Dear White Women: Let's Get (Un)comfortable Talking about Racism

by Sara Blanchard, Misasha Suzuki Graham

If you move through daily life without a lot of thought as to how privilege or race impacts every decision that you make, then the concept of discussing race might be a new one, or an uncomfortable one. We’re living in a society that is fundamentally based on systems of advantages for people based on skin color, but one that many White people do not know much about. As a result, when faced with that racist joke, or pointed comment, do you know what to say? Do you realize much later what you wish you could have said? Or do you stay silent, smiling and nodding, so as not to hurt anyone’s feelings?


If you answered - or even paused yes - to the above, then this is the book for you. Sara and Misasha break down not only the psychology and barriers to meaningful race discussions for White people, but also the history and statistics behind Black and other non-Black POC racism and discrimination in this country, all in short targeted chapters for a focused, quick read. At the end of each section, they provide a few practical, concrete tips for addressing these issues when (not if, when) they come up - at home, at work, in social groups, etc. - and how having these conversations or asking these questions within your own small spheres of influence may not seem like much, but can, in reality, push the needle of change in the direction that we all need to be going. 

Genres: Nonfiction, Social Justice, Social Issues, Education, Race, Womens, Parenting

264 pages, Paperback

Published October 12, 2021

Reviews

[Cara Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent primer that all the white ladies need to read - reminds me of Tatum’s Why are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria in theme + layout.

[Robin | BookAdoration Marchadour · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dear White Women is one of the best books on racism that I’ve read. I had many meaningful epiphanies while reading this book. I particularly loved how it gave me some very meaningful examples of things that I can say or do when talking with someone who has just made a racist comment. This book has a whole chapter dedicated to the n-word, the history behind it and the reasons why some black people continue to use the word. It was so informative. As an educator, I often hear the word being used. I feel like I now have a tool that I can use with my students when one of those teachable moments arises. The book brought to light so many important issues including white privilege. I’m happy that we dove into this book for our book club pick of the month. The dialogue and conversations that arose was enlightening and humbling. This book is so important. We all need to read this book! Thank you to Sara Blanchard for meeting with our book and important work you’ve done on this topic. ❤️

[Carianne Carleo-Evangelist · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was well written, but I expected more in-depth look at anti-racism given their time hosting the podcast. This would be an excellent intro for someone taking their first steps in the field, and/or sharing the world with teens. I would hope that anyone choosing to read this knows not to assume a Latino person outside a house is a gardener, and that you shouldn't touch anyone's hair without permission. I did not know why the pivot from "dreadlocks" to "locks" was, and that was an interesting if sad story.

I think the construction of each chapter was very good with the concrete examples and follow up action steps so you could look at specific chapters or issues as they came up. I also really liked the division (and paper edging color!) for the White POV, Black POV and non white POC perspective because they're all similar but different. I think this book might have resonated more with me if I were a parent trying to raise an anti-racist child as much of their advice was targeted to families, but I appreciated both authors' lenses as non-Black biracial women and what that brought to their experiences, especially being in Pasadena vs. Compton for the Rodney King verdict.

So much of where we are shapes who we are.

[Leah Tyler]

Blanchard and Graham are two Asian American women who run a podcast called Dear White Women. The book version of their show focuses primarily on how racism affects Black people.

If you've been to the Isabel Wilkerson school of anti-racism, this book doesn't necessarily contain new information. Although, if I had previously learned that Black Americans were excluded from the GI Bill post World War II, that's something I'd forgotten.

The roots of white supremacy run insidiously deep in this country. It's critical that in order to impact change, we continue to educate ourselves, white women. We're either working to dismantle the institutions that perpetuate inequality or we're working to prop them up. There is no neutral.

This book would be beneficial for the person looking for effective and enlightened ways to broach the topics of race and skin color with their children, as well as ways to normalize non-whiteness in our communities.

[Nikki Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

While shopping for a specific book on anti-racism this title took my notice. I’m White. I’m a Woman. And I want to walk in the opposite direction of a moving walkway. Honestly, this is the first book on anti-racism that I’ve read. I watch Tik Tok videos and read articles but I struggled with “where to start.” I don’t feel comfortable with the injustices, nor do I totally understand them.

I read some of the reviews about halfway through the book. I felt like I had already learned so much, things that I never even considered as part of the problem. But unfortunately some of the reviews disagreed. So to address some of this “issues” other readers had:

1. More geared toward individuals with children.

- Absolutely the authors offered how to educate and start conversations with their littles, but I think it’s important to point out that “our children” refers to the next generation as a whole. I don’t have children, nor will I, but I can use the examples when with my young adult sister, my elementary and toddler age nieces and nephews, friends and families children… Just because I don’t have children doesn’t mean their generation isn’t important to me. I care about humanity and our collective growth.

2. Not new information.
- Who says? When reading the book it’s easy to see how history has been erased or changed. If we aren’t actively seeking these stories than more likely than not it is new information to that individual. And what of those who haven’t been in school in over a decade? The difference in what was told in class then and now, or the region we grew up in where some histories are focused above others.

- I went to cosmetology school and “hair history” was part of the curriculum. I never learned the origin of the name “dreadlocks”. Soooooo, NEW information, to me.
- And great for you, truly, if you knew all of most of the topics explored in this book, but remember your story isn’t the same as mine.

3. How can “little things” make a dent?
- Doing nothing makes ZERO impact. I would prefer to shop at a Black owned business rather than continue to contribute to corporations like Victoria’s Secret (who are actually anti-feminist). It’s a slow progress but it’s progress.

4. Title of the book.
- Embrace the rule of “don’t judge a book by its cover”. What’s the issue? You want to share it with your friend that’s a male and because it says “women” it’d sway his decision to read it? Well maybe he isn’t as open to the anti-racism discussion as he thought.


5. That the authors don’t see any issues with the police.
- This book isn’t about the police (that could be a whole other book), although it highlights some key issues like “pre-text stop” the authors goal was to help White people see the privileges we normally don’t pay attention to.


I felt like the authors made “white fragility” and “white privilege” clear to readers. They gave great examples along with tangible real life stories. The analogy of the moving walkways really resonated with me. I know I have a lot of growing to do. But I will continue to. And I can attribute some of my next steps to this book.

[Sara Blanchard · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the author: This is a level-setting guide that is meant for people who want to be more anti-racist, but aren't sure where to start. Each short, approachable chapter has listen / learn / act sections where you get to hear people's stories to build empathy, learn the history to understand why we are where we are, and answers the every-important question, what can I DO about it? Highly recommend for your book club and organizations - plus we have our award-winning weekly podcast that continues to address these topics and more.

[Renee Wood · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just the title sounds so demeaning to me. I am and should not be ashamed to be white.

[are we there yet · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was wondering why the tone of this book felt so familiar until I realized it was reminiscent of the self-help books I used to read. No, seriously, this book might as well be called "How to Solve Racism: A Self-Help Guide for White Women" with all the little things the readers can do as individuals to feel productive even after the authors established that the root of the problems is SYSTEMIC (as in a result of decades-long, if not more, of governmental policies).

I will add that I appreciated all the research that both women did (hence the three stars), and I understand that people have different roles in the movement for justice. But how you gonna go around knowing Black people in the US are economically disadvantaged because of slavery, redlining, and PIC (among other things) and STILL think shopping at Black-owned businesses can begin to help make a dent. (Also relevant: it takes money to start a business, and most people who are used to not having money aren't going to take that kind of risk and instead opt for the minimum-wage jobs.)

I was also disappointed by the authors' choice to refer to the destruction of property as "violence" (!) and their implicit stance that there's nothing inherently wrong with the police. I think it's worth remembering that even if they ARE bi-racial, they still have the skin color of people who aren't regularly racially profiled by police officers who WILL commit real violence on human beings as racism continues to be a thing.

[Phantom_fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actionable and has good insight.

[Ruby · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Storytelling is central to anti-racism work. For African Americans, being able to tell our stories is important not only from understanding ourselves, but also for helping others to have empathy."

"You have a choice to take a stand for humanity, to fight every day to be more anti-racist, to speak up for those of us who are marginalized, to make sure all rights are protected. Or, you can sit back, stay quiet (because it is safer that way), and hope that you won't be judged for your lack of action."

"When you are always being positioned as "other," you start to think of yourself that way. So the need to figure out where I fit in and the desire to bridge cultures and communities have been central to my existence from my very earliest memories."

"Because I think racism is largely baked into our society. If we are really honest, we have to admit that we still often have knee-jerk reactions when we see people who look different than us. It's human; we are attracted to similarity, we feel that people who are similar to us are actually better than those who are different."

"We've heard well-intentioned White people say that Black people are overreacting by feeling such fear, and to that we say: People are experts in their own stories and fears. Telling a person they shouldn't be afraid or that they're overthinking something is dismissing and dehumanizing their very real concerns."

"White privilege is referring to NOT being barred from an opportunity based solely on the color of your skin."

"While studies show that segregation peaked in the 1960s and 1970s, approximately 13 percent of today's United States population are Black people-so how many of that 13 percent live in our city, our town, our block?"

"We believe that if we were able to be successful, everybody should be able to "pull up their own bootstraps" and get the same result. That's the myth of the American Dream, where we think we all have freedom to pursue prosperity and success for ourselves and our children, if only we work hard. White people certainly don't want to think that we are at any advantage, because we worked hard and have felt uncomfortable and faced adversity in our lives. It must mean that others-in particular Black people in other communities-simply aren't working as hard, because they don't live where or how we are living."

"Adain, let us insert a reality check: Looking back from the year 2020, the banning of racial discrimination in housing was enacted only fifty-two years ago. The parents of our middle-aged friends had to deal with redlining in their own lives. Think for a moment about the conversations our generation's White parents were having around the dinner table when they were children; think now about the conversations our Black peers' parents had to have around the dinner table at that time. They were probably very, very different because the laws governing their lives were very, very different."

"Change is slow, very, very slow when coupled with systemic racism and generations of discrimination."

"It's not because Black people are any less intelligent, ambitious, trustworthy, or hard-working than White people are, but because they started off on much worse footing and had to live with many more restrictions than our White ancestors did-systemically. It's not easy to make huge leaps in one generation alone."

"Because you know what truly sucks? That Black people are made to feel less than human. Not just because of the history of slavery in the United States, but because there are systems in place that continue to disadvantage them, along with widespread aggressions and microaggressions that continue to hurt them on a regular, individual basis."

"It's like we've been conditioned not to talk about it."

"The truth is, kids are forming ideas about race regardless of whether we talk about it, and as parents, we cannot delude ourselves about that. And by the time White children are about five, most of them attribute negative characteristics to Black people and positive characteristics to White people."

"It can sometimes feel overwhelming to consider how to have explicit conversations with our children about things that we ourselves have had the privilege to avoid for a large part of our lives. But talking about race doesn't have to be terrifying; there are easier entry points now more than ever before."

"It is important to name whiteness and for White people to identify as 'White.' Not naming or claiming the word 'White' masks whiteness, white supremacy, and white privilege, power, and history as membera of the dominant racial group."

"Children learn through their reality, not just by people telling things about the world. This country has many pockets of segregation, and without a conscious effort, children might grow up not really knowing children of other ethnicities."

"Is Black Lives Matter a terrorist organization? NO. But the idea was contagious. Even the FBI believed it. In fact, they were so concerned about the potential reach of the #BlackLivesMatter movement that in 2017 they invented a new domestic terrorism program category called the "Black Identity Extremist Movement," and used the existence of the program to justify surveilling people based solely on race."

"As we write, just weeks before the 2020 general election in America, Black Lives Matter leaders are having to address death threats that they are receiving from White supremacist groups. They're not the ones issuing them-that is what terrorists do. They're the ones who are fighting to keep their families and their own Black bodies safe, yet again."

"In our search for "equality," we must remember that in a fundamental way, we do not start our equal. Not, in this country; not yet, anyway."

"According to the Brookings Institute, the average White student's public school had a Black enrollment of about 10 percent in 2010, which was roughly the same as in 1980. The average Black student's public school actually had less White enrollment in 2010 than in 1980, partly due to the growth of Hispanic students in the school age population in this thirty-year period, and the related decline in the White population."

"A brief but important explanation: You might know locs as "dreadlocks." We call them "locs" because, as noted by Lori L. Tharps, hair historian and coauthor of Hair Story: Untangling the Roots of Black Hair in America, "the modern understanding of dreadlocks is that the British, who were fighting Kenyan warriors (during colonialism in the late 19th century), came across the warrior's locs and found them 'dreadful,' thus coining the term 'dreadlocks,'" Once we learned this, we consciously changed how we refer to this hairstyle, and hope you will too."

"A Brookings Institute article quotes economists Darrick Hamilton and Sandy Darity as concluding that inhertances and other intergenerational transfers "account for more of the racial wealth gap than any other demographic and socioeconomic indicators."

"Maybe you're thinking, I'm not getting an inheritance but I work hard so that's how I can afford to spend money how I want. We agree that in an ideal world, everyone would be able to do the same. However, racism plays a part in disparate, outcomes in the labor market-through employment discrimination, georgraphic barriers to jobs, and differing levels of social capital. According to a 2015 Forbes report, the typical White family earns $50,400 a year, while the typical Black family earns $32,048."

"Not having a college degree can be a barrier to better-paying jobs. However, in 2011, 34 percent of Whites graduated from a four-year college compared to just 20 percent of Black people. One large barrier to college attendance? Student loans. The ability to pay that debt back-or rather, the inability to do so-os often a total barrier to Black higher education, which is why the argument to forgive student loans is a key one to pay attention to, as this may help address this racial barrier to higher education."

"This country has a long history of looking down on immigrants, treating them in ways that we would not consider treating White Americans."

We are a country that has historically "othered" people who we want to cast aside. However, the entire population of our country-aside from Natice Americans-has been built on immigration. It's time we realize how harmful words-including virus names-can be, and the reprecussions they have in the everyday lives of Americans."

"The model minority myth focuses on exceptionalism, and reduces the real-life identity struggles, discriminiation, and harm Asian individuals experiences."

"The United States has a sordid history of discrimination against those from Asia; even today, despite the increased population of people from various countries within Asia and the many American born citizens of Asian descent, the U.S. government still tends to lump all Asians together in the official statistics. While it can be useful to categorize groups of people from world regions for the purposes of harnessing the collective power of people of Asian origin (now often referred to as Asian American and Pacific Islander, or AAPI), lumping all Asians under one umbrella does a lot of harm."

P.186 left off Pakistan from the map show to depict Asian countries (should've done better research)
Also kept switching between illegal and undocumented immigrants...

[Lynn M · Rating 3 out of 5]

I haaaate taking away two stars from this book, but I must. Definitely a great conversation about race and actions that are anti-racist.

One star reduction: I wish the title addressed it to white parents and not white women. I don’t have kids. And much of the book was phrased around raising children to be anti-racist or how to have conversations with your children. This is great and I will surely recommend the book to my friends who are parents. But the title is misleading.

Two star reduction: for the sake of my own consistency, I take away a start when a book is poorly edited. This book has plenty of unclear sentences, missed grammar, and at one point says “according to the newspaper” yet the proceeding paragraphs make no mention of an article or newspaper.

There’s also some contradictory advice, but I’ll take progress and dialog over perfection.

[Amanda Adams · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is full of hypocritical, contradictory advice. Just a few examples:


- Admonish readers to never "use a descriptor of skin color unless it’s material to the story" (p.68), then in Chapter 8, lament on how people do backflips to avoid using descriptors of skin color in everyday conversations, such as describing a child on a playground (p.88), which would "other" him in a group of White children. 

- Criticize White people for EVER using the N-word, yet feel comfortable as two White women to say the word in their book, fully spelling it multiple times (Chapter 9). 

- The authors say: “It’s the impact on the listener — not the intent — that matters” (p.107). However, this principle is discarded when it comes to Black people looting: “We have entire communities in our country that live in pain, and when the daily persistence of that pain gets to be too much, what should we expect?” (p.129). What matters most in that scenario, according to the authors, is the intent, while the impact of violence, theft, and destruction of property merely "sucks" and "feels threatening" (p.46). If you're a Black person in pain, violence is justified in Chapter 12. The impacts of looting and rioting are never condemned as wrong, sinful, or even bad. Rather, they are defended and justified. 

- The authors undermine a major theme of their book on p.94: “There is no pressure to make friends with people simply because of their race.... they were forcing something just for the sake of race, which we don't recommend." The whole point of this book is to seek out Black friends, Black media, Black products, Black pediatricians, Black librarians, Black teachers, expose your children to as much Black influence as possible, etc. in order to do the work of anti-racism. All of their suggestions surround being intentional with seeking out those who are different from you. So their statement that there's no pressure from them about it is totally absurd.

Also, they insist on downplaying the immense progress that the U.S.A. has made in race relations. They use a metaphor of an airport walkway to describe the United States "always" moving in the direction of racism, despite the fact that we've gone from a country that enslaved and segregated Black people to one that elected a Black president not once, but twice, and sees Black Americans successful as CEO's, scientists, doctors, politicians, Supreme Court justices, and celebrity millionaires with privilege. The United States was founded in 1776, and within just under 100 years, began to dismantle slavery and segregation, as abolitionists advocated for Black rights. Contrast this with many ancient nations (such as the African nation of Egypt) that allowed slavery for hundreds or even thousands of years. 

Space does not allow for the myriad other issues with this book. 

[Torrie Tovar]

When my friend approached me and asked if I wanted to add this book to our diverse buddy reads group this year I was all in. And I am glad we did. I think this is a great book for people who are just learning how to be anti-racist. Because this book breaks down all of the microagressions that people don't think are racist when they actually are.

I am very excited for our discussion to see what everyone took away from it.

I would like to note that this book is mainly talking about systemic racism towards black Americans. And there are a lot of books written by black people on this subject. Such as, How to Be an Anti-Racist, Between The World And Me, Caste, Stamped From The Beginning, The New Jim Crow, Hood Feminism, I'm Still Here, White Rage, So You Want To Talk About Race, White Evangelical Racism, and Mediocre. These are just some I have read there are so many more. So, I would recommend reading these first.

#readersofig #booksofig #readmorebooks #alwaysreading #bookhoarder #bookhaul #librarylife #bookstack #librariesofinstagram #booktography #readabook #bookaesthetic #bookworms #readingisfundamental #bookrecommendation #bookaesthetic #bookshelves #readabook #readmore #bookstagrammers #becauseofreading #ireadya #newbooks #bookworms #bookshelves

[Hannah Johnson · Rating 1 out of 5]

please don’t put me in a box with systemic idiots like shapiro and kirk. my issues with this book stem from the opposite side of the spectrum. this was white fragility 2.0 - something you should have your near illiterate white aunt read to understand why she can’t say the n-word. written by two white-passing, asian-american women who try discussing the black-white binary without listening to the correct voices. they place a feathered-pillow under the white reader’s neck and supplement age old problems in social literature: disregarding black academics/ voices, victimizing white privilege, teaching racism as individual action, using well-known inappropriate rhetoric for 2021… i could go on (and i did in my notes app, but ill spare my three friends on here).

Juvenile, white lens coded, establishment, unrevolutionary, temperate… felt like eating my grandmother’s unseasoned grits after a four-day fast. skip this and go read a michelin star author on this subject (Hooks, Kendi, M. Alexander, Delgado, Davis, etc.)!!!!

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re wondering what you as an individual can do to help combat racism, read this book and then buy copies for your friends. Yes, to have lasting change, we need dramatic systemic changes. That doesn’t mean, though, that we can’t also attack racism from the bottom up and have a collective impact. Dear White Women: Let’s Get (Un)comfortable Talking About Racism tells how to do this in a positive and approachable way. Authors Sara Blanchard and Misasha Suzuki Graham invite us White women to step up and counter racism through intentional and doable actions in everyday life. From avoiding microaggressions to expanding your circle of friends, it’s on that personal level where their advice shines. Just reading the book shows that you want to make a difference and know more about racism in the United States. The inclusive, empathetic guidance is bound to inspire you to take additional actions.

[Katie Forbes · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another book that coddles white women into thinking they’re “doing the work” while ignoring deeper issues—it's giving *Girl, Wash Your Face*. Written like a self-help book, it offers small action steps that create the illusion of change without tackling systemic racism, which the authors themselves acknowledge.

The editing was sloppy, with unclear sentences, grammar issues, and articles mentioned but never cited. I was also disappointed by their framing of property destruction as "violence" and their implicit acceptance of policing. Even as biracial women, they still benefit from not being racially profiled by officers who *do* commit real violence.

This might be a decent intro for beginners, but it barely scratches the surface. Real learning comes from literature that challenges you. I recommend *Killing Rage: Ending Racism* by bell hooks—powerful essays on how racism and sexism intersect. Malcolm X and MLK Jr. are a good start too.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Acknowledge the other person's point of view.

Be a little less forceful in your claims.
Highlight areas of agreement, no matter how small.

Defund the police is to relocate the resources that the police department currently receives to more mental health services, more appropriate non lethal response teams and better resources spread around for housing.

Do not use a descriptor of skin color unless it's material to the story.

Buy products from Black owned businesses.

It is important to differentiate between Black and African American as not all Black people are from Africa.

For those of us who are not Black, the N word should never come out of our mouths.

When words have power in their impact, it is the impacted group that gets to choose how the word is used by them -- and only them.

[C · Rating 3 out of 5]

The intent behind this book is excellent and there is plenty of great information, but it should have more accurately been called “Dear white mothers”.

It was very much based on the assumption that of course all women have/want children, instead of appealing to womens humanity and empathy it was all “imagine if this was your kids”, “do this for your kids future”, “talk with your kids about this”, “do that at your kids school”. Every single chapter.

I think the the authors are great people and are doing great work, but calling it a book for women was misleading and the constant reinforcement every other page of “all women have kids” was alienating and made it hard to connect to this book.

[Sarah Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish the authors would have specified that they themselves were both white, I would personally not have read it had I known. I felt like there wasn’t much about how to personally grow, mostly just stories about clear racism that are disassociated from the reader allowing us to feel a distance from responsibility. There was some good historical stuff in there at least. All in all they should have called the book dear white moms, because most of the stuff about doing actual personal reflection was really about teaching your children (that we all apparently have) instead of focusing on your own self.

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I usually do not write a review on a book but I must recommend this book to everyone. It was so thought provoking and informative (well researched with references). Our country is going through very stressful times right now created by multiple situations. I know that may sound vague but there are too many factors to explain it all. Racism is connected in one way or another to everything. I appreciated the listen, learn and act sections throughout the book. I would love to lend this book to all my friends but I am going to start rereading it tomorrow. I am also going to urge my husband to read it as it is definitely not gender specific.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an important read that built on a few topics and introduced new ones for me. I went into it expecting it to center on Black issues, but many other races were touched on as well (AAPI, Native American, Latinx, etc).

I found it odd that two non-Black women would author such a book, but through testimonials from others as well as their own lived experiences and of those they love, they brought authority to their writing.

There were many actionable items brought forward that I feel like I can implement easily or at least start taking steps towards.

TW/CW: racism, violence, police brutality

[Paige Abramson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The team behind the podcast Dear White Women have truly knocked it out of the park with this book. It's brilliantly written in a readable format and blends personal stories and experiences with the most critical facts and history. It's never comfortable talking about race, but it's 2021 and these conversations are far overdue. Misasha and Sara provide clear, actionable steps to take in becoming anti-racist, without any judgement for where the reader is on their journey. New to examining questions of race? This book is for you. Been talking about it for a while? This book is also for you. This isn't just theory - though there are so many basics included that provide an incredible foundation of understanding - there are questions to ask yourself, ideas for responding to others, and resources for helping children understand race. The included resource lists are a huge bonus! I'm so grateful for this handbook and know it's one I'll refer to many, many times.

[Misasha Suzuki Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the (other) author: Have you been asking yourself the question “but what do I DO to be more anti racist in my daily life?” If so, this is the book for you. It’s a mix of personal stories, history and other education that we still aren’t being taught in schools, and practical tips for immediate action. Also - despite the title - it’s not just for White women. We need everyone in this, together.

[Roxana Rathbun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly, I got this book out to look over it and familiarize with it since I knew it would be a hot topic. However I actually read the whole thing! It reads like a teacher might instruct a class. It had real world examples, especially those from current events. I liked the personal stories the authors contributed and the microaggression examples sprinkled throughout.

[Kelly Anderson Holiday · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a genre that may feel saturated, this was a surprisingly practical and informative read. I love the structure of the book - historical context & systemic threads, personal challenges and practical tips for taking immediate action. I read this book as part of an Honors Contract and found it applicable for anyone, regardless of where they may be along the racial equity journey.

[Kim Grubert · Rating 3 out of 5]

I want to give this book five stars for all the content it addressed, but I’m giving three stars because I listened to the audiobook version and the authors’ voices simply did not hold my attention. One author spoke too slowly and mechanically for my liking. Would like to re-read this book in my own hands.

[Janice Kampman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not sure what was up with the audiobook but it was read painfully slow. I usually listen to audiobooks at 1.5x but the narration was still slow. I thought I had accidentally changed the speed to a slower setting.
Overall the content was worth listening to. Recommend for anyone, especially that still have the “we don’t see colour” mentality.

[Bethcarewe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excited about this release from the co-hosts of the Dear White Women podcast! Their practical advice on ways to be more anti-racist is invaluable!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good tool for my toolkit. The authors cover a wide variety of topics from different perspectives. I think I really appreciated Misasha’s views especially because I can relate with having a black husband and bi-racial kids.

Definitely a lot of thought provoking and actionable takeaways!

[Megan Seely · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great coverage of a number of topics—span of issues. Great resources and tips.