Over the past 10 years I have been part of three different book groups (not clubs, there is a difference). In many ways I am burnt out on reading, so for the past year I have taken a step back and reduced my involvement. However, it is hard to turn off the habit of looking for books that I think will be a meaningful read.
On January 8, 2020, Rebecca Wiggins sent out a Letter from the Executive Director titled “AFCPE® Call to Action: How You Can Raise Your AFCPE® Voice In 2020”. Rebecca encouraged us to Raise Our AFCPE® Voice. The letter caught my attention. I thought: what if there was a quarterly book recommendation (not a review) that helped us in having the difficult conversation?
We of AFCPE® could each read at our own pace. This can be an individual activity. This can be a small group activity. You decide. If interested in a small group, reach beyond your comfort zone and seek out members you do not know as well. One way to do this is by posting in the AFCPE Connected Community discussion board. Engage each other in listening and asking each other questions from a place of curiosity.
The murder of George Floyd in my community is a painful reminder that the difficult conversation is just the beginning. There is work to be done both in the words we use and the actions we take. We are all on a journey best taken together. We can do better together.
Quarterly Book Recommendation
The first suggested reading is The Black Tax: The Cost Of Being Black in America by Shawn D. Rochester, Copyright 2017 Good Steward LLC.
This book published in 2017 by Good Steward Publishing is part of their Financial Empowerment Series and looks at the impact of anti-Black bias. Rochester holds an MBA. This book was referenced by Saundra Davis at the 2019 AFCPE Symposium in Portland, OR.
Watch for future recommendations on a three-month rotation in the AFCPE’s Blog for October and into 2021.
Blessings!
Don Fulton
Member of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force
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