Refuse Shame, Change White Communities, and Help Create a Just World
by Jennifer Harvey, Review 9 of 2024
Important note: This book is a great addition to the library of any aspiring white antiracist but is not the best pick for someone just beginning to learn about DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion). Some of my recommendations for that would; How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi, So You Want to Talk about Race by Ijeoma Oluo, or Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad. After you’ve read some of the great books on race written by black folks, consider revisiting this title.
If you’ve already been exploring the history of white supremacy, how it shows up, and your role in it, this book has some great examples of how you can implement and enact your values in day to day life. Harvey doesn’t shy away from sharing examples of places she’s failed to be the best co-conspirator for change and for her candor I was extremely grateful. She covers how shame, perfectionism, and trust impact white people’s ability to do antiracist work in our own communities. This could be a hard book for some to read but the message is so very important.
Would recommend it to any white person who has read a lot of DEI but still isn’t sure what their place is in creating a more just future for all of us.
Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for this audiobook for review purposes.
