What is anti-racism in 2026? For me, surprisingly, it’s about hope.

I remember the desperate fervor that filled me and many others in 2020 after the murder of George Floyd and during the height of the Black Lives Matter movement. It was a familiar anguish — a grief I felt and still feel for people I will never meet, like Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Breonna Taylor, and so many others whose names I will never know. But it was an unfamiliar hope that change was not just possible, but inevitable.

“Now, I feel a shift. And it’s the shift I hope turns the key to real change.”

Somehow, I still feel it now. Not despite the past year of dinner conversations turning to words like “fascism” and “polycrisis,” but because of those conversations. I remember that old advice to never talk about politics at the dinner table. Or when even the term “anti-racism” felt too complex to broach in casual conversation. Now, I feel a shift. And it’s the shift I hope turns the key to real change.

Holding onto hope, however, is a practice. One that cannot be sustained alone. Hope is a community practice, and, now more than ever, it’s being sustained by communities online.

While real-life activism matters — from protests to engaging with local mutual aid networks — in our digital age, speaking truth to power often happens online and on social media. From bearing witness to the experiences of marginalized communities to educating ourselves and others, I find our access to information inspiring. However, as information floods our feeds, curating our sources is more important than ever.

“As information floods our feeds, curating our sources is more important than ever.”

What should we look for in the anti-racist educators we trust? My general rule is to trust research-based, credential-backed sources over sensationalist hot takes. By contextualizing our current moment in history, theory, and politics, these educators are also more hopeful. They know the power that collective action has had in the past. And they can help us hold the current moment to sustain our hope for the future.

Below are some of the most inspiring creators that I follow, and I hope you will too.

1. Nicole Cardoza

Nicole Cardoza, aka the Black Girl Magician, describes herself as a “magician, writer, philanthropist, facilitator.” She runs the newsletter and community Reimagined (@ardtakeaction, formerly Anti-Racism Daily) to platform and support movement leaders reimagining our collective future. 

In a recent post reflecting on the five years since 2020, she said: “This isn’t easy work. But we don’t do it alone. We’re still here.” We all need to hear that.


Website | Instagram

A person holding a circular mirror outdoors, reflecting their face and upper body with greenery and a window in the background.
A woman in a white off-shoulder top and patterned pants is juggling clear balls indoors, with musical instruments visible in the background.

2. Rachel Cargle

Activist, author of “Author of A Renaissance of Our Own: A Memoir & Manifesto on Reimagining,” Rachel Cargle is an educator committed to providing resources to support Black women. 

She is the founder of the Loveland Foundation, which works to reimagine a mental health care system accessible to Black women. She also runs The Great Unlearn on Patreon, which offers “sources and critical discourse to aid in unlearning.”


Website | Instagram | Patreon | Books

A woman in a cream-colored dress stands against a dark background, looking at the camera with one arm crossed and the other hand touching her hair.
A woman with a calm expression wears a large headdress made of green leaves, orange roses, and various foliage, with her hand resting on her face.

3. Andréa Ranae

Feel called to participate in anti-racist action? Don’t know how and where to start making change in your community? Andréa Ranae is an artist, writer, and guide who creates resources to help people define and make their contribution to social change.


Website | Instagram | Music

A speaker stands on a TEDx stage in front of two screens displaying the name “Andréa Ranae Johnson,” speaking to an audience.
A person with short hair and hoop earrings poses beside text that reads "SHINE out now" on a dark background.

4. 15 Percent Pledge

In 2020, award-winning designer Aurora James called on retailers to contractually commit 15% of their annual spend to Black businesses. This birthed the 15 Percent Pledge, which furthers this mission by providing resources, education, and grants for Black-owned businesses.

Website | Instagram | Podcast

5. Wawa

Wawa Gatheru is the founder of Black Girl Environmentalist, a national org dedicated to empowering Black girls, women, and gender-expansive people across the climate movement, through which she advocates for intersectional climate action and an anti-racist approach to climate justice.

Website | Instagram

A woman with long, twisted braids adorned with beads rests her head on her hand, wearing a colorful floral top, against a solid yellow background.
A woman with long braided hair, wearing a bright floral top, shell earrings, and a ring, poses with her hand resting under her chin against a blue background.

6. Tomi Talabi

As the founder of The Black Beauty Club, Tomi works to challenge dominant narratives about beauty hierarchy while also expanding our notion of beauty beyond Eurocentrism.


LinkedIn | Instagram

7. Camille Tenerife

Camille Tenerife is a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) advocating for healing and self-actualization through racially informed therapy for people of color by people of color. Her social media presence breaks down common patterns and challenges BIPOC people face, from family to relationships and career, creating an anti-racist space in the oft-inaccessible therapy space.

Website | Instagram

A woman in a white sweater and jeans sits on a chair in a home office with a wooden desk, computer, and wall decor.
A woman in a white shirt and jeans sits cross-legged on a light gray sofa, smiling. A desk with a computer and lamp are in the background.

8. Janea Brown

An ex-influencer, Janea Brown left a successful content creation career in Los Angeles to pursue direct community action and share resources online. Her content is an entry-point for people curious about making activism part of their lives and decreasing their dependence on capitalist systems over community. With guides like “How To Boycott with Low Energy” and “What I Wish Someone Told Me Before Boycotting,” she’s like your boycotting big sister using her influencer skills for anti-racist collective building.

LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube

9. United We Dream

United We Dream is the largest immigrant youth-led community in the country, and their work centers on advocacy for immigrants in the U.S. They provide resources for people affected by immigration policies and enforcement — and they also provide community for immigrant youth and their families.


Website | Instagram | YouTube

A person wearing an orange cap and face mask speaks into a megaphone while holding a banner during a daytime outdoor protest.
Two women standing and smiling at an outdoor event, one wearing a yellow shirt with a pink design and the other wearing an orange shirt and glasses.

10. Maryam Ajayi

As the founder of Dive In Well, Maryam works to make the wellness industry more accessible and inclusive. She is a speaker, breathwork instructor, and yoga teacher, creating community through wellness. Her work helps people nourish themselves so they can pour into their communities. 

Website | Instagram

Langa Chinyoka is a Contributing Editor at The Good Trade. She is a writer and strategist based in Los Angeles.