Issue 26(2)
Overcoming
Our Racism: The Journey to Liberation.
(2003). Derald
Wing Sue. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 320 pp. $22.95.
ISBN # 0-7879-6744-0.
Review
by: Carolyn A.
Caveny
Academic
Advising
Emmanuel
College
Boston, Massachusetts
Inquisitive
learners will pick-up and peruse Overcoming Our Racism: The
Journey to Liberation . However, only the intentional learner
will embrace the work, the problem and overcoming the problem,
and thus persist throughout the journey.
From
the outset, Derald Wing Sue attributes racism, which is pervasive
and systemic in these United States, only to White Americans (p.31).
Sue not only strongly and effectively defends this attribution,
but equally important, he invites the reader to examine the historical
and current evidence that perpetuates this reality. At the same
time, he provides the learner with comprehensive exercises for
self-evaluation, referenced as "What You Can Do to Overcome Racism",
at the end of each of the eleven chapters.
Sue
defines racism as any attitude, action, or institutional structure
or any social policy that subordinates persons or groups because
of their color (p. 31). And, he directly and consistently poses
the question, "Once you become aware of your role in the racial
oppression of others, what do you do about it?" (p. 65).
Sue
offers particular challenges in Chapters 8 - 10, "How Do You Develop
a Nonracist White Identify?", "What Must You Do to Combat Racism?",
and "What Must Society Do to Combat Racism?" to provide the reader
with a well-organized syllabus for on-going discussion and professional
development. Sue intentionally shifts his remarks to another audience,
people of color, in the closing chapter and examines eight strengths
resulting from adversity and cultural values that inform their
lives.
The
National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) may want to consider
Sue's Overcoming Our Racism as a future topic for conversations
at its national and/or regional conferences. As a result of this
initiative, the delivery of academic advising services to students
of color from myriad communities in our institutions may be proportionally
enriched because academic advisors were willing to stretch and
embrace the implications of what they learned on their journey
to liberation.
P.S. Also,
watch for another valuable resource, "Understanding Cultural Identity
and Worldview Development". This NACADA audio/visual CD will be
available in Spring 2007.
