FromtheBlackLivesMattermovementtothehealthandeconomicdisparitiesexacerbatedduringtheCOVID-19pandemic,Americanshavebeenforcedtoreckonwithourcountry’sfraughthistory-andpresent-ofracialbiasandinequality.Nowthatwehavescratchedthesurfaceoncourageousconversationsaboutrace,manyarewondering:whatisthenextsteptowardshealingandjustice?LiesAboutBlackPeople:HowtoCombatRacistStereotypesandWhyitMattersisdesignedforanyonewhowantstoexaminetheirownbiasesandbehaviorswithadeepercriticallensinordertotakeaction,makechange,andengagepositivelyinthefightforracialequality.Inthishonestandwelcomingbook,diversityandinclusionexpert,professor,andaward-winningspeakerDr.OmekongoDibingaarguesthatwemustembarkonamassiveundertakingtore-educateourselvesonthestereotypesthathaveprovenharmful,andtoooftendeadly,totheBlackcommunity.Throughpersonalanecdotes,nuancedhistoricalinquiry,andengaginganalysisofmodern-dayeventsandtheirhistoricalcontextandimplications,thisinvaluableguidewillbreakdownsomeofthemostpowerfulliestoldaboutBlackpeople.Whetherthoseliesarepernicious,liketheideathat“mostblackpeoplearecriminals,“orseeminglyinnocuous,likethenotionthat“blackpeoplecan’tswim,“alloftheliesandstereotypescombattedinthisbookarerootedinhateandcontinuetounderminenotonlyBlackpeopleinAmerica,butoursocietyasawhole.Beyondcombattingtheseharmfullies,Dr.Dibingaalsoprovidesreaderswithpowerfulinsightsonourracialvocabulary,reflectivehands-onexercisesthatwillallowreaderstoconfrontandchangetheirownbiases,andanhonestdiscussionabouthowtomovebeyondmisplacedshameanduseprivilegetoserveothers.Featuringpersonalsurveysalongsidereal-lifeinterviewswiththosewhohavebeenaffectedbyracialbiasesfirst-hand,thisopenandthoughtfulguidewillleadreadersonapathtounderstanding,action,andchange.
