I Don't Mean to Sound Racist, But...: Exploring the Different Faces of Racism

by Adeyemi Oke

I Don't Mean to Sound Racist, But... Examining the Different Faces of Racism Why is that whenever we hear this phrase it follows up with something racist? Different forms of discrimination exist and we are examining and underlining the various forms as there seems to be a lack of awareness across the UK. We wrote this book to engage and to give greater insight to examples of racism experienced by Black people in the UK. The book is packed with understandings from social analysis as well as qualitative research. We conducted research with Black participants whom have grown up in various places across the UK. This data was used to inform important questions such as what is casual racism? Written with passion not rage and insight rather than anger. The book offers solutions on improving the situation for oneself and our immediate network. If you want to educate yourselves on the discriminations faced daily by your colleagues, friends and even some extended family members, then make yourself uncomfortable and let’s begin.

112 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 22, 2020

Reviews

[Jessica Walton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very interesting and eye-opening book to different aspects of racism, particularly in Britain. Although short, it included a variety of stories and topics. As a white person, it is important to remind myself that racism is still prevalent. This book also encourages further research as it covers topics very briefly, such as the Race Riots in Liverpool in 1919 or Enoch Powell’s Rivers of Blood speech. I also thought the summary at the end of the book drew it together quite well. Don’t expect detailed explanations of particular things/events - the descriptions are often brief and kind of unfinished- which encourages you to read more about each event/topic. I would have liked to read more, and I encourage this author to write more- although you can check out their instagram. However, I did expect the book to contain more anecdotes from the survey the author conducted, and I would have appreciated some information about the survey, such as number of participants and collection methods.

[Nicola Baldwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was genuinely shocked at how little I knew about racism in my own country before reading this book. Yemi has opened my eyes to the many ways racism manifests—often subtly, yet powerfully—in everyday life. The book is thought-provoking, uncomfortable in all the right ways, and deeply educational. It challenged my assumptions and encouraged me to reflect on my own perspectives. An important and eye-opening read for anyone who wants to better understand the realities of racism close to home.