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Whether you want to get woke, or stay woke, we’ve got you covered with these audiobook suggestions.

Let’s face it; this year has been a rough one and the new year isn’t shaping up to be any better. For many who are already woke to the world of social inequality and injustice, that’s nothing new. While it could be argued that not much has changed in the United States regarding race, it could also be argued that much has, in fact, changed.

Regardless of where you stand on the issues, there is certainly room for conversation(s) about race and social injustice. And the fact that the Oxford Dictionary shortlisted “woke” as the “Word of the Year” means something. While it may seem like appropriation in a way, the reality is that where there is wokeness, there is a way forward.

For those who want to get woke (and let’s face it, we can all get more woke), but who may be short on time, audiobooks are the way to go. Whether you use a subscription service or the library, listening to audiobooks has really never been easier.

3 Must Listen to Audiobooks for Getting Woke

1. “Between the World and Me” by Ta-Nehisi Coates

In “Between the World and Me,” Coates shares a letter to his adolescent son–and his readers–looking at our nation’s past, present, and future and calling out the false construction of race we have created and continue to live by. It’s a compelling book which Toni Morrison calls “required reading”.

2. “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness” by Michelle Alexander

Author Michelle Alexander takes dead aim on the racial inequalities of our modern criminal justice system and illustrates just how broken that system is. It’s been called the “secular Bible of a new social movement” by some, including activist Cornel West. There are also companion study and organizational guides available on the book’s website for those who want to share their wokeness.

3. “Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption” by Bryan Stevenson

Bryan Stevenson, the founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, through the story of a man falsely accused of a crime, shares the corruption, inequality, and racial disparity that is a cornerstone of our criminal justice system. You will find yourself getting lost in this sad but true tale that explores justice and mercy, or the lack thereof of both.

Related on EcoSalon

Stephen Colbert Learns About White Privilege, Gets Woke [Video]
This is Why #BlackLivesMatter [Video]
‘Lemonade’ Made it Official—Openness is ‘In’: #NowWhat

The post The 3 Best Audiobooks for Getting Woke in 2017 appeared first on EcoSalon.

This week’s top reads from our friends at Elephant Journal. 

Elephant Journal loves serving up green with a side of sass as much as we do. To make sure you get a taste of all the good things they’ve got going over there, we’re going to be bringing you a weekly round-up of their top picks. Grab a cup of coffee, and enjoy.

Dancing Without Fear – Tania Kazi

And like everything you have ever wanted for your entire life, when something you have been awaiting for finally makes an appearance in your life, for a moment you are totally stumped by its enormity, its very presence, and that is what I experienced.

There Are Many Reasons to Be Vegetarian: Which Ones Will Stick? – Jerome Burdi

Ignorance is (fake) bliss and no one wants to ruin their lunch. If they knew the sorrow that went into the animal or animal products they are innocently eating, they may have a change of heart. But an awakening must occur. And it has to come from the individual. Shock tactics don’t always work. People turn their head or change the channel.

Are All Women Mentally Ill? – Rachel Brathen

I’m a raging lunatic. But not all the time. Just sometimes. Once a month, to be more specific. I read in a book once that “a woman’s menstruation is a great time for contemplation, and can be a gateway to enlightenment.” I’m on my period now, and honestly, enlightenment has never been further away. Yes, I just said period. Period, period, period. Does reading this upset you?

Black Boy in a White Land: Urban Safari and the Elephant in the Room – Jackie Summers

Ultimately we shared the same source of ignorance: our parents. To me, my blackness was incidental; it didn’t grant or deny me any special privilege. I was as unaware of my own pigmentation as I was of everyone else’s.

To others, the color of my skin was fundamental; a factor that could determine with a precursory glance my social status, intelligence, and whether or not I was a potential source of danger.

Image: Elephant Journal

The post Elephant Journal Reads of the Week: Race, Dancing and Vegetarianism appeared first on EcoSalon.