I'm still here

black dignity in a world made for whiteness

185 pages

English language

Published Jan. 13, 2018

ISBN:
9781524760854
OCLC Number:
1034000935

View on OpenLibrary

5 stars (1 review)

The author's first encounter with a racialized America came at age seven, when her parents told her they named her Austin to deceive future employers into thinking she was a white man. She grew up in majority-white schools, organizations, and churches, and has spent her life navigating America's racial divide as a writer, a speaker, and an expert helping organizations practice genuine inclusion. While so many institutions claim to value diversity in their mission statements, many fall short of matching actions to words. Brown highlights how white middle-class evangelicalism has participated in the rise of racial hostility, and encourages the reader to confront apathy and recognize God's ongoing work in the world.

4 editions

My Review

5 stars

Frankly, I debated leaving a review at all. If it's not obvious from my profile picture, I can only relate so much in terms of first-hand experience. This isn't my story to relate to or even necessarily my opinion to have. That said, reviews are critical for all books. So here we are...

The memoir offers a glimpse into life that will make you think. What the book does well (from a white perspective) is highlight those little things that might seem oblivious us as white people that POC face in a society built from the ground up for white people. The racism, sure, but also the micro-aggressions, the assumptions, the pointless friction in otherwise mundane tasks... It also dives into white guilt, white privilege, and white fragility. While the book does involve Black Jesus and church life (as the author is a Christian) it's not an overt part of …

Subjects

  • Race relations
  • African American women political activists
  • Biography
  • African American Christians

Places

  • United States