Crandall, Dostie & Douglass Books, Inc., the book publishing arm of the Center for the Study of White American Culture and sister organization to WACAN recently won a 2008 Next Generation Indie Book Award for the book Walk with Us, by Elizabeth Gordon. The book won in the multicultural non-fiction category. The "Indie" is a national award sponsored by the book publishing trade.

Truth be told, there are several book award contests, and each contest may have several categories. Altogether, perhaps several hundred books may win awards each year. But book publishing is highly competitive, especially when you consider over 300,000 books were published in 2007 alone. A competitive, national award like the "Indie" means a book has been read and reviewed by avid readers, and compared to a wide range of available alternatives. If you do the math, you'll see the chances of winning an award are less than 1 out of 1,000!

Congratulations to Elizabeth Gordon, who doubles as the WACANupdate's roving reporter. As editor, I've asked her to take some time and discuss her own experiences writing the book, and how it fits with her experience as a white anti-racist. I thought that might be of interest to WACANupdate readers. Fact is, the "Indie" reviewers could probably care less about white anti-racism. They simply recognized a good read when they saw it. If you're looking for a great summer book, I'm sure you'll love it, too.

For an excerpt or two, and purchasing information, check out the regular advertisement we've been running, below.

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What did it take to write an award-winning book? WACANupdate's own Elizabeth Gordon is now in a position to answer that question. She offers her impressions. CLICK HERE

Two recent studies show immigrants are assimilating (Article 1, Article 2, Article 3, Article 4). In the meantime, Federal agents mop up after a record breaking immigration raid in Iowa, and the government plans to make detention a family affair. In Texas, mayors sue over the new border fence. The South proves unwelcoming to immigrants. In Arizona, an anti-immigrant fanatic is reeled in, and British Columbia, Canada apologizes for shoddy treatment of immigrants in a 1914 incident.

Last issue we reported on Alaskan DJs suspended for racist remarks. More on that. Another DJ is fired, this time in Philadelphia--same old, same old. Racist messages appear in Longview, Washington (Article 1, Article 2); Philadelphia (Article 1, Article 2), and Arlington, Massachusetts. Inglewood, California police shoot an unarmed black man. A Texas man tries to sell cyanide to a white supremacist group. Tampa white supremacist guilty of murder. Federal prosecutors indict Aryan Warriors for murder. White liberals, please, you don't have a free pass on things like this.

The WCAR follow-up conference will be held in Geneva next April. In the meantime, did you know the UN has someone touring the US right now to investigate racism? (Article 1, Article 2). Not everyone is happy.

Reports of programs working to end racism appeared for Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Dayton, Ohio; York, Pennsylvania; and Halifax, Nova Scotia. A Quebec commission has found racist incidents have occurred in the province, but Quebecers are no more racist than others (Article 1, Article 2).

WACANupdate has newly learned of some blogs on white anti-racist topics. Stuff White People Do is a refreshing alternative to the now widely known Stuff White People Like. See also, Wigger Lover and White Anti-racist Parent. Two online communities (in addition to wacan.org) are also out there. One, Beyond White Guilt, has apparently been around a long time and presently does not accept members. The other, WORK (Whites Overcoming Racism through Knowledge) is just starting up and accepting members.

South Africa now is suffering from ethnic violence. Racist speech is illegal in Mauritius, but you have to prove it. Spain wants to clean up its image. Italian police launch immigration raids, while in Rome a mob rages in a multi-ethnic neighborhood. The Senate president says there is no danger of racism in Italy. From Great Britain comes a report of racist remarks by an ex-police officer. A Singapore man is arrested for racist blogging (Article 1, Article 2). The New Zealand Commissioner of Race Relations looks into a report disparaging Pacific Island immigrants.

Black colleges and universities now appeal to white students. A reaction. University of Toledo holds a forum on race relations. illvox.org recently re-posted this 2004 article by Nado Aveling of Murdoch University, Australia on "...learning to be a 'white ally." The University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Education is changing its focus to urban education.

Parents claim racism at Alabama high school.

Dear WACAN members,

Please check out this free online resource: A Katrina Reader: http://www.cwsworkshop.org/katrinareader, Thanks in advance. Your feedback is very welcome.

In Solidarity,
Sharon Martinas
Challenging White Supremacy workshop
A Katrina Reader is a free online resource of articles, poems, and stories, by and for antiracist educators and organizers. It has four main goals... MORE

New book could stir the racial pot. 'Dog the Bounty Hunter" gets a second chance. Whitening-out an Asian-American presence. Another questionable Saturday Night Live performance. Using a KKK theme for advertising: over the edge?

The United Church of Christ asks its congregations to hold a 'Sacred Conversation on Race. Several do. See reports from Rochester, Minnesota; Chicago; and Enid, Oklahoma before and after. A pastor in Wichita, Kansas calls for dialogue and a look at white privilege.

What kind of white person are you? Take the test.

It's not uncommon for white people to invade space set aside for conversations among people of color. This may happen at conferences, retreats, gatherings, in organizational and institutional settings. The blog resistracism recently reprinted this 1994 poem by Chrystos.

"Testosterone is not to blame: Why Clinton's demise has nothing to do with sexism," by Tim Wise. lipmagazine.org, May 17, 2008.

"Farrakhan is not the problem: The arrogance and absurdity of America's racial litmus test," by Tim Wise. lipmagazine.org, May 24, 2008.

"The tyranny of not-so-independent variables: Racism, sexism and the deceptive social science of the far-right," by Tim Wise. lipmagazine.org, May 26, 2008.

"The deeper racism in Iowa: Beneath the white Obama craze," by Paul Street. blackagendareport.com, May 14, 2008.

"Winning the white working class," by David Moberg. In These Times, May 14, 2008.

"The working class is back. And guess what. It's white," by Carl Bloice. BlackCommentator.com, May 15, 2008.

"The hard-working white Americans," by David A. Love, JD. BlackCommentator.com, May 15, 2008.

"Working-class whites a key segment in the presidential race," by Rick Montgomery. The Kansas City Star, May 17, 2008.

"The white vs. off-white election," by Meghan Daum. Los Angeles Times, May 17, 2008.

"Hillary Clinton and the possessive investment in whiteness," by Arica Coleman. History News Network, May 19, 2008.

"The fear of white decline," by Gregory Rodriguez. Los Angeles Times, May 19, 2008.

"Chris comments on Clinton's all-Caucasian crowd," by Mark Finkelstein. NewsBusters, May 20, 2008.

"GOP fails to recruit minorities," by Jim VandeHei and Josh Kraushaar. POLITICO, May 20, 2008.

"Obama's problem with working-class whites: Not as bad as you think!" by Peter Keating. New York Magazine, May 21, 2008.

"On the coolness of working-class whites toward Barack Obama," by Jim Webb. ajc.com, May 21, 2008.

"Clinton gave voters permission to be racist," by Cenk Uygur. The Huffington Post, May 22, 2008.

"The white stuff: A new Newsweek poll underscores Obama's racial challenge," by Jonathan Darman. Newsweek, May 23, 2008.

"Colour rears its ugly head in White House race," by Stephen McGinty. NEWS.scotsman.com, May 26, 2008.

"Decolonizing anti-racism," by Bonita Lawrence and Enakshi Dua. York University, n.d.

"Race conversations for comforting whites and employing head Negroes," by Dr. Lenore J. Daniels, PhD. The Black Comentator, May 15, 2008.

"Poverty wages," by Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor. Counterpunch.org, May 17, 2008.

"Bring it to the yard: An open reply to white progressives/radicals," by apoc. illvox.org, May 20, 2008.

We have raised $680 toward our goal of $1500 for our 2008 Spring Appeal.

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