Ever since May 2020, when George Floyd, a Black man, was suffocated – murdered – by a White police officer, race has become both a suddenly trendy and deeply divisive issue. It’s always been simmering under the surface of any interaction across racial lines, but one side of that equation was often oblivious to just how deep the roots of racial history went. For some this has been an uncomfortable experience of sudden awareness and reckoning. For others it has become a chance to finally learn about a reality that has always been there, in full view. And for many, many others, it brought to public discourse pain, anger and fear that has been a daily lived experience for their entire lives.
This book takes this topic to some of the most recognizable Black figures in popular culture and activism, and it asks them: What does it feel like to walk in your shoes? To live in your skin? To be seen by the White gaze? The answers to these questions are raw, open, honest and have no interest in worrying about anyone else’s comfort with what they have to say.
I loved how varied the voices in this book are. I loved how it feels like an ongoing set of conversations, no two alike, and yet with a commonality that creates a coherent whole. I listened to it on audiobook, which was even better – it’s a fantastic one to listen to. I learned a lot, I found a lot to connect to and I was given a rare opportunity to catch a glimpse of the world through other eyes. This book is a wonderful one, particularly in showing that experiences of life as a Black person are as diverse as the number of Black people in the world. It’s easy sometimes to assume a lot more common ground than there is, and to assume that if you have talked to one Black person about their experience of racism, you somehow then understand what it means to be Black. But that’s like saying if someone’s talked to your great aunt Gertie who lives in another country and who you’ve only met once they’ll know all there is to know about you. Not true, right? It’s obvious, and we all know it, but sometimes I think we forget to acknowledge that diversity and how vital it is to continue listening to the stories that are being shared about racism, because however similar they may seem on the surface, no two are alike.
I’m very grateful for this book, and for the people who decided to share so much of themselves in it. Brené Brown is a White woman, and I loved hearing her discuss this project with Tarana Burke and, even better, really listening to what Tarana had to say. I do think White people have a place in discussions of race, but I also think that, more often than not, that role is to listen. To ask questions, to really engage with the answers, to continue to interrogate assumptions, biases and anything that makes us feel uncomfortable, and to always, always keep learning. This book allows an opportunity to do that, and a valuable one at that.
Tarana Burke and Dr. Brené Brown bring together a dynamic group of Black writers, organizers, artists, academics, and cultural figures to discuss the topics the two have dedicated their lives to understanding and teaching: vulnerability and shame resilience.
Contributions by Kiese Laymon, Imani Perry, Laverne Cox, Jason Reynolds, Austin Channing Brown, and more
It started as a text between two friends.
Tarana Burke, founder of the ‘me too.’ Movement, texted researcher and writer Brené Brown to see if she was free to jump on a call. Brené assumed that Tarana wanted to talk about wallpaper. They had been trading home decorating inspiration boards in their last text conversation so Brené started scrolling to find her latest Pinterest pictures when the phone rang.
But it was immediately clear to Brené that the conversation wasn’t going to be about wallpaper. Tarana’s hello was serious and she hesitated for a bit before saying, “Brené, you know your work affected me so deeply, but as a Black woman, I’ve sometimes had to feel like I have to contort myself to fit into some of your words. The core of it rings so true for me, but the application has been harder.”
Brené replied, “I’m so glad we’re talking about this. It makes sense to me. Especially in terms of vulnerability. How do you take the armor off in a country where you’re not physically or emotionally safe?”
Long pause.
“That’s why I’m calling,” said Tarana. “What do you think about working together on a book about the Black experience with vulnerability and shame resilience?”
There was no hesitation.
Burke and Brown are the perfect pair to usher in this stark, potent collection of essays on Black shame and healing. Along with the anthology contributors, they create a space to recognize and process the trauma of white supremacy, a space to be vulnerable and affirm the fullness of Black love and Black life. – Goodreads
Book Title: You Are Your Best Thing
Editors: Tarana Burke and Brené Brown, eds.
Series: No
Edition: Hardback/Audiobook
Published By: Random House
Released: April 27, 2021
Genre: Anthology, Race, Non-Fiction
Pages: 256
Date Read: July 13-21, 2021
Rating: 9/10
Average Goodreads Rating: 4.57/5 (2,026 ratings)