In this anthology, Ibi Zoboi compiled 17 short stories that deal with experiences within Black culture or that expose what being Black is in America. This is Zoboi's attempt to encourage Black teens to just be themselves without trying to fit into whatever ideas their culture has in terms of what being Black means. The goal is to have the teens see themselves as "enough" just as they are. (Introduction, XIV).

Out of Silence

In this short story, author Kekla Magoon, tells the story of a Black teenage girl that reads about the passing of an acquaintance, Tessa, in the morning newspaper. While reading you can sense the relief that the main character feels knowing that her secret died with Tessa. She reflects on her interactions with Tessa, and how she was the first person, the only person that made her possible gayness seem casual and not a big deal. It definitely implies that being thought of as anything other than heterosexual would be unthinkable.

Magoon, K. (2019). Out of the Silence. In Zoboi, I (Ed.) Black Enough: Stories of Being Young and Black in America (pp. 96-106). New York, NY: HarperCollins Publisher.

The Ingredients

Author Jason Reynolds explains what it means to stay cool in Brooklyn in summertime while being Black. Essentially it means to go to the local pool as often as possible.

The four boys in this story, Jamal, Bog Boy, Flaco, and Randy, enjoy a day at the pool and then walk to Flaco's apartment afterwards. On the walk to the apartment they pass a variety of delis and bodegas, and the boys begin to fantasize about what their post-pool meal should be - pastrami and swiss on challah, broccoli and beef with spicy mustard on bread, classic peanut butter and jelly, Polish sausage with sauerkraut. They also add add salad sandwiches on pumpernickel to their list while they arrive at Flaco's.

They go in the apartment to find it empty, so the boys make themselves comfortable while Flaco returns from the kitchen with their feast, cereal, milk, and sugar.

This story does an excellent job of portraying the blend of cultures that make up Black culture in Brooklyn. The boys speak easily of the different foods and people they are exposed to, and it is obvious that aspects of the multi-cultural atmosphere that is Brooklyn has penetrated their culture as well.

Reynolds, J. (2019). The Ingredients. In Zoboi, I (Ed.) Black Enough: Stories of Being Young and Black in America (pp. 106-115). New York, NY: HarperCollins Publisher.

The (R)Evolution of Nigeria Jones

Ibi Zoboi tells the story of the only daughter of a Black nationalist revolutionary freedom fighter that enlists the help of her best friend, Kamau, who is secretly gay and also masquerading as her boyfriend. They were both born into the movement and are about to turn eighteen, and they determined that many of the teachings or doctrines are not applicable. Kamau, having escaped for one night to New York where he was able to live out his dreams helps Nigeria execute a plan to allow her to also escape to New York so she too can live out her dreams, even if it's only for a single night.

Nigeria's plan is to settle into a cafe near Columbia University where she impersonates a paleontology student with the intentions of meeting a white, Ross-like figure from the television show Friends to have a romance encounter with. All is going according to plan, until she realizes she forgot her backpack along with her phone and money on the bus. She realizes she's the only Black person in the cafe and contemplates the best course of action. She remove her disguise and decides to stay planted in her dream.

This short story sheds some light on what it might be like to hold different views than your parents, elders, community. It shows strength and embodies Zoboi's goal of demonstrating to Black youths that they are enough just as they are.

Zoboi, I. (2019). The (R)Evolution of Nigeria Jones. Black Enough: Stories of Being Young and Black in America (pp. 367-393). New York, NY: HarperCollins Publisher.