I'm Still Here: Reese's Book Club: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness

Powerful messages from a Black woman's lived experience (in the U.S.), here for you to digest and absorb at your own pace. Austin Channing Brown is a wonderful writer, deftly correlating her personal stories to larger systemic issues. She covers a wide variety of her encounters, occurrences, and trials that span school, religion, work, age, and more. While the topics and stories can be challenging for those of us who are white, such as her chapters on white fragility and nice white people, open your mind, focus on empathy, and embrace it as a learning opportunity. We can—and must—do better.It was particularly interesting to hear how her childhood in a middle class, Christian, Black family in the Midwest surrounded by white communities (at school, church, and socially) shaped her perspectives. She had many of the stereotypical benefits, such as family and financial stability, well-funded schools, and access to university-level education. Yet she was immersed in white culture that emphasized her membership in the out-group (not white) and limited her exposure to many aspects of Black culture. She goes on to discuss how this affected her at later stages in life and the personal growth she experienced."Instead of offering empathy and action, whiteness finds new names for me and offers ominous advice. I am too sensitive, and should be careful with what I report. I am too angry, and should watch my tone when I talk about my experiences. I am too inflexible, and should learn to offer more grace to people who are really trying."Before you ask your Black friend about their traumatic stories—yes, they most likely have them—settle in and absorb Austin Channing Brown's experiences.

Well. If the reader is looking for a book that provides some hope for racial reconciliation, at least at the level Ms. Brown would like to see, this may not be it. It is powerfully written, eye opening, thought provoking, and poignant. It is also angry, unforgiving, and implacable. It was difficult for this white woman to read, yet I did my best not to judge, not to argue or defend along the way, but just to listen. And there is a world of pain, hurt and anger to listen to. Easy to see why she is fed up.I see that I have been pretty clueless about many of the assumptions I've held, maybe the biggest one being that lack of access to opportunity and fair treatment are the biggest racial projects that need work. Those sound like a piece of cake compared to what the author seems to be saying.The clue I think is in part of the title: Black Dignity. To be tolerated, accepted, included and given a voice in white organizations and institutions as a black person is too superficial for Ms. Brown. What she seems to be getting at goes deeper, to the dignity of feeling one ‘belongs’ in ways I find more difficult to comprehend, maybe because I haven’t experienced being so ‘out’ of the majority culture as have other groups. She gives very little if any credit for what most white folks would call progress, considering little of it meaningful change at best, and at worst, hurtful and exhausting to blacks. The picture she paints certainly make the white people in her orbit look painfully clumsy and oblivious, if at times well meaning. They often made me squirm in discomfort so I can only imagine Ms. Brown’s experience.Bottom line, I appreciated most the parts where she is recounting her own experiences and how she feels about them. Though difficult to accept, I can say it gave me much more insight into what some blacks experience and it continues to sink in in new ways as I process. But it has taken away any of my naïve expectation that we can solve this in a way Ms. Brown would find meaningful any time soon. That seems to be her take also.I'm left with the conviction that maybe for now, the best thing a white person can do is to simply open themselves up to these stories of pain and anger, keeping judgement, argument or defense to a minimum for the moment, difficult as that may be. And let it work on you. For our black friends and neighbors to be sincerely and compassionately heard and for white people to be present and open to some hard truths, is surely a necessary step if we have any hope of healing racial wounds. As I was reminded recently, listening doesn’t have to mean agreeing. Agreement/disagreement questions can be saved for another day.

I read this book for a proper I had to submit for my master's program in social work. Ms. Browns personal account and lived experience is genuinely eye opening in understanding how systemic and institutional racism, oppression and prejudice are woven into American society. The unfairness of how White privilege and its effects on people of color traumatizes over and over again, all based on the color of their skin takes self-awareness to a level of cultural competence that society needs to participate in with vehemence so to break the barriers of divisiveness and selfish agendas.A must read book!!

This is a book that I would recommend to anyone not understanding what is going on in our world right now when it comes to racial injustice. It will make most most people uncomfortable but it is full of truth that needs to be said. I jumped back and forth between my physical copy and listening to her read this. I have to say when listening to her I groaned and rolled my eyes in frustration for her. I believe as humans we all need to listen more in all areas of our life. We could learn so much.I can't imagine writing this book, she opened my eyes to so so many things.One thing that jumped out at me is Jesus.I loved these quotes from the author.."Jesus understood the accused, the incarcerated, the criminals, Jesus was accused. Jesus was incarcerated. Jesus hung on a cross with his crime listed above his crown of thorns.""Jesus loves the little children... red and yellow, black & white, all are precious in his sight.. I learned pretty early in life that Jesus may be cool with racial diversity, America is not.

Austin does such a great job at giving us a glimpse of what it's like to grow up as a Black girl in America. Her heart for justice makes me want to be sure I am aware of how, as a white woman, can be an ally to my fellow Black sister and brother. It grieves me that people are scared or threatened by Black people, and I am challenged to check my privilege and be sure that I am seeing where my whiteness has been in the way of Black peoples success. Thank you, Austin, for writing this book and shedding light on my own disgusting white fragility.

This is a great read! Written with easy to understand terminology, it opened my eyes to my own experiences of racism and micro aggression. I would highly recommend.

I originally heard of this book through Reese's book club for June/July. A week or so later I got a chance to listen to Austin Channing Brown on a podcast being interviewed and I was so moved I couldn't wait another day before buying a copy for my kindle because she was SOLD OUT!! Then I jumped in without really knowing what to expect. Austin Changing Brown, you had me gripping my ereader for the entire afternoon! I felt like I was inhaling your book. Letting your words speak so many different emotions, at times overwhelming, but you expose so much of your heart in your writings. I have a few quotes from the book I've highlighted, but one of my favourites is one that I heard you mention in the podcast. "The work of anti-racism is the work of being better humans to other humans." - Austin Channing Brown

A book that is not only well written, but also stimulates thought. Have I really always behaved correctly towards my fellow human beings as I assume? Could they have been hurt by some comment from me - unintentionally, of course, but that doesn't make it any better. After this book, I will first of all talk to my friends and colleagues to find out whether I have ever offended or hurt them, better pay attention to how I treat others and stand up for others when I notice any (racist) injustices.The part in which Austin Brown reported her day in the office particularly shocked me. How can you treat someone like this and didn't recognize it?In addition, the letter to her - at the time still unborn - son took me away. About all the joy about the unborn also the worries you have as colored parents. I wasn't aware of that before.In conclusion, I can say that this is one of the few books that will change my thinking and acting. Thank to Austin Channing Brown for this really important book.

I was confronted with my own biases and encouraged and challenged by Austin’s stories and honesty. Highly recommend this book.

I devoured this book. Austin writes with a poetic voice that is beautifully crafted while laying bare the harshest realities. this book will make you think, will open your eyes (if you are white) to a world we are so often blind to, and will challenge you to ask important and necessary questions. if you take this book seriously you will not be able to walk away unchanged, it will prompt you to join her in saying, “Doing nothing is no longer an option for me.”I will be thinking about this book for a long while to come.