We all have a lot of learning and unlearning to do, and change starts with knowledge. Here is a list of books that you might find helpful as you engage in better understanding issues of decolonization, racial justice and social change.
These titles have been recommended by folks in our community, including counsellors and people who have first-hand experience with hard feelings.
Click here to browse other book recommendations by topic.
Indigenous Toronto: Stories That Carry This Place Edited By Denise Bolduc, Mnawaate Gordon-Corbiere, & Rebeka Tabobondung, and Brian Wright-Mcleod Beneath many major North American cities rests a deep foundation of Indigenous history that has been colonized, paved over, and, too often, silenced. With contributions by Indigenous Elders, scholars, journalists, artists, and historians, this unique anthology explores the poles of cultural continuity and settler colonialism that have come to define Toronto as a significant cultural hub and intersection that was also known as a Meeting Place long before European settlers arrived. |
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My Grandmothers Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies
By Resmaa Menakem In this groundbreaking book, therapist Resmaa Menakem examines the damage caused by racism in America from the perspective of trauma and body-centered psychology.
The body is where our instincts reside and where we fight, flee, or freeze, and it endures the trauma inflicted by the ills that plague society. Menakem argues this destruction will continue until Americans learn to heal the generational anguish of white supremacy, which is deeply embedded in all our bodies. |
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Legacy: Trauma, Story, and Indigenous Healing By Suzanne Methot |
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21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act: Helping Canadians Make Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples a Reality By Bob Joseph |
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All Our Relations: Finding the Path Forward By Tanya Talaga |
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Stolen Life: The Journey of a Cree Woman By Yvonne Johnson and Rudy Wiebe |
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Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants By Robin Wall Kimmerer |
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Between the World and Me By Ta-Nehisi Coates
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Love and Rage: The Path of Liberation Through Anger By Lama Rod Owens
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The Skin We're In: A Year of Black Resistance and Power By Desmond Cole |
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Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor By Layla Saad |
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The Unapologetic Guide to Black Mental Health: Navigate an Unequal System, Learn Tools for Emotional Wellness, and Get the Help you Deserve By Rheeda Walker |
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Radical Dharma: Talking Race, Love, and Liberation By Rev. Angel Kyodo Williams, Lama Rod Owens & Jasmine Syedullah |
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Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches By Audre Lorde |
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So You Want to Talk About Race By Ijeoma Oluo |
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Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race By Reni Eddo-Lodge |
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The Source of Self-Regard: Selected Essays, Speeches, and Meditations By Toni Morrison |
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Pleasure Activism: The Politics of Feeling Good By Adrienne Maree Brown |