Excellent book all around. The structure, the journal prompts, the research and content. This is a perfect tool to help white people dissect and process racism and white privilege.

While I appreciated the important issues this book raises, I did not care for the format. The author doesn't delve too deeply into the issues she raises because of the workbook style of the book. It might have worked as an Instagram challenge, but I found that it lacked depth as a book.

Me and White Supremacy // by Layla F. Saad

In my search for more anti-racism literature, I found this title on NetGalley. Perfect! I thought. It starts out with a foreword by Robin DiAngelo who wrote White Fragility, which I listen to on audio about a month or two ago, and is followed by Layla F. Saad introducing herself. While it is not absolutely necessary always, I do appreciate when an author introduces themselves and tells us why she thinks she she feels qualified to present on the topic of the book. It is an easy way to acquaint yourselves as well as appreciate someone’s passion for their work.

This introduction is followed with an explanation of what white supremacy is, who should be doing the work that is talked about in this book (anybody who holds white privilege), what is needed to do this work (truth, love, and commitment), and how to use the book. It also reminds us that this is hard and challenging work, and that it is important to prioritize self-care, support, and sustainability throughout. While this book is written as a 28 day journaling journey, you can of course go at your own pace as fast or as slow as you need, though it is obviously recommended to not rush through this and really work through your thoughts on everything.

What I liked right from the start is that this is a book that can be used by people that have already started educating themselves in this area as well as those that are just starting out because Week 1 is all about the Basics. For the first seven days, we dive into the foundations of White Supremacy. Each day she shows us a new term, explains it, and then gives us writing prompts to explore their presence in our own lives. White fragility and privilege are two that many are by now familiar with but there are also some that aren’t spoken of as often, such as white superiority and exceptionalism. On day 7, there is a review of the work done throughout that week.

The rest of the weeks are much more personal than that first week that is meant to focus on definitions and setting a foundational knowledge about racism in every day life. There is so much content in this book that is so useful and applicable to all of us on our journey to become true allies in this fight for true equality. Realizing that while sometimes our intentions may be good, our actual behaviors, thoughts, and actions may be more harmful can be difficult. This is addressed several times throughout this book and I beg you to push through this discomfort and do the necessary work anyways. If it was that easy to improve ourselves and change the system, then I doubt this book would be necessary at all. But it is not that easy, which is why we need to suck up our discomfort and emotions and get this work done.

While racism is a systemic issue on a large scale, Saad believes that if everybody does their own work individually on recognizing and reducing their white privilege as well as working towards a permanent solution, eventually the system itself may be dismantled as well. It is hard but oh so necessary work. Please do get yourself an actual journal and do the work in writing. While it may seem enough to just think about each prompt, doing the physical work of writing everything down will assist you in taking that necessary time to think, recognize your own privilege and role in the current system, and do what is needed to work towards real equality.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

There is a reason this book is on every social justice reading list. It is, imo, the place to start, for white people who are just beginning to learn about systemic racism. Saad gives the readers the absolute basics that one must have to move forward in their social justice education. Readers who work through the daily exercises will better understand their role as a person with white privilege in a white supremacist society. Highly recommended.

Thanks to the author, Layla F. Saad, the publisher, and NetGalley for a copy of the ARC.

Right now there are a lot of options for White people to learn about systemic racism and look in to themselves to see where they fall in the process. But, not everyone is able to afford or attend those events. Or, to be honest, is comfortable facing these hard truths with an audience. Thankfully, Ms. Saad has basically made an at-home kit for educating yourself about what is going on. The book includes an introduction and then 4 weeks of daily discussion points and journaling prompts. It took me longer to go through the book for many reasons and, like White Fragility, is a book I will return to frequently to review my privilege and how I am viewing the world.

Excellent book! but only if you work at it. Layla Saad really invites you to look deep and be honest. It is a great learning experience. I was impressed that she gave resources and ways to continue to work beyond the 28 scheduled days of the program. It can't stop here. Thank you for an eye opening experience. I hope I can do it justice. I'm trying.

I highly recommend Me & White Supremacy to every white person who is seeing this review. This is an incredibly important book. It isn’t easy - this is a book that asks more from you than most. It isn’t about passively taking in a story or facts - it asks you to step up and interact and reflect.

Early in the book, Layla Saad talks about why the title is Me & White Supremacy instead of something gentler like Me & White Fragility. It is with intent and she goes on to write:

“White supremacy is a system that you have been born into. Whether or not you have known it, it is a system that has granted you unearned privileges, protection, and power. It is also a system that has been designed to keep you asleep and unaware of what having that privilege, protection, and power has meant for people who do not look like you. What you receive for your whiteness comes at a steep cost for those who are not white. This may sicken you and cause you to feel guilt, anger, and frustration. But you cannot change your white skin color to stop receiving these privileges, just like BIPOC cannot change their skin color to stop receiving racism. But what you can do is wake up to what is really going on.”

This book is broken into segments for 28 days. While you may be tempted to just keep reading - I think it really helps to take the full 4 weeks. Let each day sink in. Think about it as you read and reflect and journal. But also keep thinking about it all day as you live your life and read the news and interact with your friends, families and colleagues. If you are able to take this with a friend who is also committed to doing the work - I found that extra helpful as sometimes she would share things that spurred me to look deeper.

You won’t finish this book and clap your hands together and say “done! I’m an antiracist now!” This is something you need to commit to continuing to work on and keep front of your mind. But this book gives a lot of great information and I know I’ll continue to come back to it.

Thank you to librofm, Netgalley and Sourcebooks for free review copies to read and listen to - I alternated between audio and the ebook and many days did both. I think it can be helpful to take it in both ways and really process.

Robin DiAngelo, author of White Fragility, will be speaking at a virtual Family Action Network event this evening, beginning at 7:00pm.

DiAngelo also wrote the foreword for ME AND WHITE SUPREMACY by Layla F. Saad. That book is based on an Instagram challenge and daily reflection practice which encourages people with white privilege to examine their own preconceptions and actions. Saad writes, "This book is for people who are ready to do the work, people who want to create change in the world by activating change within themselves first." As Saad explains, the work is indeed hard, but she "chunks" it into 28 days around topics like white privilege ("Were you ever told as a child that your whiteness would work against you?"); tone policing, white silence, and white exceptionalism. Each section contains a definition, gives examples ("I can't take in what you're saying about your lived experience because you sound too angry"), explains why the concept is important and offers a series of journaling prompts.

Saad advocates working thought the book sequentially and then to keep dipping in and out while continuing to ask questions. It was especially meaningful to me to be listening to our school's Board of Education respond to student requests about diversifying curriculum, expanding coverage of Black history and re-instating Seminar Day (with almost 5000 signatures on the petition) on the same day I had been reading Saad's words: "you have been educated by institutions that have taught white superiority through curricula that favor a white-biased narrative, through the lack of representation of BIPOC [Black, Indigenous and People of Color], and through the way these institutions handled acts of racism."

ME AND WHITE SUPREMACY is a text that deserves attention from everyone, especially since each reader can work through the material at an individual pace. As teachers, we had read and discussed Peggy McIntosh's work on white privilege earlier this year as part of our professional development work. Saad references that scholarship and further notes: "Not looking at something does not mean it does not exist. And in fact, it is an expression of white privilege itself to choose not to look at it. .... Your desire to be seen as good can actually prevent you from doing good, because if you do not see yourself as part of the problem, you cannot be part of the solution."

Both Booklist and Library Journal gave ME AND WHITE SUPREMACY starred reviews. In a recent interview on NPR, Robin DiAngelo called it one of two "really excellent resources. .... a book you do rather than read." The other resource she recommended is Dr. Eddie Moore's 21-Day Racial Equity [Habit] Building Challenge, saying they "will start us on what is a process — not a moment or an instant."

Links in live post:
https://www.familyactionnetwork.net/events/white-fragility/
https://www.npr.org/2020/06/09/873375416/there-is-no-neutral-nice-white-people-can-still-be-complicit-in-a-racist-society
https://www.eddiemoorejr.com/21daychallenge

I am so glad this book exists! Over the last month I have learnt so much about myself, and whilst it is incredibly intense and at times unsavoury, it is work that needs to be done, especially by people like myself who consider themselves to be some of the "good" white people.

This book is a must read for every white person in America. This is a difficult subject but Layla Saad's work is magic, everything that she explains in her book is completely relevant for the times that we are living in. These prompts should be in schools everywhere, to start really breaking down racism and white supremacy early. I am still moving through the prompts and going back to her writing, because this subject is not a one and done breeze through it needs to simmer and I found myself needing to sit with it. I think that this was the best book on this topic that has been written.

Even in 2020, this book is a necessary and topical read. Saad is a fantastic writer and teacher, and she gifts the world (despite the emotional labor costs) an unparalleled resource for digging up the deepest and most disguised layers of white supremacy. Quite possibly my favorite aspect of this book is that it's experienced as a journey; this isn't meant to be consumed in one sitting. Rather, the chapters are presented in bite-size lessons so that readers can sit with the content, allow for introspection, and engage in essential conversations with friends and family members.

A fantastic book that as made me think souch more than I have done in the last month. The question have led me to not only think about how the color of my skin and privilege have affected me but also what else I am doing that affects the way people respond to me. It is has made me think a lot more about my actions and reactions to things.

As an East African, Arab, British, Black, Muslim woman who was born and grew up in the West, and lives in Middle East, Layla has always sat at a unique intersection of identities from which she is able to draw rich and intriguing perspectives. Layla's work is driven by her powerful desire to become a good ancestor; to live and work in ways that leave a legacy of healing and liberation for those who will come after she is gone. (Source: author site)

Me and White Supremacy by Layla F Saad started as an Instagram challenge and later become a cultural movement. I’m going to be totally honest, I don’t speak for all for Black people, so I will say this, this book was not written for me. As a Black woman who deals with racism daily, I found nothing in this book that would benefit me except to reference this book to those that ask, Saad provides so great tips here & I feel they can be beneficial to many who are looking to become better allies.
Thank you Source Books for gifting this ARC via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the chance to read this book. Publication day is today, so I wanted to make sure to leave feedback even though I am still reading the workbook.

This book is so important. It's really making me acknowledge the work I still need to do to be an anti racist ally.

4.5 stars. While I haven't completed the full 28 day journey with all of the personal reflection questions yet (I will follow the schedule in February for Black History month), I read through all of the introductory material and at least half of the daily reading assignments. This book is excellent. I didn't feel I could give 5 stars to an interactive book without doing all the work, but everything I have read is terrific.

The writing is frank, direct and conversational. The content was presented in a straightforward way without being condemning. It defines terms that are thrown about a lot in the current culture. The opening chapters of information take up about 25 pages. Then each day's assignment is about 5 pages of material followed by 5-8 reflection questions.

The author is very clear - you will get out of this what you put into it. The more self-awareness you have, the deeper you can go. For that same reason, readers could revisit this material several times as they grow in their self-awareness and dig deeper to root out the impact of white supremacy.

I encourage folks to give this a read, buy a notebook or a journal, and really - prayerfully - consider the questions and complete some self-examination. The world will be better for it.

This is a great place to start your learning if you are interested in dismantling white supremacy and confronting your privilege. Many of the reflections you take as you read will help you to learn and have a better understanding of how important this work is especially now.

Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. once said that “a mind that is stretched by new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.” Layla F Saad has proven that dictum with her astonishing workbook, “Me & White Supremacy”. With astounding gentleness and grace, she has provided white people with the tools to examine their own complicity in white supremacy and systemic racism in order to begin dismantling it. This work is tough and eminently important; such critical concepts as white-centering, white feminism, and tokenism were plainly discussed in the light of day. Now is the time for those with white privilege to understand what it is our burden to do and to do the work ourselves; Layla has made that ever more possible with this incredibly important book.

Be prepared to reflect and grow when you read Me and White Supremacy. Especially for those who are new to these concepts, this book is a true eye-opener!

Thank you to NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A steady introduction to white supremacy - and how it affects everyone (even those who say they aren't racist). Recommended for those seeking justice in their own communities.

Wow. This book is so comprehensive and pulls no punches. It’s a workbook with thoughtful and deep diving explanations of 28 concepts and ways that white people may be contributing to the culture of white supremacy. Would be a great book to build a working group around, but designed for solo reflection and inflenching honesty.