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- Multicultural
Review
- http://www.amazon.com/review/RIG46ZN7R6RJH/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm
- http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/128538
- http://blog.timesunion.com/wagingpeace
- http://www.bookpleasures.com/websitepublisher/articles/1503/1/Talking-About-Race-Reviewed-By-Michelle-Kaye-Malsbury-of-Bookpleasures.com
- Marian
Haddad (www.marianhaddad.com;
voices.mysanantonio.com/marianhaddad)
- Larry
Sharpe
- http://metapsychology.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?%20type=book&id=5973&cn=139
Theresa Glenn
MPH Community Health Educator and Worker, Western Massachusetts, 12/11
"Kaolin's fully on the
path with a commitment to foster truth and equity and a world that
awakens with words - insightful, inspired writings to encourage
people to reach beyond limitations taught through legacies of racism
to see the absolute beauty in all people. Bringing to light the
life reality for people of color who are cast into an ever deepening
despair of a racist world while also hope for change by thoughtfully
and sensitively challenging, especially young people of the white
privileged class to dig deeply into what they think they know as
real to what is truly in their own hearts and experience. There
is no "true" tangible color line - only the ones that are created
in minds that have not yet awakened to what creates and perpetuates
in us the ability to judge human value based on the variations of
genetic coding and expression of skin color."
Talking About Race:
A Workbook About White People Fostering Racial Equality in Their Lives
by Kaolin Crandall, Dostie & Douglass Books, Inc. 2010 http://www.cddbooks.com
Reviewed by Garine Roubinian, www.rainandthunder.org
Fall 2011
Talking About Race
is an important contribution to the growing body of work by white
people encouraging & challenging other white people to start the
process of unlearning and interrupting racism and working towards
racial equality. Talking About Race seeks to help white
people do this by providing some of the beginning tools for self-reflection,
self-awareness, and accountability for self and others.
The author Kaolin
based the book on a college course she created and taught titled
‘Let’s Talk About Race: Confronting Racism Through Education.’
Through the class, Kaolin was able to provide a safe space
for students to voice the impact of racism on their lives and to
begin to see how dynamics of complicity, silence, privilege, power,
and supremacy play out in their lives, the lives of their families,
and on a broader scale — socially and historically.
Drawing content from the class and the personal stories of students
who participated, Kaolin has created a workbook to engage a wider
audience. The workbook is simple, accessible, and user-friendly
— each chapter utilizing writing exercises and self-study questions
to help individuals reflect, gain awareness, and step outside of
their comfort box of white privilege and power. The strength of
the workbook comes from these self-study questions — allowing each
reader to look at their personal ‘race story’ and look at important
areas like recognizing racism, defenses and insecurities, responsibility
and white privilege, and working to create a new identity, among
others.
Another strength of the book is the personal experiences that ground
much of the analysis and content — showing the personal dimensions
of what Kaolin writes about. Using her students’ own words, she
allows us to see the active process behind undoing racism. more...
Metapsychology
Online Reviews
A Workbook About
White People Fostering Racial Equality in Their Lives by Kaolin
Crandall, Dostie & Douglass Books, 2010 Review by Elin Weiss
Feb. 26th 2011 (Volume 15, Issue 8)
"Working against
racism is difficult because it can lead to an inner struggle and feelings
of shame, hopelessness or anger. When acting consciously and resisting
racism this could result in ruined or uncomfortable relationships,
together with resistance from family, friends, and neighbors.
Kaolin gives
examples of such difficulties faced by her students and retells some
of the stories in her book. Kaolin emphasizes that realizing privilege
and doing something about it takes a lifetime, and there is no quick
fix. In an educational setting where discussions can arise this can
be a helpful book." more
…
Marian Haddad,
author
Marian believes that "Every
classroom in America should have a copy of this book. from junior
high through graduate school. Let's not stop at "America"
-- this book should be translated into as many languages as possible
and read by everyone. We can add Kaolin to the table of much needed
voices, such as Howard Zinn and Tim Wise. An educator, herself, who
was in an interracial marriage and birthed two biracial children,
this woman knows racism from more than one angle. More importantly,
this woman knows how to move forward in breaking down racism, speaks
to how to identify it, even when we think it is not there. We need
this book. ~ Marian Haddad, author.
Jocelyn
Morris, Co-Chair of the Combatting Racism Committee for NOW (National
Organization for Women)
This is the best and most
timely book on the subject of talking about race. Kaolin has shared
her personal experiences and her students. The workbook papers take
a person from recognizing they have been raised in a racist society
to helping them deal with the benefits they get. Also, it helps when
someone wants to challenge those benefits or challenge racism in others
they encounter. Buy it, use it and share it with everyone you know!!
Victoria Mills,
documentary film maker
Kaolin's book "Talking
About Race: A Workbook About White People Fostering Racial Equality
in Their Lives" takes a non-judgemental approach to a very serious
and important topic. The open tone of the book and Kaolin's attitude
towards this complicated subject gives the reader an opportunity to
be honestly self-reflective about their feelings. The format of the
book is lovely in that her examples and exercises are nice icebreakers;
allowing the space for feelings and thoughts to come to mind. When
we can be curious about our attitudes towards ourselves and others
a space opens for change. Kaolin has provided us with that space.
P. Russell, Brooklyn,
N.Y.
I am halfway through the
book and love it. If you haven't bought it yet, don't waste another
minute. Get a fun and challenging book for yourself or someone you
care about. Love is the law.
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