Courageous Discomfort by Shanterra McBride and Rosalind Wiseman

Many people struggle to have honest conversations about race, even those who consider themselves allies or identify as anti-racist. For anyone who wants to have better, more productive discussions, COURAGEOUS DISCOMFORT is an empowering handbook that teaches you how to do just that.

In these pages, authors (and best friends), Shanterra McBride, who is Black, and Rosalind Wiseman, who is white, discuss their own friendship and tap into their decades of anti-racism work to answer the 20 uncomfortable-but-critical questions about race they get asked most often, including:
• Should I see color?
• I’m a good person—how can I be racist?
• What if I say something wrong?
• What kind of apology makes a difference?

These 20 questions-as-chapters invite you into the conversation without judgment and inspire thoughtful reflection and discussion. There will be moments when you will laugh or cringe at the ridiculous or awkward things you read. But the truth is, there is no perfect solution or script for every maybe-racist, sort-of-racist, or blatantly racist situation. And that’s OK: making mistakes is just an opportunity to do better next time. But doing this work will empower us to have the relationships we really want to have, including the relationship we want to have with ourselves.

TIMELY BUT PERENNIAL TOPIC: Social justice is a longstanding, perennial issue but has entered the vanguard of national discourse in recent years. For anyone hungry for resources related to being an advocate for diversity and inclusion, COURAGEOUS DISCOMFORT provides an accessible, empowering playbook to follow as you confront and reckon with race-related issues and questions, now and moving forward.

ACCESSIBLE APPROACH: This beautifully designed book stands out from the more academic books in this category like WHITE FRAGILITY and HOW TO BE AN ANTIRACIST. With accessible writing, an organizing principle that invites you into the conversation, and a lovely package, COURAGEOUS DISCOMFORT is user-friendly and can even be given as an inoffensive, helpful gift to friends, relatives, and recent grads.

BLACK AUTHOR + WHITE AUTHOR: Written by a Black and white author pair who have both published books before, this handbook is authentic and credible, but also approachable. The authors’ tone and the organization of the book make it feel as if you are part of their candid conversation on race, with someone asking all the uncomfortable, awkward questions that you have asked yourself, or your friends are too scared to ask of you. This Q&A format applies to readers, whether they identify as white or non-white, who have found themselves in similar conversations, unsure of how to handle them.

GREAT FOR BOOK CLUBS: Inspired by a webinar, featuring chapters-as-questions, this book is primed for book clubs. The organization lends itself perfectly to discussion—clubs can pose each question/chapter title, review the thought prompts, and share personal experiences for an enlightening, educational, and productive conversation.

Perfect for:
• People who want to have better, more productive conversations around race and racial issues
• White people who want to be better allies
• Anyone who is focused on social justice, particularly millennials and members of Gen Z
• People who read books like WHITE FRAGILITY, CASTE, and HOW TO BE AN ANTIRACIST

Hardcover. 252 Pages. 

About the Authors: 

SHANTERRA MCBRIDE is an international teacher, speaker, author, and preacher with expertise in youth development, diversity and inclusion and allyship. In 2014, she founded MARVELOUS UNIVERSITY, a social enterprise designed to meet the diverse needs of girls and young women as they navigate life. Working with young people from all backgrounds, Marvelous University focuses on life coaching, success planning, mentorship, and leadership development. As part of this efforts, Shanterra trains adults who engage with youth to ensure that there are well-equipped and trusted allies in the lives of the young people.

Rosalind Wiseman challenges us to understand the power of dignity to build courage, connection, and community. She is a speaker, writer, advisor, and thought leader on leadership, culture, conflict, and young people. Currently, she serves as a senior leadership consultant at the US State Department’s Office for Overseas Schools which serves over 195 schools throughout the world, a consultant at the Texas Science Behavior and Mind Institute and is supporting Professor David Yeager at the University of Texas on a forthcoming book on young people and motivation.