Resources for Racial Justice

Message from the Director

These past several months have been challenging for all: COVID-19, the murder of George Floyd, protests for racial justice, and more. These events unmask deep inequities that demand our sustained attention and action, as noted by Rice President Leebron and Provost DesRoches.

The Boniuk Institute’s mission begins with religious tolerance, but that is not where it ends. Religious intolerance does not exist in a vacuum: it is systemic, as is racism. As of 2018, over 80% of hate crimes worldwide are committed against religious and racial minorities. With our partners, we address racism, religious intolerance, and other injustices through education, leadership training, and research. In addition to the resources on religious literacy and tolerance that you can find through our website, we have also compiled a list of resources (below) to learn more about what is happening and how we can work together to curb religious, racial, and other injustices. Please join us in this important work.

-Paula Sanders

Director, Boniuk Institute

Learn

Racial injustice has been amplified during COVID-19.

These injustices surface at work, including remote work, and in daily life.

Understanding the historical contours of the present moment is important.

Listen, Understand, Act

Building skills to have an empathic, civil dialogue on justice issues in public, at school and at work is also critical.

Pause & Listen

Dialogue to Understand

Manage Conflict, Build Understanding

Act

Heal

Work With Youth, Families & Educators

Since 2016, bullying, intolerance and violence have increased on American college campuses, and toward racial, religious and sexual minorities in middle and high schools*. Below are curated resource guides for students, parents and educators which may help dampen these trends.

*https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15210960.2017.1335039;
https://www.fcis.org/uploaded/Data_Reports/Teaching_-_Learning_in_the_Age_of_Trump.pdf;
https://www.aera.net/Newsroom/School-Teasing-and-Bullying-After-the-Presidential-Election

How Others Are Responding

The call to social justice is central to many faith and philosophical traditions. Below are examples of how people inspired by these traditions are responding to racial injustices.