What does that have to do with this book? EVERYTHING. Now it's just a deteriorating neighborhood that is showing slow signs of being re-gentrified.
My parents moved their in the 1970s when the neighborhood was well on its way up, and stayed their during the height of the drug/gang violence of the 90s. I lived in the line that divided the urban and the elite. I could go on and on.relatives, friends, acquaintances. Anyway, before my rage sets in-let's get back to this book at hand. It's hard to express how I can work so hard to be good at my field, and still get told (by my colleagues) I made it for my race quota-or how much easier it is as an educated person of color to find a job. The elephant in the room is still very much in having a needed discourse on race relations in America. I was always flying solo because I wasn't street enough Acting White The Curious History of the Racial Slur and I definitely was reminded of my color and neighborhood at school. I loved reading Steve & Will's perspective because my brother always struggled between two worlds of seeing the lives of where his neighborhood friends were headed against the backdrop of private Christian school. This book is necessary in reminding me how compartmentalized my life always was. I could go on about other stories when I taught at the high school level, in an area that was "up for grabs"-and I went because I wanted to give back to the community that helped shape me. This book may make you uncomfortable, and while I'm not hear to unpack white privilege, I am here to be a voice that it is still a prevalent concept in this world we live in. Kekla Magoon paints a backdrop that acknowledges "regular 'ole urban street life"-AND YET, keeps unpacking layers. I remember the president, the dean of students, most of his freshman class driving from Kentucky for that funeral. Let's skip forward to another cousin: he's my nineteen year old cousin and couldn't afford his fall tuition (kept it a secret from his family) he went down the street to the store, had words with some guys, they shot him in the back while he was running, came up and than shot him point blank in the head. I remember the counseling, the fact he wouldn't talk to anyone and his struggle in school. His brother held him in his arms while he took his last breaths. I've personally attended more funerals than weddings, I lost a three year old cousin to a drive by shooting who was playing outside with his six year older brother. This book is a beautiful reminder of why I cherish getting older.
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