Anti-South Asian racism refers to historical and ongoing discrimination, negative stereotyping, and injustice experienced by peoples of South- Asian heritage, based on others’ assumptions about their ethnicity and nationality.
Peoples of South Asian heritage are subjected to specific overt and subtle racist tropes and stereotypes at individual and systemic levels, which lead to their ongoing social, economic, political and cultural marginalization, disadvantage and unequal treatment. (Adapted from the definition of Anti-Asian Racism retrieved from https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/asian-heritage-month/anti-asian-racism.html Oct 22, 2022)
As we begin to engage in this work, it is important that we have a clear understanding and definition of what we are trying to combat, change or dismantle. Anti-South Asian racism shows up in our resources, in our language and in our spaces. Once we are aware of it, we must name it, notice it and combat whenever it shows up.
We also need to be open on our learning journey to the opportunities. As much as we have a responsibility to look for and remove the barriers we know people face, we also need to learn from and celebrate the cultural teachings that are possible … to amplify both the battles against racism and the celebrations of culture, storytelling and sharing lived experiences.
Free Storybook Resources
Below you’ll find free storybooks for you and your family to use at home. If you click on them, you’ll be taken to a free audio-book or read aloud version, perfect for storytime
Elementary and Middle resources
Other resources
We’ve also included some more novels and stories to better educate yourself and your family about the history, culture, and issues facing South Asian people across Canada. You can access these books through your local community or school library.
Elementary and Middle resources
| Title | Author | Age range | |
 | Amina’s Voice | Hena Khan | 8-12 years old |
 | Karma Khullar’s Mustache | Kristi Wientge | 8-12 years old |
 | The Best at it | Maulik Pancholy | 8-12 years old |
 | The White Tiger | Aravind Adiga | 9 years old+ |
 | Midsummer’s Mayhem | Rajani LaRocca | 10 years old+ |
 | The Dream Runners | Shveta Thakrar | 10 years old+ |
Secondary and Mature resources
| Title | Author | Age range | |
 | A Place for us | Fatima Farheen Mirza | Mature |
 | Love & Courage | Jagmeet Singh | Mature |
 | Kaikeyi | Vaishnavi Patel | Mature |
 | Sari, Not Sari | Sonya Singh | Mature |
Interested in continuing your learning? Use the navigation at the top of the page (in the left bar for desktop platforms, or the “Section menu” under the banner for mobile) to explore a new topic, or use the below button to get to the next page in the DEIA Parent Toolkit
