This is THE book for anyone who wants a primer on social justice. Ijeoma Oluo clearly and carefully explains all the lingo you have probably already seen but maybe don't fully understand: (white) privilege, intersectionality, microagressions, school-to-prison pipeline, model minority myth, cultural appropriation, and tone policing. There's even a chapter about why black people can say the n-word and white people shouldn't, and why the n-word is not comparable to "cracker" (at which some white people take offense).
The writing is straightforward and approachable, with a bit of humor thrown in to lighten the mood. Oluo includes a number of painful, personal anecdotes that could be eye-openers for readers who may not otherwise hear about such experiences first-hand (though they are prevalent in communities of color).
Even if you are quite knowledgeable about social justice issues, and even if you're a person of color, this book is still worth reading. It will give you some insights both in terms of what you can say to others when talking about race, and also how others might feel if they are the ones not understanding or being called out for acting racist. Much of the content could be considered geared towards white people outside the activist community who are willing to learn, but there's a lot that even a woke person of color would find reassuring and validating.
The real shame is that the people who would most benefit from reading this book - the people who don't talk about race because they "don't see color" and think our society is already "post-racial" - are probably the least likely to read it. It's our job, then, to keep on talking and help plant some seeds, until everybody gets to the point of reaching for this book.
No comments:
Post a Comment