Customer Reviews

The Skin We're In: Teaching Our Teens To Be Emotionally Strong, Socially Smart, and Spiritually Connected

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The Skin We're In is the most compelling book I've read about race and raising children. The author, Janie Victoria Ward, Ed.D. has written her fourth book about raising emotionally strong, socially smart and spiritually connected African American youth. Ward spent years researching the moral and psychological development of African American boys and girls. Through her research she conducted a study of actual interviews and discussions with African American Youth and their parents. What she wanted to know was how did the tasks of parenting relate to the forces of racism. Her study and discussions is the basis for this book.

Beginning with the introduction we're given insight into Ward's comprehensive four-step program-Name It, Read It, Oppose It, Replace It, which are strategies used to promote healthy resistances to negative social influences that affect our African American children. In chapter four we're given detailed information about Ward's comprehensive four-step program. Each step is defined and followed by written scripts taken during her interviews and discussions with the youths and their parents.

Ward tackles some of the tough issues that confront our African American youth today such as dating, peer pressure and racism. What is interesting to note, is Ward's practical advice that she offers to parents on topics such as "Teaching our children to love themselves" and "Stressing racial pride". In no way does she sound preachy. She continuously stresses how important it is for parents to talk to their children about racial matters. One such way is to share your own stories of resistances with your children. This one point is like a beam of light that takes you through the entire book.

Ward brilliantly delivers her powerful comprehensive four-step resistance model with ease. Her message is clear and not written in a textbook style. Her writing is empowering from beginning to end.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It is a good resource book. What grabbed me was the resource guide in the back of the book. The guide features lists of books, websites and videos that empower black families. I highly recommend this book to all parents, grandparents and caregivers involved with raising African American children.

Reviewed by Dorothy Cooperwood

Negotiating a racist social landscape is the prime stumbling block to the success of African-American young people. How do parents equip their children for this daunting task? Dr. Ward's book is a significant tool. It offers concrete strategies for parents and illuminates the struggle with engrossing interviews. Dr. Ward's book should be read by all but her model for resistance should be embraced by anyone affected by racism.

Like Beverely Tatutum's "Why Are All the Black Kinds Sitting Together in the Cafteria?", Ms. Ward's work is a much needed call for Black cultural identity develoopment on the part of children of African descent. For too many Black children and teens in this country are experiencing an identity crisis--whereby hip-hop identity is associated with gangsterism and being smart is equated with being White. Ward's work calls for Black culture to be used as tool for Black achievement and identity. The only missing part of this book is practical suggestions or strategies that parents could use to help their children develop Black cultural consciousness. A sort of resource book or workbook would be useful companion to her work.

I applaud Janie Victoria Ward and the many other authors like her for sitting down to write a book on racism in the 21st century. Like so many youngsters out there, I was never prepared for it by my parents since racism is such a difficult subject to discuss. The author emphasizes the need to talk to your children about race and the importance of passing on lessons from the past- notably from the Jim Crow era and Civil Rights movement- on resistance and survival. It begins by talking about the drive to integrate schools in the 1960s American South, and how this along with greater opportunities for blacks and better living conditions has lead many commentators to state that racism as a principle in the modern era is now obsolete. The author denounces this claim and goes on to discuss the new forms of psychological warfare and institutional racism through the media, financial institutions and the educational system primarly (So, yes- I'm not just crazy!). She also proposes practical solutions for tackling everyday instances of racism which she describes as "long-term resistance strategies" as opposed to shorterm-term strategies of anger and retaliation which lower self-esteem and prevent you fulfilling your potential. The discussion centres around a multitude of interviews conducted with black american families from all walks of life all over america. This gives the book a very personal, relatable feel and this solidarity in outlook and experience is in fact what the author describes as the new forms of "resistance"."Resistance", as she put it, "was once tangible and sweaty and out in the street". Very useful is also the list of resources in the back of the book including names of books, films and documentaries on the black experience. I would thoroughly reccomend this book.