I'm Still Here - Black Dignity In A World Made For Whiteness

Pastor’s Bookshelf - Welcome to my bookshelf! Each month I will discuss a recent book that I’ve finished. *disclaimer; I don’t always have time to sit and read physical books, but I do quite a bit of my reading through audiobooks these days.*

This month I’d like to talk about I’m Still Here – Black Dignity In A World Made For Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown.

This month I’d like to highlight this quick little book that I finished a few weeks ago. It’s such a smooth, easy read – I actually read it on a physical copy – rather than an audiobook (which is what I normally do). It’s an easy ready, but the topic is not.

Austin Channing Brown is an African American Christian woman who has worked with many non-profits and churches with the goal of working towards racial equality. The book is largely autobiographical – it is full of stories of her experiences and what they mean for her as a black woman in our divided culture today. I think this book is important for us right now, because it helps us walk in someone else’s shoes. As a white man, I don’t know what it feels like to work and live and walk through this world as a person of color – but through this book, I get a peak into what Austin’s life is like. There are some beautiful moments, and some really hard stories to hear – but I think it can all be useful to help us grow.

Towards the end of the book, Austin has an incredible insight called “the shadow of hope.” This is a teaching that comes from the black experience in America that I think we can ALL make use of in the modern world. It’s about how to keep hope alive in the face of disappointment – prolonged, stretched out, seemingly-never-ending disappointment and frustration. I would recommend the entire book for that chapter alone.