Dear Martin and White Privilege
I think that the greatest example of white privilege in my life is the fact that I never had the need to be aware of the myriad of issues faced by people of color on a daily basis. For the large majority of my life I was able to just ignore what was happening for these communities because it didn't personally affect me. I was ignorant to what they have to go through because of my white privilege.
Luckily one of the things that forced me to confront this white privilege and get a better glimpse into the terrible racial issues that still plague our nation, was the Contemporary African American Literature senior capstone class for my English program at BYU taught by the wonderful Dr. Matthews. Our syllabus included books like: Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates, Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine, The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead, and many other amazing authors of color. I feel like this class really opened to my eyes to perspectives outside my own.
This book did something similar to me. I felt like I was really able to get a glimpse into what life is like for young black teens in this time when they are constantly facing racial profiling and prejudice.
Dear Martin by Nic Stone is about a teenage boy, Justyce McAllister. Unlike the kids in the neighborhood in which he grew up, he attends a private school, his grades put him at the top of his class, and he is set to attend an Ivy League school. Despite all of these things, he discovers that he isn't unaffected by the prejudice and racial profiling that many people of color deal with in the United States. He is falsely accused of a crime and arrested just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. He must deal with the aftermath of this. Throughout this ordeal, Justyce is inspired by the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and turns to him for answers.
Nic Stone is from Atlanta, GA and worked as a mentor for teens before eventually settling on her writing career. She has additional books now--Odd One Out and Jackpot which will be out next year. She thinks everyone should be exposed to a wide range of cultures and backgrounds so she writes these diverse stories to give voice to those who need to be heard.
I know that this is so true. I teach many Latinos in my classes at school. Most of them struggle with enjoying reading because it isn't something that is particularly valued in their homes. And in this age of technology they find it a lot easier to scroll Instagram than pick up a book. But I have found a lot of success in sharing with them these diverse books that highlight the struggles of people of color in the US. While Latinos and African Americans are culturally different, both groups find that prejudice can still surround them on every turn. I have several students who have quickly devoured these books like Dear Martin and Angie Thomas' The Hate U Give and On the Come Up. I love seeing them relate so much to these books. They enjoy the realness and the way that it relates to the world they know that is at times so different than that of their white classmates.
I think that anyone can benefit from reading Dear Martin those like me who need their eyes opened to the perspectives and experiences of others or those who deal with these things on a daily basis and need to see their lives reflected in the books that they read. There is quite a bit of language--so beware if that is something you're not a fan of. But I would recommend this book to just about anyone open to giving it a chance!
Luckily one of the things that forced me to confront this white privilege and get a better glimpse into the terrible racial issues that still plague our nation, was the Contemporary African American Literature senior capstone class for my English program at BYU taught by the wonderful Dr. Matthews. Our syllabus included books like: Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates, Citizen: An American Lyric by Claudia Rankine, The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead, and many other amazing authors of color. I feel like this class really opened to my eyes to perspectives outside my own.
This book did something similar to me. I felt like I was really able to get a glimpse into what life is like for young black teens in this time when they are constantly facing racial profiling and prejudice.
Nic Stone is from Atlanta, GA and worked as a mentor for teens before eventually settling on her writing career. She has additional books now--Odd One Out and Jackpot which will be out next year. She thinks everyone should be exposed to a wide range of cultures and backgrounds so she writes these diverse stories to give voice to those who need to be heard.
I know that this is so true. I teach many Latinos in my classes at school. Most of them struggle with enjoying reading because it isn't something that is particularly valued in their homes. And in this age of technology they find it a lot easier to scroll Instagram than pick up a book. But I have found a lot of success in sharing with them these diverse books that highlight the struggles of people of color in the US. While Latinos and African Americans are culturally different, both groups find that prejudice can still surround them on every turn. I have several students who have quickly devoured these books like Dear Martin and Angie Thomas' The Hate U Give and On the Come Up. I love seeing them relate so much to these books. They enjoy the realness and the way that it relates to the world they know that is at times so different than that of their white classmates.
I think that anyone can benefit from reading Dear Martin those like me who need their eyes opened to the perspectives and experiences of others or those who deal with these things on a daily basis and need to see their lives reflected in the books that they read. There is quite a bit of language--so beware if that is something you're not a fan of. But I would recommend this book to just about anyone open to giving it a chance!
Comments