Ijeoma Oluo's work on race has been featured in the New York Times and the Washington Post. She has twice been named to the Root 100, and she received the 2018 Feminist Humanist Award from the American Humanist Association. She lives in Seattle, WA.
Embedded Files
So You Want to Talk About Race...
Members of the Shenendehowa community were invited to read and discuss So You Want to Talk About Race in two book-study sessions. Led by a World Language and English as a New Language teacher, these book studies were developed to help people have conversations that deepen their understanding of race and racial oppression and encourage them to actively dismantle systems built on holding people back. The book-study conversations will help Shen staff explore concepts such as power, privilege, intersectionality, cultural appropriation, and microaggressions. Our goal is to encourage people to embrace discomfort around difficult conversations in order to move the conversation and humanity forward.
You are invited to read the text on your own and use some of these discussion questions as a guide for your own discussions and reflections.
You are invited to read the text on your own and use some of these discussion questions as a guide for your own discussions and reflections.
Is it really about race?
Is it really about race?
In Chapter 1, "Is it really about race?," the author states: "It is about race if a person of color thinks it is about race. It is about race if it disproportionately or differently affects people of color. It is about race if it fits into a broader pattern of events that disproportionately or differently affect people of color." After reading the author's explanation of these points, can you think of social or political issues that many people currently believe are not about race, but actually may be? Which of the above guidelines for understanding when it is about race fit those issues?
Why am I always being told to check my privilege?
Why am I always being told to check my privilege?
The chapter about privilege is placed right before the chapter on intersectionality. The author has stated in interviews that she placed those chapters in that order because it is impossible to fully understand intersectionality without first comprehending privilege. How do the concepts discussed in the chapter "Why am I always being told to check my privilege?" help deepen your understanding of intersectionality and help implement intersectionality into your life?
How might white people and people of color read and experience this book differently?
How might white people and people of color read and experience this book differently?
Throughout the book, the author makes it clear that this book is written for both white people and people of color. But does the author expect white people and people of color to read and experience this book in the same way? What are some of the ways in which the author indicates how she expects white people and people of color to react and interact with portions of the book? What are some of the ways in which the author discusses the different roles that white people and people of color will play in fighting systemic racism in our society?
What are microaggressions?
What are microaggressions?
In Chapter 12, "What are microaggressions?," the author lists some of the racial microaggressions that her friends of color said that they often hear. What are some of the racial microaggressions that you have encountered or witnessed? What are some that you may have perpetrated on others?
Talking is great, but what else can I do?
Talking is great, but what else can I do?
The final chapter, "Talking is great, but what else can I do?," discusses some actions you can take to battle systemic racism using the knowledge you've gained from this book and from your conversations on race. What are some actions you can take in your community, your schools, your workplace, and your local government? What are some local antiracism efforts in your community that you can join or support?
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