Black Appetite. White Food.: Issues of Race, Voice, and Justice Within and Beyond the Classroom

by Jamila Lyiscott

Black Appetite. White Food. invites educators to explore the nuanced manifestations of white privilege as it exists within and beyond the classroom. Renowned speaker and author Jamila Lyiscott provides ideas and tools that teachers, school leaders, and professors can use for awareness, inspiration, and action around racial injustice and inequity. Part I of the book helps you ask the hard questions, such as whether your pedagogy is more aligned with colonialism than you realize and whether you are really giving students of color a voice. Part II offers a variety of helpful strategies for analysis and reflection. Each chapter includes personal stories, frank discussions of the barriers you may face, and practical ideas that will guide you as you work to confront privilege in your classroom, campus, and beyond.

Genres: Education, Nonfiction, Social Justice, Race, Teaching, Professional Development, Anti Racist

90 pages, Paperback

Published May 21, 2019

Reviews

[J. Ferg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is NOT a guide book. If you read this book looking for action steps or a list of “how to’s”- you won’t find it. Instead, this piece focuses on practical application. Dr. Lyiscott provides the reader with ways in which to (1) begin the work of self awareness in order to effectively support and engage with social justice work and (2) a framework to use when getting started.

The accessibility of this book, especially for educators is also a plus.


4/5 is more for the publisher who prices the book a little high which can limit the amount of people who can have access.

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

White educators everywhere need a copy.

[Erin Groth · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Excellent book for educators.

[Cathlina Bergman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some interesting ideas, but very choppy writing. The chapters feel as if they were essays she had previously published in academic periodicals. And I'm not a fan of spoken word poetry, so those passages didn't do anything for me. However, I am taking away two solid ideas to use in the classroom, so I'm pleased!

[Jenn Georges · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are a person of color I do not think you NEED. this book. This was suppose to be a book about learning for me. I think its more suited for someone who knows little about social Justice in America and is white and an educator. The book was to anecdotal for my taste, and a bit scattered. It felt like she was just saying things and not many real actionable items.

[Joshua Clayton · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I was reading this morning I was thinking to myself:

This resonates with me and I am glad I read it. Considering my natural bent, it affirmed most of my nonconformist "other than the grid" viewpoints right down to being a genuine individual instead of any stereotype unconscious or conscious. Realistically, this short read opened wider already opened eyes and gave a deeper perspective of many why's and how's of it all. Very informative book. Because I read some books, some books read me and this did both. What a pleasure!

[Tashia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This little book is packed with so much good stuff and each short chapter includes a list of resources for additional reading (works that she cites or that helped inform her work in each chapter.) I love that Lyiscott weaves poetry and verse through the pages, it adds a depth & poignancy to this work of non-fiction prose.
I also love that she includes optional reflection activities and frameworks for educators who might want to use this book to facilitate staff discussion or examine pedagogy or policy with coworkers. A must-read for educators.

[Keegan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed her candidness on this issue. There were some really useful/practical practices or strategies Lyiscott put forth that schools, teachers, districts could use in anti-racist work.

However, I felt many of the chapters didn't fully address the teaching component of this work and veered away from what teachers could be doing specifically to address/tackle the insidious ways white privilege/racism worm their way into education and how/what teachers teach.

[Joy Kirr]

Some parts of this book made me re-read, share, and sit with uncomfortableness for a bit. It was good for me, and I know I’d learn a ton more should I follow the author’s instructions as to how to facilitate discussions and look inside ourselves.

[Kyrstin Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much new and powerful information about race and education. Check this book out. It’s super short but definitely packs a punch. The framework discussed in this book is something I will be thinking about for weeks to come.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for educators. I learned so much about decentering whiteness in my classroom and how to deepen my culturally relevant teaching practices. I annotated and marked the crap out of this one and have returned to it several times.

[Meg M · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great resource for white and black educators, perfect for a book study or tool to use to change systematic methods of racism in your school. Such important work to be done.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Woke me up to some of my teaching practices that needed changing.

[Norma Azore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the section on language to be very valuable for English teachers.

[Salamah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good introduction to thinking about education and White privilege.

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read most of this right after a workshop with Lyiscott. I finished it up today. It's useful as a reminder of the workshop activities and content.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read for a class, and enjoyed the perspective and ideas shared in this.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

PHENOMENAL! A must-read for educators and anyone interested in a social justice.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slim book. I like the poetic parts, in particular, as well as the tools Lyiscott provides. Most of all, I enjoyed watching her TED talk poem, "3 Ways to Speak English."

[Sara Borkowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Educators and Admin: Read this book.

[Dusty Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read with Evie and used for reference for Senior paper

[Brett Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy read. Had great analogies to make it easier for a range of readers & learners to grasp the concepts being addressed. Would definetly recommend!

[Keith Mathias · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short and powerful, with some great reminders for those of us engaging in social justice work in the classroom.

[Josie Rushin · Rating 3 out of 5]

non-fiction text about anti-racism in education. i’m not going to lie, when i opened the text, i had not read a synopsis - i was recommended the text via tiktok. therefore, i did think the text was going to be about the relationship between racism and food. the text was still educational and i liked how it gave exercises to do to question your anti-racism actions and behaviour. it was also a short text so it was a quick read.

[Brooke Day · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helpful ideas, although in a very brief format. Best suited to being paired with individual or workshop study at the very introductory level of this content.