I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness

As a white woman who sees herself as an ally, I was figuratively slapped upside the head, in a really “good” way with this book. The author pulls no punches in what it means to be Black in America. When I started the book, I had to sit with it a little, to get my bearings and move past my privilege. She is direct, clear and unapologetic, and honestly, I’m not used to that; thank you for making me grow! After completing the book and dissecting it a bit, I realized that is the main problem in changing such an unjust, unfair and unequal system that many white Americans continue to uphold and even champion. Her work led me to know, that no matter how it is told or how uncomfortable it makes me (us) to hear the truth of Black show more peoples’ experiences, they are valid and worthy. Even more so than ours, because they have been silenced for centuries and continue to be. I would summarize this book as informative, necessary and a life changing reading. show less

The impassioned story of one woman’s journey into activism.

Brown’s book is part memoir and part jeremiad against American whiteness. She begins by describing her youth in a largely white neighborhood of Toledo. After her parents’ divorce, she went on to discover black culture, and affirm her own identity, in an African-American Cleveland neighborhood and, especially, in a black church. Through high school and then into college, Brown learned more about black history and culture and became more involved with racial reconciliation efforts. She especially saw herself as a possible bridge between black and white cultures. Most of her work has been through churches and progressive Christian organizations, but faith plays only a minor show more role in this book. The focus of the narrative is on the author’s recognition of—and fight against—“America’s commitment to violent, abusive, exploitative, immoral white supremacy, which seeks the absolute control of Black bodies.” Brown pulls no punches as she lambasts white culture for being, even at its most liberal, myopic and self-serving. She argues that “white fragility” and “white guilt” are ways in which whites absolve themselves of inherent racism. Discussing whites who, after her presentations on racism, confess to her their own racist opinions and actions, she points out that she cannot “offer absolution….I am not a priest for the white soul.” Throughout the book, the author writes with raw emotion and candid self-reflection. “I have become very intimate with anger,” she writes. Brown’s work will resonate with other activists of color, though it provides little direction for others. The author is clear that racism and white supremacy are here to stay and that even attempts to educate and enlighten are rarely fruitful. “I underestimated the enduring power, the lethal imagination, the desire for blood of white supremacy,” she writes. And later: “hope for me has died one thousand deaths.”

A powerful and necessarily uncomfortable text lacking suggestions for a path forward. show less

An extremely intimate memoir of the black experience. The author recounts her awakening to the concept of race and how her existence is interrupted by daily reminders that she is seen as different and lesser by those around her. Even by those within her own faith group. Even those within her own church. She recounts stories and events in her life that have left a lasting impact. She communicates clearly and beautifully, the near constant barrage of emotional labor she must do for all the white people in her life. She is tired. She is struggling to maintain hope. She is so open and honest.

Those who have ears to hear, let them hear.

Eye opening, thought provoking, and much needed in today's world. Austin Channing Brown crafts 14 essays on what it means being a Black American. She talks about misconceptions, injustices, fear, tone policing, the barriers to success and so so much more. As a white person who is trying to be antiracist (and always learning more) this book opened my eyes to so many of the small microaggressions and things that I would never think of or have to go through as a white person. It reminds white readers that we still have far to go and can always learn more. It affirms with Black readers that what they go through is "normal" but certainly not fair or just. It's wrong and it will take white people more than a few diversity trainings to fix. show more Something I needed to read and really think about. Not just in passing, but really think and ACT on being more aware and changing the patterns and attitudes of our country. show less

This book might in the first couple chapters make you think racism is easier to grasp and with more shared experiences than you might have expected, but keep reading. Next it will make you realize it isn't that easy, and then it will make you sad and then mad. Then you'll start to grasp the experiences Black people deal with, in ways that will leave you contemplating and wanting to solve what you can't solve. At best, you can empathize, and stand with others, and push where any of us spot a chance to gain some progress. If you read it thoughtfully and with an open mind, it will help you understand how racism manifests and what we should do.

A quick read, but not always an easy read, because this book is unapologetically over coddling white people about their feelings about race. Which is a good thing! It’s important to get a perspective like this one, that examines being a Black woman in public, from churches to workplaces and everything in between. It’s full of things to think about, and takes breaks down a lot of things that progressive white people think is “enough” and yet still place a heavy burden on Black people to bear. A good read, and worth taking slowly.

One of Brown's earliest memories about race is learning that her parents named her Austin so that future employers would assume she was a white man. In various essays, Brown explores the Black experience through her own lived experiences, offering smart observations and commentary on racism in the world around us and the microaggressions (and macroaggressions!) Black people experience every day as they just live in the world.

This short book was excellent and compelling. Brown is a talented writer and I think this should be required reading alongside more popular books like So You Want to Talk About Race and White Fragility. 5 stars.