So You Want to Talk About Race, by Ijeoma Oluo, has been on my list for a few years, and if I am honest, like most books on racism, it made me feel anxious and uncomfortable to pick up.
To my surprise, this book does an excellent job at taking complex ideas and concepts and making them understandable to someone who doesn’t have the experience of being a racial minority in the United States. (Although geared for those who are White, the author also addresses racial minorities at times, too).
What do I like about it? It is easy to ingest, including many stories. At minimum, you’ll walk away knowing how to love people better, just by hearing someone else’s experience and perspective (even if you don’t 100% agree on their perspective). You will probably also appreciate the reassurances and step-by-step guides to having difficult conversations on race–which are not a matter of “if,” but when.
Despite some of it being uncomfortable to hear, overall I think it really was equipping–not only with language, but helping me feel less anxious about messing-up, especially with topics like “appropriation” or giving me experiences to understand bigger cultural discussions, like affirmative action.
I recommend this to both beginners and long-term advocates on racial equality.
Get a copy of Ijeoma Oluo’s book, So You Want To Talk About Race, here.
Note: the above is an affiliate link (which doesn’t affect you, but occasionally helps me buy a cup of coffee. I am legally required to disclose this.)
