A review by karenmsecrest
Doing Nothing Is No Longer an Option: One Woman's Journey into Everyday Antiracism by Jenny Booth Potter

challenging informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

"There is no one-size-fits-all antiracism plan. It is incredibly personal and unique to who you are."

If you feel overwhelmed by the work of antiracism, if you are afraid of saying the wrong thing, if you know you need to do something but don't know where to start, this book is for you. Especially (specifically) if you are a white woman.

The chapters can be treated as individual essays, making this easy to read in short bursts (which can be helpful in a topic as heavy as this). The first few chapters focus on early memories and Jenny Booth Potter's experiences with racism as a white college student and young professional. Theses stories are embarrassingly familiar and relatable. I recognized my own feelings and reactions in some of Potter's storytelling (painful to admit).

The rest of the book focuses on more recent experiences including her observations as a parent trying to raise antiracist children, and insights to help encourage other white woman step out of their comfort zone and take steps in everyday antiracism. I found these chapters very helpful in guiding my journey.

If you read and enjoyed "I'm Still Here" by Austin Channing Brown, you'll enjoy the writing style and message in this book, too.  Potter and Brown are friends and colleagues, and Brown makes a few appearances in this book.