March 1, 2019
It feels sometimes like a slap across the face how much I really don't know about a lot of things, especially involving race and racism. I am a white woman in a society that values whiteness over diversity. Yes, things have changed significantly, but racism still is a challenge faced by many, many fellow Americans. I have spent a great deal of time over my sabbatical this year reading with one of my goals being to read more about experiences of non-white people. The latest book I've read is Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. This book was on my list of reads for a really long time. The author is descriptive and at times with heart wrenching detail challenges facing Africans who live in America. It is also a tender story of love along with race and of course identity as well. I agree with the author when she speaks about whites who say racism is over. On page 429 there is an excerpt from a "blog" that is targeted to whites: "race is it really exist for you because it has never been a barrier. Black folks don't have that choice." Racism is not over in fact I don't know really if it ever will be. I felt so white and privileged when I read this book and so out of touch with so many people who face difficulties every day.
It feels sometimes like a slap across the face how much I really don't know about a lot of things, especially involving race and racism. I am a white woman in a society that values whiteness over diversity. Yes, things have changed significantly, but racism still is a challenge faced by many, many fellow Americans. I have spent a great deal of time over my sabbatical this year reading with one of my goals being to read more about experiences of non-white people. The latest book I've read is Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. This book was on my list of reads for a really long time. The author is descriptive and at times with heart wrenching detail challenges facing Africans who live in America. It is also a tender story of love along with race and of course identity as well. I agree with the author when she speaks about whites who say racism is over. On page 429 there is an excerpt from a "blog" that is targeted to whites: "race is it really exist for you because it has never been a barrier. Black folks don't have that choice." Racism is not over in fact I don't know really if it ever will be. I felt so white and privileged when I read this book and so out of touch with so many people who face difficulties every day.
