I’m excited to share today’s book review of “So You Want To Talk About Race” by Ijeoma Oluo with you all today. In light of the Black Lives Matter movement that grows stronger each day, I wanted to take some time to learn and educate myself on racism.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I’ve always understood what racism is, but as a white female in California, I wasn’t sure of what I could do to help in this social revolution. So I thought to educate myself.
The Book
If there’s ever a book to read to understand race, it’s this book. It was often hard for me to read, mostly because I felt horrified about how people of color have been treated and for being naive in my thinking. However, we must become uncomfortable if we want change to happen.
The author brings in her life experience into each chapter of the book, whether it’s about her conversations with her white mother, her experience with racism in the workplace, and in dealings with the police. Each chapter brings you closer to the realization of how people of color are treated in the US.
A few of the chapters that stood out to me are the ones on privilege, intersectionality, the school-to-prison pipeline, and microaggressions. I’m going, to be honest, I didn’t understand most of these concepts before reading this book.
The Takeaways
There is so much information and knowledge in this book; I know that I will be rereading it. Mainly because I want to make sure that this issue is top of mind. Also so that I can “check my privilege.” I highly recommend picking up a physical copy of this book or listening to it on Audible.
If you want to understand more about racism and privilege, this is a must-read. It will be tough to get through. You will think to yourself about each time that you might have accidentally said something wrong in the past or asked to touch a person of color’s hair (yes, this book discussed that), but it will only help you grow.
The author, Ijeoma Olou, is straightforward with her words. Her approach makes this book refreshing and only makes each of her points harder.
Closing Statement
In regards to racism, as a white female, I know that I will never understand what it’s like to be a person of color. But, I do know that I can support people of color by educating myself and standing up for what’s right.
What does this mean? Well, mostly it means voting. But it also means supporting people of color and doing my part to educate other white people.
Now, I’m probably going to get things wrong, but that’s all part of the learning process. As long as I stay humble and keep trying to learn that’s progress.
To purchase this book, you can find it on Amazon >>here<<. If you’re interested in more book reviews, please check them out >>here<<.
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