How This Page Works
We put together this list of resources, people, & brands who we encourage you to follow, support, & share about. Through supporting Black-owned businesses, Black women & men, listening, reading, learning, & unlearning, we work toward a more just, equitable society. Nothing matters until Black lives truly matter so we encourage you to use these resources to do the work with us.
CloseMATE's Promise
At MATE, we recognize that it is our responsibility to be an actively anti-racist company, use our platform to amplify Black voices, & to collaborate with Black people. Progress is not made in a matter of days; it is a marathon that we commit to holding ourselves accountable for every step of the way. We stand in solidarity with the Black community & the Black Lives Matter movement. Learn more about how we put this page together here.
Follow these Black Leaders in Sustainability:
Read:
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“How to Be An Anti-Racist”
by Ibram X Kendi
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“So You Want to Talk About Race”
by Ijeoma Oluo
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“White Fragility: Why it’s so Hard for White People to Talk about Racism”
by Robin DiAngelo
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“Me and White Supremacy”
by Layla F. Saad
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“I know Why the Caged Bird Sings”
by Maya Angelou
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“Uprooting Racism: How White People Can Work for Racial Justice”
by Paul Kivel
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"The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration In The Age of Colorblindness"
by Michelle Alexander
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“Why Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together In The Cafeteria? And Other Conversations About Race”
by Beverly Daniel Tatum
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“White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Backpack”
by Peggy McIntosh
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“The Case for Reparations”
by Ta-Nehisi Coates
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“How to Be Less Stupid About Race: On Racism, White Supremacy and the Racial Divide"
by Crystal Fleming
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“From the War on Poverty to the War on Crime: The Making of Mass Incarceration in America”
by Elizabeth Hinton
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“Race for Profit: How Banks and the Real Estate Industry Undermined Black Homeownership”
by Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor
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"White Rage; the Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide"
by Carol Anderson
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“Excerpt from Privilege: Power and Difference”
by Allan Johnson
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“Blackballed: The Black Vote and U.S. Democracy”
by Darryl Pinckney
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“Allyship and Accountability Glossary”
by Levana Saxon
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“Blacks and whites see racism in the US very, very differently”
by Ryan Struyk
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“Raising Our Hands”
by Jenna Arnold
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“Redefining Realness”
by Janet Mock
Books on Environmental Racism
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“Black Faces, White Spaces: Reimagining the Relationship of African Americans to the Great Outdoors”
By Carolyn Finney
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“A Terrible Thing to Waste: Environmental Racism and Its Assault on the American Mind”
by Hariet A. Washington
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“Toxic Communities: Environmental Racism, Industrial Pollution, and Residential Mobility”
by Dorceta Taylor
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“Black Environmentalists Talk About Climate and Anti-Racism”
by Somini Sengupta
Watch:
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13th
Netflix
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Selma
Amazon
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When They See Us
Netflix
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I Am Not Your Negro
Amazon Prime
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Whose Streets?
Hulu & Amazon Prime
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American Son
Netflix
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The Uncomfortable Truth
Amazon Prime
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Just Mercy
Amazon Prime
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LA 92
Netflix
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Teach Us All
Netflix
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If Beale Street Could Talk
Hulu
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Murder to Mercy: The Cyntoia Brown Story
Netflix
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Black America Since MLK: And Still I Rise
Amazon Prime
Listen:
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Floodlines
The Atlantic
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1619
The New York Times
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CodeSwitch
NPR
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Say Your Mind
Kelechi Okafor
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Seeing White
Scene On Radio
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About Race
About Race Radio
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Pod For The Cause
The Leadership Council on Civil and Human Rights
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Intersectionality Matters!
The African American Policy Forum - we recommend episode “Under the Blacklight: COVID in Confinement”
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Throughline
NPR - we recommend episodes: “American Police," "Mass Incarceration" & "Milliken v. Bradley"
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Broken Ground
Southern Environmental Law Center - we recommend episode “Dr. Robert Bullard: Environmental Justice is Equal Justice”
Learn About & Donate:
- Black Voters Matter Fund
- Campaign Zero
- Free Black Mamas Fellowship via National Bail Out Fund
- Color of Change
- Black Visions Collective
- The Movement for Black Lives
- NAACP Legal Defense & Education Fund
- Reclaim the Block
- The Bail Fund
- National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls
- Southern Poverty Law Center
- United Negro College Fund
- Black Youth Project 100
- The Sentencing Project
- Families against Mandatory Minimums
- Equal Justice Initiative
Shop & Share Black-owned Businesses:
Natural Beauty, Hair, & Wellness
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Beneath Your Mask
nourishing and transformative skin and hair products made with pure, non-toxic ingredients
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Briogeo Hair
a clean, natural hair-care line that caters to all hair textures.
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Hanahana Beauty
a clean beauty brand that sustainably sources its shea butter & pays double the fair-trade price to their suppliers
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The Honey Pot
100% natural feminine-care products that are clinically tested, & gynecologist approved, i.e. organic tampons, bath bombs, feminine washes and more.
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OUI The People
reusable, direct-to-consumer razors, body gloss, shower gels, and more.
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People of Color Beauty
vegan, cruelty free nail polishes in a range of nudes, as well as bright shades like lime and orange, to complement women of color’s skin tones.
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Golde
superfood health and beauty products
For Clothing, Accessories, Shoes, & Bags:
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Brother Vellies
fine leather goods, including handbags and shoes, founded by Aurora James, who established the 15 Percent Pledge (which asks major retailers to devote 15% of their shelf space to black-owned businesses)
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JADE Swim
eco-friendly swimwear founded by fashion editor & stylist Brittany Kozerski
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Castamira
swimsuit line designed to support women with curves, founded by former model Chantel Davis
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Cool and Casual Studios
a Los Angeles-based shop that offers a mix of vintage and independent designers, from breezy striped linen shirts to stone-washed vintage jeans.
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Diop
diaspora inspired streetwear, including fabric face masks inspired by mud cloth from Mali. A portion of mask proceeds is donated to COVID-19 relief initiatives, including Feed the Frontlines, which supports Detroit restaurants & provides meals to emergency and health-care workers.
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Tree Fairfax
handmade leather goods
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Grant Blvd
sustainable and ethical clothing company using reclaimed fabrics and supporting incarcerated citizens
Resources for Kids and Teens:
Read
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Genesis Begins Again
by Alicia D. Williams
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Dear Martin
by Nic Stone
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Stella by Starlight
by Sharon M. Draper
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Anything
by Angie Thomas
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The Colors Of Us
by Karen Katz
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Skin Again
by Bell Hooks
Watch
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The Hate U Give
a film based on the young adult novel offering an intimate portrait of race in America
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Becoming
a Netflix documentary following Michelle Obama on her book tour
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Dear White People
a Netflix series about being black at a predominantly white college
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Hidden Figures
a film about the brilliant African American women of NASA
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Remember the Titans
story of a newly-integrated football team
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New York Times mini-films
for students