Member Reviews
DeRay Mckesson is a powerful advocate who has become one of the most visible leaders of the #blacklivesmatter movement. This book is part essay collection and part memoir, and delves into his beginnings as a protester, experiences in activism, and advice for fighting against white supremacy and police violence. Mckesson does a great job of making the personal political and using his own memories as a mirror for society. I feel like it took a while for his unique voice and perspective to emerge from the text, but overall, it's a meaningful glimpse into an incredible movement.
This was a very informative read. The author discussed many of the issues our society is facing at the moment and also provides insight into his own experiences. Highly recommend!
DeRay argues for making the world a better place by actively believing in and working for the changes that are necessary. I appreciated the stories about his time in Ferguson and what he saw and experienced there.
I've admired DeRay McKesson for years and was excited to read On the Other Side of Freedom. He has described his new book as a collection of essays, but they work together coherently. The book is an engaging and smart synthesis of accessible philosophy, practical guide, and memoir. It would have been a great addition to the seminar I taught on activism a year ago; I'm confident students would enjoy it and find it personally meaningful. If I teach a similar class in the future, On the Other Side of Freedom will be on the reading list.