Austin Channing Brown's "Im Still Here: Achieving Dignity and Empowerment in a World Designed for Whiteness"

DanH: I read this book for a proper I had to submit for my master's program in social work. Ms. Browns personal account and lived experience is genuinely eye opening in understanding how systemic and institutional racism, oppression and prejudice are woven into American society. The unfairness of how White privilege and its effects on people of color traumatizes over and over again, all based on the color of their skin takes self-awareness to a level of cultural competence that society needs to participate in with vehemence so to break the barriers of divisiveness and selfish agendas.

A must read book!!

United States on Dec 12, 2023

Amazon Customer: This is a great read! Written with easy to understand terminology, it opened my eyes to my own experiences of racism and micro aggression. I would highly recommend.

United Kingdom on Feb 05, 2023

Amazon Customer: This was an interesting book that read easily. Many valuable insights into the experience of a young black woman in a majority white culture that is helpful in understanding her experience. It does, however, fall into the trap of lumping all white people into a group and all black people into a group as if that is the defining feature of who they are. Her frequent assertions of her ability to understand what is going on in the minds of all white people and what motivates their behavior while at the same time asserting that white people can never understand black people was somewhat tiring. Overall it was worth the read and I'd recommend it.

United States on Nov 23, 2022

EDJ: Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. This book is powerful. It is “next level.” In fact, I would say it is the next level in our journey as human beings toward anti-racism within our world.

Austin Channing Brown, an African American woman, named like a white man, understands and explains racism toward Black people in America in ways I’ve never understood and think many white people are oblivious to. She addresses white supremacy, white privilege, white ignorance, white fragility, white guilt, white shame. Every chapter was like a sucker punch to the gut. I couldn’t put this book down.

This book caused me to repent of things like white supremacy and privilege because I am white and even though I am not American, I can see how this plays out in Australia too. But now that I live in America, I don’t want to be part of white racism against Black people. I don’t want to be part of the problem, and this book will teach anyone just how humungous the problem really is.

My two favorite chapters were 4 and 5. I read chapter four to my husband (who is white American) and he was reeling. We were both shocked as we learned how Black history is bypassing in school...

United States on May 16, 2022

Nina Derden: As a woman who is also African American, the first word just hooked me right away “White people can be exhausting” when I read that I thought no truer words could be spoken. I read this book for my English class, at first I didn’t want to read it because it was only 192 pages and I wanted to challenge myself with a longer book. But when I read the first words and just had to read more.

And I am so glad I did. I felt like it was actually me in the book like it was my life with just some minor changes. The author not only talks about the struggle of being a black woman but she also talks about not fitting the expectations of others even within your own race. She talks about the struggles of not being “black enough” when she goes to her dad’s all-black neighborhood for the summer from her mostly white Catholic school. I love how she doesn’t just talk about not being accepted in white culture but black too how sometimes people of color “talk white” and are an “oreo” and feel that just don’t belong anywhere. I felt like she was me at that moment because I went from an all-white private school to a very diverse public school and I felt l would never fit in...

United States on Jan 08, 2021

Jean: I was confronted with my own biases and encouraged and challenged by Austin’s stories and honesty. Highly recommend this book.

Japan on Aug 06, 2020

Corie: I originally heard of this book through Reese's book club for June/July. A week or so later I got a chance to listen to Austin Channing Brown on a podcast being interviewed and I was so moved I couldn't wait another day before buying a copy for my kindle because she was SOLD OUT!! Then I jumped in without really knowing what to expect. Austin Changing Brown, you had me gripping my ereader for the entire afternoon! I felt like I was inhaling your book. Letting your words speak so many different emotions, at times overwhelming, but you expose so much of your heart in your writings. I have a few quotes from the book I've highlighted, but one of my favourites is one that I heard you mention in the podcast.
"The work of anti-racism is the work of being better humans to other humans." - Austin Channing Brown

Canada on Jun 29, 2020

Sandra: A book that is not only well written, but also stimulates thought. Have I really always behaved correctly towards my fellow human beings as I assume? Could they have been hurt by some comment from me - unintentionally, of course, but that doesn't make it any better. After this book, I will first of all talk to my friends and colleagues to find out whether I have ever offended or hurt them, better pay attention to how I treat others and stand up for others when I notice any (racist) injustices.
The part in which Austin Brown reported her day in the office particularly shocked me. How can you treat someone like this and didn't recognize it?
In addition, the letter to her - at the time still unborn - son took me away. About all the joy about the unborn also the worries you have as colored parents. I wasn't aware of that before.
In conclusion, I can say that this is one of the few books that will change my thinking and acting. Thank to Austin Channing Brown for this really important book.

Germany on Jun 10, 2020

CL Roxanas: I devoured this book. Austin writes with a poetic voice that is beautifully crafted while laying bare the harshest realities. this book will make you think, will open your eyes (if you are white) to a world we are so often blind to, and will challenge you to ask important and necessary questions. if you take this book seriously you will not be able to walk away unchanged, it will prompt you to join her in saying, “Doing nothing is no longer an option for me.”

I will be thinking about this book for a long while to come.

Australia on Aug 31, 2019