★★★★★ 5
Everyone in the US should read this book, no matter who they are
Format: Paperback
This book is a must read for those of us living in communities struggling with racism. Resmaa Menakem has created a masterpiece of storytelling, restorative justice, awareness raising, and healing. The writing is just excellent, and the clarity with which Menakem lays out the evidence for racism and what to do about is brilliant, and the impact is disturbing, as it should be. The chapter on race and police brutality is a strong example of that, of how black bodies create fear in white bodies. He writes about how people of color sacrifice parts of themselves every day to stay safe, and sometimes they don't succeed. He writes about how this fear of the other is in the body, and it takes a body-centered approach to heal it. We must self confront and stop talking about it; we must feel it, and practice healing approaches. Each chapter has exercises for us to practice to heal ourselves, black and white. He recommends self confrontation as a form of "clean pain," versus the "dirty pain" of avoidance, denial and blame. The examples in the book are so true and riveting. I highly recommend this book, and the practices within. A page turner. I could not put it down.
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Reviewed in the United States on November 27, 2018
