Tell Me Who You Are: Sharing Our Stories of Race, Culture, & Identity

The introduction to this chapter begins with Rocky, a Sundance, Wyoming, resident who runs a museum and acknowledges his need to learn about racial literacy and justice. He explains the history of the town’s relationship to the Lakota people, who were expelled by German, Italian, and Scandinavian families. The authors then outline their “Racial-Literacy Lens” and its steps for being antiracist: “Be Conscious,” “Be Critical,” and “Be a Contributor.” These steps involve conscious understanding of the impact of race and other identities (as well as the way those identities intersect) and identifying problems and solutions. They implemented these steps when they first began exploring race and stress that racial literacy also entails intersectional literacy and action. They ask readers to consider how the book’s stories shift their consciousness, critical perspective, or contributions and propose the use of the lens in all areas of daily life, from home, to work, to leisure.

The 10 stories describe different antiracist and intersectional work. Sybil explains how anyone can fight against racism and shares her experiences with racism growing up in a segregated neighborhood in Arkansas. She was the only African American student at Central High School in 1962. A footnote critiques the “angry Black woman” stereotype.

Ron W. addresses racial literacy as a Hawaiian studies professor and describes how viewing Hawaii as simply another state ignores its unique culture. He discusses the effects of race on him as a white man: “Everything I do, as a White guy in Hawaiian history, is still a constant evaluation of my positionality. It always is and always should be” (331). He notes that his Indigenous Hawaiian friends said they would not want to have a white person as their teacher, he has received KKK flyers in his mailbox, and he witnessed discrimination against his Black friends as a child. Footnotes detail a Hawaiian newspaper translation project and the number of Indigenous Hawaiians in the state.

Racial literacy means activism for Tiara, who took a knee at a football game as a Black cheerleader in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, to highlight racism. Half of the squad joined her, but they faced backlash, including death threats, complaints, and harassment. She also describes the discrimination she faces for not being “Black enough” because her mother is white. Footnotes address approval ratings of National Football League (NFL) protests by race, statistics on the race of NFL players versus owners, and racism in dating.

Protim, who is Indian, describes how friends and people in his community saw him as “the n-word,” causing his own anti-Indian hatred. He worked at a nonprofit at Princeton University to address racial issues and encourage students of color. This experience prompted him to re-embrace his identity and become an activist. He helps Asian and Indian Americans, whom he feels are ignored, at a charter school: “I consistently ask, ‘When will other people grant Asian Americans with true ‘people of color’ status?’ They often have a derivative identity that is dependent on which perspective they adopt in the White-Black binary” (341). He explains that systems of power inform the actions of people of color who disregard other people of color. Footnotes discuss Indian immigrant families and acculturation and provide a quote by James Baldwin about anger in relation to racism.

Danya is Syrian American. She was raised Muslim by immigrant parents but felt ashamed of her culture as a child because she spoke both English and Arabic. She experienced racism after the terror attacks on September 11, 2001 (9/11) and emphasizes the importance of stories to teach people about one’s culture. She describes how Middle Eastern people are placed into one group associated with terrorists, yet Muslims and Middle Eastern people also died in the attacks. She explains that people are often unaware of their lack of knowledge. Footnotes describe the number of Muslims who died on 9/11 and provide brief information on the Syrian War.

Steph, who was raised by a single Korean American mother, learned not to value money because of her childhood poverty. She now runs a nonprofit meant to broaden access to solar energy with an emphasis on low-income to moderate-income people. A footnote compares the number of Asian women and Black women in technology.

Suzi, who is white, was raised in a conservative rural community in Nebraska. She acknowledges the value of seeing things through the perspective of her African American husband and biracial children. She works as a counselor at a school for students who have been expelled from other schools and notes that some students don’t see her as white because of her work: “What an honor that is, to not have to just be seen as White, by physicality. For so many of our kids here, so many kids in all communities, they have never had the opportunity to trust White people” (351). Footnotes address the “White savior” concept and the number of Black and white students suspended or expelled from school.

Monique is as an actress and production company owner. She experienced racism as a child and was proud to portray a smart character in High School Musical instead of a Black stereotype. Footnotes describe the “sassy Black woman” stereotype on television and relay statistics on women and women of color as film producers.

Kao Kalia’s work is as a Hmong American writer and parent. She was born in a Hmong refugee camp in Thailand, where her family was treated poorly. They moved to the US when she was six and lived in the projects in Minnesota. She addresses the concept of positionality and views it as cultural “honesty.” She also discusses Hmong persecution in Asia, the importance of representation, and sharing Hmong culture with her children. Footnotes describe Hmong soldiers recruited by the US to fight in the Vietnam War, the number of Hmong American people in poverty, and Philando Castile, who was killed in Kao’s neighborhood.

Lua does racial literacy work as a parent. She grew up on a Lakota reservation and has two Black foster sons and two white sons. She explains the differences in raising them: “I’ve always felt a responsibility raising my two biological White sons, actually—to raise them to understand and do something about their own privilege, to set a good example of what feminist, inclusive White men can be like” (337). She adds that people judge the behavior of her Black children more. Footnotes address foster care and race.

The Epilogue outlines 10 “conversational norms” readers can use to discuss race. The norms begin with the importance of doing one’s own research by considering one’s own race, reading articles and books, and learning terms and concepts. The next norm cautions people to avoid assumptions because these can incorporate stereotypes or biases. The authors note that “you can better understand but not fully understand a person’s experience, because you haven’t lived it” (359). They provide an illustration, a compass showing four ways of addressing race.

The third norm asks people to be vulnerable in their conversations but acknowledges that some people of color will avoid discussing race as a way of caring for and protecting themselves; however, they may be comfortable discussing culture. This norm also emphasizes the need to understand the difference between culture and race.

The fourth norm suggests using open questions and provides examples. It also stresses the importance of radical listening, advising readers not to talk too long and to allow others time to speak. The fifth norm explains the importance of only speaking for oneself and not generalizing.

The sixth norm stresses having an awareness of positionality and privilege: “How are your experiences ‘markers of relational positions rather than essential qualities’?” (361). It emphasizes that white people should acknowledge their privilege when discussing race but also that privilege exists in other forms, including income, education, ability, and access. It notes that privilege is not about guilt but accountability.

The seventh norm emphasizes affirmation and avoiding defensiveness, which can come across as negating someone’s experience. The eighth norm concentrates on understanding the role of systems in people’s lives.

The ninth norm emphasizes being patient and compassionate instead of shaming others. It also describes the importance of checking in about each other’s feelings during a conversation. The list ends with a reminder to focus on solutions and change after the conversation.