Courageous Discomfort

How to Have Important, Brave, Life-Changing Conversations About Race and Racism. 20 Questions and Answers for Becoming a Better Advocate

By: Shanterra McBride, Rosalind Wiseman

Narrated by: Shanterra McBride, Rosalind Wiseman

An empowering handbook on how to have candid conversations around race and become a better advocate, written by a Black woman and a white woman who ask and answer 20 common, uncomfortable-but-critical questions about racism.

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 this book, 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 hear. 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 listeners, 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 consume books like White Fragility, Caste, and How to Be an Antiracist

©2022 Shanterra McBride and Rosalind Wiseman (P)2022 Chronicle Books

Right on Time

Practical words of wisdom from two friends from historically opposing perspectives. A must read for our collective and individual healing.

A much needed guide

This book is very helpful in defining guiding principles for difficult conversations at home, with friends, at work with an emphasis on the dignity and recognition of each human being. Enjoyed the specifics, the principles, and the insights for future thought.

Great book. Very action based.

Insightful and thought provoking book. Looking forward with some fear and inspiration to my next courageous conversations

Super book! So worthwhile.

Well written. Lots of food for thought. As a person who ( already) considers these issues a lot- I still learned a lot. Looked at some things in new and different ways. It is an excellent book for a community or workplace to read- together. An organization could spend tens of thousands to a facilitator to come in to spark conversations like what will come about - reading this book!

Inspires boldness in speaking for shared humanity.

Such a great listen! Shanterra and Rosalind speak, in turn, presenting guidelines for conscious action in the situations that white people are likely to find themselves in, at one point or another, in today’s world. From how to best conduct expressing solidarity and empathy to directly confronting racist words and actions in others, their advice comes from such a place of deep respect for all of humanity that I find it to be applicable beyond the topic at hand. Their guidance has given me a feeling of confidence in how to more courageously share my truth and be a better advocate for BIPOC.