Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Boy

Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Boy

YA nonfiction
"Back in those days, I didn't have the language or the courage
to talk about Blackness or Whiteness. And there were no adults
talking to me about it either. Consider this book my attempt to be
one of the adults who broaches those difficult conversations about
race. Life is already hard enough as a young person trying to figure
everything else out; the last thing we need is to make life any
harder, to expect you to untangle racial issues and racial tensions
America had handed you all on your own."
In Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Boy Emmanual Acho is
giving today's children and teens the book he probably wanted when he
was a Black kid who stuck out both at his predominantly white private
school and his predominantly Black church and only felt comfortable
playing sports. It's a book that's still very much needed. A
lot of people think racism is a thing of the past. I don't see color;
I see people. Didn't we elect a Black president already? A lot of
whites feel threatened by a zero sum logic that has any Black gains
translate to white losses or by the idea of becoming the numerical
minority. A lot of adults would like the whole issue to go away
already or are afraid to say the wrong thing. And then this whole
pandemic is making every aspect of life a whole lot more complicated.
This is the book I wish had been around when my son, Adam, was
in middle school. I would have given it to him. Acho writes directly
and candidly to his audience, discussing both personal and systemic
racism, and taking on today's hot button topics, such as white
privilege, implicit bias, and cultural appropriation.
Acho's voice is personal and conversational. In fact he sees
conversation at being at the heart of his book.
"Let me tell you why there's no White History Month. There's no
White History Month because we celebrate the accomplishments of white
people Every.Single.Day..."
He combines history and scholarship with vignettes from his own life
to create a truly reader friendly narrative.
Acho gives today's youngest generation a lot of advice on how to
be real allies. And he also has something to say to moms and dads.
"If you are raising white kids, please, please talk to them
about race. We must all see color to see racism. Plus, color,
ethnicity is part of what makes people human, and to deny any of us
our particularity is to deny our humanity..."
Truly words to live by!
On a purrrsonal note, I wasn't planning on doing a post today. But I
was the recipient of an act of kindness. On the premise that in these
scary times we need all the sunshine we can get I'm sharing this story
with you. A ray of sunshine to start your weekend off right. I was
transferring buses in Bangor. In between I sat in a three sided
shelter talking to people. I didn't realize I left my smart phone
(which I'd be lost without) there. A woman in the group tracked me
down to return it before I got on my next bus. That just made my
day. (Jules).
All those gorgeous pictures of me on it. It's a good thing she
returned the phone. (Tobago).
A great big shout goes out to all the people who go out of their way
to do the right thing when they're the only one who would know if they
didn't.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway


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