“I’m Still Here” by Austin Channing Brown – Black Dignity in a World Made For Whiteness

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Brown’s memoir is an uncomfortable yet essential read to open our eyes to the racial injustices in our country.

Synopsis:

Brown spent a lot of her childhood in the predominantly white town of Toledo, Ohio. Her parents divorced when she was ten, and she started spending the summers with her mother in Cleveland. This all-black neighborhood was new to Austin, and she was able to learn about black culture and find her identity along the way. She fell in love with the black Church which guided her strong faith. 

As Brown ventures her way through high school and college, she learns more and more about black history and sees first hand the difference between herself and those with white privilege. She then enters the workplace, and explains to us the daily struggles racism causes in even a professional environment. 

Rating: 3.5/5 

Review:

This memoir is an uncomfortable yet essential read. Brown’s writing is raw and bursting with emotion. I found myself learning about things I would never have otherwise known or even thought about for that matter. Saying that this was eye-opening for me would be an understatement. 

White privilege is real, whether people want to admit that or not. It may not even be something we consciously think about because we’ve never known any different. This is just how life is, in our little bubble. This is why books like Brown’s are so important to read. You may be uncomfortable, you may squirm, but that’s the point. We need to be opening our eyes to the racial injustices everywhere so we can do something about it.

Although incredibly eye-opening, I’m left with a lot of questions. How do we make a difference going forward? What is the correct way to approach our regrets of the past? I was hoping to find suggestions for a path forward. Instead, I feel confused. I’m now scared of unintentionally saying or doing the wrong thing. I want to help mankind move forward, so I will be doing more research. Maybe that’s the point. Maybe she intentionally left us with more questions than suggestions.

Conclusion: 

Brown’s memoir is an important stepping stone for us all to begin moving forward. Only by having an understanding of other people’s lives and how they feel can we truly make a difference. I urge you all to read this. It’s small but packed full of important information. 

Amazon: I’m Still Here- Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness

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