BANNED

a justice-driven, bookish newsletter by Austin Channing Brown

Footnotes

The case for silos

There is little doubt you've been told over and over again that you need to be less siloed. That we are too polarized. That you must engage with those who are in disagreement with you. That the way forward is for both sides to come together, and somehow that always means you must extend yourself into places where you are unwelcome.

I'm going to be honest: I disagree. I actually think it's more likely that you aren't spending enough time with the folks you agree with, your community.

Now, this might not be the case for everyone. If you live in a Blue state, your coworkers are mostly left-leaning, your family members all share the same political affinity, you are involved in two or three organizing or volunteer groups, and the only time you encounter someone conservative is online—this may not apply to you.

But for those of us... those of us in the Midwest or the South, those of us in red or purple states, those of us who are fighting with every cell we have to convince our coworkers to care about DEI efforts, those of us without rich communities steeped in the pursuit of justice... I would argue that you already spend most of your time listening to those who disagree with you.

I would argue you need to find your silo and spend more time there.

You and I are already being inundated by the administration, all its supporters, the media, and the algorithms with propaganda against those of us who have been marginalized. We are not unaware of the stakes. We are not unaware of what conservatives are attempting to enact. We are not clueless about their motivations or intentions. We are not ignorant. We are lonely.

We are lonely because the voices of those who disagree with our very existence are really loud right now. We are lonely because it feels like we are losing all the gains generations have worked so hard to erect. We are lonely because the left doesn't have a media arm equal to conservatives. We are lonely because we are not spending enough time in our silo.

I believe it is imperative that you find your people. I believe it is imperative that you find spaces where you are seen. I believe it's imperative that you find the folks who are fighting for the same things you believe in. I believe it's imperative that you find safety. I believe it's imperative that you find places where you are encouraged, inspired, hopeful, and moved.

If we don't find the places where we are still connected to one another, we may be in danger of giving up.

I don't want you to get swallowed up by the belief that you are alone. There are millions of us who are angry at the current state of the country. We are here.

Join a book club. Find a training. Sign up for the lecture. Attend the event. Go to the brunch, luncheon, or dinner. Dress up for the gala. Put the meeting on your schedule. Register for the Zoom. Make it your goal to achieve an actual balance—may you invest in a community of like-minded efforts as much as you are forced to engage with those who want to make America segregated again.

You are not alone. Find your silo.

New here? Subscribe to Banned Today

*PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS NEWSLETTER CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS TO BOOKSHOP.ORG, WHICH MEANS I RECEIVE A SMALL COMMISSION IF YOU CHOOSE TO MAKE A PURCHASE USING THE BOOK LINKS. I WILL BE USING SAID COMMISSION TO FEED MY BOOK ADDICTION, OFFER YOU MORE REVIEWS, AND AROUND AND AROUND WE GO. THE COMMISSION DOES NOT COST YOU ANYTHING, AND I WILL ALWAYS LET YOU KNOW IF I RECEIVED ANY OF THE BOOKS FOR FREE99.

Book List

Heather McGhee’s specialty is the American economy—and the mystery of why it so often fails the American public. From the financial crisis of 2008 to rising student debt to collapsing public infrastructure, she found a root problem: racism in our politics and policymaking. But not just in the most obvious indignities for people of color. Racism has costs for white people, too. It is the common denominator of our most vexing public problems, the core dysfunction of our democracy, and constitutive of the spiritual and moral crises that grip us all. But how did this happen? And is there a way out?

Purchase Here

Giving Up Is Unforgivable is a clarion call to action, putting our current crisis in historical context and sketching out a vision for where we go next. Vance’s message is hopeful at its heart, even as it acknowledges the daunting challenges that lie ahead. She is the constitutional law professor you never knew you needed, explaining the legal context and the political history—and why the rule of law still matters. At the same time, she empowers the reader to do something, both as individuals and collectively.

Purchase Here

Challenging dominant perspectives, author Jermaine Fowler goes outside the textbooks to find recognizably human stories. Connecting current issues with the heroic struggles of those who have come before us, Fowler brings hidden history to light.

Purchase Here