Today’s Rally Reads comes from Anya Jhoti.
We don’t say this lightly, Anya is a big deal.
We’re really lucky to do the work we do. And part of the joy is meeting, working and learning from people like Anya. We’ve only known her for a short while, but it feels as if we’ve been working together for decades.
Ever since her Amnesty campaign action in Year 9, Anya has been obsessed with working out how to make people care about social justice issues. She’s a communicator and campaigner for migrant and refugee rights, currently at the mighty East London charity Praxis. She also recently published some research on visual representation of refugees in the sector on Instagram and why it matters. You can find her on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Grab a cup of something and dig in.
AFFIRMING: THINGS THAT AFFIRMED MY IDENTITY & BELIEFS
Brit(ish): On Race, Identity, and Belonging, by Afua Hirsch
I read this book when I was at university in post-Brexit UK. As a mixed-race person, I’ve gone through life being perceived by many as “not enough”. Not Punjabi enough. Not British enough. With the Leave campaign being so rooted in xenophobia and a nostalgia for British imperialism, the Brexit vote felt like a collective rejection from the UK. All of this to say that Hirsch’s Brit(ish) arrived at just the right moment for me. Hirsch, who is also mixed-race, shares similar feelings of growing up feeling confused about where she belongs. She navigates British politics, history, culture alongside her own personal experiences.
Defiance: Fighting the Far Right.
Image Copyright: London Evening Standard.
This series shares, for the first time, the story of South Asian resistance against the far-right. Whilst I was aware of some of the events, hearing first-hand from friends and family members about brutal racist murders by the National Front and seeing the visceral hatred South Asians faced every single day was shocking.
At the same time, watching the community fight back and hearing the Uncles and Aunties share their stories of defiance was inspiring. It is because of these incredible civil rights leaders that our society is the way it is today. With Rishi Sunak and Suella Braverman being the prominent British South Asian public figures, it was deeply affirming as a South Asian who is trying to build a better world to learn about this recent history.
Reading list: Both not Half: A Radical New Approach to Mixed Heritage, by Jassa Ahluwalia (another mixed-race Punjabi!)
LEARNING: THINGS THAT INFORMED ME IN MOBILISATION & MIGRATION
The Persuaders, Anand Giridharadas
In each chapter Giridharadas focuses on a different activist, campaigner, or organiser in the United States, analysing their persuasion strategies and their underlying assumptions about people and politics. My key takeaway was the need to call people into the movement. We as the progressive left need to relearn how to repair and move forward after conflict rather than fracture.
For me, the two most useful chapters for today’s political context of polarisation and misinformation are the chapters focused on Anat Shenker Osario and Diane Benscoter. Firstly, Shenker-Osario’s messaging guide on how to speak to the ‘moveable middle’ using the Race-Class narrative is absolutely essential reading for any communications practitioner today. Secondly, Benscoter, a previous cult member and now deprogrammer, shares vital insights on how people in cults can be reached.The touchpoint she found to be effective was telling people that they were being deceived and being taken advantage of - rather than trying to convince them to your view, simply try and open the possibility that other things could be true. Whilst this group is not our target audience, it's important to be aware of when working within a polarising issue.
(B)ordering Britain: Law, Race, Class, Nadine El-Enany
El-Enany offers a comprehensive historical review of British immigration laws and practices from the 1900s. She shows how our legal immigration system must be understood in the context of Britain’s imperial history. El-Enany argues that the migration of racialised people to Britain could be conceptualised as anti-colonial resistance. A must read for anyone working on migration in the U.K. She reminds us that these punitive systems were created (relatively) recently and that the law is neither objective nor apolitical.
Reading list: Another England: How to Reclaim our National Story by Caroline Lucas
FEELING: THINGS THAT MADE ME FEEL DEEPLY
We, The Heartbroken by Gargi Bhattacharyya
It’s vital we recognise how emotions play a role in our work. From how we try to elicit emotions through our communications and campaigns to the impact our work has on us personally. Both in the social justice movement and in our personal lives, we don’t often talk about grief. Perhaps it’s still viewed as more of a private emotion. Bhattacharyya’s writing oscillates between navigating her personal grief and collective grief of when the world breaks our hearts.
The book is published with Hajar Press, an independent political publishing house for writers of colour, and their books never disappoint. Usually short but full of expansive thoughts (and stunning cover artwork!).
Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson & On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
These writers skilfully describe feelings that I’ve never been able to with words - they’ve always felt too big to do justice with English. Both touch on themes of love, heartbreak, grief, as well as fractured relationships, racism, masculinity and more. Prose so rich and beautiful it feels like a treat every time you sit down to read a bit more.
Reading list: Guapa, by Saleem Haddad
EXPANDING: THINGS THAT EXPANDED & CHALLENGED MY WORLDVIEW
Brick by Brick: How We Build a World Without Prisons, by Cradle Community
The first half of this insightful book delves into how carceral thinking permeates into different parts of our lives, from housing to health. The second half then looks at each of these areas but offers an alternative approach. It highlights existing projects that could move us away from and eventually abolish the prison-industrial complex. It’s an accessible and digestible introduction into these ideas and I really enjoyed this two-part structure.
I’m grateful to have friends and family in my life who push me and challenge my thinking. One of those people, Len, recently wrote a manifesto about friendship, community, and love.They share what they’ve learnt over the years alongside queer theory and arguments from others. It’s a thought provoking read that gives you practical tools for your relationships.
Currently reading: Abolish the Family by Sophie Lewis
Told you she was a big deal.
It’s a huge thank from us to Anya for sharing so many thought provoking reads.