A Guide to Anti-Racism in MENA and Beyond
Disclaimer before you start reading: the content on this page is lengthy, which means that you can easily get lost amidst the lines. Keep in mind, that you don’t have to consume all this information all at once, instead, create an action plan. Start by reading at this moment, take a break, then continue reading before you go to bed for instance. When you find yourself scrolling mindlessly through social media, know that you can come back here. It is important for you to pay attention as you read, and that’s why you should explore these resources slowly, thoroughly and with a pure intention of taking action in any way possible. Be the change you would like to see.
Illustration by @nouriflayhan on Instagram
Awareness:
“If you stick a knife in my back nine inches and pull it out six inches, there’s no progress. If you pull it all the way out that’s not progress. Progress is healing the wound that the blow made. And they haven’t even pulled the knife out, much less heal the wound. They won’t even admit the knife is there.”
Targeted discrimination towards Black folk all around the world is a timeless issue. The most recent events bring us to the United States where the senseless violence directed towards Black communities, from the murder of George Floyd to that of Tony McDade, has sparked international outrage, as it should.
It is okay to feel angry, to feel pain, to feel helpless, to feel confused. Acknowledge your feelings. Acknowledge the struggle. Empathize. With all the responsibilities that life brings, you, as a human being, are responsible for upholding justice at all times.
What is important to fully take into consideration right now is that racism is not a Western phenomena; it is a hateful, violent construct that transcends borders and languages. It is a tool for division and stratification that has no place in our communities in the past, future or present.
Below is a guide that we’ve put together for your access and browsing. Acknowledging our MENA base, we thought it was crucial for us to include voices of Black Arabs and individuals in the region and beyond as well. If there are any valuable resources you think we should add, or think people should look at and read, kindly reach out! You can do that via email, Twitter or Instagram.
In this time, and for as long as you live, we urge you to look, listen, observe, absorb, acknowledge, and act.
@cosmicgirlco via Instagram
2. Learning:
“You are personally responsible for becoming more ethical than the society you grew up in.”
The key to gaining a better understanding of this issue could be a google search away. Perhaps in a book, a podcast, a documentary, a blog post or an article. Revise your intentions, and make it your mission to understand the history and roots of racism. Read about the struggles. Empathize and listen to the Black folk around you. Ensure that Black voices lead the conversation as you learn. Racism is a complex system of social and political levers and pulleys set up generations ago to continue working on the behalf of whites at other people’s expense[1], and to make the effort and educate ourselves on this matter is crucial. It is what it means to be human.
Here are some useful resources that will aid your learning process (you are not limited to these resources though, search furiously):
PLATFORMS:
“An online and print publication committed to sharing perspectives from women and non-binary people of colour.”
“A platform dedicated to strengthening the Sudanese community through education and conversation.”
“Sisi is an independent lifestyle and culture magazine that caters to the Black female diaspora. Based in Toronto, ON, our focus is on the intersection of race, gender, and culture.”
“SUNU: Journal of African Affairs, Critical Thought + Aesthetics is an independent, Pan-African, post-disciplinary, global, multimedia platform founded in 2015. The word “sunu” comes from the Senegalese dialect Wolof, and it means ‘our.’ SUNU Journal publishes original, transtemporal works of various themes, forms and ideas dealing with Africa and the Diaspora.”
“Black-Owned UAE makes it easier for you to discover local Black-owned Businesses in UAE to support.”
“This is Lebanon (TIL), a project of Domestic Workers Unite (DWU), is a project run by a coalition of former domestic workers and activists demanding the protection of migrant domestic workers, and an end to labour exploitation and abuse, with the aim to effectively end government-sanctioned, modern-day slavery in Lebanon.”
“ASHAMED is a volunteer-based digital magazine for people of colour everywhere to be loud, proud and rebellious. This publication is for people of colour to write freely without the restrictions of whiteness, a space that we don’t have to struggle to break into.”
“A safe space for Black communities to heal, thrive & self-actualize.”
Via @sunujournal on Instagram. Final stanza from poem titled “What’s In Loving A Land? (To The Young Man Who Asked)” by Ghanaian writer and poet, Moshood
IMPORTANT READS:
(Research papers can be accessed on proquest or an academic library portal)
Bookmark this: What should we do with videos of police brutality?
A Global Perception on Contemporary Slavery in the Middle East North Africa Region, study by Kimberly Anne Pavlik. Walden University
Slavery and the Historiography of Non-Muslims in the Medieval Middle East. Weitz, Lev. International Journal of Middle East Studies; Cambridge Vol. 49, Iss. 1, (Feb 2017)
Geographies of Liberation: The Making of an Afro-Arab Political Imaginary. Prashad, Vijay. The American Historical Review; Oxford Vol. 120, Iss. 4, (Oct 2015)
Black Africa and the Arabs. Mazrui, Ali A.Foreign Affairs (pre-1986); New York Vol. 53, Iss. 000004, (Jul 1975)
What Does the Slave Trade in the Saqaliba Tell Us about Early Islamic Slavery? Jankowiak, Marek.International Journal of Middle East Studies; Cambridge Vol. 49, Iss. 1, (Feb 2017)
Between Eastern Africa and Western India, 1500–1650: Slavery, Commerce, and Elite Formation. Subrahmanyam, Sanjay.Comparative Studies in Society and History; Cambridge Vol. 61, Iss. 4, (Oct 2019)
BOOKS:
Non-fiction
The Call of Bilal: Islam in the African Diaspora by Edward E Curtis
“How do people in the African diaspora practice Islam? While the term "Black Muslim" may conjure images of Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali, millions of African-descended Muslims around the globe have no connection to the American-based Nation of Islam. The Call of Bilal is a penetrating account of the rich diversity of Islamic religious practice among Africana Muslims worldwide. Covering North Africa and the Middle East, India and Pakistan, Europe, and the Americas, Edward E. Curtis IV reveals a fascinating range of religious activities--from the observance of the five pillars of Islam and the creation of transnational Sufi networks to the veneration of African saints and political struggles for racial justice.”[2]
Race and Slavery in the Middle East by Bernard Lewis
“Race and Slavery in the Middle East illuminates the legacy of slavery in the region where it lasted longest, from the days of warrior slaves and palace eunuchs and concubines to the final drive for abolition. Illustrated with outstanding reproductions of striking artwork, it casts a new light on this critical part of the world, and on the nature and interrelation of slavery and racial prejudice.” [3]
Illuminating the Darkness: Blacks and North Africans in Islam by Habeeb Akande
“Illuminating the Darkness critically addresses the issue of racial discrimination and colour prejudice in religious history. Tackling common misconceptions, the author seeks to elevate the status of Black individuals and North Africans in Islam. The book is divided into two sections: Part l of the book explores the concept of race, Blackness', slavery, interracial marriage and racism in Islam in the light of the Qur'an, Hadith and early historical sources. Part ll of the book consists of a compilation of short biographies of noble Black and North African Muslim men and women in Islamic history including Prophets, Companions of the Prophet and more recent historical figures.” [4]
Slavery and Abolition in the Ottoman Middle East by Ehud R. Toledan
“In an attempt to humanize the narrative and take it beyond the plane of numbers, tables and charts, Toledano examines the situations of individuals representing the principal realms of Ottoman slavery, female harem slaves, the sultan s military and civilian kuls, court and elite eunuchs, domestic slaves, Circassian agricaultural slaves, slave dealers, and slave owners. Slavery and Abolition in the Ottoman Middle East makes available new and significantly revised studies on nineteenth-century Middle Eastern slavery and suggests general approaches to the study of slavery in different cultures.” [5]
The Autobiography of Malcolm X, with the assistance of Alex Haley
“Through a life of passion and struggle, Malcolm X became one of the most influential figures of the 20th Century. In this riveting account, he tells of his journey from a prison cell to Mecca, describing his transition from hoodlum to Muslim minister. Here, the man who called himself "the angriest Black man in America" relates how his conversion to true Islam helped him confront his rage and recognize the brotherhood of all mankind. [6]
Fiction
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
“A powerful cultural touchstone of modern American literature, The Color Purple depicts the lives of African American women in early twentieth-century rural Georgia. Separated as girls, sisters Celie and Nettie sustain their loyalty to and hope in each other across time, distance and silence. Through a series of letters spanning twenty years, first from Celie to God, then the sisters to each other despite the unknown, the novel draws readers into its rich and memorable portrayals of Celie, Nettie, Shug Avery and Sofia and their experience. The Color Purple broke the silence around domestic and sexual abuse, narrating the lives of women through their pain and struggle, companionship and growth, resilience and bravery. Deeply compassionate and beautifully imagined, Alice Walker's epic carries readers on a spirit-affirming journey towards redemption and love.”[7]
Beloved by Toni Morrison
“Beloved is a 1987 novel by the American writer Toni Morrison. Set after the American Civil War (1861–65), it is inspired by the life of Margaret Garner, an African American who escaped slavery in Kentucky in late January 1856 by crossing the Ohio River to Ohio, a free state. Captured, she killed her child rather than have her taken back into slavery.” [8]
FILM:
In this medium in particular, it is important to emphasise on movies that portray Black joy as opposed to Black trauma, a theme that is so often portrayed in films. To learn more about what we mean exactly check out this article: https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/8895v4/black-trauma-films-media-racism, which also includes films you could watch.
MULTIMEDIA:
Angela Davis Speaks!, an album by Angela Davis on Spotify
The Best of Speeches, an album by Malcolm X on Spotify
Racism, Colourism and Favouritism in Arabia, Colette Dalal Tchantcho
The Danger of a Single Story by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
TRL Talks: The Podcast by The Retro Liaison
Public Sumou Announcement by Sumou Mag: PSA (ft. Furqan Mohammed): Freedom Is a Constant Struggle by Angela Davis
Via @lamaelamine on Instagram, taken by Dar al Mussawir
3. Questioning:
“[They will be asked], “What is [wrong] with you? Why do you not help each other?”
Now is the time to reflect on our actions and intentions. How can we apply this knowledge to our daily lives? How can we continue to educate ourselves and those around us about this issue? How can our words and actions contribute to the cause and stop the senseless violence? How can we utilize our anger to serve the better good? How does our silence affect the oppressed?
To be able to formulate the right questions that push us to act is crucial. It is also a continuous process that is present in all stages of our lives. It is a skill that can be improved through consistency. Now ask yourself:
How can I help?
4. Acting:
Via @blackarabscollective on Instagram
How can you actively work to dismantle systems of oppression in your community?
Be vocal. If you see your racist uncle make a bigoted remark, call him out. Ensure that racism and hate has no place in your own circle, and educate others around you to apply that to their daily life.
Share these resources, or the plethora of resources that individuals all across social media are creating and sharing, with those around you. Knowledge is power.
Think of ways you can organize or make improvements in the communities you are a part of:
For example: let’s imagine you are a student at high school or college. It is likely that your curriculums are very euro-centric or are white-washed. Work with the students around you to urge a change in that system. Work to integrate the work of Toni Morrison, Angela Davis, Mahmoud Darwish, Arundhati Roy in your literature classes. In your science classes, petition that the work and theories of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour) are a part of your lectures. Start a club. Make a speech. Be creative.
Social media has become a very important tool in making sure important information is shared, free of the bias of large-scale media conglomerates. Share important knowledge that you see with your social media community.
Donate! There are so many individuals and organizations that need our support right now.
Sign some petitions! If you are MENA-based, some websites might not function for you, for example change(dot)org. However, scroll through the lists and check those with different addresses. They’ll take you a couple of seconds and their impact will be tremendous.
Do not harass the Black people in your social circles demanding for reading lists and asking a flurry of questions in relation to racism. It is your duty to do research and to figure out clear answers for yourself. “Black people deserve a moment’s peace to scroll, thoughtlessly, without being asked to fix the world yet again.” — Rachel Charlene in her article about the rising rates of White people DMing Black individuals on Instagram, demanding for book lists via her article.
More than anything, the call for action is not something to do periodically. Do not limit your act for justice and freedom for all to when it’s trending on social media. Make it a constant practice in your life, now and forever.
Taking action is just a click away: jaz on Twitter: "thread of carrds, google docs, and google drives with compiled petitions to sign, orgs to donate, infos to read, contacts, etc!!!"
Other questions you may have:
Why do some people in the BLM movement believe in abolishing the police or defunding them? How are we supposed to stay safe without the police?
Here are some beautiful and simple graphics you can read through to understand this further. https://twitter.com/softlyfike/status/1268037109413076993?s=20
The BLM movement does not really apply to us. We’re in the Middle East/North Africa. BLM is an American movement.
Anti-Blackness exists and is rampant in our communities. You can see and observe racism and elitism in our societies when we observe constructs like colourism, or the discrimination of individuals with darker skin tones within the same ethnic groups.
In MENA, we can clearly see it when we respect individuals from certain families or tribes more than others. Or when we deny the ethnicity of individuals from mixed backgrounds. Our racism, along with anti-Blackness, also discriminates against East Asians and South Asians. Furthermore, one system here that many are likely to have come in contact with that perpetuates the oppression of BIPOC is the Kafala System.
Created by Shayma AlHarthi, Nouf AlJahdami, and Fatima AlJarman from the Unootha team.
[1]: "Quote by scott woods: “The problem is that white people see ...." https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/8784483-the-problem-is-that-white-people-see-racism-as-conscious. Accessed 1 Jun. 2020.
[2]: "The Call of Bilal: Islam in the African Diaspora (Islamic ...." https://www.amazon.com/Call-Bilal-Diaspora-Civilization-Networks/dp/1469618117. Accessed 26 Jul. 2020.
[3]: "Race and Slavery in the Middle East: An ... - Amazon.com." https://www.amazon.com/Race-Slavery-Middle-East-Historical/dp/0195053265. Accessed 26 Jul. 2020.
[4]: "Illuminating the Darkness: Blacks and North ... - Amazon UK." https://www.amazon.co.uk/Illuminating-Darkness-Blacks-North-Africans/dp/1842001272. Accessed 26 Jul. 2020.
[5]: "Slavery and Abolition in the Ottoman Middle East (Publications." https://www.amazon.com/Slavery-Abolition-Ottoman-Middle-Publications/dp/029597642X. Accessed 26 Jul. 2020.
[6]: "The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X - Goodreads." https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/92057.The_Autobiography_of_Malcolm_X. Accessed 26 Jul. 2020.
[7]: "The Color Purple by Alice Walker • Epilogue Books Chocolate ...." https://epiloguebookcafe.com/product/the-color-purple-by-alice-walker. Accessed 26 Jul. 2020.
[8]: "Beloved (novel) - Wikipedia." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beloved_(novel). Accessed 26 Jul. 2020.