How to talk about race and racism
We can make Scouts a place that is more understanding, inclusive and welcoming to all by openly talking about race and racism. By identifying and challenging racism, we are truly living Scouts' values of care, integrity and respect. We've got lots of resources for different ways of learning about talking about race and racism - choose what's best for you.
Choose the way you want to learn
Finding out more about race and racism is a great first step to making sure everyone at Scouts feels welcomed and included. Whether that be through self-reflection, reading or watching a video, it's never too early to use these tools to start to talking about race and racism.
Everyone learns in different ways. Use one of our recommended resources below to find out more about race and racism and start the conversation.
Books for everyone to read
- Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge
- Diversify by June Sarpong
- How To Be Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
- Don’t Touch My Hair by Emma Dabiri
- Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad
- Brit(ish) by Afua Hirsch
- White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Race by Robin DiAngelo
- Black and British: A Forgotten History by David Olusoga
- The Good Immigrant, edited by Nikesh Shukla
Picture books
- A Is For Activist by Innosanto Nagara (picture book)
- Let's Talk About Race by Julius Lester, illustrated by Karen Barbour
- Brick by Brick by Giuliano Ferri (board book)
- My skin, your skin: Let's take about race, racism and empowerment by Laura Henry-Allain MBE
Books for 4-10 year olds
- The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by Rafael López (4–8 years)
- Something Happened in Our Town by Marianne Celano, Marietta Collins and Ann Hazzard, illustrated by Jennifer Zivoin (4–8 years)
- Don't Touch My Hair! by Sharee Miller (4-8 years)
- Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman, illustrated by Caroline Binch (6–8 years)
- Malcolm Little: The Boy Who Grew Up to Become Malcolm X by Ilyasah Shabazz, illustrated by AG Ford (6–10 years)
Books for young adults
- A Change Is Gonna Come from contributions including Tanya Byrne, Inua Ellams, Catherine Johnson, Patrice Lawrence, Ayisha Malik, Irfan Master, Musa Okwonga and Nikesh Shukla.
- Deconstructing White Privilege by Dr. Robin DiAngelo
- The Urgency of Intersectionality from Kimberlé Crenshaw
- Let’s Get To The Root of Racial Injustice from Megan Ming Francis
- What Beyonce Taught Me About Racism from Brittany Baron
- Being Black from Jane Elliot
- How Studying Privilege Systems Can Strengthen Compassion from Peggy McIntosh
- The Power of Privilege from Tiffany Jana
- No. You Cannot Touch My Hair! from Mena Fombo
From Blue Peter:
- How you can help stop racism
- A powerful message for young people about racism and Black Lives Matter
From CBBC:
From Newsround: