Description
A New Kids’ Books That Encourage Compassion, Connection, Hope and Inclusion —The Toronto Star
“Eloquent and inspiring . . .” —STARRED review, Booklist
An incisive, innovative, and inviting take on fighting oppression and fighting for racial justice.
Racism is a real and present danger. But how can you fight it if you don’t know how it works or where it comes from? Using a compelling mix of memoir, cultural criticism, and anti-oppressive theory, Khodi Dill breaks down how white supremacy functions in North America and gives readers tools to understand how racism impacts their lives. From dismantling internalized racism, decolonizing schools, joining social justice movements and more, Dill lays out paths to personal liberation and social transformation.
Vibrant, dramatic collages by stylo starr complement Dill’s propulsive voice. Fueled by joy and hope as much as by rage and sorrow, this groundbreaking book empowers racialized young people to be confident in their identities and embrace the fullness of their futures.
Author Bio
KHODI DILL is a Bahamian-Canadian writer of everything from rap songs to children’s literature. He is a practicing anti-racist educator with a passion for social justice and the arts. Khodi is a proud father and partner who lives and writes in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
STYLO STARR is a Jamaican-Canadian collage artist whose work centers nature, fantasy, and notions of the Afrofuture. She is an emerging curator and arts educator with interests in exploring hand-cut collage as a grounding and healing creative modality. stylo lives and works in her hometown of Hamilton, Ontario.
Video Media
Prizes
- Best Books for Kids & Teens, *starred selection, Canadian Children’s Book CentreJoint winner 2024
Table of contents
the land
author’s note
epigraph
Introduction
section I: the know-up
chapter 1: the gut knows whussup
Intuition (gut feeling) as a way of knowing, Childhood and early experiences of racism, police and policing
chapter 2: black ain’t a colour; it’s a concept
Social construction of race, Biracial identity, Bahamian and Canadian identity, Wealth inequality
section II: personal liberation
chapter 3: don’t be hatin’ (yourself)
Self-worth and self-confidence, How white supremacy breaks down Black confidence and self-worth; Claiming that confidence as resisting white supremacist structures
chapter 4: how to show love, and rage, too
How Black emotions (especially joy and rage) are suppressed in a white supremacist society, Art as a means of expressing these emotions and as an act of resistance
chapter 5: black like you.
Blackness contains multitudes, The joy and possibility inherent in expressing one’s own Blackness and not what Blackness is assumed to be
section III: social transformation
chapter 6: make the old school new
The many ways schools and western education upholds white supremacist standards through, clothing, language and other means
chapter 7: pick your battles and your team
strategies for confronting racism and resisting oppression, Finding community to share in this fight, The importance of connecting with one’s ancestors/spirituality
conclusion
epilogue
further reading
sources
Review text
“Eloquent and inspiring . . . Teens will appreciate this straightforward, honest, and respectful offering.”
Review Quotes
“Dill combines his own lived experiences, moments from the sociopolitical context and equity theories to show the impact and presence of racism and how to individually and collectively resist. The beautiful art creates a perfect balance of theory and praxis.”
Biographical note
KHODI DILL is a Bahamian-Canadian writer of everything from rap songs to spoken word poetry to children’s books, including Welcome to the Cypher and Little Black Lives Matter. He is a practicing anti-racist educator and a sought-after public speaker on issues of social justice, identity, and education. Khodi lives in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
STYLO STARR is a Jamaican-Canadian collage artist whose work centres nature, fantasy, and notions of the Afrofuture. She is an emerging curator and arts educator with interests in exploring hand-cut collage as a grounding and healing creative modality. stylo lives and works in her hometown of Hamilton, Ontario.
