WHAT: GPPL’s Thoughts to Action Book Club seeks to provide our community with a way to explore current social issues in a meaningful way. Every six months we read one culturally relevant book and then meet monthly to discuss, plan, and carry out a community project based on the book’s message.
THE BOOK: Caste: the Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
WHEN: Thursday, 7 p.m. via Zoom
January 28: Discussing Caste, Parts 1-3; Presentation on Electoral College
February 25: Discussing Caste, Parts 4-5; Action plan
March 25: Discussing Caste, Parts 6-7
April 29: Bystander Intervention Training with Hollaback Detroit
May 27: Wrap Up and Action Discussion
January Meeting Notes
The group discussed Parts 1-3 (notes) of Caste and listened to a presentation about the electoral college. Below are links to some of the things we discussed as well as other helpful resources.
Action to Take:
- Talk to someone you know about what you've learned in the book
- Write down 3 things you as individual or part of a larger group could do to challenge the caste system in the U.S.
Shared by Members:
- 1619 Project from New York Times
- Bacon's Rebellion
- Grosse Pointe Public School's Social Studies Curriculum, K-5
- Ibram X. Kendi's article about Capitol attack
- Amber Ruffin monologue on Capitol attack (entertaining, and informative! strong language)
- Follow @blackatgppss on Instagram for accounts of Black students and graduates of Grosse Pointe
- Article about heated diversity discussion in wealthy Texas public school
- Article "How Native American Slaveholders Complicate the Trail of Tears Narrative"
February Meeting Notes
The group discussed Parts 4-5 of Caste.
Action to Take:
- Sign up for the GP Historical Societies Lecture on Grosse Pointe's Real Estate Point System & Ethnic Diversity in the 1960s here
- Look into WeGP, Justice is the Pointe: https://we-gp.org/Justice-is-the-Pointe or the MLPP Racial Equity Challenge
Shared by Members:
- What Riding My Bike Has Taught Me About White Privilege
- Voters Not Politicians, a Michigan nonpartisan advocacy organization; find their information here.
- Wilkerson's notes on Caste
March Meeting Notes
The group discussed our final impressions Caste and possible actions to pursue, including reaching out to our local representatives, getting bystander intervention training, and hosting a community wide art event.
Action to Take:
- Keep reading interesting and enlightening stuff and sharing it!
- Attend a virtual town hall meeting or program about racism (see below)
- Shop at Metro-Detroit black-owned businesses, like member suggested business Five Star Cake Co. in Roseville
- Contact local representative about voter suppression
Shared by Members:
- You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories about Racism by Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamar
- How Did We Get Here?: From Theodore Roosevelt to Donald Trump by Robert Dallek
- “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” by Peggy McIntosh
- Freep article about the 39 election regulation bills the GOP and Democrats are arguing over in our state
- Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia, take a virtual tour
April Meeting Notes
The group welcomed Brooke from Hollaback Detroit who taught us some very helpful bystander intervention tactics. You can pick up a pamphlet on Bystander Intervention (safely intervening when you see a fellow human being harassed or disrespected in public) at any branch of the library or learn more here.
Action to Take:
- Keep reading interesting and enlightening stuff and sharing it!
- Shop at Metro-Detroit black-owned businesses, like member suggested business Five Star Cake Co. in Roseville
- Brainstorm about possibly community art programs that might help us share what we've learned.
