MENU
arrow-large-top
MENU
Donate

Antiracist and Decolonial Toolkit

This toolkit maps out how racism cuts across higher education and shows the necessity of an anti-racist and holistic approach to decolonising to create fairer, more equitable, and racially just institutions.
Save this resource to my favorites
Save this resource to my favorites

Anti-Racist and Decolonial Community Engaged Research Toolkit

Visit Toolkit

Stage 1: Ethical Foundations and Community Partnerships

Self Reflection and Positionality

Intersectionality and Historical Analysis

  • A black women's history of the United States

    Book

    Covering a broad timeline from precolonial times to the present day, the book delves into the lives, struggles, and achievements of Black women in the United States. Berry and Gross bring to light stories of resistance, resilience, and innovation, highlighting the contributions of Black women in the fight for civil rights, their influence in culture and arts, and their critical role in the American labor force among various sectors. Through personal narratives, historical analysis, and vivid storytelling, the authors challenge the traditional narratives of American history and emphasize the diversity and complexity of Black women's experiences. The book aims to provide a more inclusive and equitable perspective on American history, recognizing the often-overlooked contributions of Black women.

    Berry, D. R., & Gross, K. N. (2021). A black women's history of the United States. Beacon Press.
     
  • Discourse on colonialism

    Book

    Césaire's essay is a profound critique of European colonialism, presenting it as a destructive force that dehumanizes both the colonizer and the colonized. He argues that colonialism is not an exchange or a contribution to civilization but an exploitation and devastation of colonized societies. Césaire exposes the hypocrisy of colonialism, which claims to bring civilization to supposedly barbaric societies while engaging in barbaric practices itself. He discusses the psychological and moral degradation inflicted on the colonizer, who becomes desensitized to violence and oppression. Césaire also highlights the resilience and richness of colonized cultures, despite the systematic attempts to destroy them. The text is a call to recognize the humanity and value of all civilizations and criticizes the capitalist and imperialist foundations of European dominance.

    Césaire, A. (2001). Discourse on Colonialism. Monthly Review Press.
     
  • The urgency of intersectionality

    Video

    The presentation delves into the historical and legal aspects of intersectionality, referencing a legal case to highlight systemic failures in addressing race and gender discrimination collectively. It emphasizes the invisibility of black women's experiences within the social justice narrative, despite their significant impact by overlapping systems of oppression. The speaker advocates for "saying her name" as a step towards acknowledging and addressing the issue but stresses that further action is necessary. The presentation concludes with a collective acknowledgment of the names of black women victims, urging a shift from mourning to active change.

    "Crenshaw, K. (2016, October). The urgency of intersectionality. TEDWomen. https://www.ted.com/talks/kimberle_crenshaw_the_urgency_of_intersectionality?"
     
  • Antiracist Community Engagement

    Book

    The book is organized around a set of Anti-racist Community Engagement Principles developed by the editors as part of their shared work and dialogue with colleagues regionally and across the country. The significant number of diverse voices that have informed the creation of the principles reveal the groundswell of work underway to center anti-racist values and to pivot away from the traditional, higher education-centric, and “white savior” ways of doing community engagement teaching, research, and practice.
     
  • Antiracist Community Engagement

    Digital Companion

    The digital companion is useful for those who have read Anti-Racist Community Engagement: Principles and Practices and those who haven’t. There are two ways of navigating material in the digital companion. Use the table of contents below to jump to content that corresponds to each chapter in the volume, including brief descriptions of the chapters and materials for download. The bottom of this page also includes a downloads section, where you can directly download material from the digital companion.

    https://compact.org/resources/anti-racist-community-engagement-digital-companion
     

Building and Managing Collaborative Teams
 

Community Consultation and Relationship Building

 

 

Stage 2: Co-Development of Research Frameworks and Methodological Approaches
 

Co-Creation of Research Questions

Ethical Framework, Informed Consent, and Data Sovereignty
 

Decolonial and Antiracist Methodologies
 

Indigenous and Local Knowledge Systems

 

 

Stage 3: Conducting the Research
 

Participatory Data Collection and Analysis

 

Stage 4: Impactful Dissemination

 

Community-Centered Dissemination

  • A toolkit for centering racial equity within data integration
    Tookit

    The toolkit argues that data infrastructure, like historical infrastructure projects, has the potential to both benefit and harm communities, especially marginalized ones. To avoid exacerbating racial inequities, the toolkit emphasizes the importance of applying a racial equity lens at every stage of data integration, including planning, collection, access, analysis, and dissemination. It offers detailed guidance and best practices for engaging with communities, assessing the impact of data projects, and ensuring data use benefits all members of society equitably. The toolkit also includes activities and resources to help organizations implement these principles effectively.

    Actionable Intelligence for Social Policy. (2020, June 18). A toolkit for centering racial equity within data integration. https://www.aecf.org/resources/a-toolkit-for-centering-racial-equity-within-data-integration
  • Index of Community Engagement Techniques
    Tookit

    The toolkit provides a comprehensive overview of various methods for engaging communities across different levels of participation: Inform, Consult, Involve, Collaborate, and Empower. Each level of engagement is explained with specific techniques and tools, including both traditional and digital methods, to facilitate effective communication and participation. Techniques range from providing information via websites and videos to more interactive approaches like workshops, focus groups, and participatory budgeting. The document emphasizes the importance of selecting appropriate engagement methods based on project goals, community needs, and available resources. It also highlights considerations for ensuring accessibility, keeping content up-to-date, and engaging diverse community members effectively.

    Tamarack Institute. (n.d.). Index of Community Engagement Techniques. https://www.tamarackcommunity.ca/interactive-tools/index-of-community-engagement-techniques

 

Feedback and Evaluation

 

  • Deconstructing the Imperial Episteme: Decolonizing Knowledge Production in Program Evaluation
    Article

    The article critically examines the Eurocentric biases and frameworks that dominate evaluation theory and practice, calling for a shift towards incorporating Global South perspectives and indigenous knowledge systems. The paper emphasizes the importance of challenging the hegemony of Western evaluation methodologies to create more inclusive, equitable, and relevant evaluation practices. The authors argue for a transformative approach to evaluation that respects and integrates diverse ways of knowing, thereby contributing to the broader decolonization of knowledge production. This involves not only theoretical shifts but also practical changes in how evaluations are conducted and whose knowledge is valued.

    Dighe, S., & Matthias, C. (2023). Deconstructing the Imperial Episteme: Decolonizing Knowledge Production in Program Evaluation. Journal of Multi-Disciplinary Evaluation, 19(44), 117–130. c
  • Not as smart as we think we are: Rethinking evaluation to advance and reflect equity with Jara Dean-Coffey
    Article

    Jara Dean-Coffey, founder of the Equitable Evaluation Initiative (EEI), challenges traditional philanthropic evaluation methods that stem from early 20th-century industrialist practices. These practices, she argues, prioritize efficiency and quantitative metrics, creating power imbalances between funders and grantees. The EEI advocates for an evaluation framework that advances equity, encourages critical assessment, and embraces cultural and contextual diversity in measuring success. This initiative promotes a shift from conventional data-driven approaches to more inclusive and reflective evaluation practices, aiming to transform funder-grantee relationships and foster systemic change in philanthropy.

    Greenlee, C. (n.d.). Not as smart as we think we are: Rethinking evaluation to advance and reflect equity with Jara Dean-Coffey. Chandler Foundation. https://www.chandlerfoundation.org/social-investor/not-as-smart-as-we-think-we-are
     
  • Doing evaluation differently

    Book chapter

    The author critiques traditional methods that often rely on linear, Western models of cause and effect, which may not accurately capture the complexities of social change, especially in efforts to combat racism. Leiderman calls for more inclusive evaluation methods that recognize diverse ways of knowing and address the biases inherent in conventional data sources. She advocates for participatory and reflective evaluations that engage community members directly and examine power dynamics, aiming to make evaluations a tool for supporting transformative change towards equity and justice.

    Leiderman, S. (2005). “Doing Evaluation Differently,” in Flipping the Script: White Privilege and Community Building. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DsihztVx9eaC15mFgw0m3w0USsGuMil_/view
     
  • Measuring is an act of power: A call for pro-black measurement and evaluation

    Article

    The article emphasizes the need for a shift in how social impact evaluations are conducted, particularly in Black communities. Traditional evaluation methods often fail to capture the true impact on these communities due to cultural biases and historical oversight. The authors argue for a pro-Black approach to evaluation that centers the perspectives and needs of Black communities, advocating for evaluations that are culturally valid and promote participant ownership. This approach involves redefining success based on the specific needs and conditions of Black communities, engaging them actively in the evaluation process, and adjusting power dynamics to ensure their insights and lived experiences shape the outcomes and interpretations of data. This change aims to create more accurate and beneficial evaluations that truly support sustainable improvements within these communities.

    Romans, A., Stanciel, C., & Harley, T. (2022). Measuring is an act of power: A call for pro-black measurement and evaluation. Nonprofit Quarterly (NPQ) Magazine. https://nonprofitquarterly.org/measuring-is-an-act-of-power-a-call-for-pro-black-measurement-and-evaluation/

     

Cross-Cutting Considerations

 

Conflict Resolution Mechanisms

Funding Structures
 

Best Practices
 

  • Planning your research process
    Website

    The guide provides a detailed framework for planning and conducting participatory research that is community-centered and equity-focused. It emphasizes the importance of setting clear goals and strategies that align with community values, ensuring equitable participation in all phases of the research process. Key aspects include building trust within research teams, managing resources ethically, and engaging community members actively in setting research questions, collecting data, and implementing findings. The guide advocates for research that empowers communities and supports social change, emphasizing the need for research outcomes to reflect the genuine needs and perspectives of the communities involved.

    Othering & Belonging Institute. (n.d.). https://belonging.berkeley.edu/planning-your-research-process
     
  • The toolkits for equity

    Toolkits

    Consists of three toolkits: Antiracism toolkit for Allies, Antiracism toolkit for organizations, and the antiracism toolkit for Black, Indigenous, and people of color

    https://c4disc.pubpub.org/toolkits-for-equity
     
  • You've been called out for a microaggression. What do you do?

    Blog post

    This free 30 day free self-paced program titled The Antiracist Table is designed to educate, to help people face and get past shame, anger, and blame, and to develop empathy–all key elements of creating an AntiRacist America.

    https://hbr.org/2020/07/youve-been-called-out-for-a-microaggression-what-do-you-do
     
  • The antiracist table

    30-day program

    This resource guide titled Useful resources for decolonizing syllabi in psychology by The Academy of Psychological Clinical Science provides general and specific recommendations for materials to add, change, or remove content.

    https://theantiracisttable.com
     

Emerging Works

 

Public