The show comes equipped with a downloadable study guide full of questions for conversation and discussion.
• Pod Save the People | Online, Apple, Spotify, Google
  A weekly podcast led by DeRay Mckesson and fellow activists Brittany Packnett Cunningham, Sam Sinyangwe and writer Dr. Clint Smith to tackle overlooked issues that impact people of colour.
• “1619” | Online
  A six-part series hosted by Nikole Hannah-Jones who talks about how slavery has transformed America, complete with suggested readings per episode.
• The Stoop | Online, SoundCloud
  Journalists Leila Day and Hana Baba discuss with guests cultural commonalities but also celebrates and protects Black joy.
• Hear to Slay | Luminary
  Filled Black feminist perspectives on everything from pop culture to politics. Tressie McMillan Cottom, PhD and co-host writer Roxane Gay chat about what livability looks like for Black women across America.

Films

Cinema is an incredible visual method for education and connection, with each of the films below visual feasts for all the senses.

• I Am Not Your Negro | 2016 Dir. Raoul Peck
  Based on James Baldwin’s unfinished manuscript ‘Remember This House’, this film documents his life and work. His work had a depth of perception to dismantle the racial assumptions of America and the English language.
• Do the Right Thing | 1989 Dir. Spike Lee
  The film feels as relevant as ever with its eerily similar and heartbreaking storyline to the present day killing of George Floyd, ultimately urging us all to step up and do the right thing.
• The Colour Purple | 1986 Dir. Steven Spielberg
  Based on Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 1982 novel, this is an all star classic where a young Oprah and Whoopi show us what it was like to be Black and female in early 20th Century America.
• Black Girl | 1966 Dir. Ousmane Sembène
  The film is shot in stark monochromatic tones and resonates equally as a vivid character study and commentary on the inequalities of power relations between cultures.

Resources

• Black Illustrations
  A series of free digital designs of black people for your next online project.
• Black Who Design
  A directory of inspiring Black designers in the industry.
• 28 Days of Black Designers
  A design project that focuses on the stories and work of African American/Black designers.
• People of Craft
  A growing showcase of creatives of colour and their crafts.
• Women Who Design
  A directory of accomplished women in the design industry.
• Queer Design Club
  A community of LGBTQ+ designers can celebrate queer contributions to the design industry and visual culture.
• Proporti.onl
  This tool will help check the ratio of people you follow on Twitter to help diversify your feed.
• The Do-Gooders
  A directory of 40+ black-owned and black-managed sustainable brands helping you find ethical alternatives
• Black Type Designers & Foundry Owners
• Racial Justice Bookshelf
  Created to make it easy to find and buy anti-racist books from Black-owned bookstores.
• UK Black Creatives Database
• AAGD.co
  African American Graphic Designers
• Harvard Implicit Association Test (IAT)
  A tool that allows each of us to discover hidden cognitive biases
• Tonl
  An extensive collection of stock imagery displaying images of diverse people and their stories around the world
• Nappy
  Created to make it easy for companies to be purposeful about representation in their designs, presentations, and advertisements. Nappy provides beautiful, high-res photography of black and brown people.
• Fuse
  An inclusive platform elevating the voices and work from creatives of colour; dedicated to creating change.

Here are a few other design places that have their own resource list:

• Eyes on Design
• It’s Nice That
• Booooooom
• Creative Review

By no means is this a complete list but if you know of other resources; book, podcast, film or article that we should include then let us know via Twitter and we’ll update the list.