Join the Speaking Down Barriers team and engage readings that will guide us towards a holistic understanding of the transformation that must take place within ourselves and the world around us. We are working towards the dismantling of the barriers that continue to perpetuate violence, hate, and division. These various insights will broaden our perspective and lead us towards meaningful confrontation. You are welcome to grow with us.
For your convenience, we will meet at the Hub City Bookshop on 4th Mondays at two separate times: 12:00 PM-1:00 PM, 7:00 PM-8:00 PM. The Hub City Bookshop is located at 186 W Main St, Spartanburg, SC 29306. Books can be purchased at discounted rates through Hub City Bookshop. Become a member of Hub City Bookshop and receive even more discounts!
For your convenience, we will meet at the Hub City Bookshop on 4th Mondays at two separate times: 12:00 PM-1:00 PM, 7:00 PM-8:00 PM. The Hub City Bookshop is located at 186 W Main St, Spartanburg, SC 29306. Books can be purchased at discounted rates through Hub City Bookshop. Become a member of Hub City Bookshop and receive even more discounts!
2020 Book List
January:
"Systems Thinking for Social Change" by David Stroh
February:
“White Fragility: Why it's so hard for White people to talk about racism” by Robin DiAngelo and Michael Eric Dyson
March:
“Tell Me How It Ends” by Valeria Luiselli
April:
“Harvest of Empire: A History of Latinos in America” by Juan Gonzalez
May:
“The Four Agreements: A practical guide to Personal Freedom” by Don Miguel Ruiz
June:
“I Must Resist: Bayard Rustin's Life in Letters” by Bayard Rustin
July:
No book
August:
“Women Hollering Creek” by Sandra Cisneros
September:
“dark // thing” by Ashley M. Jones
October:
“Real Queer Identity: LGBT Stories From Red States” by Samantha Allen
November:
“The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church’s Complicity in Racism” by Jemar Tisby
December:
No book
"Systems Thinking for Social Change" by David Stroh
February:
“White Fragility: Why it's so hard for White people to talk about racism” by Robin DiAngelo and Michael Eric Dyson
March:
“Tell Me How It Ends” by Valeria Luiselli
April:
“Harvest of Empire: A History of Latinos in America” by Juan Gonzalez
May:
“The Four Agreements: A practical guide to Personal Freedom” by Don Miguel Ruiz
June:
“I Must Resist: Bayard Rustin's Life in Letters” by Bayard Rustin
July:
No book
August:
“Women Hollering Creek” by Sandra Cisneros
September:
“dark // thing” by Ashley M. Jones
October:
“Real Queer Identity: LGBT Stories From Red States” by Samantha Allen
November:
“The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church’s Complicity in Racism” by Jemar Tisby
December:
No book
2019 Book List
January:
"Children of the Days: A Calendar of Human History" by Eduardo Galeano
February:
"My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma & the Mending of Our Bodies" by Resmaa Menakem
March:
"Bad Feminist" by Roxane Gay
April:
"Human Hours" by Catherine Barnett
May:
"White Tears" by Hari Kunzru
June:
"Rainbow In The Word: LGBTQ Christians’ Biblical Memoirs"
July:
No Book
August:
"Solace: Writing, Refuge, and LGBTQ Women of Color" edited by S. Andrea Allen & Lauren Cherelle
September:
"Heavy" by Kiese Laymon
October:
"Devotions" by Mary Oliver
November:
"When I Grow Up I Want To Be a List of Further Possibilities" by Chen Chen
December:
No Book
"Children of the Days: A Calendar of Human History" by Eduardo Galeano
February:
"My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma & the Mending of Our Bodies" by Resmaa Menakem
March:
"Bad Feminist" by Roxane Gay
April:
"Human Hours" by Catherine Barnett
May:
"White Tears" by Hari Kunzru
June:
"Rainbow In The Word: LGBTQ Christians’ Biblical Memoirs"
July:
No Book
August:
"Solace: Writing, Refuge, and LGBTQ Women of Color" edited by S. Andrea Allen & Lauren Cherelle
September:
"Heavy" by Kiese Laymon
October:
"Devotions" by Mary Oliver
November:
"When I Grow Up I Want To Be a List of Further Possibilities" by Chen Chen
December:
No Book
2018 Book List
January:
“The Crossroads of Should & Must” by Elle Luna
February:
"Everyday Bias" by Howard Ross
March:
“Woman, Native, Other" by Trinh T. Minh-ha
April:
“[insert] boy” by Danez Smith (Live Performances available online)
"The Body Is Not An Apology" by Sonya Renee Taylor
May:
“Emergent Strategy” by Adrienne Marie Brown
"Jackson Rising: The Struggle for Economic Democracy and Black Self-Determination in Jackson, Mississippi" by Kali Akuno & Ajamu Nangwaya
June:
“Giovanni’s Room” by James Baldwin
July:
No meeting
August:
"Mindful of Race" by Ruth King
September:
“Ceremony” by Leslie Marmon Silko
October:
“Love beyond Body, Space, and Time: An Indigenous LGBT Sci-Fi Anthology” by Hope Nicholson, David Alexander Robertson, Richard Van Camp, & more
November:
“Dear Universe: Letters of Affirmation & Empowerment for All of Us” by Yolo Akili
December:
No meeting
“The Crossroads of Should & Must” by Elle Luna
February:
"Everyday Bias" by Howard Ross
March:
“Woman, Native, Other" by Trinh T. Minh-ha
April:
“[insert] boy” by Danez Smith (Live Performances available online)
"The Body Is Not An Apology" by Sonya Renee Taylor
May:
“Emergent Strategy” by Adrienne Marie Brown
"Jackson Rising: The Struggle for Economic Democracy and Black Self-Determination in Jackson, Mississippi" by Kali Akuno & Ajamu Nangwaya
June:
“Giovanni’s Room” by James Baldwin
July:
No meeting
August:
"Mindful of Race" by Ruth King
September:
“Ceremony” by Leslie Marmon Silko
October:
“Love beyond Body, Space, and Time: An Indigenous LGBT Sci-Fi Anthology” by Hope Nicholson, David Alexander Robertson, Richard Van Camp, & more
November:
“Dear Universe: Letters of Affirmation & Empowerment for All of Us” by Yolo Akili
December:
No meeting
2017 Book List
January:
"Freedom is a Constant Struggle" by Angela Davis
February:
"Parable of the Talents" by Octavia Butler
March:
"Intersectionality" by Patricia Hill-Collins and Sirma Bilge
April:
"The Rose That Grew from Concrete" by Tupac Shakur
May:
"No One is Illegal: Fighting Racism & State Violence on the US-Mexico Border" by Justin Akers Chacón and Mike Davis
June:
"Black Elk Speaks" by Black Elk and John Neidhardt
July:
"American Primitive" by Mary Oliver
August:
"Radical Dharma: Talking Race, Love, & Liberation" by Angel Kyodo Williams, Lama Rod, and Jasmine Syedullah
September:
"Canto General" by Pablo Neruda
October:
Playlist of Protest Jazz by Revive Music via http://bit.ly/protestjazz
November:
"Black Unicorn" by Audre Lorde
January 2017
"The Crossroads of Should and Must" by Elle Luna
"Freedom is a Constant Struggle" by Angela Davis
February:
"Parable of the Talents" by Octavia Butler
March:
"Intersectionality" by Patricia Hill-Collins and Sirma Bilge
April:
"The Rose That Grew from Concrete" by Tupac Shakur
May:
"No One is Illegal: Fighting Racism & State Violence on the US-Mexico Border" by Justin Akers Chacón and Mike Davis
June:
"Black Elk Speaks" by Black Elk and John Neidhardt
July:
"American Primitive" by Mary Oliver
August:
"Radical Dharma: Talking Race, Love, & Liberation" by Angel Kyodo Williams, Lama Rod, and Jasmine Syedullah
September:
"Canto General" by Pablo Neruda
October:
Playlist of Protest Jazz by Revive Music via http://bit.ly/protestjazz
November:
"Black Unicorn" by Audre Lorde
January 2017
"The Crossroads of Should and Must" by Elle Luna
2016 Book List
JANUARY:
"Between the World & Me" by Ta-Nahisi Coates
FEBRUARY:
"The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness" by Michelle Alexander
MARCH:
"Talking Back: Thinking Feminist, Thinking Black" by bell hooks
APRIL:
"Sister Outsider" by Audre Lorde
MAY:
"Fields of Blood" by Karen Armstrong
JUNE:
"The Abundant Community: Awakening the Power of Families and Neighborhoods" by Peter Block & John McKnight
JULY:
"Bless Me, Ultima" by Rudolfo Anaya
AUGUST:
"Medical Apartheid" by Harriett Washington
SEPTEMBER:
"The Fire Next Time" by James Baldwin
OCTOBER:
"Eichmann in Jerusalem" by Hannah Arendt
NOVEMBER:
"Living Buddha, Living Christ" by Thich Nhat Hanh
DECEMBER:
"What To Do When It's Your Turn" by Seth Godin
"Between the World & Me" by Ta-Nahisi Coates
FEBRUARY:
"The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness" by Michelle Alexander
MARCH:
"Talking Back: Thinking Feminist, Thinking Black" by bell hooks
APRIL:
"Sister Outsider" by Audre Lorde
MAY:
"Fields of Blood" by Karen Armstrong
JUNE:
"The Abundant Community: Awakening the Power of Families and Neighborhoods" by Peter Block & John McKnight
JULY:
"Bless Me, Ultima" by Rudolfo Anaya
AUGUST:
"Medical Apartheid" by Harriett Washington
SEPTEMBER:
"The Fire Next Time" by James Baldwin
OCTOBER:
"Eichmann in Jerusalem" by Hannah Arendt
NOVEMBER:
"Living Buddha, Living Christ" by Thich Nhat Hanh
DECEMBER:
"What To Do When It's Your Turn" by Seth Godin