Dear white people, Read this book.

“Dear white people, When you’re sad about racism, please have the decency not to cry for yourselves.”
-Julie Lythcott-Haims

I am grateful for Lythcott-Haims exquisite (and exquisitely painful) memoir of growing up as the beloved daughter of a black man and white woman in a country (ours) that is not anywhere close to delivering on our promise of freedom & justice for all.

White people (myself included) have a long way to go to understand the experience of being black in America. Real American is a must-read for anyone who wants to learn how to love all of our fellow humans and create a culture where all people, regardless of their skin color, feel acceptance and belonging for who they are and don’t have to live in fear for the lives of their sons and daughters.

An outraged social media post after yet another murder of an innocent black person is not enough. It’s time for us to listen to the voices of those who have experienced injustice and follow their lead in creating a country where skin color has no bearing on whether you receive the same treatment in a grocery store checkout line, jogging through a neighborhood, or while stopping by a neighbor’s home.