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Brown Enough
At a time when disinformation, hate crimes, inequality, racial injustice, and white supremacy are on the rise, Brown Enough, part memoir and part social commentary, emerges, asking readers to proudly put their bodies, their identities, into the conversations of race. Brown Enough is a roller coaster of finding one's true self while simultaneously having a racial awakening amidst the struggle to be "perfectly" Latinx, woke, and as Brown as possible to make it in today's America.
From world-renowned actor John Leguizamo: "Brown Enough is a celebration of Brownness and a manifesto about the magic, beauty, and heartbreak that comes with being Brown in America. Brownness is more than our skin color or language or where we grew up; it’s also about the common threads that connect us all. I’m excited to see Christopher’s impact continue to grow as one of the key voices of his generation.”
Its pages are full of honest explorations of love, sex, fake-it-till-you-make-it ambition, bad Spanish, color, code-switching, white-washing, scandal, Hollywood, and more. This memoir navigates these necessary and often revealing topics through fourteen chapters, each a distinct moment where Rivas explores his Brownness and how to own it.
Brown Enough opens with a moment that forever changed Christopher Rivas's life, the night Ta-Nehisi Coates shared, in an intimate gathering in downtown L.A., the Brown man's role in the race conversation.
"All I hear is black and white. As a Brown man, a Latin man, where does that leave me?" Coates took a short breath and responded, "Not in it."
Like a reprimanded child, Rivas took his seat and remained silent for much of the event. But the effects didn't end there. This conversation pushed Rivas to contemplate and rethink how whiteness and Blackness had impacted his sense of self and worth.
"Why is Brown not in it?" became the unspoken question for the rest of his life and a thread moving through this collection. Eventually, in every conversation, during every date, at every job, Rivas began to ask, "What are the consequences of not being in the conversation?" "What does it take to be in it?"
Brown Enough is the quest to find an answer.
"Brown Enough is a must-read for anyone who wants a more expansive and inclusive view of race in America. Rivas fiercely asks us to consider tough questions and offers candid and provocative answers. He lays bare his soul on the pages." — Julissa Arce, author of You Sound Like a White Girl: The Case for Rejecting Assimilation
Christopher Rivas is an actor, author, podcaster, and storyteller best known for his on-screen work on the Fox series, CALL ME KAT. In addition, he hosts two podcasts on SiriusXM's Stitcher: Rubirosa, a limited series about the life of Porfirio Rubirosa, and a weekly show, Brown Enough. He is a Ph.D. Candidate in Expressive Arts for Global Health & Peace Building from The European Graduate School and a Rothschild Social Impact fellow. Rivas resides in Los Angeles, CA.
From world-renowned actor John Leguizamo: "Brown Enough is a celebration of Brownness and a manifesto about the magic, beauty, and heartbreak that comes with being Brown in America. Brownness is more than our skin color or language or where we grew up; it’s also about the common threads that connect us all. I’m excited to see Christopher’s impact continue to grow as one of the key voices of his generation.”
Its pages are full of honest explorations of love, sex, fake-it-till-you-make-it ambition, bad Spanish, color, code-switching, white-washing, scandal, Hollywood, and more. This memoir navigates these necessary and often revealing topics through fourteen chapters, each a distinct moment where Rivas explores his Brownness and how to own it.
Brown Enough opens with a moment that forever changed Christopher Rivas's life, the night Ta-Nehisi Coates shared, in an intimate gathering in downtown L.A., the Brown man's role in the race conversation.
"All I hear is black and white. As a Brown man, a Latin man, where does that leave me?" Coates took a short breath and responded, "Not in it."
Like a reprimanded child, Rivas took his seat and remained silent for much of the event. But the effects didn't end there. This conversation pushed Rivas to contemplate and rethink how whiteness and Blackness had impacted his sense of self and worth.
"Why is Brown not in it?" became the unspoken question for the rest of his life and a thread moving through this collection. Eventually, in every conversation, during every date, at every job, Rivas began to ask, "What are the consequences of not being in the conversation?" "What does it take to be in it?"
Brown Enough is the quest to find an answer.
"Brown Enough is a must-read for anyone who wants a more expansive and inclusive view of race in America. Rivas fiercely asks us to consider tough questions and offers candid and provocative answers. He lays bare his soul on the pages." — Julissa Arce, author of You Sound Like a White Girl: The Case for Rejecting Assimilation
Christopher Rivas is an actor, author, podcaster, and storyteller best known for his on-screen work on the Fox series, CALL ME KAT. In addition, he hosts two podcasts on SiriusXM's Stitcher: Rubirosa, a limited series about the life of Porfirio Rubirosa, and a weekly show, Brown Enough. He is a Ph.D. Candidate in Expressive Arts for Global Health & Peace Building from The European Graduate School and a Rothschild Social Impact fellow. Rivas resides in Los Angeles, CA.
240 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 11, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
October 7, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and OrangeSky Audio for advanced access to the audiobook of Brown Enough by Christopher Rivas in exchange for an honest review.
“…tension is a good thing. Most White people don’t experience enough of the repercussions of sitting in the shit that comes out of their mouths.”
Quote reference in this book: “We have to treat others as part of who we are rather than as a ‘them’ with whom we are in constant competition.” - Robert Bellah, Habits of the Heart
I was interested in this book from the time I read the title, and the synopsis intrigued me even further. Christopher Rivas writes from a perspective I have not often heard, the middle ground between Black and White. Even in the books often recommended on race, there is so often books presented from either end of that spectrum of identity. I enjoyed having a different perspective and learning the ways in which that middle ground is overlooked. I found there were so many insights and connections shared by Rivas that I have not heard expressed before.
One of the topics in this book that was immediately relatable to me was the thoughts expressed on student loans. It hit me so hard to learn about loans from Rivas’ perspective and see the ways in which they are even more of a burden to marginalized communities. I knew this but I could not fully grasp the myriad of ways that I’ve never experienced personally.
This was a must-read for me, and I hope many more people (especially White people) read this book and value the knowledge and experiences Rivas shares. These connections are necessary to bridge these gaps between identities.
“…tension is a good thing. Most White people don’t experience enough of the repercussions of sitting in the shit that comes out of their mouths.”
Quote reference in this book: “We have to treat others as part of who we are rather than as a ‘them’ with whom we are in constant competition.” - Robert Bellah, Habits of the Heart
I was interested in this book from the time I read the title, and the synopsis intrigued me even further. Christopher Rivas writes from a perspective I have not often heard, the middle ground between Black and White. Even in the books often recommended on race, there is so often books presented from either end of that spectrum of identity. I enjoyed having a different perspective and learning the ways in which that middle ground is overlooked. I found there were so many insights and connections shared by Rivas that I have not heard expressed before.
One of the topics in this book that was immediately relatable to me was the thoughts expressed on student loans. It hit me so hard to learn about loans from Rivas’ perspective and see the ways in which they are even more of a burden to marginalized communities. I knew this but I could not fully grasp the myriad of ways that I’ve never experienced personally.
This was a must-read for me, and I hope many more people (especially White people) read this book and value the knowledge and experiences Rivas shares. These connections are necessary to bridge these gaps between identities.
October 2, 2022
Brown Enough: True Stories About Love, Violence, the Student Loan Crisis, Hollywood, Race, Familia, and Making it in America
I Picked Up This Book Because: The title.
Media Type: Audiobook
Source: Review copy provided by Netgalley
Dates Read: 9/12/22 - 9/15/22
Stars: 4.5 Stars
Narrator(s): Christopher Rivas
The Story:
I had no idea who Christopher Rivas was when I requested this ARC.(Turns out I did but I didn’t know I did.) He opened up a perspective for me that I’ve never considered. In the exploding conversations of black and white where do brown people stand? Of course he can not speak for all of the races in between but he did an excellent job of sharing his perspective and the problems concerning people who look like him. Every race has their ideal physical type and people, be they family, friends or professionals in your life, has an opinion on what it is and how you should achieve it. It's rather depressing but Rivas gives us these hard truths with enough charm to make them swallowable.
The Random Thoughts:
I Picked Up This Book Because: The title.
Media Type: Audiobook
Source: Review copy provided by Netgalley
Dates Read: 9/12/22 - 9/15/22
Stars: 4.5 Stars
Narrator(s): Christopher Rivas
The Story:
I had no idea who Christopher Rivas was when I requested this ARC.(Turns out I did but I didn’t know I did.) He opened up a perspective for me that I’ve never considered. In the exploding conversations of black and white where do brown people stand? Of course he can not speak for all of the races in between but he did an excellent job of sharing his perspective and the problems concerning people who look like him. Every race has their ideal physical type and people, be they family, friends or professionals in your life, has an opinion on what it is and how you should achieve it. It's rather depressing but Rivas gives us these hard truths with enough charm to make them swallowable.
The Random Thoughts:
October 10, 2022
I received a free eAudiobook from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
“ I am in charge of the words I don’t speak.”
This memoir is written by Christopher Rivas, an actor, author, podcaster, and storyteller, and his personal journey with anti-racism. Rivas writes about how white supremacy has affected his personal life through generational trauma, Eurocentric standards of beauty, entertainment media, and more. Rivas writes about his journey towards decolonization; his successes and missteps along the way. I liked how honest Rivas was about this. As someone who is also striving towards anti-racism and decolonizing my mindset and life, I make mistakes all the time and it was nice to see that I wasn’t the only one who struggles. While I wouldn’t say this is informational reading for anti-racism, this memoir is great additional reading for anyone who is interested in pursuing anti-racism. Check out Brown Enough by Christopher Rivas, available tomorrow, October 11, 2022.
“ I am in charge of the words I don’t speak.”
This memoir is written by Christopher Rivas, an actor, author, podcaster, and storyteller, and his personal journey with anti-racism. Rivas writes about how white supremacy has affected his personal life through generational trauma, Eurocentric standards of beauty, entertainment media, and more. Rivas writes about his journey towards decolonization; his successes and missteps along the way. I liked how honest Rivas was about this. As someone who is also striving towards anti-racism and decolonizing my mindset and life, I make mistakes all the time and it was nice to see that I wasn’t the only one who struggles. While I wouldn’t say this is informational reading for anti-racism, this memoir is great additional reading for anyone who is interested in pursuing anti-racism. Check out Brown Enough by Christopher Rivas, available tomorrow, October 11, 2022.
September 14, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and OrangeSky Audio for advanced access to the audiobook of Brown Enough by Christopher Rivas in exchange for an honest review.
CW: racism, colorism, violence, police brutality, death, murder, see growing list on StoryGraph.
Christopher Rivas shares stories of his personal experiences being a brown person of mixed heritage in a country rife with systemic racism, in a career where he is labeled "ethnically ambiguous".
This is a fantastic intersectional exploration of brownness in America. It serves as part-memoir, part cultural competence nonfiction and was a wonderful read. I loved Rivas' use of the term "cultured body" to describe anyone who lives in a body that is not white, European, thin, heterosexual, cis-gendered, and able-bodied. This term serves to encompass all those who suffer at the hands of systemic racism, classism, and oppression. Rivas courageously and vulnerably shares personal insights and experiences of being taught to hate his own body in this culture. This is a beautiful and important book, and one in a long list of fantastic books that offer own-voices insight that everyone should be listening to.
CW: racism, colorism, violence, police brutality, death, murder, see growing list on StoryGraph.
Christopher Rivas shares stories of his personal experiences being a brown person of mixed heritage in a country rife with systemic racism, in a career where he is labeled "ethnically ambiguous".
This is a fantastic intersectional exploration of brownness in America. It serves as part-memoir, part cultural competence nonfiction and was a wonderful read. I loved Rivas' use of the term "cultured body" to describe anyone who lives in a body that is not white, European, thin, heterosexual, cis-gendered, and able-bodied. This term serves to encompass all those who suffer at the hands of systemic racism, classism, and oppression. Rivas courageously and vulnerably shares personal insights and experiences of being taught to hate his own body in this culture. This is a beautiful and important book, and one in a long list of fantastic books that offer own-voices insight that everyone should be listening to.
September 7, 2022
there! He really did!
Ok before I get into the review, this is a discourse on race from the brown perspective which is sorely lacking from the overall discussion because for many they have the privilege of opting out that black people don’t have.
The authors delves into the why. Why Hispanics view themselves more as European descent then Afro. From Trujillo, to majora la rasa, to the many levels of whiteness or non brown/blackness in Latin America, to the obsession with Columbus, to the secret nose tool, too bleaching. He.went.there. And while doing so gave me insight into a conflict between 2 Dominicana coworkers, both different hues of black but that could not stand each other.
Some parts were jaw dropping, others I was in tears. I’d never heard of the author or his viral letter but I’m happy I got this advance audio copy to review from the publisher. Get this when it’s released October 11th. Should be required reading.
#59/32 #goodreadsreadingchallenge ##bookstagram #arc #audiobook #booreview #sxmbibliophile #islandgirlreads
Ok before I get into the review, this is a discourse on race from the brown perspective which is sorely lacking from the overall discussion because for many they have the privilege of opting out that black people don’t have.
The authors delves into the why. Why Hispanics view themselves more as European descent then Afro. From Trujillo, to majora la rasa, to the many levels of whiteness or non brown/blackness in Latin America, to the obsession with Columbus, to the secret nose tool, too bleaching. He.went.there. And while doing so gave me insight into a conflict between 2 Dominicana coworkers, both different hues of black but that could not stand each other.
Some parts were jaw dropping, others I was in tears. I’d never heard of the author or his viral letter but I’m happy I got this advance audio copy to review from the publisher. Get this when it’s released October 11th. Should be required reading.
#59/32 #goodreadsreadingchallenge ##bookstagram #arc #audiobook #booreview #sxmbibliophile #islandgirlreads
May 3, 2023
This book validated so many of my experiences growing up brown, not being brown enough, and everything in between. I am so thankful that this book exists. Highly recommend.
October 13, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley for an early audiobook copy for review.
"Brown Enough" was a delightful book to listen to. Narrated by the author himself, this book felt like you were sitting across the table from him at a coffee shop, just chatting about life- your hopes, dreams, fears, concerns- sharing thoughts and experiences as a brown person in America.
Christopher Rivas is very thoughtful in recounting his failures and his successes as real moments in his life that taught him something, and is careful to emphasize that he is still learning- that we all are.
I enjoyed this book primarily because it made me feel less alone. I'm not the only one who has these thoughts, I'm not the only one who struggles in this way, who ponders their vague place in the middle, who deals with microaggressions and the unrealistic expectations of people we encounter in every day life who want to categorize us into easily-understood boxes and are surprised or frustrated when we don't fit.
The struggle to speak out, the constant exhaustion from being the only one who does speak in a room where you're the only non-white person; the constant pressure to assimilate, the constant judgment whether you do or do not.
Hearing someone else voice some of the thoughts that constantly float around in my own mind was, frankly, comforting.
This book, to me, was lovely and easy to listen to, and I would definitely have a coffee with Christopher Rivas again. I recommend you pull up a chair, too, and listen to what he has to say.
"Brown Enough" was a delightful book to listen to. Narrated by the author himself, this book felt like you were sitting across the table from him at a coffee shop, just chatting about life- your hopes, dreams, fears, concerns- sharing thoughts and experiences as a brown person in America.
Christopher Rivas is very thoughtful in recounting his failures and his successes as real moments in his life that taught him something, and is careful to emphasize that he is still learning- that we all are.
I enjoyed this book primarily because it made me feel less alone. I'm not the only one who has these thoughts, I'm not the only one who struggles in this way, who ponders their vague place in the middle, who deals with microaggressions and the unrealistic expectations of people we encounter in every day life who want to categorize us into easily-understood boxes and are surprised or frustrated when we don't fit.
The struggle to speak out, the constant exhaustion from being the only one who does speak in a room where you're the only non-white person; the constant pressure to assimilate, the constant judgment whether you do or do not.
Hearing someone else voice some of the thoughts that constantly float around in my own mind was, frankly, comforting.
This book, to me, was lovely and easy to listen to, and I would definitely have a coffee with Christopher Rivas again. I recommend you pull up a chair, too, and listen to what he has to say.
September 14, 2024
I stumbled across this book at Half-Price Books. I didn’t really know what I was going to dive into besides what I read on the jacket. Little did I know this memoir would become another nugget of wisdom for and one that will be cherished by those in the Brown community. During a time where the U.S. is (and continues to be) divided, Chris shares the challenges of being “in between” and when I reflected on his words as I read his story, I felt so many things. Identifying as Hispanic or Latino, or even associating yourself with a country ethnically, is a process that is impacted not just by your upbringing but also your surroundings. It took me years to get there. Thank you, Chris, for putting into words what some of us have experienced that couldn’t quite articulate it as meaningful as you did.
January 9, 2023
Chris Rivas takes on a very difficult / not often spoken of experience and theme that a lot of us wrestle with but find hard to navigate in dialogue. He shares deep and personal stories from his life, helping the reader understand the complexities of identities, in a very heartfelt and funny way. I found myself nodding along, laughing out loud, and appreciating his vulnerability.
January 4, 2023
Originally started listening to this book while on a road trip with my dad. I think it was targeted at and resonated more with him than me, but I enjoyed hearing the personal stories.
March 11, 2023
*Thank you NetGalley for this advanced eARC, in exchange for an honest review*
I mainly enjoyed this book. It was nice that the author was the narrator for the book, I think it made the book better, because he really put effort into writing this book.
I also really enjoyed all the talk about race and in general his experiences with it.
However there was a few things I didn’t enjoy and I didn’t expect this book to be about, one of these things were his actor story, like how he became and actor and what it made of an impact and so on. I would probably have enjoyed it, if I knew that was what some of the book would be about, but I had mainly thought that the book would just be about race and color, and not so much his life story too.
But in the end I really liked this book and I enjoyed listening to it too.
I mainly enjoyed this book. It was nice that the author was the narrator for the book, I think it made the book better, because he really put effort into writing this book.
I also really enjoyed all the talk about race and in general his experiences with it.
However there was a few things I didn’t enjoy and I didn’t expect this book to be about, one of these things were his actor story, like how he became and actor and what it made of an impact and so on. I would probably have enjoyed it, if I knew that was what some of the book would be about, but I had mainly thought that the book would just be about race and color, and not so much his life story too.
But in the end I really liked this book and I enjoyed listening to it too.
August 30, 2022
A book I never knew I needed. Thank you Christopher Rivas for your insight. I have done a lot of reading from minority authors in the recent years but this one hit me differently for me, someone who has brownness in her family/ancestors and has experienced a different perspective but is also unequivocally white. It was wonderful to hear his perspective and it really resonated with me. I've learned a lot from his story telling and his explanations of his experience. I think it would be helpful for anyone to read this - especially those people who are looking to diversify the content they consume. I love how he explores the different but same struggles that many other minority groups also experience but while keeping the lenses on his cultural experience. Read this book!
August 25, 2022
Thank you, Christopher Rivas for sharing your stories, your lessons. I absolutely loved and appreciated the audio version of Brown Enough: True Stories About Love, Violence the Student Loan Crisis, Hollywood, Race, Familia and Making it in America.
This honest and insightful collection follows Rivas’ journey from Queens, NY to Hollywood. What really resonated with me were the references to spaces; the spaces we find ourselves in, the spaces that shape us, the spaces we seek.
Aside from his phenomenal storytelling, Rivas shared many messages that need to be heard, one of which was: “…doing the emotional labor and work is f*cking exhausting and it isn’t mine to do alone. The burden of change has been placed on the ones who have needed others to change for far too long. Not anymore. I want ease, rest, support, and softness. I want my people to do less work. I want a white 4th grade in New England to also begin to do the work with me. I don’t think that is a crazy request. This is how we begin to change things from the very beginning. It must begin early. We must rewrite the narrative of what it means to be accountable and step up early for others”. Yes, absolutely.
I also appreciated Rivas’ candid acknowledgements, I felt this one entirely; “I can deeply want things to change and at the same time be complacent in the actions that keep things the way they are”. A necessary reminder of the power we hold in our actions, I keep coming back to this in my own life..and this is just one line from the book! I’ve been left repeating and contemplating many of the thoughts shared in these pages.
I gravitate towards non-fiction and memoirs, but Brown Enough was so much more than a memoir. I think Rivas shares valuable insight for many Americans; how we can acknowledge, celebrate, do better by and for Brown lives.
Thank you also to Net Galley and OrangeSky for the advanced reader audio!
This honest and insightful collection follows Rivas’ journey from Queens, NY to Hollywood. What really resonated with me were the references to spaces; the spaces we find ourselves in, the spaces that shape us, the spaces we seek.
Aside from his phenomenal storytelling, Rivas shared many messages that need to be heard, one of which was: “…doing the emotional labor and work is f*cking exhausting and it isn’t mine to do alone. The burden of change has been placed on the ones who have needed others to change for far too long. Not anymore. I want ease, rest, support, and softness. I want my people to do less work. I want a white 4th grade in New England to also begin to do the work with me. I don’t think that is a crazy request. This is how we begin to change things from the very beginning. It must begin early. We must rewrite the narrative of what it means to be accountable and step up early for others”. Yes, absolutely.
I also appreciated Rivas’ candid acknowledgements, I felt this one entirely; “I can deeply want things to change and at the same time be complacent in the actions that keep things the way they are”. A necessary reminder of the power we hold in our actions, I keep coming back to this in my own life..and this is just one line from the book! I’ve been left repeating and contemplating many of the thoughts shared in these pages.
I gravitate towards non-fiction and memoirs, but Brown Enough was so much more than a memoir. I think Rivas shares valuable insight for many Americans; how we can acknowledge, celebrate, do better by and for Brown lives.
Thank you also to Net Galley and OrangeSky for the advanced reader audio!
August 9, 2022
Thank you netgalley orangeskymedia
ABSOLUTELY a must read.. should be required learning in school.. the grit the honesty his story was an eye opener and highlights the work that isnstil required in equality and how within the community therea atill prejudices so insightful so moving this one will stick with me for sometime...
ABSOLUTELY a must read.. should be required learning in school.. the grit the honesty his story was an eye opener and highlights the work that isnstil required in equality and how within the community therea atill prejudices so insightful so moving this one will stick with me for sometime...
October 2, 2023
This is such a beautiful book! Chris has such a strong understanding of celebrating your culture before trying to assimilate to American standards and norms. He’s honest with his journey and mistakes and offers food-for-thought with every chapter.
October 12, 2022
"All these rituals Brown, Black, and melanated folks have for staying safe in the world. It's our fear of the unknown, we think by dimming our light for white people's comfort, our safety might become known to us. White people will know we are not a threat. It sucks to know the body is a target. To know that the flesh and hair follicles I was born with can be weaponized against me."
Happy Pub Day! Thanks to @rowhousepub and @christopher__rivas for the gifted copy. Brown Enough by Christopher Rivas is out today and it's one you don't want to miss if you're into stories about exploring identity, the experiences of being in between, doing anti-racist work and decolonizing your mentality. Rivas' voice was fresh, honest, introspective and he tells his story with full transparency. He shows us what doing the self work looks like and doesn't shy away from the ugly parts and difficulties and demonstrates how growth comes from acknowledging mistakes, making changes and finding a way forward and through for others.
Rivas takes us on a personal journey of what it means to be Brown in America and the importance of owning identities for our ourselves. Rivas is candid about how Brownness often feels like being excluded, silenced or even forgotten. He also talks about the ways that living in a world of binary thinking doesn't leave room for intersectionality, equal representation and more nuanced conversations about identity. I loved that he illustrated that liberation movements thrive when marginalized groups show up for each rather than engage in the "what aboutisms".
It was interesting to read his perspective about art and being creative and the ways that it can become a space to promote representation, open doors for other marginalized identities and provide activism. He is forthright about his identity struggles in Hollywood, imposter syndrome, colorism and anti-blackness in Latinx culture, what it means to be a child of immigrants, how he formed community and how challenging the process of unlearning white supremacy is.
I found myself relating to many of his experiences and I'm sure that this book will resonate with other non-white groups. This book is a great starting point for having some deeper conversations about the idea of not being seen as enough because of their phenotype, economic status or other form of "otherness". As an added bonus Rivas shares wisdom from and credits live-action leaders from the past to evoke greater meanings. I'm looking forward to sharing this one with others and digging a little deeper.
Happy Pub Day! Thanks to @rowhousepub and @christopher__rivas for the gifted copy. Brown Enough by Christopher Rivas is out today and it's one you don't want to miss if you're into stories about exploring identity, the experiences of being in between, doing anti-racist work and decolonizing your mentality. Rivas' voice was fresh, honest, introspective and he tells his story with full transparency. He shows us what doing the self work looks like and doesn't shy away from the ugly parts and difficulties and demonstrates how growth comes from acknowledging mistakes, making changes and finding a way forward and through for others.
Rivas takes us on a personal journey of what it means to be Brown in America and the importance of owning identities for our ourselves. Rivas is candid about how Brownness often feels like being excluded, silenced or even forgotten. He also talks about the ways that living in a world of binary thinking doesn't leave room for intersectionality, equal representation and more nuanced conversations about identity. I loved that he illustrated that liberation movements thrive when marginalized groups show up for each rather than engage in the "what aboutisms".
It was interesting to read his perspective about art and being creative and the ways that it can become a space to promote representation, open doors for other marginalized identities and provide activism. He is forthright about his identity struggles in Hollywood, imposter syndrome, colorism and anti-blackness in Latinx culture, what it means to be a child of immigrants, how he formed community and how challenging the process of unlearning white supremacy is.
I found myself relating to many of his experiences and I'm sure that this book will resonate with other non-white groups. This book is a great starting point for having some deeper conversations about the idea of not being seen as enough because of their phenotype, economic status or other form of "otherness". As an added bonus Rivas shares wisdom from and credits live-action leaders from the past to evoke greater meanings. I'm looking forward to sharing this one with others and digging a little deeper.
October 10, 2022
Many thanks to Netgalley, OrangeSky Audio and the author, for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Being a brown person in a predominantly white country where you are stand out for literally every aspect of you is haunting!! trust me I know! This book left me feeling seen and understood at the same time opened wounds that are raw and painful.
And obviously I picked up this book only because of this title.
Being in the era where the long standing fight of racial equality is 'almost' at the forefront, I have always felt inadequate to speak as a POC, as a brown person, because the conversation around race as Christopher Rivas points out again and again is predominantly binary, black and white. So do where do me and almost 60 percent of the world population stand. This book dug out a lot of trauma. The author rightfully talks how as brown children, the only thing we are taught about fitting in is assimilating and becoming closest to white as possible. I have been repeatedly told as a young girl, that how blessed I would have been if I was the lighter brown complexion of my mother, rather than the darker one of my father's. I have been made to feel bad about my color, my skin, my looks for it is too much brown. It took me a decade of self love to love my own skin and feel comfortable in it. You ask what colonization left us with...this....the way we need to learn to love our skin.
This book is well paced and well articulated. It travels from what it means to be among the multitude of shades of brown to student loans to the great lie of the American dream. The loans, multi-billionaires eating away on the society, microaggressions, racial appropriation to so much more. There is apart where Chris talks about how he fought with his father to make him accept that he is racist! That hit close to home!
My POC friends: Read this book only if you are ready to face some of your trauma, demons and accept the fight that comes with us JUST EXISTING
My White friends: Read this book with an open mind, not defensive and accepting of the reality that the history has created for us!
Being a brown person in a predominantly white country where you are stand out for literally every aspect of you is haunting!! trust me I know! This book left me feeling seen and understood at the same time opened wounds that are raw and painful.
And obviously I picked up this book only because of this title.
Being in the era where the long standing fight of racial equality is 'almost' at the forefront, I have always felt inadequate to speak as a POC, as a brown person, because the conversation around race as Christopher Rivas points out again and again is predominantly binary, black and white. So do where do me and almost 60 percent of the world population stand. This book dug out a lot of trauma. The author rightfully talks how as brown children, the only thing we are taught about fitting in is assimilating and becoming closest to white as possible. I have been repeatedly told as a young girl, that how blessed I would have been if I was the lighter brown complexion of my mother, rather than the darker one of my father's. I have been made to feel bad about my color, my skin, my looks for it is too much brown. It took me a decade of self love to love my own skin and feel comfortable in it. You ask what colonization left us with...this....the way we need to learn to love our skin.
This book is well paced and well articulated. It travels from what it means to be among the multitude of shades of brown to student loans to the great lie of the American dream. The loans, multi-billionaires eating away on the society, microaggressions, racial appropriation to so much more. There is apart where Chris talks about how he fought with his father to make him accept that he is racist! That hit close to home!
My POC friends: Read this book only if you are ready to face some of your trauma, demons and accept the fight that comes with us JUST EXISTING
My White friends: Read this book with an open mind, not defensive and accepting of the reality that the history has created for us!
September 6, 2022
Brown Enough, narrated by author Christopher Rivas, is a well-balanced commentary on the BIPOC experience illustrated through the captivating stories of the individual. The stories chosen to comprise the book seem carefully curated and are delivered in a way an old friend would tell them. The harsh realities or our society are softened by the author’s perspective, while the seriousness of the problems facing our society remains clear.
The audiobook is easy to follow, well paced and aligns with the content of the book. At times, I increased the speed of the narration, but that is my personal listening preference. The words were brought to life by Rivas, as he effortlessly spoke them exactly as they were intended. Delivery definitely positively impacted my experience of Brown Enough. Pauses were well placed and added to the meaning, as were increases in volume throughout the delivery. The topics addressed throughout the book are heavy and I found myself mentally preparing for the weight of it all each time I got back to the story. While listening to Rivas’ words, I became very aware of the impact my actions have on other people, society, and the world.
I would recommend Brown Enough to anyone who feels the impact of brownness in their daily life, or who exists in a world where color definitely matters. Special thanks to NetGalley and Row House by Orange Sky Audio for sending this book for recommendation. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
The audiobook is easy to follow, well paced and aligns with the content of the book. At times, I increased the speed of the narration, but that is my personal listening preference. The words were brought to life by Rivas, as he effortlessly spoke them exactly as they were intended. Delivery definitely positively impacted my experience of Brown Enough. Pauses were well placed and added to the meaning, as were increases in volume throughout the delivery. The topics addressed throughout the book are heavy and I found myself mentally preparing for the weight of it all each time I got back to the story. While listening to Rivas’ words, I became very aware of the impact my actions have on other people, society, and the world.
I would recommend Brown Enough to anyone who feels the impact of brownness in their daily life, or who exists in a world where color definitely matters. Special thanks to NetGalley and Row House by Orange Sky Audio for sending this book for recommendation. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
February 11, 2025
Christopher Rivas’ Brown Enough is a deeply personal and thought-provoking exploration of identity, race, and belonging in America. In a mix of memoir and social commentary, Rivas shares his experiences navigating Hollywood, family expectations, love, and the realities of being Brown in a society that often sees things in Black and White.
The book shines in its raw honesty and storytelling. Rivas brings a unique voice to discussions of race and privilege, and his insights into the intersection of culture, opportunity, and personal ambition are compelling. His reflections on Hollywood’s racial dynamics and the student loan crisis offer essential critiques of systemic barriers.
However, the tone sometimes feels more confrontational than reflective, which might not resonate with all readers. While passion and urgency are essential in conversations about race and identity, the book occasionally leans into a militant perspective that could have been balanced with more nuance. Some sections feel repetitive, and the narrative occasionally loses focus as it shifts between personal anecdotes and broader societal critiques.
Overall, Brown Enough is a valuable read for those interested in race, identity, and media representation, but it may not appeal to everyone in the way it intends. Rivas’s voice is powerful, but a more even-handed approach might have made his message more accessible to a broader audience.
The book shines in its raw honesty and storytelling. Rivas brings a unique voice to discussions of race and privilege, and his insights into the intersection of culture, opportunity, and personal ambition are compelling. His reflections on Hollywood’s racial dynamics and the student loan crisis offer essential critiques of systemic barriers.
However, the tone sometimes feels more confrontational than reflective, which might not resonate with all readers. While passion and urgency are essential in conversations about race and identity, the book occasionally leans into a militant perspective that could have been balanced with more nuance. Some sections feel repetitive, and the narrative occasionally loses focus as it shifts between personal anecdotes and broader societal critiques.
Overall, Brown Enough is a valuable read for those interested in race, identity, and media representation, but it may not appeal to everyone in the way it intends. Rivas’s voice is powerful, but a more even-handed approach might have made his message more accessible to a broader audience.
September 25, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and OrangeSky Audio for the advance audiobook of this title in exchange for an honest review.
Wow! I only knew about Christopher Rivas from television’s Call me Kat, but now I want to see him in more!
Somehow I thought this was going to be a humorous take on a number of topics… Okay, there were definitely some funny bits, but this book was REAL. The audiobook is read by the author, and it really squeezed most of the important topics of the day into 7 hours, 5 minutes , and 48 seconds.
Having a kid who just graduated from college during the pandemic, I really appreciated Rivas’ take on the student loan crisis. Hopefully recent developments there will help others in the situation he described.
He even managed to squeeze in a few topics not included in the subtitle, such as the environment, and little steps we can do to help without changing our entire lifestyles.
He made me consider trying meditation.
But the main focus was in the title—about being brown enough in a black and white world. As a fellow “ethnically ambiguous” individual, everything he said about this really made me feel all the feels. So much that I’ve never really been able to put into words—Rivas made me feel seen.
I listened to this book, but now I want to get the hard copy and read it, and highlight it, and make other people read it…
Wow.
Wow! I only knew about Christopher Rivas from television’s Call me Kat, but now I want to see him in more!
Somehow I thought this was going to be a humorous take on a number of topics… Okay, there were definitely some funny bits, but this book was REAL. The audiobook is read by the author, and it really squeezed most of the important topics of the day into 7 hours, 5 minutes , and 48 seconds.
Having a kid who just graduated from college during the pandemic, I really appreciated Rivas’ take on the student loan crisis. Hopefully recent developments there will help others in the situation he described.
He even managed to squeeze in a few topics not included in the subtitle, such as the environment, and little steps we can do to help without changing our entire lifestyles.
He made me consider trying meditation.
But the main focus was in the title—about being brown enough in a black and white world. As a fellow “ethnically ambiguous” individual, everything he said about this really made me feel all the feels. So much that I’ve never really been able to put into words—Rivas made me feel seen.
I listened to this book, but now I want to get the hard copy and read it, and highlight it, and make other people read it…
Wow.
December 11, 2022
***12/10/22 Update***
This book has been on my mind and, almost three months later, my high rating is not sitting well with me. Because of this, I have updated my rating to 2 stars.
***09/26/22 Original Review***
Favorite quotes: Until the Lion tells his side of the story, the tale of the hunt will always glorify the Hunter.
You can't prepare for intimacy and vulnerability. That's the shit that really hurts. That's showing someone who you truly are.
TL;DR: this is a good book with many points that can help someone who wants to understand what life is like for brown people.
Being a woman that came from a mother that was white and an immigrant father from Cuba, I understand all too well most of what Christopher Rivas talked about in Brown Enough: Latin/BIPOC erasure, (micro) aggressions, privilege that our cultures will likely never have, assumptions as to how we identify because of our skin tone, and so many other things that one cannot understand unless they've lived it themselves. I also questioned if that expectation of "making it" once you get a white woman is why my parents were together, brief as their relationship was. Was that same mindset also indoctrinated in him when he was growing up in Cuba? I'll never know, but it's likely.
While I did find some things Christopher Rivas shared to be profound and others to be my own life experiences or words, there were some that were so outlandish that I was shaking my head in disbelief. He is an idealist, as am I, but our ideals are vastly different. I listened to him with an open mind, but simply could not agree with him. While he certainly didn't have the same privilege as his white counterparts, he did have choices of going to college or not, which school to go to given their cost, getting loans to go there, whether to pursue acting, not to stand up to the writers/producers at Call Me Kat, change his body to fit casting agents' desires, and so many other things in he experienced. Yes, some of these choices will have changed the course of his life, maybe for the better, likely for the worse, but he still had the freedom to choose. He is now complaining about what he had to go through like it was done to him without his input, which was hard for me to listen to or sympathize with because he didn't hold himself accountable for the majority of the book. I understand acting was his calling and he wanted to do whatever he could to pursue it and that the expectations put on him are racist and unreasonable but complaining isn't going to change it. Be like Ava DuVernay.
He also glamorized Porfirio Rubirosa, only speaking of the good he did, admiring him with childlike abandon even though he is an adult. (And blamed his father for never telling him about Rubi. I'm sorry, what?!) He hypocritically fell into the Latin stereotypes when discussing him, almost like, "it's okay for me to say these things because I am Latin like him".
I was deeply moved by his retelling of Elijah McClain's horrific encounter with police. I'm happy that things have somewhat progressed from when this was written, but none of that will bring Elijah back. It's terrifying that this is our lives, and that we're the ones having to have these talks with our children that white children (or passing) will never have. However, as a parent, I was enraged by him taking the liberty to tell a child that yes, kids get murdered all the time, in hopes it would push the child's parents to talk with him. While you may not agree, how someone chooses to raise their child is their right as a parent. You don't have the right to push your desires/beliefs onto anyone else's child. You won't be around for the repercussions and cannot undo any fear you put into that child. Completely irresponsible.
He mentioned that asking where Latinos fit in the black and white conversation and being told he/they/we don't. I feel that way all the time. Black Lives Matter matters, Stop Asian Hate matters, but where's anything to help the Latin refugees/immigrants coming from their homes to ours for safety, help, opportunity, etc.? They are separated from their children, put in cages, raped, abandoned, killed, blamed for dying when trying to smuggle into the country, treated like they're not human, and, simply put, don't matter. While people know about it, nothing is done because it's branded as political. A human being should never be treated as a commodity for your political gain. If it was reversed, you would be outraged and demand something be done about it. But since they're oppressed, it continues.
However, while he acknowledged he didn't speak for all brown people, as it's impossible, I felt like there was no place for my mixed self within Christopher Rivas' book. Yes, my skin is a beautiful shade of cinnamon that I get from my father and I'm Latin because he's Cuban, but I felt insignificant and erasure for my unseen whiteness that is still half of me (as he also flippantly did to fellow Cuban Cameron Diaz because she's passing). Minimizing the white woman that came to his show because he didn't like her comparing the shades of white with the shades of brown (which I fundamentally understand the difference as the privilege that comes from looking any shade of white is so much different than any other skin tone), his dismissiveness of her experience shows his unwillingness to see that other people do have similar plights that he can't understand. The ramifications of these differences will never match up or be exact but unwilling to be open is only further perpetuating the divisiveness between "us" and "them", which means he's no better than the people he's talking about. It also creates a threshold of, if X hasn't happened to you, you don't matter yet, which invalidates someone else for not having the same experience as you.
Overall, I give Brown Enough 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4. There really were profound statements and thoughts that people would benefit from hearing and knowing so they can try to understand what life is like for others. I think I just had higher expectations, which is on me; he's a fellow Latino that was given a platform to speak on the issues we Latinos face and I feel like it wasn't put to the best use.
Thank you to Row House by OrangeSky Audio for providing me with an ALC.
This book has been on my mind and, almost three months later, my high rating is not sitting well with me. Because of this, I have updated my rating to 2 stars.
***09/26/22 Original Review***
Favorite quotes: Until the Lion tells his side of the story, the tale of the hunt will always glorify the Hunter.
You can't prepare for intimacy and vulnerability. That's the shit that really hurts. That's showing someone who you truly are.
TL;DR: this is a good book with many points that can help someone who wants to understand what life is like for brown people.
Being a woman that came from a mother that was white and an immigrant father from Cuba, I understand all too well most of what Christopher Rivas talked about in Brown Enough: Latin/BIPOC erasure, (micro) aggressions, privilege that our cultures will likely never have, assumptions as to how we identify because of our skin tone, and so many other things that one cannot understand unless they've lived it themselves. I also questioned if that expectation of "making it" once you get a white woman is why my parents were together, brief as their relationship was. Was that same mindset also indoctrinated in him when he was growing up in Cuba? I'll never know, but it's likely.
While I did find some things Christopher Rivas shared to be profound and others to be my own life experiences or words, there were some that were so outlandish that I was shaking my head in disbelief. He is an idealist, as am I, but our ideals are vastly different. I listened to him with an open mind, but simply could not agree with him. While he certainly didn't have the same privilege as his white counterparts, he did have choices of going to college or not, which school to go to given their cost, getting loans to go there, whether to pursue acting, not to stand up to the writers/producers at Call Me Kat, change his body to fit casting agents' desires, and so many other things in he experienced. Yes, some of these choices will have changed the course of his life, maybe for the better, likely for the worse, but he still had the freedom to choose. He is now complaining about what he had to go through like it was done to him without his input, which was hard for me to listen to or sympathize with because he didn't hold himself accountable for the majority of the book. I understand acting was his calling and he wanted to do whatever he could to pursue it and that the expectations put on him are racist and unreasonable but complaining isn't going to change it. Be like Ava DuVernay.
He also glamorized Porfirio Rubirosa, only speaking of the good he did, admiring him with childlike abandon even though he is an adult. (And blamed his father for never telling him about Rubi. I'm sorry, what?!) He hypocritically fell into the Latin stereotypes when discussing him, almost like, "it's okay for me to say these things because I am Latin like him".
I was deeply moved by his retelling of Elijah McClain's horrific encounter with police. I'm happy that things have somewhat progressed from when this was written, but none of that will bring Elijah back. It's terrifying that this is our lives, and that we're the ones having to have these talks with our children that white children (or passing) will never have. However, as a parent, I was enraged by him taking the liberty to tell a child that yes, kids get murdered all the time, in hopes it would push the child's parents to talk with him. While you may not agree, how someone chooses to raise their child is their right as a parent. You don't have the right to push your desires/beliefs onto anyone else's child. You won't be around for the repercussions and cannot undo any fear you put into that child. Completely irresponsible.
He mentioned that asking where Latinos fit in the black and white conversation and being told he/they/we don't. I feel that way all the time. Black Lives Matter matters, Stop Asian Hate matters, but where's anything to help the Latin refugees/immigrants coming from their homes to ours for safety, help, opportunity, etc.? They are separated from their children, put in cages, raped, abandoned, killed, blamed for dying when trying to smuggle into the country, treated like they're not human, and, simply put, don't matter. While people know about it, nothing is done because it's branded as political. A human being should never be treated as a commodity for your political gain. If it was reversed, you would be outraged and demand something be done about it. But since they're oppressed, it continues.
However, while he acknowledged he didn't speak for all brown people, as it's impossible, I felt like there was no place for my mixed self within Christopher Rivas' book. Yes, my skin is a beautiful shade of cinnamon that I get from my father and I'm Latin because he's Cuban, but I felt insignificant and erasure for my unseen whiteness that is still half of me (as he also flippantly did to fellow Cuban Cameron Diaz because she's passing). Minimizing the white woman that came to his show because he didn't like her comparing the shades of white with the shades of brown (which I fundamentally understand the difference as the privilege that comes from looking any shade of white is so much different than any other skin tone), his dismissiveness of her experience shows his unwillingness to see that other people do have similar plights that he can't understand. The ramifications of these differences will never match up or be exact but unwilling to be open is only further perpetuating the divisiveness between "us" and "them", which means he's no better than the people he's talking about. It also creates a threshold of, if X hasn't happened to you, you don't matter yet, which invalidates someone else for not having the same experience as you.
Overall, I give Brown Enough 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4. There really were profound statements and thoughts that people would benefit from hearing and knowing so they can try to understand what life is like for others. I think I just had higher expectations, which is on me; he's a fellow Latino that was given a platform to speak on the issues we Latinos face and I feel like it wasn't put to the best use.
Thank you to Row House by OrangeSky Audio for providing me with an ALC.
August 31, 2022
Normally I don't rate the memoirs I read; however, since this is more than that I felt somewhat more comfortable in doing so. Christopher Rivas is a wonderful writer and he evoked many emotions in me throughout listening to the audiobook version of "Brown Enough."
The one critique I have is that the beginning of the book felt disjointed and directionless. Once I kept going though, the more the stories packed a punch for me.
Christopher gives readers different facts, recounts different stories of his own and others, while also relaying how important it is for our society to pay attention and speak up regarding racism, and all that encompasses. Impassive activism just won't, and isn't, cutting it.
I specifically enjoyed learning about his thought processes revolving around his romantic relationships and how they made him feel in regards to his identity. I love that he narrated this himself and that he was unapologetic in his beliefs and how he chooses to speak up when many won't. It's important for all of us, especially in America, to hear these voices and to take what is being said and let it sit in our hearts.
The one critique I have is that the beginning of the book felt disjointed and directionless. Once I kept going though, the more the stories packed a punch for me.
Christopher gives readers different facts, recounts different stories of his own and others, while also relaying how important it is for our society to pay attention and speak up regarding racism, and all that encompasses. Impassive activism just won't, and isn't, cutting it.
I specifically enjoyed learning about his thought processes revolving around his romantic relationships and how they made him feel in regards to his identity. I love that he narrated this himself and that he was unapologetic in his beliefs and how he chooses to speak up when many won't. It's important for all of us, especially in America, to hear these voices and to take what is being said and let it sit in our hearts.
November 23, 2022
I wish I could have read this book 20 years ago. I am a white dad of a brown son. I thought if I raised my son to be kind, accepting of people different than himself, having a sense of justice, and believe that being adopted was a good thing. I've lived my life under the impression that we all have the right to be treated fairly with respect. I thought Dr King had won that battle. Yeah, I'm naive and idealistic. In our extended family some are white, some are brown, and some are mix of both. But I did not teach my son that being brown comes with hazards. I wish I had known. My son has been pulled over many times, had officers yell curse words at him, and been obviously profiled. Once he was pulled over (something to do with the license plate) and he was able to call me that his driver's license was in his gym bag and could I bring it. Once white dad showed up the ticket was torn up in front of me. I wish I had known that I had to prepare him for bring brown in the world. Chris points out things I never thought of. I wish I had known so I could have prepped my son as well as myself. Thank you so much, Chris. I have recommended your book to my friends.
January 10, 2024
After watching his one man show, The Real James Bond was...Dominican, I had to get this book. It makes a lot of points about being brown-skinned in a world that often divides itself between Black and White. The book starts when he asks author, Ta-Nehisi Coates, where the Brown man fits in the Black/white conversation, and Coastes said "that he was not in it." Seems he said it pointedly and it reads impolitely. This response from a thoought-leader Rivas respecats was the impetus for him writing this book.
The book explores what it means to Brown-skinned, specfically Dominican in the race conversation. It is very well-written, quite personal, often political and revisits the colorism that so many lighter Brown-skinned people live and reinforce. Rivas shares the wonder/humor/survival of his parents and his journey as an artist.
There was one part of the book that impacted me like an arrow shot through my heart.
I recommend even as I, a woman of light-brown skin, with a Black mother (who raised me) and Puerto Rican father (who seeded me), who has always lived and walked as a Black woman, found things I could and couldn't relate to in this book.
The book explores what it means to Brown-skinned, specfically Dominican in the race conversation. It is very well-written, quite personal, often political and revisits the colorism that so many lighter Brown-skinned people live and reinforce. Rivas shares the wonder/humor/survival of his parents and his journey as an artist.
There was one part of the book that impacted me like an arrow shot through my heart.
I recommend even as I, a woman of light-brown skin, with a Black mother (who raised me) and Puerto Rican father (who seeded me), who has always lived and walked as a Black woman, found things I could and couldn't relate to in this book.
September 25, 2024
A youthful memoir by a gifted writer on what he makes of being brown--neither white nor black--in our society so stratified by skin color. Dominican and Colombian, he has been raised by immigrant parents who are hoping for assimilation. This causes a seeking for male white privilege in a variety of ways. And yet Rivas, who doesn't speak Spanish (yet) is riveted with admiration for the brown culture of his origins. Hence the driving tension of this fairly short and eminently readable volume. The author is authentically honest about his own pain at exclusion, and his sometimes dishonest attempts solve it by sidling up to white culture. Perhaps the most compelling chapter is "Don't Blame Me for Dating White Girls," the subject of a piece in the "Modern Romance" section of the New Yorker. My only quibble is that sometimes there is not enough historical record of the hard-fought halting progress that has been made on these problems, and other times there is a bit of a repetitive hectoring tone. Well worth reading, though, for an unusual and refreshing youthful perspective on a what it means to be brown in the United States.
June 3, 2023
So, does my brownness live in that grey space? Not black and white, but that grey area that some people always feel uncomfortable in? Do I make people uncomfortable? Have I ever felt uncomfortable in certain spaces because of my brownness? That I can answer, yes. Rivas discusses this and oh so much more in his memoir. There’s more to our brownness, behind our nose shapes, hair texture. He seems to be complaining for a portion of the book, but there’s a point in there where I could feel a shift as if he made some sort of discovery about the paths he’s walked, and the messages he wants to convey with what he’s written. Some parts made me angry at him, some parts made me want to cry. There are moments where I wish he could have a talk with my brother because as brown 30-something-year-old males, that exchange would catch fire. Harsh experiences would be exchanged, traumas would be brought to the front, and I’m sure disagreements would be rolled out over several bottles of alcohol.
There was a lot of emotion attached to this book. Both from the author and me, the reader.
There was a lot of emotion attached to this book. Both from the author and me, the reader.
February 22, 2025
Rivas really leans on a casual, stream-of-consciousness writing style, and if you’re more compelled by structure, this book will read immature to you.
He uses “Latinx” about 3 times throughout the book, then continues use “Latino” anyway. Not that I’m the biggest fan of “Latinx,” but his inconsistency leads me to believe that his social awareness is merely performative.
Terrible reasons for breaking up with his ex-girlfriends - I can only imagine how they’d feel if they found out about the daft reasons he dumped them over a book he published.
Rivas’s inconsistency is demonstrated yet again, not to mention his contradictory morals, when he strongly condemns Rafael Trujillo in one chapter, then goes on to glamorize Porfirio Rubirosa a few chapters later.
It also seemed rather naive to me that he laments his inability to pay off his student loans when he chose to go to an expensive school for acting.
He uses “Latinx” about 3 times throughout the book, then continues use “Latino” anyway. Not that I’m the biggest fan of “Latinx,” but his inconsistency leads me to believe that his social awareness is merely performative.
Terrible reasons for breaking up with his ex-girlfriends - I can only imagine how they’d feel if they found out about the daft reasons he dumped them over a book he published.
Rivas’s inconsistency is demonstrated yet again, not to mention his contradictory morals, when he strongly condemns Rafael Trujillo in one chapter, then goes on to glamorize Porfirio Rubirosa a few chapters later.
It also seemed rather naive to me that he laments his inability to pay off his student loans when he chose to go to an expensive school for acting.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 18, 2025
I came to Brown Enough by Christopher Rivas through an unexpected but meaningful exchange — after he shared my poem Americano at a Lincoln Center event and later sent me a copy of his book. We’ve never met in person, but reading this felt like a conversation already in progress.
Brown Enough is smart, funny, and unflinchingly honest, moving fluidly between humor and hard truth as Rivas explores identity, culture, masculinity, and belonging. What I appreciated most is his refusal to simplify experience for comfort. He trusts the reader with nuance, contradiction, and the messiness that comes with telling the truth.
This is the kind of book that makes you nod in recognition, laugh out loud, pause to reflect, and feel seen without being explained to. It’s generous, sharp, and grounded in lived experience. Proof that storytelling can build connection long before introductions — and sometimes without them at all.
Brown Enough is smart, funny, and unflinchingly honest, moving fluidly between humor and hard truth as Rivas explores identity, culture, masculinity, and belonging. What I appreciated most is his refusal to simplify experience for comfort. He trusts the reader with nuance, contradiction, and the messiness that comes with telling the truth.
This is the kind of book that makes you nod in recognition, laugh out loud, pause to reflect, and feel seen without being explained to. It’s generous, sharp, and grounded in lived experience. Proof that storytelling can build connection long before introductions — and sometimes without them at all.
October 25, 2022
Brown Enough was a delightful read. A love letter to brown people around the world. I went through different emotions while reading it. It was sometimes painful, other times heartwarming, and often funny. The writing is beautiful as it's usually the case with Christopher Rivas.
This book brings nuance to the current, and very, black-and-white race conversation without taking anything away from the importance of said conversation.
If I were to summarize this book in one word I would say it is very human. Christopher Rivas grew up in New York, USA and I grew up in Paris, France yet, his story resonated with me on a very universal level. From his devoted parents to some of the encounters he makes throughout his life, it seems that I had a similar story or a similar eye-rolling occurrence I could tell people about. I loved every moment of reading this book.
This book brings nuance to the current, and very, black-and-white race conversation without taking anything away from the importance of said conversation.
If I were to summarize this book in one word I would say it is very human. Christopher Rivas grew up in New York, USA and I grew up in Paris, France yet, his story resonated with me on a very universal level. From his devoted parents to some of the encounters he makes throughout his life, it seems that I had a similar story or a similar eye-rolling occurrence I could tell people about. I loved every moment of reading this book.
November 23, 2022
I have been looking forward to this one and it was well worth the wait! I'm so appreciative for all that Christopher Rivas shared with his readers, this book is both a memoir and a social commentary exploring what it means to grow up with brown skin in America. The author is candid and genuine in sharing his, his family's and friends' experiences with racism, bias and internalized oppression, and highlights many of the experiences of people with brown bodies in a society and culture that often views race as Black or white. On a personal note, as a woman of mixed Mexican and white ethnicity, it felt validating to see some of my own thoughts, experiences and struggles named and explored. I'm so grateful to Christopher Rivas for being so open about sharing his journey and using his voice to create space of belonging for brown folks and to invite others in to learn about our experiences.
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