I'm Still Here

Short Review: Read it!

Slightly longer review: I'm Still Here is a memoir about the experience of a Black Woman within predominately White cultural spaces. She grew up in mostly White neighborhoods, going to mostly White schools. She didn't have her first Black teacher until college. She has mostly worked for Christian non-profits that were also mostly white. But being saturated in White culture does not change her appearance or make those that are inclined to judge her based on her gender and skin color any less likely to judge her.

Part of what has been assumed by many is that if we just get kids a good education and help them ‘speak white' or even give them White sounding names as Austin's parents intentionally did, that integration will be made easier. But Austin is here to say, racism is still real.

This is a book that needs to be read. Not just by Black Women, although I think that is the primary audience, but by everyone else that is not a Black Woman because those of us that are not Black Women need to hear what a Black woman is saying about the work it takes to be a Black woman in the world.

This is not a ‘everything is going to be all right because of Jesus' book. This is a ‘Jesus may be in charge, but sin is real' book.

My full review is on my blog at http://bookwi.se/im-still-here/