This is such an important book, and I'm reading it at the perfect time. It's June and Pride month (not that you should only read LGBTQIA books during June), the country and world are protesting in support of Black Lives Matter, and I'm a White mom of a Black child via transracial adoption. I learned so much reading about her experience growing up in the White part of a very segregated city and how that's shaped the way she's parenting her child.

I'm so glad Nefertiti shared her story so that other Black women who have adopted or want to adopt have a resource that speaks to their lives. I wish this book had been available when I was waiting to adopt because it offers a lot that is missing from the majority of adoption books aimed at White parents. I especially liked the interviews at the end of the book that share how different the adoption experience can be for everyone. I also really like how she called out the racist stereotypes of "Black welfare queens" and "crack babies" and how she addresses toxic masculinity.

The only parts I wish she had handled differently (which I know isn't possible because it's her truth) is her relationship with her son's birth family and that she kept his given name in some form. I'm a huge advocate for open adoption as long as it is safe and healthy for the child(ren), and obviously she did not feel that was the case for her son. That certainly is often true with adoption via foster care. However, I think it was wrong to cut all ties with his older siblings after just one visit. She had control over how often and how long they interacted, and I wish she had left that door open for at least a visit or two a year. I'm curious what her son thinks of her decision now that he's grown up.

I love Loni Love! I love her comedy, her intelligence, her heart and her story. I just spent my maternity leave watching her on The Real, and I was excited to get to read her book.

I was so excited to read this because I love Amanda cracking jokes and laying out truth on The Real, but it wasn't what I expected. I thought it was a memoir and found it's more self help and life guide told in a very disjoint format. I loved the art work and liked the book. Hoping the next one is a memoir like those by Phoebe Robinson or Issa Rae.

I bought this as a birthday gift for my 19 year old niece, but I only was able to listen to the audio before she received the book in the mail. Usually I read a book before I gift it, but that wasn't possible this time. Overall, I liked it, but I have a hard time concentrating with audio books so I can't really give this a fair rating. What I did absorb made me think it was a good pick for my niece.

This should be required reading as it's an accessible intro for white people who are blissfully and ignorantly unaware of race today. I've been reading a lot of books about racial justice, and this is the one I will put in the hands of friends and family. Oluo clearly explains everything from microaggressions to affirmative action to cultural appropriation and ends with a detailed action plan of how white people can do better and work at dismantling white supremacy culture and racist systems, because if white people don't actively work to change, BIPOC will continue to suffer.