Anneshia Hardy | The Hardy Exchange
Even though it's been four years since I left the classroom to launch a grassroots communications organization, Alabama Values, I still find myself pulling together semester reading lists. Old habits, it seems, die hard. This practice of curating reading lists has followed me into my current work, where I use narrative frameworks to build collective power and amplify underrepresented voices. Since leaving the classroom, I have been in the field working on a new narrative framework rooted in collective liberation and radical imagination. At the top of the year, I've found myself returning to a familiar ritual, pulling together books that challenge, inspire, and ground my thinking.
This "semester", my reading list features works that focus on race, representation, and resistance, pillars of the narrative framework I’m building. These books aren’t just academic exercises; they are tools to help navigate the complex intersections of power, identity, and storytelling. I like to think of them as co-conspirators in the work of shifting mindsets and empowering communities.
This Semester’s Reading List
"Black Power" by Kwame Ture & Charles V. Hamilton
This classic work is foundational for understanding the concept of self-determination. It reminds me that building power requires clarity of purpose and collective action—principles that inform any narrative framework."Revolutionary Intercommunalism and the Right of Nations to Self-Determination" by Huey P. Newton and Valdimir Lenin
This book provides a global lens, connecting struggles for liberation across borders. It reminds me of the importance of solidarity and interconnectedness in storytelling."The Racial Contract" by Charles W. Mills
Mills’ work lays bare how racism has been systematically woven into the very foundation of society. Mills exposes the unspoken agreements that uphold white supremacy and marginalize people of color. It’s an essential read for understanding how power structures operate and how narratives can challenge the myth of fairness in systems designed to exclude."Black Skin, White Masks" by Frantz Fanon
Fanon’s exploration of identity and colonization speaks to the psychological weight of oppression. His work helps me think about how narratives of liberation can dismantle internalized beliefs."The Black Image in the White Mind" by Martin A. Berger
Representation matters. This book dives into how Black people have been depicted in media and the lasting effects on perception and power. As someone focused on narrative, understanding this dynamic is key."Brainwashed: Challenging the Myth of Black Inferiority" by Tom Burrell
Burrell takes on the legacy of negative racial stereotypes perpetuated through media and culture. This book fuels my determination to craft counter-narratives that empower instead of oppress."#HashtagActivism" by Sarah J. Jackson, Moya Bailey, and Brooke Foucault Welles
Social media is where much of today’s activism happens. This book breaks down how hashtags like #BlackLivesMatter have shaped modern movements, reminding me of the power of digital storytelling."Black Against Empire: The History and Politics of the Black Panther Party" by Joshua Bloom and Waldo E. Martin
The Black Panther Party’s approach to resistance and community-building is a blueprint for organizing. This history is vital for understanding how narratives of empowerment can be put into action."Systemic Racism 101" by Aminah Pilgrim
Sometimes the basics are the most powerful. Pilgrim’s work lays out the foundational concepts of systemic racism, serving as both a primer and a call to action.
These books aren’t just for reading—they are for applying. Each one helps shape the framework I’ve been building, giving me the tools to craft narratives that inspire action and build ideological power. They remind me that storytelling is never neutral. It can reinforce systems of oppression, or it can dismantle them.
About the Author
Anneshia Hardy is a narrative strategist, scholar-activist, and social impact entrepreneur committed to leveraging storytelling and messaging for transformative social change. As Executive Director of grassroots communications and media advocacy organizations, Alabama Values and Alabama Values Progress, she leads efforts to strengthen the pro-democracy movement in Alabama and across the South through strategic messaging and digital strategies.
Co-founder of Blackyard LLC, Anneshia equips changemakers to amplify their impact in marginalized communities. With over a decade of experience, she has conducted narrative and messaging trainings for organizations like the NAACP and the Obama Foundation. Anneshia has also shaped strategies for landmark voting rights cases, including Allen v. Milligan. Rooted in the belief that culturally relevant narratives can drive equity and inspire action, she bridges academic insight and real-world advocacy to create lasting change.