Читать книгу Black Enough: Stories of Being Young & Black in America - Ibi Zoboi - Страница 6

Any child of colour raised in the West will have been told early on by their parents or guardians that “they need to work twice as hard” in order to achieve success. Those people may not recall exactly when they had their first “conversation”, but they will remember having it.

For non-white children growing up as minorities in Europe or North America, the first uncomfortable “conversation” with their parents isn’t about the birds and the bees – that comes later – it’s about more pressing matters that will impact them from the moment they leave the safety of their parents’ home and enter the world.

Pre-school can often be a baptism of fire for children of colour. While white children may have the luxury of waiting till their tweens before having to learn about the realities of life, children of colour are told much earlier, their “conversation” being more about the inequalities and discrimination that they will invariably face at some point in their lives. Unfortunately, this is regardless of how privileged, talented or brilliant they might be. This is a heartbreaking burden that parents of colour bear, or white parents of non-white children must face. Children of mixed-race heritage are one of the fastest-growing ethnic groups in Britain, so now many parents who themselves might not have had a personal experience of discrimination are having to have that “conversation” with their children.

In Black Enough, Ibi Zoboi powerfully weaves together a collection of short stories that examine what it means to be young and black in America. These stories bring us up close and personal with heroes and heroines who are trying their best to win on an unlevel playing field: young people refusing to give up even when the odds are stacked against them; young people who will open your hearts and minds in ways you couldn’t imagine.

Like all great coming-of-age adventures, you, the reader, will leave as much changed as the protagonists. Black Enough will open your eyes to US injustices that are just as relevant here in the UK; Black Enough will provide you with a new-found appreciation for the resilience of the human spirit; and, more importantly, Black Enough will remind you of our shared humanity.

Whether you are a young person dealing with similar challenges faced in the pages of this book, a parent wanting to raise “woke” children, or simply an ally for change and inclusion, Black Enough will arm you with extra tools on your journey to make the world a fairer place.